I've had better Wednesdays.
Tuesday, I caught wind that a parent had complained that I don't lecture enough. Too many activities and group work and such. In spite of the fact that such a notion goes against everything I studied during my masters program, I decided to think it over and do a little research of my own. So when I passed out the mandatory evaluations to my students on Wednesday, I added a question along those lines to get a feel for what my students were thinking. Apparently this was an invitation, to one student at least, to say whatever s/he wanted.
After such gems as "you should teach sixth grade--you'd be good at that, and then we could get someone in here who knows what they are talking about" and "it's our job to figure out plot. it's your job to do the interpretation" (?!), I was done with rich kids for the day.
I went home, changed clothes, and drove my car to downtown Palo Alto. I had two tasks: 1) find a new journal and 2) find a cafe. The journal was easy. The cover says: "Goodbye," she said. "I'm off to join the circus." It seemed appropriate. Not only that, my "Cheers, London" t-shirt won me an offer from the clerk for insider tips if I ever made it back to London to live, since Londres is her home town.
Next item. A cafe. I ended up at Coupa, which Jeff should remember, and the rest of you should check out here. I drowned my sorrows in a ridiculous salad that involved a lot of goat cheese and organic greenery, while I pretended to work and instead listened to the couple next to me discussing all the places the man had lived in London. It was a London afternoon--maybe I'll go back there and teach reading in the projects this summer. It was raining on Wednesday, you know. It could be a sign.
In the end, Palo Alto did the thing it does best, as I walked up the rainy streets to my car and the endless stacks of papers waiting for me at home: I can't believe this town is my charming and slightly ridiculous reality.
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3 comments:
Sounds like s/he doesn't get that school is work..figuring out the plot is for idots and interpreting what the author is really saying is the skill that needs to be learned. Of course, if s/he wants to go through life understanding only what is easily discernable on the surface and miss the real gems underneath, then s/he will live a very vanilla exsistence. Perhaps, s/he is trying desperatly to avoid having to evaluate the moral questions that s/he's own privaledged life makes neccesary when discrening the intent of so many authors writings. Developing a moral social conscience can be painful. Remeber Michelle, as a whole these youth have very limited life experience and speak from that vantage point.
Ah, teenage angst. They must fight against everything and try not to think to much. Do not take it to heart, sensitive Michelle! You know what you are suppose to be doing, after all, you are the one with the Masters degree and they have yet to finish High school. Good luck.
I guess students now days don't care if they tick their teachers off! In my day a response like that would have earned a trip to the principals office and a call to the parents! My Mom and Dad would have grounded me for life! Not to mention the fact that the teacher would be harder on me in the future. (mmm now there's a thought) This student is pretty arrogant to think there won't be any consequences to their actions.
I guess they never saw Bambi when they were little.
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