Addendum...

The kid who told me "I didn't teach him" the stuff on the test, literally told me today that it's my fault that he hasn't caught up with his work since he missed ONE day of school. Those were his exact words, "It's YOUR fault!" It made me think of my post. I went off on my kids after he said that.

"I don't like the attitude that if YOU didn't do YOUR homework, somehow it's the teacher's fault!"

Thankfully, the rest of my kids were like..."Ms. J, we didn't say that! Who said that?!"

There is some hope.

I also had students in my sixth period ask me, "Ms. J, why are you screaming at us?"

My response: "Because I have so many people to talk over!"

I think I'm reaching the breaking point and may need a vacation sooner than spring break. I think what really frustrated me was that during 6th period, I had students who are taking the CAHSEE tomorrow goofing off. Ironically, it's the kids who needed the review the most that goof off the most. "Oh, everyone said it's REALLY easy." I almost said, "It IS, but I honestly don't think you're going to pass if you don't pay attention today." These are the kids for whom several points is going to be the difference between them passing and not passing, and their goofing off may just have cost them those points. Last year, I only had one or two students not pass. I fear that fate for some of my 6th period.

Here is my conversation with one girl. I was trying to move her to the front because she was talking and she REALLY needs the extra tutoring for CAHSEE.

girl: Why? I'm not going to pay attention there.

me: Well, you aren't paying attention in the back.

girl: So, I'm not going to pay attention in the front.

me: Well, there's only so much I can do. At least you won't be talking and bothering other people. You have the choice to pay attention or not, you don't have the choice to interrupt other people's learning.

girl: So why should I move? I'm not going to pay attention!

me: You act as if it's a lot worse for me if you don't pay attention. YOU'RE the one taking the CAHSEE. YOU'RE the one who gets screwed over if you don't pass. YOU'RE the one who doesn't graduate if you don't pass. It's not MY future. I would pay attention if I were you, but I can't force you. The best I can do is move you to the front. If you still choose not to pay attention, I can't help it. So MOVE!

She finally moved and, true to her word, did not pay attention.

At the end of the period when almost all the kids had gone, I muttered under my breath, "I think this may be the class." And one of my seniors (who, thankfully, has passed CAHSEE) asked, "What class?"

me: The class where some people don't pass.

It didn't help that I had some juniors saying, "If I passed, EVERYONE can pass! It's SOOOOO easy." It really took motivation away from one or two students who really needed it. I told them, "You aren't doing people favors if you tell them it's super easy and they don't need to study because it may not be that easy for everyone. There are people who haven't passed it on the first try."

I suppose it's not all horrible. My third period was definitely more motivated. And I had one student in sixth asking questions about the review packet the entire period. Yes, ONE student. She may have just singlehandedly saved the entire class by asking her questions. CAHSEE is supposed to be the test that students are motivated to do well on...