How to Fail at Getting Stuff Done While Students are Taking Online Tests

I had a great idea today. My idea was to have students take practice standardized tests online, and while they were being quiet and productive, I, too, would be quiet and productive, grading various projects or formative assessments.

This is not the way the day went. The day went like this:

Jabber jabber jabber jabber

"Miss Reger! I don't understand this question."

"Where do we go?"

"Is this for a grade?"

"Why do we have to do this?"

"Which test do we take?"

"We have to read ALL of this?"

"I don't understand what any of this means!"

"Why do you hate us? What did we ever do to you?"

Jabber jabber jabber jabber

I hardly sat down for more than a few minutes at a time in most classes. I finally got the bright idea to assign seating charts in the computer lab. This helped a great deal with my last hour class.

Needless to say, I got very little accomplished today. I feel generally okay with that, however, seeing as it was a Friday sandwiched between two snow days and the weekend. If kids did anything remotely related to content matter, I feel like that was a success.

Seeing the questions on the tests convinced me that I have taught my kids nothing this year. When I feel that way, however, I usually try to console myself with the thought that if this really is true, neither their life nor their education will be utterly ruined from one unchallenging class in Jr. High. And I will be better next year.

I WILL be better next year.

*Saturday update: I got a package in the mail today that I ordered from Amazon. Inside were three books, all teacher helps. One on classroom management and general classroom fluidity, one on various reading strategies that align with Common Core Standards, and one on various activators to help start the class and get students engaged. I learned that I needed help. I don't like asking for help, but I needed it. I'm excited to peruse these books and use the material to strengthen my teaching for next year. I have so many plans...I just hope my dreams of an improved classroom really will come to fruition. I think they will. Sometimes, I wish I could see through God's glasses, wish I could see if I'll ever be the teacher (and the person) I dream of being... but in the end, I'm glad I can't. My purple glasses are hard enough to see through. At least my single-perspective lens is still framed with faith. For that, I look up and am thankful.

I will be better next year.

And perhaps, someday--should the Lord tarry and continue to show me grace--perhaps someday, I will even walk in line with those who are among the best.

I do believe that anything is possible. I also believe that great is in me. The greatest torture is knowing it's there but not knowing how to draw it out. I suppose the harvest is in the in the hands of Father God and Father Time. We will see what the days bring. I am ready with my books, with my glasses, and with my trembling hands.

Onward, Little Teacher! No white flags today! I say--no white flags today,

How to Fail at Maintaining Blogs and Being Productive on Snow Days

I had this great idea to post some kind of fail every day throughout the course of this year. The problem is that I'm inconsistent: I'm an inconsistent blogger. I'm an inconsistent teacher. I'm an inconsistent lots of things.

I tend to be more consistent when I'm not stressed, but...well, I'm stressed. Welcome to a first year teacher's life. I rarely make time for anything fun, let alone blogging. Especially blogging. I would probably be a good blogger if it weren't for the fact that I'm inconsistent. Maybe I'll try to do better the rest of the year. No promises.

But enough of that. It's March, and I'm actually feeling better.

We had a snow day today, and I should have been super productive and graded 8th grade Holocaust Diaries (their final project for their Holocaust unit), but I didn't. I surfed the Internet trying to find a dress for my best friend's wedding next year. I did not find a dress, I did not do any grading, and I did not do anything remotely close to what I had intended to do.

I did manage to come up with lessons for the next couple days, though. I suppose that was a success.

And I baked a pizza. It wasn't delivery, it was Digiorno's. Three meat. Classic crust. I had three slices. WIN.

Maybe, on any given day, you never totally fail at everything.