I didn’t get a chance to write this blog in the morning when I had time. I was just irratated with school, student, just the whole freaking mess. Well, my mood is much better, but the wonderings are still the same, probably even more so now that I can look back and reflect a bit.

So my wonderings at Chrsitmas Break:

  1. When did disrespect come the norm? And I cannot say it’s all my students, but I had sections of classes where it’s like I am not even there. I’m not a red in the face, yelling and screaming kind of teacher, but I’ve done that more this year than any year I can remember, period. It’s December and we are in May bag of tricks. What happens when we are in March? Today, I had a student who flat out told me no on doing something in class. So I walked away. Natural consequences, my friend, natural consequences.
  2. Are we doing our students a disserivce giving them all the technology they need. Digital divide and all that jazz, but are we creating bigger monsters by allowing students laptops in class? They aren’t stupid. They know how to get around filters, blocking sites, and the like. No, I don’t want them to go back to the pre-laptop stage, but is there a senisble medium where they can use their own technology (phones mostly)? I don’t know. Just wondering.
  3. The end game is to drive out teachers who are opinionated and fill those roles with “yes people” or worse, sit 40-50 students in a classroom for online class. When will we see parents rise up and demand that state money be put towards things like health care, edcuation (both K-12, community colleges, and 4 year schools)? Or are parents so distracted themselves that they’ll take whatever is given to them and sit on the sidelines as our education system is dismatled from the inside out?
  4. Why can’t we develop jump shooters in our district? When got smoked in our last night’s game, and part of the problem is we had one true shooter and she was off. Without her, we were lost and couldn’t not generate any offence. Part of it is kids don’t want to work for the reward at the end. They want the easy way out. I have a bunch of girls who will choose volleyball over basketball, and who will be average because of it. They could be so much more, but will take the easy way out. I’ve been blessed with three great shooters in my career (a fourth during our Covid season who got to play one game out of four). Beyond that, greatness is not sought out. I don’t know how to teach kids that greatness doesn’t just show up, it’s earned with countless hours doing something.
  5. I’m May tired in Decemeber. How many other teachers are this way? How many will make the choice of just walking away after Christmas Break? How many will look at the abuse they are talking, with low pay, lots of hours, and little support and just say enough? How many will find themselves not caring they lose their licence, because they value their mental health over their job? How many will be guilted into coming back because it’s “for the kids” when they really need more help? SO much wondering there.

Bonus wondering: There’s a massive winter storm coming and my wife is hoping our daughters make it home. I am being realistic and thinking we may need to make hotel reservations to go visit them. Will Mother guilt win out over Dad being realistic? We shall see. Saturday’s forecast is not promising at all for our daughters to travel from central Iowa to Northeast Iowa.

And what about you? What are you wondering about this week before Christmas? Leave a comment and let me know!

Oh, and happy birthday, Abby! 🙂