“OK Guys. There’s only one quarter of school left, and I’ve
come up with a plan to make sure you finish well.”
I grandly displayed the new homework board. It even had a new title. Finish
Well! I broke all projects down into
daily work. I assigned nightly study
sections for upcoming tests. Everyone would stop by the Finish Well board before going home to make sure they knew what
they were to do that evening. Operation Finish Well began in late March after Spring Break.
Now it is almost May and there are three weeks of school
left. Four of my students are failing
one or more classes. Most of them have
two or three “D’s” keeping the “F’s” company.
I planned for success!
I still look at the Finish Well
board with pride. It was a great idea,
and it works if you use it. What I didn’t
plan on was Ramon lying for two weeks straight.
I didn’t plan on Taniqua being sick for a week and then her family
taking a week vacation. I didn’t plan on
Josh’s best friend being in his randomly chosen study group in Math for all of
April. Naomi wasn’t a surprise. I didn’t
plan on the incredibly warm weather in April.
It’s not the calendar that makes kids quit. It’s 90 degree weather outside.
But I’ve taught for 20 years. I know things happen. I was proactive. I got the principal to approve extra tutoring
funds. I set up after-school
sessions. I contacted parents. What I
didn’t plan on was being stood up.
“I’m working late and don’t have anyone to give Ramon a
ride home.”
“Josh’s new soccer league started and he has practice
every night.”
Now we’re doing working lunches every day. Every day.
That means I don’t get lunch every day.
Every day.
So how do I feel about four of my students falling flat
just before the finish line? Frustrated!
But YOU are finishing well, even if some of your students done.
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