The aspect that I learned the most from this week was how seniors actually shut down at a certain point in the year. One of my co-op's mentioned that they will do this if they think that they have the grades to pass. He actually calls it "senioritis" which now makes sense as the seniors seem to have inflated or swollen egos and think that they are much better than they are scholastically. Also, if the seniors are going on to college then they typically have been accepted at this point and think that their grades don't matter any more. The class I'm referring to is an Accounting I class, yes, an elective, that is 80% seniors. The previous week they were given time to complete a practice set which involved each step of the accounting cycle for a business. The class was given an entire week to complete this. What was handed in was a complete farce. Half of the class did very well getting 90% or better. The other half of the class didn't even complete the initial work i.e. worksheet, general ledger, but had the nerve to hand in a post-closing trial balance. They weren't even aware that we knew they were copying if they had a post-closing trial balance and didn't post! Aaaaaagh! But the truly amazing thing was that they were upset over their grades! They all should have failed but we gave them the benefit of the doubt, they did not get points for the post-closing trial balance unless they posted. So, they were graded on what was completed. There was a score of a 24, a 42, a 55, and the rest were under 65. But again, my amazement came with how incredulous they were to get their grades. What did they expect?! We were kind! I am beginning to believe that teaching is partly showing, partly telling, partly encouraging, partly coaxing, partly disciplining, and partly just plain old putting your foot down and that they will get the grades they deserve. There seemed to be a feeling that they somehow should have earned more than what their work reflected based on their previous work... wrong!
This week was PSSA testing again and if I could have done anything over this week it would have been to work harder with the students that were in class even though at times, half or more of the class was missing. In mixed classes it just becomes lost time for all because when the juniors are out testing, the seniors or sophomores expect a free period. While I don't like to go too far ahead with the class, I should make sure that they really grasp the material covered that day. They can be my assistants to teaching the juniors that missed the class due to PSSA's. I'm thinking about when I have my own classes coming up with a way that I may be able to have teams so that when one student is out, the other(s) is responsible for covering the material with that student before the student comes to me. I think and have observed students learning much quicker from each other than from me and it will also create a sense of responsibility in the student that is in class instead of a feeling that 'hey, it's a free day, she'll have to go over it again anyway!'
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I can completely relate to you about the seniors. I think we are all having the same problems with them not wanting to do anything anymore. We just have to keep pushing them. PSSA's is a diffficult week when you have mixed classes. I have run into the same problem this week
ReplyDeleteI also understand what you mean with the seniors shutting down. Several of my seniors either know they can pass with very little effort at this point, or that they don't even need to pass in order to graduate at all. That, combined with the fact that it was PSSA testing this week for the juniors, the seniors basically had a 2 hour delay on Monday-Wednesday. That seemed to set a tone of laziness and created many distractions on those days. It's always a challenge to rope them in when they are mentally disengaged from the start. I feel your pain. Keep it up though! I could always tell that you'd be a very successful teacher in all meanings of the phrase. :)
ReplyDeleteYour team idea sounds like a really great idea! I never thought of that but I think it could work. I haven't noticed senioritis in the seniors at Benton just yet however your blog post gives me a heads up for what may come. Thanks for the warning. I was missing more than 75% of my Accounting I class due to PSSA testing. I had the students play are you smarter than a fifth grader. They really seemed to enjoy it and some of the questions can be related to Accounting. Sounds as if your doing well, keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteSenioritis brings many dimensions into the classroom, especially in classes where there are underclassmen. It soon turns into into junioritis, sophomoritis, and so on.
ReplyDeleteThink back to how you felt in your last months of a thirteen year haul. If you were like me, you felt exactly the same way.
Keep teaching; keep following your classroom management guidelines, but emotionally celebrate with your students. They are about to complete a milestone which they will never forget. Choose to be a part of the picture...and the celebration!