Brian Cohen
  • Making the Grade Blog
  • About Me
  • Tutoring
  • Press
  • Resources to Share

Heat exhaustion causes ranting

4/11/2011

0 Comments

 
The high today was 84 degrees. My classroom got a few degrees higher because the air conditioning in our building was not turned on (luckily we have it ready for May). My first two classes progressed as usual and then I had my standard 2 hour break in my day to prepare for the onslaught of 3 hours of teaching. That first hour after the break was exactly what I thought it would be: a crazy-fest.

Trying to teach in a hot room with kids who are already demotivated is the worst. I try to be funny to get them to laugh (performance again). I try to be annoying to get them to pay attention. I try not to be shocked when one of them references global warming (wow - someone is actually paying attention to the world around them!).

But these are just the tip of the iceberg of the problems. Some of these kids are regulars at putting their heads down and not listening. Some are always complaining, regardless of how much they might be learning. It frustrates me to no end that they do not see the importance of education in achieving goals in the future. Or maybe they do, and other issues in their lives are not allowing them to focus on that.

Resiliency is something my students mostly lack. As hot and annoyed as I may be during the day, I have the gusto to keep going. A lot of them just give up. A lot of their parents have given up on them. And giving up is the problem that will wind them up on the streets, in prison, or just trying to make ends meet each week so they have some semblance of security in their lives.

But I REFUSE to give up.

I don't think I am the best teacher I could be so I keep growing, learning, expanding my exposure to techniques in education. I think that maybe if my students see me giving my all they will learn to as well. I hope.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I am a math teacher in the New York Department of Education. I infuse technology and real-world problems into my curriculum in order to prepare my students for the future. I would love for people across the country to recognize we teachers can't do it alone. If you don't believe me, come visit my classroom!

    Picture

    Contact Me

    Picture

    Email Updates

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Archives

    March 2022
    September 2021
    August 2021
    September 2020
    August 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.