Gladly Would I Teach

I strongly believe that good teachers are highly organized and well prepared for class, and maybe that’s why it is stressful to me when school leaders are disorganized. This week we have an adjusted schedule for Monday through Thursday so our juniors can complete their graduation tests, the tests over math, English, science, and social studies that they must pass in order to receive diplomas next year. Even though I detest the change in schedule (two hours in first period, followed by 40 minutes in second period), I understand why we need to adjust the schedule.

We have known about the test and the schedule change for several weeks, and we were prepared.

Late Friday afternoon, however, we received an email that our sophomores would also be taking a practice test on Tuesday and Thursday during the long test period.

We found out on Friday afternoon after the students had gone home!

Friday afternoon!

Did administrators decide on Friday to make sophomores take the test? Surely not!  I have no idea why we were not told previously.

In homeroom today, I apologized to the kids for telling them so late and assured them that their performance on the test on Tuesday and Thursday would let us see if they would benefit from tutoring or extra help in preparation for next year’s graduation tests. The kids were initially upset that they had not been told  about the test, but they are good kids and took the information well.

Everything went well and I reviewed with then where they need to sit tomorrow and Thursday when they take their tests.  They were happy when they left homeroom this morning.

Two hours later I received a revised plan for sophomore testing. Tomorrow I have to tell the kids that the tests will be given on Tuesday and Wednesday instead of Thursday!

Disorganization drives me crazy, but I suspect it bothers students even more.

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