When I was in jr. high it was very different than it is today…at least that’s my impression. Sure, it was 30 years ago, but I don’t remember there being such a huge effort to teach organization skills as well as the curriculum.
At my daughter’s school every student has a day planner that they MUST have with them at all times. If you are ever caught without it, then you get after school detention.
I had never even heard of a day planner until I was in graduate school, and by then all my bad scheduling habits were so ingrained that it was literally teaching an old dog new tricks. Actually, one of my goals for this school year has to do with organization. I’m going to do my lesson plans on the computer, because I tend to keep better track of the things I do if they are on the computer.
But I digress…
All I remember about jr. high was trying to look cool while at the same time keep my grades above the D mark, a stunt that didn’t always happen. The only choices I had were whether or not to play football and if I wanted to take art or music. I just circled my choices on a sheet of paper and stuck it in a box.
For Macy it’s a lot like college was for me. She has to decide about athletics, pre-AP classes and band. Basically she arranges her own schedule. She’s making decisions in jr. high that effect classes she will be able to take in high school that can give her college credit!
Growing up in El Paso, my dad was of staff at UTEP, so I knew what college was. I probably couldn’t have spelled the word college, but I knew it was a place people went after high school.
There’s always somewhere she’s supposed to be, something she’s supposed to have and somebody we’re supposed to give money to. All I know is Melissa and I are being baptized by fire.
It’s a whole new world.
4 comments:
Trust me, you won't recognise college when she gets there either. Just start signing blank checks and putting them in a file. Then when she leaves home for college you can just hand her the file...
Public school can be pretty invasive these days. I know you work for one and everything, but my advice is to be passive aggressive. A lot.
Just don't do stuff. Don't sign everything and turn it in right on time, like these people are giving YOU a grade.
Don't jump up and drive your children out into the street to sell crap to all your friends every time they announce a fundraiser.
Do NOT join the PTA.
Just don't do stuff that doesn't seem important. And don't sweat it.
For example: On the form that they give us to provide information for an emergency contact person, they ask for the address of this person. What? I write in, "You don't need to know that. A Phone number is enough." Been doing that for 14 years now. No one has ever hassled me. And if they did, what do I care?
That's what we've been doing for years now. Of course, it shows in our children's poor grades. They probably picked up on our attitude.
The blank check thing made me laugh. You were joking, right?
As for the passive agressive thing, maybe it's a head injury thing, but I don't play that game very well. It isn't long before "passive" becomes "overtly" and well, that just doesn't work the same.
Thanks anyway.
P.S. What are you crazy??? Always joing the PTA!
Yeah sure you can ignore my advice but don't blame your carpal tunnel syndrome on me when you could have stretched the check writing out over years...
I know being a teacher you have to say nice things about PTA but I quit joining about 8 yrs ago due to inane projects like birthday cards for janitors and lunch lady appreciation days. I saw no actual usefulness to the group.
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