Saturday, February 2, 2013

This is Teaching

My students had a test yesterday on elements of literature vocabulary, things like protagonist/antagonist, conflict, 1st and 3rd person POV, that kind of stuff. I told the kids that they needed to study. I told them that if they studied, I had no doubt they would ace the test. I also told them that if they didn't study, well, in my experience, they wouldn't do so well.

Before school started, a number of kids came in to tell me that they had studied, and it was fun to see their excitement. They were prepared and they knew it. That's one of my favorite things about teaching, seeing kids who know they're ready. As with any test, I was optimistic. I felt like I had prepared the kids for success. I felt like just a little bit of studying should be enough for all of the kids to do well.

I was grading some of my 1st period papers while my 2nd period was taking the test, and my optimism was rewarded. Sure, there were kids who didn't do well on the test. A lot of them were nailing it though, including many of my strugglers. I was particularly impressed with one student who got a perfect score. And then I focused on what she'd written across the top of her paper:

I studded very hard.

That's right, she studded very hard.

I had to laugh. A teacher's work is never done my friends.

13 comments:

  1. Studded very hard...how funny is that???

    There is nothing worse than taking a test that you didn't study for. Even after 40 years of being out of school, I remember that sinking feeling of doom.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely. and that's one of my least favorite things as a teacher-seeing that look on kids' faces.

      Delete
  2. I see former writing students make similar mistakes on Facebook after they leave my class! My favorite is one who used 'Damn' for 'Dam' after a vacation. I always end up chuckling. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is it a laugh-to-keep-from-crying situation?

      Delete
  3. I remember a teacher vs students volleyball competition once and a boy in Grade 3 held up a terrific sign highlighting his allegiance to the students but it read: "Stunents for the win!"

    ReplyDelete
  4. It's really great to hear that you have students who are excited about literature.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I especially love when kids who say they hate reading tell me how much they love the book I've chosen to read in class.

      Delete
  5. That was incredibly endearing. Thanks for posting that.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love teachers. If you do something wrong, they make you redo it until you can do it right. That kind of dedication is rare these days.

    ReplyDelete
  7. These are the days that make the other days worth it...:D

    ReplyDelete
  8. Amen! A teacher's work is never done! Nor is a parent's work ever done.....and you are both. Good luck with that!

    ReplyDelete