I'm pretty sure that teaching Middle School the week before

[sugarbear]

Christmas vacation is an exercise in futility. I don't typically show movies, so we are working up to the last minute. But OMG, if these kids don't need a drink of water or a pencil or somesuchshit every 30 seconds. 

They canNOT focus.
(and, frankly, I don't blame them. I'm trying to write all my lessons for January and I'm here on ML, so....)

[joenali]

No that would be elementary school.

[W.T.Faulkner]

When I taught middle school right before Christmas, I noticed that I was drinking a lot. Probably too much.

[georgeharrison]

Oh my gosh. I'm JUST talking to my husband about how my 4th grader has been screwing the pooch at school SO BAD last week and this week. He always struggles around this time, but he's in a new school (has been there for about five weeks) and he's obviously much more distracted than in days past.

[sugarbear]

Dec 17, 2014 15:23:38 GMT -5 W.T.Faulkner said:

When I taught middle school right before Christmas, I noticed that I was drinking a lot. Probably too much.

I do have, at my desk as I type, a bottle of wine (from a parent) and a fifth each of gin and whiskey (for the maintenance guys... they wouldn't mind if I took a bit off the top, you think?).

[bluetopaz]

My 10th graders couldn't focus if I paid them. Working in a middle school last year was pure insanity. I think the week before Christmas was possibly worse than the actual last week of school.

[lizrd7579]

Hell, I can't concentrate this week and I'm 35! One more day to go....

[sarahswim]

Ugh. My 6th graders are like caged animals, dying to be let out. I feel like I teach at the zoo right now.

[katfco]

My kids are actually being a little bit better than usual this week--but my bar is set really, really low. In the last 3 days, I've only had to write up 4 kids. My average is 1-2 a day (out of 44 kids and not including the ones that are just consistently bad, so they'd have to be REALLY awful).

[janetplanet20]

I taught middle school for the last 7 years and this is my first year working as a specialist at the district office. It's amazing how much easier this time of year is when you're not in front of students! Good luck with the rest of the week!

[killercupcake]

A majority of my high schoolers have seemingly lost their minds.

I also sent a request/pass out today without a name on it, so I can't say it's only the students. lol

[curtains]

My dd is in 8th grade and I am not sure how you do it. She is a space cadet and counting the minutes to Christmas break.

**sending you some virtual booze**

[RoxMonster]

My high schoolers are not much better. Today was the last regular attendance day (tomorrow and Friday are finals and not everyone has to take them), and they were NUUUUTS. Too much sugar, so little focus. We did fun activities too, but I could barely get a word in edge-wise it seemed like, even with my typically quiet classes.

We are definitely ALL ready for this two-week break.

[Monica Geller]

I don't know who's struggling harder to hold it together, me or them.

[cabbage10]

Another high school teacher here. I am basically kicking myself for not scheduling a test for Friday just so they are quiet. They are crazy. Also who is the idiot that scheduled semester finals one week after we return from the winter break. My students are going to retain is little

[hymen]

Yep, it's torture.

I do a Christmas trivia game that day before break that is a lot of fun so I'm looking forward to that. And I took two of my classes (mostly struggling readers) to one of our elementary schools today to read of first graders today, so my kids could (sneakily) work on their reading fluency. It was pretty awesome, actually.

But I'm giving a quiz on Friday and they still have an assignment due Monday. And they are bouncing off the walls.

[iamgrace]

Uh, yeah. The week before christmas vacation is a total write-off. That's why you do your holiday concert crap during the first half, and fun activities for the last half.

[cats]

[BunnyMacDougal]

Dec 17, 2014 15:23:38 GMT -5 W.T.Faulkner said:

When I taught middle school right before Christmas, I noticed that I was drinking a lot. Probably too much.

So it ISN'T just me with the wine out on a Wednesday night?

[Doggy Mommy]

Teacher of the year here... We watched a movie with our buddy class on Friday and had a reading reward movie party today. It was awesome.

[jssymom14]

I teach high school but we have finals this week so some focus is needed. I have been gone the last three days my for my uncle's funeral so it will be interesting to read the sub notes and see how they actually did on their final.

[starshine1977]

At least my preschoolers don't have to sit down and concentrate for most of the day. However they have been CRAZY while playing, and for some reason today they were really cranky. I'm really ready for this week to be over...

[pittsmcgee]

Dec 17, 2014 21:27:16 GMT -5 BunnyMacDougal said:

Dec 17, 2014 15:23:38 GMT -5 W.T.Faulkner said:

When I taught middle school right before Christmas, I noticed that I was drinking a lot. Probably too much.

So it ISN'T just me with the wine out on a Wednesday night?

Nope.
I'm not even a teacher!

[nsl]

Most of my students are dual-enrolled community college/high school students, so I've had an easy post-finals week of SSR with their Winter Break novel. I have also found myself giving no fucks about hall passes (usually my hill to die on), though, so my perspective may also be clouded by pre-holiday teacher apathy.

[joenali]

Dec 17, 2014 23:09:23 GMT -5 @iteach said:

My 2nd graders are driving me crazy this week. They won't stop talking! I love them, but I just want to sleep for the next two weeks. Lucky for me, I get to take them to art tomorrow afternoon (1:30) and don't see them again until I pick them up at 3:10- bell rings at 3:15. Then Friday is movie and popcorn party (class reward), a whole school dance party, and the holiday party. Oh, and an art project to start the day.

I also teach second. My kids are driving me crazy! We have a one hour early release on Friday!

[theoverlander]

I teach 2nd and I'm literally trying to finagle some extra PE time right now. I just keep dropping FB hints about how 2nd graders just LOVE PE - I'm FB friend with the PE teacher. It's true though - they do love it (2nd grade only gets it occasionally in our district) but man alive do they need some extra time to help get the wiggles out his week.

[elenetxu]

This is why we've been playing games and making cards all week. It's crazy here too!