It occurs to me that some of these heathens may never realize the lengths I've gone to for them. There are a few, I know, who blithely overlook the mounds of unscored assignments that periodically spurt off of the growing volcanic islands that are the tables, desks, and counters of my room. There are just as many, however, who seem to think they're doing
me a favor by staying until 5:30 to take
my test. The numbers in my little fan club are surely matched, if not outnumbered, by those who feel it necessary to point out in the tutoring sessions that I offer them on my own time after school, that I "have an attitude."
Frankly, I think both the awe and the acrimony are misplaced.
I dash around madly trying to keep a mental map of who's next and who's closest, so each person who needs or requests my attention gets it in due time. I think that's admirable. However, I acknowledge I would not have to dash around so madly if I were better prepared ahead of time and differentiated better with the group.
Today, for example, I attempted to meet everyone's needs at once by making up a review game I called 4x4. It probably came from any number of other games I've absorbed from other teachers over the years, so it was not all that miraculous that I made it up about 15 minutes before my planning period ended. It was a chance to sneak the answers to the actual questions that would appear on the final in without telling them that was what I was doing. Also, this way they had to work out the answers among themselves so, in theory, the information would stick better, possibly even until the final after a week away from Spanish class.
Here's how it was supposed to work:
- The top 4 students in the class got to pick teams. This was mainly to save me the trouble of handpicking them all myself without letting all of the smartypants gang up on the poor underachievers.
- The teams went to the four corners of the room, arranging themselves so they could conference with each other.
- In order to be able to answer a question, the whole team has to have its hand raised, and I can call on anyone in the group to answer, so they all must really know it--because you know I'll go for the weakest and/or distracted link.
- I put extra credit for the abysmal test from yesterday on the line.
Here's how it worked:
- "You got that answer from us!"
- "Raise your hand! Raise your hand!" [called on] [mispronounce fed answer]
- "You're cheating for them! You're not even looking over here!"
Therefore, in future, this rule will be added:
- If I hear whining, muttering under your breath, the "C" word (Cheating), or any other unsportsmanlike conduct, the game will end immediately, and you will work individually and silently.
Still, for all of the spoilsports who made us revert to notes--not once, but twice (gave them another chance after lunch), two failing students insisted they were learning and begged for more of the game, and one other, though disappointed the game ended, told me it was a good idea and that we should have done it before.
If I'm a mixed up teacher, at least my classes are mixed, too.
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