New Year, Same Attitude

Today was the first day of school...at the continuation high school.

They're getting ready for the CAHSEE. There's a July administration date, and I guess it's next week sometime (likely on Tuesday and Wednesday--that seems to be the routine). So, everybody was on CAHSEE prep.

The entire schedule had been modified. Instead of the usual seven period day we had three two-hour blocks. Each student got two hours of English prep time and two hours of math prep time (they only had to go to school for their usual four hours). And they'll be doing this for the next week.

But not everybody has to take the test; some of them have passed either one or both portions. These were the students I got.

I had one block of government and one block of economics. Four assignments count as a half a credit, and they could easily have completed four assignments during the block. Did they? Of course not.

They complained that they had too much work to do. The block was too long. Their hands were cramping up. They were too tired. The room was too cold. Waa, waa, waa.

This is the attitude that got them sent to this school in the first place. They have five days to bust out some credits. The more they get done today, tomorrow, and the rest of this week, the fewer credits they'll have to complete after this CAHSEE nonsense is finished. I explained this to them. They understood. But still, many of them spent the time visiting with their friends.

I really shouldn't belittle all of them. One student finished a full credit's worth of work today (four assignments in government and four assignments in economics). Another student finished a half credit in the first block (in the second block--not so much). And many of them made some progress.

I guess it's just that I completely understand why the teachers at this school nag the students. And when the students complain about being nagged I have no sympathy for them.