Friday. AP Government.
The AP Government test was that Monday. What do they do in class after they've completed the AP test? Not much.
Technically, they had "projects". They were to make voter registration posters or work on a polling project (with a presentation upon the teacher's return).
But seniors. About two weeks out from "check out". (The last couple weeks of school they have senior activities.)
Yeah, not much in the way of work was happening.
A girl approached me. She asked to pick up her "project" from another teacher's class. But right before that, she was discussing with her friends that she had left her dominoes in that teacher's class. And they decided they wanted to play dominoes.
Was I going to say no? Nope.
A group of boys got into a betting game. Was one of them going to hit turbulence on his flight to BYU? Was another going to keep a girlfriend during freshman year of college? There was something about another's GPA (I didn't hear the details) and something else about one student attending the local university versus the local community college.
I asked who was keeping track of these bets and how they'd be able to check to collect. They did not hear my questions. So, I sat back and listened.
Lena needed to pay $75 to Ulric. She had $80 in twenties. So, she asked Kiran if she could borrow $5, had him give that $5 to Ulric, gave Ulric the $80, he gave her the $5, and all was done. "That's correct, right?" she asked. I pointed out Kiran was now out $5.
Why did Lena pay Ulric $75? In the next class, she explained (to her friends). She needed extra graduation tickets.
While they were discussing the procurement of extra tickets, two students at the back of the room hit some high note (singing). All conversations paused. The students finished their note. The moment of quiet ended as the others went back to their conversations. The two students continued humming something, but it didn't catch the others' attention again.
A girl walked in very late. She saw me. "You can have Mr. C's cookies." She gave me two cookies. (Red velvet covered in powdered sugar.) She then distributed the rest of cookies to her classmates.
At this time of year, AP classes are pretty laid back. (Well, those classes where the test is finished.) Sixth period had about half the students present. The absent students? They had an AP test.
They work hard the rest of the year. This laid back break? They earned it.
There's some cultural or whatever lag that makes this post a bit mysterious to me. To start with, I have no idea what AP government is.
ReplyDeleteWhoops, sorry. I usually include links, but I ran short of time last week. AP = Advanced Placement. High school kiddos take a harder class. At the end of the year, there's a test. If they pass the test, they get college credit. In this case, it's college credit for a government class.
DeleteThank you
DeleteHere in NY our school year runs from Labor Day until the end of June. Which makes AP classes …interesting. The AP exams are over by mid May. In some classes the students will also take a NY state test at the end of June. But in other classes …
ReplyDeleteOur calendar has only been mid August to early June for a couple years. (I graduated June 19th.) I remember the long month when the AP classes did "projects" for that last month. Only having a couple weeks after is not quite the same. Sigh.
DeleteNice to be able to relax for a change. Where I live in New York, our school year doesn't end until the end of June although the last two or so weeks are mainly Regents exams. I don't remember the AP exams being in May but I would have to ask my son. I'm sure he remembers.
ReplyDeleteThe first two full weeks in May. That's when they were when I was in school (in the '80s). And our schedule only switched recently. I remember getting out of school mid June.
DeleteFunny how that math worked! I guess graduation is a bigger deal, or much bigger than it used to be. We didn't need tickets, we just graduated on the football field while our families and friends sat on the bleachers! Decades later when my daughter's friend were graduating, it was at a big pavilion, but again, no tickets, there was lots of room. What does the school do with the ticket money? Seems it should be for the graduating class.
ReplyDeleteOh no. No ticket money. Each student is allocated a certain number of tickets. (There's only so much room in the bleachers, so this is how they limit them.) Lena needed more than her allocated tickets, so she was buying them off students who didn't need all of theirs.
DeleteI like your attitude. Fun times and memories for the kids after lots of hard work!
ReplyDeleteGood for them. The tests are done, they deserve to waste time until graduation.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I like your response to the request for fetching the dominoes. Why not, they do deserve a break.
ReplyDeleteSure. They've earned it.
DeleteI haven't played dominoes for ages.
ReplyDeleteToday, Friday is my boys last day of school. I will try to take one out one week and one another just to find them something to do.....we will see. Bet you will enjoy you summer vacation off from school.
ReplyDeleteWe'll see. I'm usually a bit antsy during the summer.
DeleteIt sounds like a relaxed and casual atmosphere in the AP Government class after the AP test. With the pressure of the test behind them, students are winding down and enjoying some downtime before the end of the school year.
ReplyDeleteIt was.
DeleteI guess that betting game was more for fun that real.
ReplyDeleteTo be a fly on the wall, as it were, means you're privy to a lot of interesting information at times.
ReplyDeleteYes. Definitely.
DeleteIt's very fair to accommodate them. :D Be well!
ReplyDeleteI get real easy with AP classes. Especially at this time of year.
DeleteYou are soon to be in holidays, how exciting! School runs until the first week of July in France. Still some weeks to go for us ;)
ReplyDelete