At our school many of the ninth graders failed English, Math and CBA (computer business applications). We came up with several options for the parents. The best line was our principal with the parents who told them "you need to stop making excuses for your lazy children." One option was to drop an elective this semester and "double block" that is, in the spring the student takes 2nd semester course and the first semester in two different periods. Teachers were shifted and help was called for.
Our literacy coordinator was tasked with teaching first semester. The other day she interviewed for the principal's job at the middle school. She had made arrangements for a secretary to cover the class, but the secretary forgot, and nobody else knew the plans. Another english teacher was asking the librarian if the students could wait in the library, she did not want them in the classroom by themselves. I was there, heard the conversation and "This is my conference, I can cover them."
We walk in and chivy the students in. English teacher starts "Mrs. W will be watching you. What were you doing yesterday?"
Students, "nothing." (remember they are repeating the class, consider the types of students they are )
Me, "no problem, get out a blank piece of paper." Realization, she's going to make us work.
"We were reading a novel." And they did and settled down to it.
When I talked to the coordinator later, "yea, no problem, I just scared the hell out of them."
Her comment, "good, they need it."
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