Day 7: Beep Beep!!

All aboard the struggle bus!

I started most of my classes with the following statement:

Today is day 7. For the last 6 days, I have tried my best to be upbeat, energetic and excited. Today, it's not working for me. I'm not sure if it's the heat, or the lack of sleep, or just the normal stress of starting a new year, but I'm on the struggle bus today.  I need you to understand that it has nothing to do with you.  I don't want you to think that my mood, which is obviously depressed from what it has been, has anything to do with how you have been participating, acting or working. You are all champs and have been doing great work since day 1.  Some days you just aren't feeling it and, for whatever reason, that's me today. I'm sorry for that and I will try to do better.

 In addition, the weekly warm-up sheets are coming in and I'm seeing student responses to "I wish Mr. Aion knew..."

The vast majority are either random and funny, or very encouraging.

"I am enjoying this class this year"
"It's ok to not be energetic all the time."
"I would smile at his jokes, but I cut my mouth and it hurts to smile."
"He is one of the coolest, respectful teachers."  (Seriously)

There are, of course, a few that are discouraging

"I used to think I was better at math than most people, but now I've been knocked down a peg."
"I used to think math was easy, but now I know it's not."

Since I am a human being who is currently working on myself, I am WAY over focused on the negative comments, despite the fact that they are vastly outnumbered.  Is it in the nature of humans to look at 99 successes and see 1 failure, or are teachers more susceptible to that mentality?

The goal for next week is to get kids up out of their seats, or working on activities as much as possible.  I want the Geometry classes to start doing constructions and I'm going to browse my resources for a good Algebra 2 activity.  I avoided it this week simply because it has been too hot to ask people to move around.

Overall, it's been a great week and I'm thankful for the kids I have in class.

Time to nap until Monday!