Thursday, September 09, 2004
What I wouldn't give to be a perfect teacher.

It is so hard to stay on top of everything. I spent all day with this overwhelming feeling that I was forgetting a lot of things. And I was. But I do every day. It is impossible to remember all of the little details that seem so trivial at the moment but then blow up later at you. Like a kid saying, "Look, Ms. R! See my journal? Mark it down! I did it!" and me saying, "Wha? Oh, right. Alright. Wait! What?" And then later the progress report comes out and I didn't mark it down and he has a C and he is crying saying, "Remember when I showed you that journal? Remember? You said okay!"

Progress reports came out today and I had eight or nine of these "Remember I turned that in?" stories. No, I don't remember. Yes, sometimes I say okay just to get you out of my face. No, I don't really care that your parents are going to be angry. Yes, I do think that even if I forgot that one assignment you really don't deserve a B. Please kindly shut up and take your C.

But I do know that I make errors at grading. Maybe a lot of them. It is so hard to keep up with 90 students with 15 or more assignments each! I keep thinking that a palm pilot would save me, but I know I can't spend money on something like that.

I bought a punching bag which, while doing very little for the decor of my apartment, is helping me very much with anger management.

I am going to go punch right now.
¶ 1:17 PM