Another amazing week at East Fairmont High School! I still have not taken over completely for my mentor teacher, but I only have one more class to go. We have planned for me to take over Algebra II at the beginning of next week. I am a little apprehensive but still excited.
Also this week, I attended a football game of theirs. It was nice to see the students participate in extracurricular activities. It made me feel more involved in the school.
I keep encountering an issue whenever I grade papers. I have discussed with my mentor teacher my frustrations with giving bad grades to the students. I feel horrible when I give a student a bad grade, especially a student that I know was capable of doing better. I know it is something that I will get over but for now it bothers me. A hand full of my students are doing awesome in my classes while others are failing miserably. Those are the students who refuse to turn in homework or participate in class. I am reaching out to these students but am failing. I don't know how else to get them to complete work without practically doing it for them!
Something to think about: you aren't "giving" grades-- students are earning them based on their work. That might help a bit with the grading guilt. It's hard when students don't want to try when you're reaching out to them. It might not be a bad idea to meet individually with your strugglers and ask them why they're so frustrated with math class.
ReplyDeleteDr. Benson