I Met His Goal

The geometry regents results are in. I am no longer the 60% woman. This term I am the 82.3% woman. Considering the department average is 88%, which includes honor classes, I am quite happy. When I looked at the ARIS records of this class, I saw a pretty sad math history. I was able to reverse quite a few grades and get many to pass.

I just looked at the following post I wrote last week but never put up. I probably could have gotten a few more to pass if I did a little more, but the system has beat me, at least when it comes to caring about statistics.

(Post written June 15, the day before the geometry regents.)

This is the first year in over thirty years that I am not agonizing over my regents results. It is not that I don't like the kids, I do. This group, for the most part, is bright, and capable of doing well, if they just did they work. Many of them don't bother. I've made the phone calls and nagged all I can, the rest is up to them.

I've always spent hours outside of class, prepping the kids. I've stayed late and come in on weekends. Years ago, before it became a dangerous thing to do, I used to host study parties in my house. My own kids grew up with my students around. This year, I did none of those things The system has gotten to me. I'm tired of the abuse reaped on teachers whose kids don't perform as well as the admins expect them to. I'm tired of being the 60% woman when I know that without my hard work, I might have been 50%, or even lower.

I am not staying late to mark, or coming in early. My one concession involved tutoring this morning during the time I should have been assisting my AP. I only did that to help my inclusion boy.

I'm torn. I hate what the system has become but I am not ready to tear myself from it.

I've given it my all in the classroom and that is all I am going to give. I looked at some of my kids today and my heart broke knowing that some might not make it.