The week from...

     HADES!  This was probably one of the worst weeks for me, and it wasn't much better for Andy.  If anything could stress me out, make me irritated, or just go bad, it happened this week.  Hopefully next week will be much better.
     Monday - My students reviewed for their test by playing Bingo, or as we like to call in Algebra - Mango (get it... Math Bingo... Mango... haha...).  I have been doing the test review for this chapter with the bingo game for several years now, and I have never had a problem.  Not this year!  My students would not SHUT UP and just play.  They gripe because we don't do anything "fun," and then I give them a chance to have fun and win prizes but they just want to talk and talk and talk.  Maybe that's why their grades are low.
     Also, on Monday my AP Calculus students took their first test.  Boy did they suck it up.  I had 5 out of the 15 kids pass.  GRRR!  It made me so angry.  I warned them not to be over-confident for this test because the review seemed fairly easy.  Yeah, they didn't believe me.
     Tuesday - My Algebra kids did horribly on their tests.  So, at this point I feel like a failure as a teacher.  That somehow it had to be my fault that my students did so poorly on their tests.  And then I remembered, my students don't study.  They say they can't study for math.  That's a bunch of crap.  It's called re-working the problems over and over again until you truly understand the process and understand where your mistakes were.  No, you can't just hold a piece of paper and "memorize" the information.  You actually physically have to work the problems out.
     Wednesday - I have a migraine.  Not just a small migraine.  This was the full blown migraine.  And of course, I had a meeting after school.  I was really surprised that I even made it through my 7th period class.  I thought I was surely going to throw up all over the floor if I didn't get to a dark room, curl up in the fetal position, and nap... soon.  Thankfully, no throw up.  I did take an hour nap when I got home, and thankfully Maddie behaved in the house while I napped.  I think she could sense I wasn't feeling well. 
     Thursday - I wake up with the remnants of my migraine, so I take some Advil in hopes to prevent another one.  Good news - no migraine on Thursday.  However, it was an okay day until Andy gets home.  He went to the golf course, and my vehicle (which is barely a year old) was hit by a golf ball.  I would have been more understanding had my vehicle actually been parked in the parking lot, but it wasn't.  Andy was driving to the golf course on a public road next to the golf course when it was hit.  Some freakin' high school kid shanks his ball off the tee box, and it hits my car about a 100 yards away driving down the road.  I have no nice way to say it... I am pissed!  Andy gets this kid's parents' phone number, and of course they are being difficult about the situation.  They haven't given us their insurance information, so I am afraid we may have to take them to civil court to get them to pay for the damages.  I am not paying the $787 it's going to cost to fix my car.  And, I get it, people have dents in their cars and are perfectly fine, but I am NOT that person.  I want my car to look nice and not have a dent from a freakin' golf ball!!!

Stupid dent!

     Friday - I do an "activity" with my Algebra students.  Activities are what the "education experts" think we need to do with our students.  Yet, when they take their standardized tests, they will take it on a plain piece of paper with a scantron and will not have manipulatives to use.  But whatever... I won't start on my opinion of education experts who have never taught in a high school classroom with unmotivated students.  Anyway, the activity went well for the most part, but all it took was one class to "not get it" and refuse to work on it.  This particular activity required less instruction from me and more exploration and thinking on the students' part.  Ha!  Remember that unmotivated student I just mentioned... Yeah, you try getting them to "think" on their own.  Overall not a horrible Friday, but not a good one either.
     I apologize for those of you that just read through this... I hope the next entry will be more upbeat than this one.  I do feel slightly better now that I've written it all out, so thanks for listening... err... reading!