One Of Those Days

Today, I experienced one of those teaching days that leaves you feeling defeated and questioning your abilities as an educator. It was a day filled with student misbehavior and struggles with lesson planning. With only 16 days left in the school year, it feels like some students have lost their motivation and simply don’t care anymore.

In an effort to address the issue of student behavior, I’ve tried various strategies such as using timers and delivering motivational talks. However, I am determined not to resort to hanging grades over their heads to force them to work. I firmly believe that learning should be driven by intrinsic motivation and a genuine desire to grow, rather than external pressures.

One of the challenges I faced today was the use of Blooket, an online learning platform, in my fast and curious eduprotocol class. Unfortunately, Blooket has vulnerabilities or “hacks” that some students exploit, resulting in a ruined gaming experience. They use auto clickers to rapidly answer questions or find ways to accumulate an absurd amount of money or points. As a result, the class averages for the fast and curious game fluctuated dramatically from 53% to 72%, and then dropped to 62%.

Another challenge I faced today was during a Cybersandwich activity focusing on the Kansas-Nebraska Acts. This activity involves students reading for 10 minutes, taking notes, pairing up for discussion, and then answering a question related to the topic. However, we struggled to complete the activity within the allocated time of 25-30 minutes. It felt like a disaster, especially when I realized that I had accidentally shared a Cybersandwich slides with my notes already included.

I am sharing this experience because I believe it’s important to acknowledge that challenging days happen to all of us, regardless of our experience or expertise as teachers. It’s crucial to remember that we are human, and there will be moments when things don’t go as planned. What matters is how we respond and learn from these situations, adapting our strategies and continuing to strive for the best possible educational experience for our students.

As the school year comes to a close, it can be tempting to feel discouraged, but it’s essential to remain resilient and maintain our passion for teaching. Reflecting on tough days like today allows us to grow, develop new strategies, and remind ourselves that even in the face of adversity, we are making a difference in the lives of our students.