Field Trip Day

We have a field trip today. Along with that it is the first day of Spring, and we are going on Spring Break tomorrow. YEA! I finally get a break and I am so excited.
Tomorrow is a teacher work day, and I am going to get rid of some of the stuff I was left by the teacher before me. I don't want or need a lot of it. I did find some gems yesterday though. Compasses and protractors. I wish I would have known where they were two months ago.
Other than that things are moving forward. I finally got the courage to tell my team that I was clueless about the going on's around here. I think it will be better for me in the long run. I haven't cried recently, I wanted to on Friday than I just reminded myself to make it through the rest of the week and I get three days without students.
I was talking to a parent yesterday the child is failing and the mom doesn't want her to fail because the dad it seems is abusive and he will freak out if the child fails. Honestly I don't know what to think about it all. I really could careless if the child fails. What I care about is that the child learns the skills they need to make it in seventh grade. My principal keeps reminding me about the fact that grades are disposed of after 6th grade. They really don't care until they get into 9th grade. So, my thought make the dad happy and give the student all passing grades. Then help the kid get more organized so they can succeed during the other school years. The mom doesn't really agree with that plan she wants the girl to do all the work she is missing so she can not fail this quarter. I say right now, bag the grades for the kid. Give the fake grades to the dad. Get the kid some study skills and try for a better 4th quarter.
It is now March 22, 2008. As I was preparing grades yesterday I realized I had a lot of students failing. The reason, absences. I wish my students understood what being absent had done to them. Not only in not getting homework turned in, but in giving them the skills they need for other concepts. It is hard to see it. I did make sure the one student was getting D's in everything. . .I am going to talk to her personally on Monday, and see if we can light a fire for this semester. The others I want the parents to see what 15 or even 5 absences does to their child. I know the kids have been really sick and all that, but what about the fact they aren't turning in the work or they don't care to when they come back. It is hard to see a straight A student go to F's in two quarters. As I wrote that I realized how worried I should be. So, I am going to talk to this kid and to their parents and see what I can do to help. This job has so many ups and downs it is incredible. It also has its amazing rewards. I am so grateful this is my job.