Friday, March 28, 2014

Is the Busyness Getting to You?

I have been really busy at school. Coming home late and tired. Can't even stay awake to read and comment like I want to. Falling asleep with the laptop still open, but screen gone dark.

I celebrated the fact that I was all done with the testing. Then I found out that a student that had been gone a month or more had just returned. Seriously???

I mean, I am glad that she has come back to school, but inside I am thinking, couldn't she have waited one more week?? And why did not anyone tell me that she was back? I found out when I went into our school database to look for her drop date! Ops! She was no longer "dropped" she was now "enrolled" again. I did not even believe what I was seeing.

Speed walking to the office. "Is N. really back."
"Yes, she came back on Monday. The family is back now."

We have families that don't believe in full school year. When it is convenient for the parent or parents to go overseas, they will go. If it happens to be during school year, well, "We'll be back in four to eight weeks" is a very common answer. Some even stay a bit longer before deciding to return.

What about me and my testing? What is there to do, get ready to test her. Oh, she is absent today. Seriously???

Friday is last day of the testing cycle. Will she come to school or not? I don't know.

A few minutes later a couple of my high school students walk in.
"Ms. I missed you. Wallah."

I smile. Life is good. My equilibrium is adjusted.

26 comments:

  1. That must be difficult and frustrating to not have the consistency of students being in attendance. But all it takes is someone or a smile to readjust your attitude. Hope today is good!

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    1. Smile or smiles. It is easy to make me happy!

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  2. I love this, Jaana. In the midst of all of our frustration, there is grace. And equilibrium happens.

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  3. Wow. That would certainly be a frustrating morning! You did a good job communicating how a simple, kind sentence can remove (or at least lessen) frustration and restore our equilibrium! Hope your day is full of more comments like that. :)

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    1. Thank you Laura! I had many wonderful comments today!

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  4. Wow-we have students leaving for vacation at odd times, but never for weeks at a time. That must be so frustrating, Jaana. Glad you found that there are other wonderful things that happen, too!

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    1. It is also frustrating when parents then wonder why their child is behind.

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  5. Just when we think we are at our wits end, someone brings us back into focus. I'm sorry for the child who is pulled by parents one way and school systems another way. It's a tug of war where no one wins.

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    1. You are right Elsie, there are no winners.

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  6. We have a kid who left at Spring Break for Mexico and won't be back for several weeks. Of course, he's missing the testing weeks for his class. We are hoping he doesn't come back until the window has closed.

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    1. It hurts us when students come back from a long break and then have to take the test right away.

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  7. This really is a frustrating problem and I think it happens more often than people realize. We had students like this, but it was usually family dynamics that dictated the students school attendance.

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    1. I don't think the parents realize how it affects the children. You can easily add a couple of weeks to the time it takes the children to adjust being back. By then they have lost even more time. Perhaps the question is, how can we educate the parents better.

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  8. Testing happens next month and we are always amazed at the numbers who take their kids out for vacation. It's very frustrating. And I tired of the busyness!!

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    1. Wishing you an extra dose of patience and grace during the testing cycle!

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  9. I hope that you will have a relaxing weekend. :)

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  10. We had a high rate of families from India.and Pakistan and, Korea. many left for 2 or 3 months and wanted work for their child. Then when they came back, little was done and they were very behind. It is a challenge for sure. Sounds like you needed those students to visit!

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    1. I have had families gone even for one to two years without the children attending school!

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  11. Never underestimate those kind words that lift our spirits and restore our equilibrium. Hang in there, the busy will pass and energy will return. Enjoy a relaxing weekend!

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    1. Thank you! Only four more days or school until spring break!

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  12. This is a great slice, Jaana. Full of the frustration, confusion, surprise, warmth, and celebrations of your day!

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  13. Busy week indeed. Tough for those kids, too, who have to loop in and out of school.

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  14. Glad I'm not the only one who gets that exhausted... and more glad that your students brought you back to what really matters! It's a hard job, but man, our ELL kids are the BEST!!! :-)

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    1. Amen! The rewards are what keeps me going! And Michigan winning their basketball game tonight!

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  15. That is crazy! I'm thankful that, for the most part, the kids in my building are fairly stable.

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