Welcome to Real Life

Today I had a student earnestly furious with my decision to move up the due date of the research paper by three days. The reason, though irrelevant since it is my classroom and I can move due dates if I need to, is because the electronic way I planned on accepting papers fell through. (I now need the paper in hard copy form before the students leave for Spring Break.)

Anyway, this student actually threw a mini-fit and shut down during class because of my decision. I reminded him that he has had the research paper assignment since October 2009. His response was something to the effect of, "Yeah but the due date's in like three weeks." That's correct. Yet, I only upped the due date by three days; therefore, even before I made the change, the papers were due in three weeks. I again reminded him that he has had since last October to be working on the paper. He asked if he could speak with me after class.

After class he started getting a bit indignant about my decision. So AGAIN I reminded him he's had since last fall to be working on the paper. He assured me that he has his ideas and primary/secondary sources ready (to which I wanted to ask what the problem was), but he just wasn't ready to get them all down on paper. I told him it was okay because if he is as prepared as he claims, he has the next three weeks to take care of the paper part.

At this point he began mumbling about all the other assignments he has going on and how he might have to let another class go downhill to complete his paper (the one that only had its due date changed by THREE DAYS). Now my students know they will receive very little sympathy from me regarding their busy schedules: 1. I was in band, yearbook, had a part time job, and still managed to pass all my GT classes. 2. This will be the easiest time of their lives because the public school system has mollified any real sense of responsibility to learn on their part.

I told him I had complete confidence in his ability to take care of business without having to suffer a grade slide in any other class. Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because he gave me a look that said, "you better hope I never bring a gun to school or you'll be first."

It was at this point we got to the root of the problem because he exclaimed, "It's just that I have a whole lot of work and not enough fun to balance it out."

WELCOME TO REAL LIFE KIDDO!