To the grade 10 math teacher. You are the buzz-kill. You are
the transition from junior high to high school and are often “the bad guy/girl”. You
set the tone for high school onward into university...and sometimes you’re
not fun.
We’ve heard the stories - of parents asking to meet with
their child’s university professor or asking the school to move the date of the
diploma exam for holidays. Occasionally students lack the independent voice and diligence required for academic preparedness.
Many of us have heard the grade 10 comments that drive their
teacher to frustration:
“I don’t know how to do this. I missed that day”.
“Can you give me a crash-course in this unit?”
“I don’t do practice questions.”
“Can I borrow a pencil and calculator…and paper?”
“I’m not ready. Can I write another day?”
Simply put, there is a certain level of maturity that needs
to arrive in high school and it is the grade 10 teacher’s responsibility to be
tough - to expect more of their students...to say “no” sometimes and ask them to put
in their share of effort.
I’ve stayed hours after school for the diligent student that
needs help. I’ve also said “no” to the student who just wasted 45 minutes of
practice time in class and asked for me to re-teach the lesson to them 1 on 1.
It’s not always easy, but your task is larger than the
outcomes in grade 10. We are building independent learners who are ready for
the rigors of high-level academics in their future.
If anything else, their grade 11 and 12 teachers will thank you, the buzz-kill.
