Punch Me

I am a teacher. Puke. I am a math teacher. Big puke. I am a ninth grade math teacher. Stick a hot poker stick in my eye. I am a ninth grade math teacher in Texas. Jump off a bridge. A real one. A high one.

For us, it is all about the state tests. Blah blah blah. In the ed world breathing depends on these tests. Your job depends on your kids passing or not. Lovely, I know. Do they care? Oh h-no. They do not. A lot will not even pass it and they do not care. I have tried everything possible to get these kids to care and study to pass this... I have offered food, parties, finals exemptions, my first born, you name it, to try and get them to care about this test. However today I had realization about what really mattered to my students. Today I had a student show up to afterschool tutorials (which he needs) and I was pleasantly surprised to see him there. Halfway through tutorials he reminded me what was really important to him.... he said to me "do you remember when you said if i passed the test I could punch you in the face? I am going to pass that test!" Seriously - I had jokingly said that to one of my classes months ago. That is what is keeping him going. The prospect of punching me in the face. The glory of being a ninth grade math teacher.