Sunday, November 27, 2005
Senior Year Dilemma...
Dear Guidance Guy,
Last year, in grade 11 I took a parenting course, and that basically decided that I wanted to work with kids in the future. The teacher that I have for this course is a new teacher (my old one went on maternity leave) and I find this very frustrating. We are loaded up with homework every week. She gives us two projects, text book questions and day care planning and expects everything to be done. What we do in class is work on these, still having a good 10 hours a week of homework to do.
Also, I have three other advanced level courses and a job. She then gives us a test on things
she hasn't taught us, and she doesn't get the picture when the whole class fails. I'm starting to get really worried because I want to have a future but with the mark I'm getting I wont be accepted.
This is affecting my everyday life causing me to be stressed out and I get headaches often. Do you have any advice on how I can balance things? Right now my life revolves around this one class and the marks I am getting still arent improving. Please help!
Sincerely,
Losing My Mind
*****
Dear Losing,
Yes, I have advice on how you can balance things. Your first job is to get a different perspective. I don't know what your other marks are, but I'm guessing this course will not hold you back from being accepted to college. If you're in advanced classes my guess is you've got lots of good grades from the first three years of high school.
What you describe in this class is the perfect start of a REALLY good college essay. The rest of the essay is how you handle it from this point forward. This is a new teacher who no doubt wants to do her best. Ask for a little time with her after school and let her know what's going on. New teachers tend to give too much work rather than not enough. Use "I" statements: "I am feeling frustrated and overwhelmed," not "YOU are giving too much work." This will go a long way toward helping her understand what you're going through.
If this doesn't work you can try talking to the head of her department or even the principal. Again, use facts and how you feel. Don't start with how much work she makes you do. And if that doesn't work and your schedule and credits can afford it, consider dropping the class. If you do study Child Development in college, you'll learn the same material there. Sure, you'll have a head start if you stay, but no class is worth driving yourself crazy over.
Thanks for your letter,
The Guidance Guy
Last year, in grade 11 I took a parenting course, and that basically decided that I wanted to work with kids in the future. The teacher that I have for this course is a new teacher (my old one went on maternity leave) and I find this very frustrating. We are loaded up with homework every week. She gives us two projects, text book questions and day care planning and expects everything to be done. What we do in class is work on these, still having a good 10 hours a week of homework to do.
Also, I have three other advanced level courses and a job. She then gives us a test on things
she hasn't taught us, and she doesn't get the picture when the whole class fails. I'm starting to get really worried because I want to have a future but with the mark I'm getting I wont be accepted.
This is affecting my everyday life causing me to be stressed out and I get headaches often. Do you have any advice on how I can balance things? Right now my life revolves around this one class and the marks I am getting still arent improving. Please help!
Sincerely,
Losing My Mind
*****
Dear Losing,
Yes, I have advice on how you can balance things. Your first job is to get a different perspective. I don't know what your other marks are, but I'm guessing this course will not hold you back from being accepted to college. If you're in advanced classes my guess is you've got lots of good grades from the first three years of high school.
What you describe in this class is the perfect start of a REALLY good college essay. The rest of the essay is how you handle it from this point forward. This is a new teacher who no doubt wants to do her best. Ask for a little time with her after school and let her know what's going on. New teachers tend to give too much work rather than not enough. Use "I" statements: "I am feeling frustrated and overwhelmed," not "YOU are giving too much work." This will go a long way toward helping her understand what you're going through.
If this doesn't work you can try talking to the head of her department or even the principal. Again, use facts and how you feel. Don't start with how much work she makes you do. And if that doesn't work and your schedule and credits can afford it, consider dropping the class. If you do study Child Development in college, you'll learn the same material there. Sure, you'll have a head start if you stay, but no class is worth driving yourself crazy over.
Thanks for your letter,
The Guidance Guy
