I'm annoyed.
Maybe I shouldn't write this right now, because I'm angry. But I want to get some things off my chest.
I'll start with my "advanced" creative writing class.
Today's Mini-Slam was one of my favorite class periods of all time. But for some reason, here I sit unsatisfied.
I'm sure the people who need to read this won't. And that's part of what bothers me.
Some of my complaints (in no particular order):
-how often you're tardy
-how often you miss class
-you didn't dress up today
-you never comment on the blog
-you don't write on your blog enough
-you don't read other people's blogs
-how easy you make my class feel
I'm sure there's more.
I feel like I care about this class more than some of you. I know you're teenagers and you're seniors and you just want to leave, but....
I feel like last year's seniors might've deserved this class more than you.
I feel like some of my CW1 students wouldn't take this class for granted.
(I'm sorry for lecturing everyone when not everyone deserves it.)
I just spent almost an hour trying to figure out how to add a slideshow to the blog. I can't get some of you to spend an hour on my class in an entire week.
Like I said, the people who need to read this won't.
Some of you are golden. I'm so happy you're in the class. You're getting so much out of it. But out of 33 students, I bet that number is like 20. That makes me sad.
Some of you are coasting. I wish I knew how to change that.
I feel like the coach whose voice you've heard for a little too long. And you've stopped listening.
I know I'm partly to blame. I've created a very laid back atmosphere and I've been very relaxed and the whole "building the plane as we sail it" thing.
BUT I'M SICK OF TAKING A BACK SEAT TO YOUR OTHER CLASSES.
This is the most important class on your schedule. Quit treating it like the 5th most important class.
I'm so angry. And I'm going to delete this instead of clicking PUBLISH.
It's 3:11 right now and I shouldn't be thinking about your class anymore. My son went to camp yesterday and I want to go home and see him. I miss him. (I just came back to this paragraph...it's 3:33 right now and my daughter just called to ask if I had her backpack. I do. I miss her too. Screw this stupid blog post.)
My CW1 students are revealing their pen names this weekend. I don't know why I wanted to share that, but it's on my mind. Landon's reveal is going to be hard to beat. It's sad to think that my CW1 class is getting more out of their creative writing class than my "advanced" creative writing class. It's probably my fault. They have clear expectations and you don't.
Some of my former students are getting more out of my class than you are. They still write, they still read, they're still present. Some of you are already on your 2-year missions but you're somehow getting credit in my class. Maybe that's why you're absent so much.
I NEED TO STOP COMPLAINING AND GO HOME ALREADY.
I guess I just want us all to get more out of life.
That's it. I'm sorry.
It's just...I was hoping to be happy by March 27th, and I'm not. And we're running out of time together.
For what it's worth Nelson,
ReplyDeleteThe kids who put effort into this class, who write in their journals and on their blogs.... For the residents, and for myself, your class has had a huge impact.
For kids like me this class is everything.
Just know that you are making a difference in people's lives here at LP.
I guess some people are just too stubborn to see that different can be good
That change is good
the ending killed me because same
ReplyDeletealso the whole thing killed me tbh
Same
DeleteI'm sorry I'm always late. I will work on that I promise. I understand where you're coming from.
ReplyDeleteI think we've become too comfortable. Which isn't a bad thing... But we just aren't pushing ourselves. We are capable of so much!! We've just become lazy.
Like today for example..... We had 5 minutes to prepare each group slam. And most of them were great!!! But if we would have collaborated on our own time and really put some thought into each piece... They could have been even better.
You put so much effort into the class and we haven't been doing our part.
I'm sorry we've let you down.:( But I'm so happy I have been able to be apart of this class. I'm so glad it was offered my year. Even if it's been more building than flying, even if it's been more crashing than flying, this class is one I will NEVER forget.
And we may be running out of time.
Time is sprinting, and we're only jogging,
But we've still got 100 yards till the finish line.
We can end with our plane in the sky, and we can finally look down from these windows to see brilliant masterpieces of 33 passengers.
33 passengers who built it all.
^^ love this. Feel the same way!
Deleteyesterday my mom said if i put as much time into calculus as i put into creative writing then maybe i would pass the AP test
ReplyDeletebut here i am reading blogs instead of doing that take home test mr smith assigned us yesterday
and so far its been worth it
your class is the most important
same. like i can honestly say more time is spent on writersparis.blogspot.com than in my calculus notebook. because i mean in 10 years i'm not going to care how to take the derivative of anything, but i'm definitely going to remember how amazing it is to write something that makes people feel and how amazing it is to feel something from someone else's words. so thank you.
DeleteI'm sorry I wasn't there today and I have a good excuse but it really doesn't matter because I know what you mean and I am so sorry we are letting you down....
ReplyDeletebut like Madeline said, this class has meant so much to me and to so many others, but you're right-we're being lazy, and it's not fair to you. But I am so so grateful that I had the opportunity to take this class this year and discover that I actually loved poetry and make all of these amazing friends and have you as a teacher. This class has inspired me in so many ways, in life (the BYU vs. NYU debate thing? Yeah, got into NYU today so THANKS!), in writing (I never even wrote a poem before the first day of class this year...besides like, 2nd grade and that doesn't count), and countless other ways, ANYWAYS I'm rambling but I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's still time left to get this plane off of the ground and we owe it to you to help pilot this hunk of metal.
Thanks for the shoutout Nelson. You probably don't know, but just the fact that you liked my video means the WORLD to me. Thanks for always commenting on my blog when no one else has.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry I'm late sometimes. But every time I'm late, I am literally saying, "Mr. Pead, can you please hurry and watch these announcements so I can go to creative writing. ITS HIPSTER DAY. HURRY UP."
Anyway, thanks for all the preparation you put into our classes. It shows.
If I was a teacher, I hope I'd be like you.
I'm sorry we're letting you down Nelson. I know we can be better because you deserve so much more.
ReplyDeleteI'm tardy and I'm sorry, I run to class as fast as I can
ReplyDeleteWell I feel like a grade A D-bag.
ReplyDeleteIm always late
I miss class
I dont write on my blog as much as I should
I didnt dress up today.
I was going to dress up, but life got in the way. It has been in my face screaming profanities at me for 2 months now. Im sorry. I feel awful.
You are my favorite teacher and I am part of the reason you are let down. So for that, im sorry.
Flat Stanley can do better. Ill do better
You light up my world like nobody else, Nelson. The way that you teach makes me overwhelmed. You don't know - oh, oh - you don't know you're the bestest. Please don't lose hope.
ReplyDeleteI missed class twice this week.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry.
But a long with what everyone else. I'm not taking this class or you for granted.
This class has meant everything to my senior year.
"I feel like last years seniors deserved this class more than you"
ReplyDeletethat hurts a bit
just a bit
this class junior year, like I took it so seriously. I love writing and appreciating others writing and so on and so forth. but last year we had something to do everyday, there was structure. we wrote everytime no matter if it sucked or not.... where's that?
im in love with the journals and I feel like we never use them.
it makes me feel bad for you when your getting in to something and everyone just keeps talking, like that bothers.
and you say no one writes but like tell me what to write ya know? cause when you used to do that mine weren't always amazing but I was getting better because I was just writing and writing.
I love writing
and this class.
xox
I have nothing to say... I'm just a little sad after reading this...
ReplyDelete