It's my last day at the City of Bath College before the Christmas holidays.
I am working hard in the computer room but I am alone in doing so. I have one student who has just returned from the Milkshake store, who has told me that there's a queue there and that's why everyone else is four minutes late and counting. The attitude to work seems not only lax in the students but the whole college nowadays... or am I just getting old?
The students have this whole week to work on and submit assignments that are overdue by a day at least, two months at most. They have this morning from 9 until 2 to type up thier work, and then Thursday and Friday they have all day for assignments. This follows four hours on Monday devoted to the same tasks. Call me old fashioned but I appreciated that when I forgot my homework, my drama tutor kept us out of lessons, sending us to the Drama Office to write an essay to be submitted after the hour's session. It made sure we came equipped and in the right frame of mind.
These students are back now complaining that they can't concentrate because of thier subsequent sugar-rushes from their drinks!
So, what should I do? I am their teacher and I have every right to tell them off for being disruptive.
What do I do? Complain inwardly that they have chocolately drinks to warm them and due to current lack of funds, I am drinking water!
However, what I can't do is stop them from completing their work by excluding them from this catch up time. They have been given this time and those who are finished and up to date did not have to come in this morning. That bit of the plan is fair but a few conversations I have been party to today have informed me that some students probably won't get everything done this week - and they don't see a problem with it.
I just don't understand how people can have this attitude! I do understand that I should be respectful of learners' barriers and that some students who are working diligently today, and some are, have certain learning difficulties. However, the ones who are chatting and generally being disruptive are those who have little qualms with the writing of essays process.
I think the reason I feel so helpless and frustrated is because I feel I should be able to do something for them, to make it clearer, to help them focus but as they tell me often, they are old enough to take care of themselves. So they should also accept the responsibilities of a deadline.
But with no consequences for not submitting work, why bother to be here at all?
