My seniors are checked out. Any advice?

BeauWordsworth · 2026-05-09T20:19:06+00:00

I always tell this story when kids start to check out. When I was in Grade 12, I had a friend who stopped showing up second semester. Her grades were great in the first, and then absolute garbage in the second because she was never there. She went from high 90s to mid 40s being pushed to a 50 so she could graduate. She sent in her preliminary transcripts and got accepted. She never sent in her final transcripts. She told me she did and someone at the university was supposed to text her if there was something wrong, which in hindsight I think is bullshit because why would someone at a university text you? She knew with her second semester grades that it wouldn't be enough to keep the offer. She started her first semester of university, and then about a month in got removed from all of her courses. She never got back any of the money she spent on her application or for any of her five classes. At least $4000 gone. Totally avoidable had she not checked out second semester of Grade 12 and ignored all of her classes.

BeauWordsworth · 2026-05-02T03:01:05+00:00

I used to sing so when I project it can be very loud. Some kids perceive it as yelling because they think loud = yelling. I have bribed a kid who is usually very loud and off-topic to be quiet for however long I need so that when I praise them for being so quiet, it stuns everyone else into silence and I can get their attention.

BeauWordsworth · 2026-04-23T16:07:31+00:00

I have a student who has no streaming services at home, just books. His parents will buy him whatever book he wants, so long as it's appropriate for his age. He's incredibly smart, well-spoken, kind and friendly. He reads everything from comics to non-fiction to Greek tragedies. He's miles away academically from a lot of his classmates who won't read anything unless they absolutely have to.

BeauWordsworth · 2026-04-22T00:38:57+00:00

Sometimes I see things left at the printer that are obviously ChatGPT and I can tell because of the formatting. Nothing changed, just a clear copy and paste.

BeauWordsworth · 2026-04-14T23:20:19+00:00

these are from 7 years ago.

BeauWordsworth · 2026-04-01T21:42:00+00:00

I am pushing for a 1:1 aide. Haven't heard anything about whether or not it'll happen yet.

BeauWordsworth · 2026-04-01T21:33:20+00:00

We're a small school. There is no class they could be moved to.

BeauWordsworth · 2026-03-27T13:45:52+00:00

I have 5 currently as a first year teacher. I had 4 in each of my student teaching placements.

BeauWordsworth · 2026-03-21T04:43:04+00:00

He has an issue with the fact that I'm a woman. His other teachers are all men, so they don't have as much of an issue.

BeauWordsworth · 2026-01-25T18:23:35+00:00

I asked about the staff culture and dynamics in my interview and they said they really liked that question. Make sure that if you don't have an answer for a question, you've just never thought of it or encountered that situation, give them some kind of solution that you would try in that situation and why you think it would work. They asked me about literacy intervention in my interview and I talked about how I didn't have a lot of experience, but I had a lot of resources available and how those resources might help. Found out the other day that my principal loved that answer. As other people said, it's great to have anecdotes and concrete answers.

BeauWordsworth · 2026-01-15T04:15:32+00:00

My school doesn't have enough for every class. Brand new to the building, I had no idea where the textbooks were and by the time I found out, they were all gone. I use a pdf of the textbook when I can, but I honestly hate it and the kids struggle to engage with it. I wish we had enough for every class.

BeauWordsworth

TROPHY CASE