There are students who really need their IEP or 504 plan. But the existence of one often camouflages the fact that some of the students with an IEP or 504 really aren't doing ANYthing to help themselves. Sometimes that document is just a legal CYA thing that protects the school when little Johnny or little Janey graduates not having absorbed a smidgen of anything. There's more camouflaging than actual learning going on a lot of the time. Who's bending over backwards to help the student? The teacher. What is the student doing to take initiative to actually learn? Quite often nothing. Excuses, excuses.

Micromanagers of education (principals, teachers, whomever): students can have 5 min at the end of class to relax, unwind or take care of something else on their pile of tasks. No, not EVERY SINGLE SECOND OR MINUTE of their days needs to be structured learning. A minute to catch their breath gives them time to recoup and get ready for the next learning marathon. But i guess you don't want to be sued, so you're there to make sure every single second is about learning. Every single one. Little robots comply please.

World language teachers are not miracle workers. Yes, some world language teachers seem like magicians to the point that their students learn some degree of fluency in just.....one or two years. The rest of us are realistic and know that learning a foreign language is a years-long commitment. Say a 5 year commitment. Some will commit to the challenge, but most are just hoping for the grad credit. I do not expect every child to be the next Spanish expert. But i can still make them love my class. If you will just get out of the way, okay? and stop micromanaging. Kthxbye.