Mind Exhaustion

Have you ever reached the point where you have total mind exhaustion?

I am there. I realized it this afternoon as I sat down to grade a stack of quizzes. We have been studying physics this first six weeks. A heavy subject for the start of the year. And we only have 5 weeks to teach it. They graciously allow us one week at the start of the year to review (mmm...teach) scienctific method, lab safety, lab equipment, and metrics. Now the idea is that the kids learned it in 6th grade...and since I teach a class of 6th grade I will tell you that we have one week to "TEACH" all of that...so they don't really learn it. So anyway...the idea is that in 7th grade we just quick review.

That is a joke. Does anyone remember the 1st week of a new school year. How much work did you really do. A better question...how much work did you WANT to do. Exactly.

Anyway...that isn't what my exhaustion is about...well...maybe a little as I think that physics is too hard and too important to begin the year. When I questioned I was placated with "Oh...well the kids are so excited and ready to work at the first of the year." And which middle school kids would they be referring to? Not mine.

Anyway...as I sat to write grades on the quizzes I became unsettled. We have been going over simple machines. We took a quiz using a great simple machine website that is on our online curriculum. Then we switched papers and graded. As we went over each part the majority of my kids loudly and confidently shouted out CORRECT answers. I was thrilled...finally something had stuck in their heads. But then I sat down to write grades. There were 11 answers...so a little less than 10 points apiece. Most of them had missed 5 or more...WHAT??!?!?! But it sure didn't sound like they had missed that many. So I hastily flipped through more papers...it was all the same. My happiness was deflated faster than a popped balloon. I just put down my pen and walked out of the building.

I am mentally exhausted from trying to get through too much curriculum in too little time. It is not a new problem...but it seems so much more magnified by these stupid TAKS assessments the district makes us give. Yes the are important...but there is no forgiveness on time...the message is clear. Get through the material...the tons and tons of material...giving notes, doing labs, and daily work...but don't spend too much time on any one thing because you must move forward because we have a TEST.

CRAZY

Now...physics isn't my strongest area of science. Honestly I am much more into rocks and plate tectonics...but I still know what I am doing. But I realized this afternoon just how hard I have been pushing me and my students.

I was supposed to give the district benchmark tomorrow. Well...I am not. My kids need a day to decompress and so do I. We are going to watch this great video on the physics of roller coasters. It brings together everything I have been cramming into them for 5 weeks. They will be thrilled when they don't have a test. And I feel better too.

I feel like I need to regroup and start again on Monday. Finish this unit...realize that I didn't do that great...and move on to the next unit to try again.

So thank goodness for Movie Days. And the best part is that it isn't just some random movie...no...it is an educational video that they will love because the other 7th grade class watched it and loved it.

Mind exhaustion...I think it may just be worse than physical exhaustion.