High School English Teacher Confession

Okay, everybody, I'm going to let you in on a little secret about high school teachers. Or maybe just high school English teachers. Or maybe just me. We grouse about our middle school and elementary colleagues. (Or maybe I'm the only one, and other English teachers just nod politely while I do it. Is it just me?) "Why didn't anyone teach these kids how to use a comma by ninth grade? How did this kid get to me without learning to use a period at the end of a sentence? There, their, and they're; it's not that hard!" Here's another secret: My middle school and elementary colleagues did teach them. They taught them these lessons over and over and over and over (and over). It's not their fault. It's mostly developmental. These concepts just click at different times for different kids.

But here's something else about high school teachers, or maybe just high school English teachers, or maybe just me: We don't thank our middle school and elementary colleagues enough. Well, I just got through a huge stack of essays, and I want to very publicly say THANK YOU! Thank you to the teachers at Talmadge Middle School and Independence Elementary School and Ash Creek Elementary School and Monmouth Elementary School. And thanks to the great Educational Assistants at Central High School who have been working with my kids who are on IEPs or who are second-language learners. Because my kids are writing with more technical proficiency than perhaps any class I've had before. Whatever y'all are doing, keep it up!

And to the folx out there who are saying, "None of the kids are learning anything this year," sit down. First, that simply wrong. The kids are learning a lot! They are living through something none of my other students had to weather, and they're still learning, so please stop telling them they aren't. They can hear you! Also, when you say things like, "They're falling behind," I'd like to know who you think they're falling behind. Are there children living on the International Space Station I'm unaware of? Because last I heard, this is a GLOBAL pandemic. Do you really think Harvard is going to say, "Nope, we just won't accept any students for the next 12 years because they all had a bumpy year during that GLOBAL FREAKING PANDEMIC?!" Your kids are rock stars. Take them out for ice cream. (Use the drive through and wear a mask. The person scooping the ice cream and leaning out the window to hand the ice cream to you is a person, and decent people wear masks to protect other people.) Your kids deserve ice cream.

And I know this has been incredibly rough on you, too. Most of the negativity directed at our schools and teachers and, yes, even our kids is just frustration looking for a target. I get it. Pandemics are not fun. So get yourself some ice cream, too. You deserve it. Even those of you who have been particularly nasty to the very people working so hard for your kids. You just haven't learned how to productively direct your frustration. I feel you. I sometimes do the same thing. I'm working on it. I recommend ice cream.

Last, to my high school colleagues who will get these ninth graders next year: Hold onto your butts! We've got some dang good writers coming your way. And the students got those skills from the people I used to complain about. Remind me of this the next time I'm grousing.