Tonight was the first night of this year's qualifying for the playoffs. Not exactly sure how it works, but the top 5 teams from each location score points and eventually go to a quarter-final round where a certain number of teams qualify for finals. Even down players we still went into halftime in 3rd, finished in first before the final question, bet nothing on a tough one (rank 4 states by their credit scores) and kept the lead. So we are a step closer to success, plus $50 richer toward next time.
School continues to vex. The kids are still somewhat out of control, but I am trying to keep my sanity by staying calm, speaking to the most upset ones in a caring way, explaining without anger what has gone wrong with their decisions. On the academic front, I am resigned to teaching to the test for the foreseeable future. Calculator drills, practice questions, refreshers, strategies...you name it and I will try it. The pacing chart - out the window. The principal (third in three years) feels the need for a victory, and we are the lowest scoring school in the county system (which is no surprise since we are basically a city school demographically). The pressure is on from the top, but not just on me, on everybody. I don't think there is any risk for me personally, but I will toe the line and do what I can (instead of what I should) to achieve his goals. I just feel like I am continuing to lower my standards and ethics, and buy into a mentality that says one thing (our students CAN learn) and does another (we don't trust them to learn, so let's teach them how to answer these type of questions).
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