Recently, an ECI student wrote an article in The Record (our local paper) blaming January for being too busy, entitled, "January is Run-Off-Your-Feet Time for High School Students". I thought I'd share my response to Emerald for you to read too.
Dear “overburdened” student,
Don’t blame January, it’s really not the month’s fault that you’re bogged down with schoolwork. As a teacher, I am also bogged down with marking, sitting through presentations, and trying not to catch your bronchitis after foolishly sitting in front of you for 75 minutes. But I’m not writing to whine, rather to pause for the both of us and suggest that instead of blaming your teachers, you look introspectively for answers.
Regardless of what you call it, a summative, an ISU, a culminating activity, etc., it’s the same thing: a test that you’ve retained the skills throughout the course. It’s then inconceivable that students do these activities any other time than the end of the course. These projects are big, they take a lot of time, but hopefully you’ll have a sense of achievement to accompany your sniffles when you’re done.
Time management is a necessity for a grade 12 student, something that is indirectly taught throughout all of school life. If your teacher is anything like me, they’d have assigned the ISU at least a week before the break (which gives you 6 weeks, 2 of which you aren’t chained to a desk). Furthermore, if they’re compassionate enough, they’ll let you pick your own presentation date so that, should you have the foresight, you’ll be able to not schedule every presentation on the same day. I find that students who complain about not having everything done on January 23rd usually haven’t used their time wisely, and have really dug their own hole.
I’m not saying you’re lazy; it actually quite the opposite. It sounds like you’re an over-committed student, involved in the integrated arts program, writing for the paper, in your senior year, and applying to universities. I would suggest stepping back, prioritizing, and taking a break from the non-necessities in this hectic time; however, if you must do everything, there’s also the option of taking a fifth year (the real world will wait). If you continue in the fallacy that you must do it all, the anxiety will only amplify as you continue in post-secondary and the working world.
Dear “overburdened” student,
Don’t blame January, it’s really not the month’s fault that you’re bogged down with schoolwork. As a teacher, I am also bogged down with marking, sitting through presentations, and trying not to catch your bronchitis after foolishly sitting in front of you for 75 minutes. But I’m not writing to whine, rather to pause for the both of us and suggest that instead of blaming your teachers, you look introspectively for answers.
Regardless of what you call it, a summative, an ISU, a culminating activity, etc., it’s the same thing: a test that you’ve retained the skills throughout the course. It’s then inconceivable that students do these activities any other time than the end of the course. These projects are big, they take a lot of time, but hopefully you’ll have a sense of achievement to accompany your sniffles when you’re done.
Time management is a necessity for a grade 12 student, something that is indirectly taught throughout all of school life. If your teacher is anything like me, they’d have assigned the ISU at least a week before the break (which gives you 6 weeks, 2 of which you aren’t chained to a desk). Furthermore, if they’re compassionate enough, they’ll let you pick your own presentation date so that, should you have the foresight, you’ll be able to not schedule every presentation on the same day. I find that students who complain about not having everything done on January 23rd usually haven’t used their time wisely, and have really dug their own hole.
I’m not saying you’re lazy; it actually quite the opposite. It sounds like you’re an over-committed student, involved in the integrated arts program, writing for the paper, in your senior year, and applying to universities. I would suggest stepping back, prioritizing, and taking a break from the non-necessities in this hectic time; however, if you must do everything, there’s also the option of taking a fifth year (the real world will wait). If you continue in the fallacy that you must do it all, the anxiety will only amplify as you continue in post-secondary and the working world.