Hangerover

This semester I have had a generally good group of students. They are decent writers, have interesting things to say, and act with respect and consideration. Generally. I have had some issues with plagiarism this semester, followed by a failing grade, an earnest conversation, tears (on their part), and ungranted pleas for mercy. Those issues stress me out. But they don't stress me out nearly as much as covering someone else's class.

A friend of mine was diagnosed with mono last week and has spent the last several days flat out on her back. Last Wednesday and last night I lectured in her class. God bless her, she has the WORST group of 35 students I have ever seen. Both times I walked out of class feeling like my internal organs were angry. I'm talking my spleen, my intestines, and my pancreas. I was amazed at the disregard for impression management. Usually, when you meet someone new, you try to act like a normal human being, right? Not so here.

Overheard:

-2 girls + guy profanely and graphically talking about sexual escapades (not with each other) over the weekend

-overt groans of displeasure when I did not let them out 45 minutes early and instead started into a new chapter

-A lot of sighing

Seen:

-one kid signed the attendance sheet passed around and promptly left--3 minutes into class

-20/35 heads staring at their computer screens rather than interacting

-Seven students texting under the table (which is funny, since I can see their laps, legs, and phones)

-A lot of rolling eyes

Accomplished:

-I completed lectures on twice as much material as I would with my class because EVERY question I asked was met with utter silence and blank stares. I have never felt more awkward in my life. Maybe two students participated.

-Calling out two of seven texters, only to receive blatantly evil glares of hatred. It was such an imposition to wait 3 minutes until class was out.

I have no funny or hilarious note to conclude this post. I normally try to keep my posts light and happy. I simply can't do that today, when I am pretty sure that the future of our world is held in the hand of absolute morons who lack any degree of empathy or altercentrism (other-awareness). Tomorrow I may feel differently and write about how excited I am for all my other students are learning and what delights they have been to teach. But as Anne would have it, yesterday was a Jonah day, and I have an anger hangover. A hangerover.