CONSERVATIVE & PROUD

JUNE
Some of the joys of teaching are the phone calls and e-mails fielded during June. "Jack informs me that he isn't doing well in your class, what can he do to get his grade up?" "We just found out that Henry might not graduate. Can you let us his grades for each assignment this quarter, what work he can make up, which days you will stay after with him, so he can..." There are also the lines of students at the door, "What's my grade?" "Can't you give me a couple points, so I'm exempt from my final?" Quick, put in a zero for my final. I want to know if I can still graduate if I don't come to school Monday."

It can be discouraging, but you sit down with those students who have this new found desire to learn, you encourage the parents, and you roll your eyes at the deal makers, and you do all this while writing comprehensive finals for five classes, tallying grades, distributing summer reading, and finally grading 100+ exams.

June is a tiring month for teachers, so I was encouraged after reading this editorial in the National Review, (originally found in the New York Sun). If you're a teacher, you'll appreciate someone taking our side; if you're not a teacher, I hope you consider this writer's argument.