Day Seventy-Two...A Bad Day

Have you ever had the feeling that you really sucked at something, but just found out that you do? Ok, so that's the day I'm having today. I made the mistake of asking my students for some feedback on how they felt the class was going. So far, I've had 2 classes basically tell me that I suck and that we shouldn't be reading in an ASL class. We shouldn't have manual communication outside of the classroom. We shouldn't have so much to do in this class. Well, what the hell are we supposed to do, then? If I don't assign homework, they complain. If I assign homework, they complain. They complain because they don't have enough practice time. So, I give them ManCom (community contact) and they complain because "it's way too much". Fifteen minutes a day is NOT way too much! Technically, they should have more homework, but because the former teacher told me they won't do it, I don't overload them with it.

Oh, and don't get me started on the former teacher. Ok, so I knew this woman. My cousin actually had her as an ASL teacher. And, the signs she taught my cousin...some of them were wrong signs...more English than ASL. Anyway, whatever. So, I do a few days of "transition". It wasn't actually transition...I came and sat on my butt all day while the students worked on her final project. I did nothing as far as transition. No teaming, no introductions, NOTHING. So, the day comes when I'm to take over the class...half of the students didn't realize I was going to be their new teacher. Can you believe that? ARGH!

Here are some of their comments:

~ no ManCom (this was said by most of my students)
~ less hard curriculum
~ no essays
~ no book work (meaning, no reading)
~ less Deaf Culture
~ be more in control
~ give reasons for learning what we're learning
~ I really want (the former teacher) back
~ more vocabulary
~ more quizzes on vocabulary
~ less vocabulary at once
~ reading a book is fine, but don't make us do an essay on it
~ less projects
~ more projects
~ more conversation activities
~ less conversation activities
~ more interactive
~ I feel like I've learned nothing new (this, coming from someone who sleeps in my class!)
~ this class is boring (this, coming from someone who doesn't put the effort into practicing...she can't communicate with me at all!)

And, this is just from my 1st 2 classes. I still have 4 more to go!

And, also, the former teacher told me she'd leave me the curriculum for the classes...she didn't. She took it all with her and left me some mis-matched papers. So, now it's my job to figure out what she did last semester, how she did it, and move on from there. That's what I've been doing the last 2 months. The students are so bored...but, I can't move forward until I fill in the gaps the former teacher left.

AND...I found out today that some of the students are in contact with the former teacher, telling her how horrible my class is...how horrible a teacher I am. I also found out that she's telling them, and I quote, "Yeah, I heard it was pretty bad. Just stick it out so you can get the credit for graduation." The cojones on that woman...bad mouthing another teacher to her former, MY CURRENT, students! ¡Oh mi calidad... las bolas en esa mujer! ¡Ella apenas hace que desea gritar! ¿Qué clase de un profesor es usted? ¿Qué clase de una PERSONA es usted? ¿Qué el infierno usted le piensa está haciendo? ¡Usted no puede apenas ir detrás alguien parte posteriora y hablar malo sobre ellos... especialmente con sus propios estudiantes! (it sounds better when you're angry in Spanish!)

And, I started my period today, so I'm EXTRA grouchy!