(no subject)
I guess I'll use student frustrations as my impetus to post. I got up way to early this morning because a student whom I'll call the Marquise is worthy of the guillotine. Bleh. We had our last session on Sunday, but then early Tuesday, I got a call from the office. The Marquise's mom ordered an extra reading lesson for her, and they'd misunderstood the final homework assignment as well, so I needed to clarify the assignment and schedule the new lesson. When I called the Marquise's mom, I was directed to contact her grace directly to deal with scheduling and assignment issues. This was just before noon on Tuesday. Between that time and 8 pm Thursday, I left six messages for the Marquise, three on her cell phone, three on the answering machine at home. Thursday, around noon, I called her mom and let her know that I wasn't getting any response from her daughter.
By 7:30 pm, I was secretly breathing a sight of relief. You don't fail to return six messages unless you're trying to avoid something. I didn't particularly want to drive to Lithonia for a lesson with a sulky teenager. Then, of course, doom. The Marquise finally got back to me. She wanted to do a lesson the next morning. I apologized and informed that because I had a lesson scheduled for 11:30 am in Alpharetta, the only morning slot I had was 8:30. I was hoping this would put a little more flexibility in her schedule. Instead, she replied that 8:30 would be great.
When I tutor, I make sure that I've been awake for at least two hours before the lesson because I need that long to run on all cylinders. So I woke up at 6:00 am, arrived in Lithonia at 8:30 am, and sat around for thirty minutes while the Marquise got chased out of bed and into the shower. The lesson was a battle of wills. She kept contradicting me and complaining about how unfair the SAT is. She actually complained a couple of times about how early it was. I kept explaining that her objections weren't valid and that unfair or not, she was taking the test tomorrow. I didn't touch her complaints about the hour. I so rarely feel an actual urge to violence that I was kind of disturbed by the itching in my palm. I wish to hell she'd dug her heels in when her parents suggested an extra lesson instead of acquiescing and then taking her shit out on me. But seriously, I love my job.
Additionally, CB has had to work the late shift all this week and will next week as well. We usually talk daily, and I miss him. Stupid Pao (co-worker CB is subbing for).
I've been drowning my sorrow in Hiroshi Abe. Hooray for fantasy objects! Even if I don't get to see Survive Style 5+ on the big screen. (thumbing my nose in a certain direction.)
By 7:30 pm, I was secretly breathing a sight of relief. You don't fail to return six messages unless you're trying to avoid something. I didn't particularly want to drive to Lithonia for a lesson with a sulky teenager. Then, of course, doom. The Marquise finally got back to me. She wanted to do a lesson the next morning. I apologized and informed that because I had a lesson scheduled for 11:30 am in Alpharetta, the only morning slot I had was 8:30. I was hoping this would put a little more flexibility in her schedule. Instead, she replied that 8:30 would be great.
When I tutor, I make sure that I've been awake for at least two hours before the lesson because I need that long to run on all cylinders. So I woke up at 6:00 am, arrived in Lithonia at 8:30 am, and sat around for thirty minutes while the Marquise got chased out of bed and into the shower. The lesson was a battle of wills. She kept contradicting me and complaining about how unfair the SAT is. She actually complained a couple of times about how early it was. I kept explaining that her objections weren't valid and that unfair or not, she was taking the test tomorrow. I didn't touch her complaints about the hour. I so rarely feel an actual urge to violence that I was kind of disturbed by the itching in my palm. I wish to hell she'd dug her heels in when her parents suggested an extra lesson instead of acquiescing and then taking her shit out on me. But seriously, I love my job.
Additionally, CB has had to work the late shift all this week and will next week as well. We usually talk daily, and I miss him. Stupid Pao (co-worker CB is subbing for).
I've been drowning my sorrow in Hiroshi Abe. Hooray for fantasy objects! Even if I don't get to see Survive Style 5+ on the big screen. (thumbing my nose in a certain direction.)