Educating Difficult Student --> Athletes

The Stereotypical Jock.

The stereotype of athletes is that they refuse to study because sports are more important than education. The typical athlete doesn't want to study, doesn't care about education, and are stubborn in the classroom.  From my experience being a student in middle school/high school I always noticed that some jocks did not want to study because they were tired from practice. However, I honestly refuse to believe that every jock is lazy. Everyone is different so here are my tips for dealing with such students.

1. Befriend the coaches at school 

Befriend a coach is very beneficial because if the students act up all you have to do is pick up the phone in the room (if you have one) and call their coach  When I was in high school my English teacher was best friends with the football coach and if a football player would not listen to her, she would pick up the phone and put him on speaker. let's just say the boys did their work after the man yelled at them. So I highly recommend being on the coaches good side so they have your back

2. Respect your student's after school activities. 

I know for teachers we think the world revolves around us and our work. However, let's put ourselves back in high school and remember how tough it was to juggle so much stuff (homework, clubs, sports, family life, etc). In my experience in high school I always admired the teachers who asked if we had a lot of tests on a certain day and if we did, they would postpone it to another day. When I'm a teacher I will do the same because high school shouldn't be so stressful that you want to hurt yourself like some people when they are stressed out. Also, if your jocks have a game that night try to be a little considerate and tell them they can turn it in the following day. Yet, don't let them walk all over you, when you say the following day, you mean it. 

3. Support Your Students At Games

Yes, it's as simple as that. Go to school events and show your students that you support their sport. Usually when students see a teacher at a game, they of course, avoid them because who wants to be seen with a teacher? However, I do believe it means something to them to know teachers support the sports at school. Also, if you go to the games you'll know more about your student. How they react under pressure. How they are a team player. Etc. Sports are their passion, and when people are passionate about something, that is when their true colors emerge. So, go and support your students.

Books I'd Like To Teach. -->11th Grade

• Native Son-Richard Wright
• African American month. 
• Probably Honors.
• Harlem Renassiance
• Would have to get it approved due to graphic scenes
• Of Mice & Men- John Steinbeck 
• around 100 pages.
• could easily read in a week
• Honors&CP classes 
• Transcendentalist 
• Frankenstein- Mary Shelley
• HONORS ONLY
• Gothic Era Class
• Macbeth- Shakespeare
• Tale of Two Cities- Charles Dickens
• HONORS ONLY
• Victorian Era Class

Lord Byron Teaching.

SHE walks in beauty, like the night A
Of cloudless climes and starry skies, B
And all that's best of dark and bright A
Meets in her aspect and her eyes; B
Thus mellow'd to that tender light      A    5
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies. B

*8 syballus per sentence.

One shade the more, one ray the less, C
Had half impair'd the nameless grace D
Which waves in every raven tress C
Or softly lightens o'er her face, D  10 ---> 9!
Where thoughts serenely sweet express C
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place. D


And on that cheek and o'er that brow E -->9
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent, F
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,  E 15 -->9
But tell of days in goodness spent,— F
A mind at peace with all below, E
A heart whose love is innocent F

--> rhyme scheme= easy

Poem Teaching.

H. Coleridge

CLXXV. "She is not fair to outward view"

SHE is not fair to outward view,
As many maidens be;
Her loveliness I never knew
Until she smiled on me.
Oh, then I saw her eye was bright,	5
A well of love, a spring of light.
But now her looks are coy and cold,
To mine they ne'er reply,
And yet I cease not to behold
The love-light in her eye:	10
Her very frowns are fairer far
Than smiles of other maidens are.

• 1st stanza--> ABABCC 
• 2nd stanza-> ABABCC
• Make them figure out rhyme. Level: easy
• Clearly he is in love with a woman who does not notice him." Her loveliness I never knew" 
• She doesn't seem to be the nicest woman, "But now her looks are coy and cold," yet he still finds her beautiful. 
• Even though she is cold, she still has life in her eyes.