This week at school was very hot and humid! There is always a hot day or two towards the end or beginning of a school year. But this time it was FIVE straight school days of hot and humid! I give my students a lot of credit because they were not doing much complaining at all. The second floor of the school was allowed to keep the windows open all night to get some cooler air in, but it was of little help.
I know that there are a lot of people who may feel little sympathy for our sticky & sweaty week at school. I worked in a warehouse one summer and it had no air conditioning. There are many who work outside all summer with no air conditioning. So why should I be so soft? Because I had a room full of teenagers who I was trying to teach economics and U.S. history to. "Never let them see you sweat" went out the door. The teachers and students all were great and did what we needed to do, but I am positive that ultimately our students were able to only absorb so much learning while huddled around the one box fan that was blowing warm air.
Teaching and learning are affected by many things that are out of our control. As a teacher, I have learned that one must be good at "going with the flow" of things. (Such as a possible five day heat wave.)
(photo:weblogs.sunsentinel.com)
Everyone is talking about the heat, and rightfully so. I wonder if the science teachers are addressing global warming at this teachable moment...?
ReplyDelete