Cover of Snow Day
How DARE YOU usurp my Snow Day!
Such was the reaction of one of my eighth-grade advisees when it was announced to the Advisory group on yesterday morning that life would not be quite the same during future snow days. Instead of spending the entire day on Facebook, sleeping, or other non-academic activities, students would be required to check the online homework board, and complete assignments.
The aforementioned student’s reaction was uncomplimentary: He let it all hang out. In the Black community, we would say that the student got ig’nant (ignorant). He was truly outraged. He believes that being required to check the online homework board, and to complete homework, on a snow day no less, is a violation of his personal, off-campus time. I would even go as far to to say that the student’s reaction was rather uncivil, for which I called him out. Of course, his reaction merely mimicks the lack of civility of our post-modern society, not to mention the ill effects of so-called progressive parenting practices, i.e. “Tell them how you really feel, sweetheart.” It took my co-advisor and me to calm down the student in question, and to help him to see the the merits of the decision. I still don’t think he had bought in, but, such as it is.
Me? I like the decision for students to check the online homework board and to complete assignments on a snow day. It’s not as if a snow day is a scheduled day off. Rather, it is the cancellation of a school day which would otherwise have been in session. So, how is the expectation to complete assignments out of the realm of expectation? Furthermore, it holds teachers accountable for the teaching and learning of their students. Now, I like my snow days. That said, I also want my students to be learning and making progress – snow day or class day. It also gives me the opportunity to devise assignments that are more student-centered and ask the students to demonstrate what they know and are able to do with the language. For example, I created an online quiz using the “Forms” function on Google Docs, and an online listening/speaking assessment.
So, my 2.5 cents? It’s a proverbial win-win.
