I'm a little miffed. Put out. Tetchy.
The worst part is, I am not sure I'm justified in being so annoyed. Oh, the hell with it--let me just say it. I'm angry and disappointed.
As some of you know, my dear wife went in for knee replacement surgery today. Since it was an elective surgery, it was planned for a long time. I set it up with my students for about two weeks in advance, alerting them I would be absent on the school day on which the surgery took place, but that I'd have a substitute and a lesson plan and everything.
As happens sometimes, there were minor glitches in the substitute's plans (especially in Distance Learning, these things happen) but which the substitute admirably attempted solutions for. Some students were mistakenly marked "absent" in this process.
So you know, this marking does nothing. If the parent knows the student was in attendance, and the student completed assignments, then there's literally nothing that happens as a result of the mislabeling. Nevertheless, I got some panicked emails from students--while I was in the hospital with my wife--asking me to fix the glitch.
Here's the thing with that: NONE of them asked how she was, or how I was, or how the surgery went. It just struck me as remarkably self-centered, is all. I have more sick days accrued than I can count (I think I am at about a year's worth) because I NEVER miss school. Today marked the first day I had to miss school this entire year, and possibly last year as well. So I am reliably present. And this was not a surprise--I'd told the students for two weeks it was happening and WHY it was happening.
You may be saying, "they were worried about their incorrect attendance." Yeah, I'm sure they were. But how do you explain that ONE student out of over one hundred even mentioned the surgery and wished me and my wife well?
Like I said in the intro, I am not sure my anger is justified. I know that I don't often post to Facebook when I see a "Facebook friend" has posted something tragic or harrowing. I do sometimes, but not always. So can I castigate my students for the same behavior? I am not completely consistent in well-wishes to everyone I know--can I truly get angry at the utter lack of concern shown by my entire set of students?
Should I also dismiss my disappointment that among my friend group, when I mentioned the upcoming surgery, I frequently got NO reaction whatsoever? Not even an acknowledgement that the surgery was taking place? I feel as if I am a sympathetic ear more often than not, and even though I don't lend my emotional support in expectation of reciprocity, it is nevertheless disappointing when I am ignored in my time of need.
It's worth noting here--with no small amount of chagrin--that in many, many cases, people expressed their sympathy and concern for Sue and for myself, and I am grateful to have so many good friends. I do feel more than a little ashamed that I am letting the self-centered behavior of a few people poison my mind: what I should be doing is focusing on the many, many good friends who have chimed in messages of support.
Still, Dear Reader, as we all know, emotions are not usually subject to logic. Despite what I may or may not be justified in feeling, I nevertheless feel it. I will have to work at getting over this and not let it unduly affect me.
Be seeing you!
The worst part is, I am not sure I'm justified in being so annoyed. Oh, the hell with it--let me just say it. I'm angry and disappointed.
As some of you know, my dear wife went in for knee replacement surgery today. Since it was an elective surgery, it was planned for a long time. I set it up with my students for about two weeks in advance, alerting them I would be absent on the school day on which the surgery took place, but that I'd have a substitute and a lesson plan and everything.
As happens sometimes, there were minor glitches in the substitute's plans (especially in Distance Learning, these things happen) but which the substitute admirably attempted solutions for. Some students were mistakenly marked "absent" in this process.
So you know, this marking does nothing. If the parent knows the student was in attendance, and the student completed assignments, then there's literally nothing that happens as a result of the mislabeling. Nevertheless, I got some panicked emails from students--while I was in the hospital with my wife--asking me to fix the glitch.
Here's the thing with that: NONE of them asked how she was, or how I was, or how the surgery went. It just struck me as remarkably self-centered, is all. I have more sick days accrued than I can count (I think I am at about a year's worth) because I NEVER miss school. Today marked the first day I had to miss school this entire year, and possibly last year as well. So I am reliably present. And this was not a surprise--I'd told the students for two weeks it was happening and WHY it was happening.
You may be saying, "they were worried about their incorrect attendance." Yeah, I'm sure they were. But how do you explain that ONE student out of over one hundred even mentioned the surgery and wished me and my wife well?
Like I said in the intro, I am not sure my anger is justified. I know that I don't often post to Facebook when I see a "Facebook friend" has posted something tragic or harrowing. I do sometimes, but not always. So can I castigate my students for the same behavior? I am not completely consistent in well-wishes to everyone I know--can I truly get angry at the utter lack of concern shown by my entire set of students?
Should I also dismiss my disappointment that among my friend group, when I mentioned the upcoming surgery, I frequently got NO reaction whatsoever? Not even an acknowledgement that the surgery was taking place? I feel as if I am a sympathetic ear more often than not, and even though I don't lend my emotional support in expectation of reciprocity, it is nevertheless disappointing when I am ignored in my time of need.
It's worth noting here--with no small amount of chagrin--that in many, many cases, people expressed their sympathy and concern for Sue and for myself, and I am grateful to have so many good friends. I do feel more than a little ashamed that I am letting the self-centered behavior of a few people poison my mind: what I should be doing is focusing on the many, many good friends who have chimed in messages of support.
Still, Dear Reader, as we all know, emotions are not usually subject to logic. Despite what I may or may not be justified in feeling, I nevertheless feel it. I will have to work at getting over this and not let it unduly affect me.
Be seeing you!
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