Writing Longhand

I have two things to say. First, briefly, I need to say that I am a human being, and I value my time. I had a student tell me that they needed to come in and turn in their notebook today, so I rearranged my schedule to meet this student:

1. I rescheduled an appointment with a bathroom fixture consultant who I need to talk to
2. I missed Day Two of the PGA Championships (you kids know I'm a golf nut, right?)
3. I told my friend that she couldn't come over to my house today to admire the chaos and squalor that I am living in during the remodeling of my home
4. I gave up my last day of vacation (I go back to work Monday...I'm teaching a class at the District Office that goes from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for ten days -- 72 hours of teaching -- that's real work, nothing like summer vacation.)
5. I worked in my classroom from 11:00 a.m. until...well, I'm still here, actually. The Mayfair Marching Corp. Percussion Section set up shop outside my door, so I listened to drums and chimes and bells as I worked. Not that it wasn't magical...it was! But it was darn loud, which made it difficult to concentrate at times.

Do I need to finish this story? You must have already guessed that the student did not show up, and did not bother to contact me to let me know. Me ----> Max Peeved. >:\
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NOW. About the longhand business -- very important.

I had an email conversation with another student who mentioned that he was doing his essays in the computer, and then copying them down into the notebook.

After I peeled myself off of the ceiling, I sat down and calmly wrote the following response:

"I really want you to learn to write long hand, and to think as you write that way. I realize that it is foreign to your generation -- you kids who had wireless keyboards plunked on your laps as toddlers. But the AP exam is a written exam...you have to sit there, and make mistakes, and cross them out, and revise, right then and there. So stop writing on the keyboard. Make yourself do it the old school way. You are going to notice that it is an entirely different thought process, but until the College Board lets you kids complete your exams on a screen and keyboard, we teachers must push you into the longhand waters. Consider yourself pushed."

The only reason I had to be peeled off the ceiling, really, was that No-Show Student had me on edge. Keyboard Guy really didn't do anything wrong, but I DON'T WANT YOU KIDS DOING YOUR WORK THAT WAY, so if you are, cease and desist.

Good-bye, Young Students. I am going offline for the weekend, and then I am starting back to work, so I won't see what you're up to until night time.