OPINIONS
March 10, 2009
9
End of year hard for seniors, stay focused
Sam Weisman EVEN AS THE end of her high school career comes near senior Brittany Mason continues to work hard.
Senioritis. It sounds like a disease. In a way it is, invading the minds of many seniors as second semester quickly progresses, resulting in a lack of motivation, productivity, and success in school. Seniors are told by counselors and colleges to stay strong until the end since it is important to show the colleges a good finish with classes and grades, even though grade point averages and class rankings are frozen. Doing poorly in the last semester of high school can have disastrous results. Colleges can deny admissions and scholarships can be revoked. This is not ideal for any senior who wishes to attend college next year. One cannot fully understand senioritis until becoming a senior. Day after day they go through the same routine: going to the same classes and doing the same thing in class everyday. It becomes too easy not to try anymore. Staying focused daily can be very hard during second semester, especially after being cooped up all winter. It starts to get nice outside, and students do not want to be inside anymore. There are so many events to look forward to with spring break, Senior Skip Day, senior pranks, graduation, summer, and college. “There are so many better things to do with your time second semester,” said senior Jennifer Post, “I go to work, out to eat, and hang out with friends that I
will not see much next year since I’ll be going away to college.” For almost 13 years, many seniors have been working very hard in school without many breaks. Seniors feel the well-needed break after so many years of being dedicated to working hard in school. “We already have college applications in by second semester and we just give up,” said senior Sweta Rao, “teachers seem to give up hope on us trying too.” People within the school do not help the problem of senioritis either. Students and the administration can be very rude, leaving seniors more excited to get out of school. Some teachers seem to have given up teaching for Lent, so some classes are a joke. After four years in this jail cell we call a school, freedom is so close and yet so far away. “I’m looking forward to graduating and going away to college,” said senior Amanda Harlan, “there are so many more exciting things coming in the future outside of school.” While seniors understand the importance of staying focused during the last semester of high school, it can be very difficult at times. Somehow seniors must face all of the distractions and frustrations of second semester and persevere in order to successfully complete this year and move onto higher education.
Letters to the Editor
Letters in response to the article, “Teachers catch senioritis” in issue #7. I know why this article was published without an author name. The writer contradicted him or herself from one paragraph to the next. First, he or she states students cannot be motivated when teachers use online resources. In the following paragraph, he/she states students need more than surface material (books) but also all the technology and resources available. Have you not been taught that the internet does have many credible resources? Is it your thought that all teachers need to reinvent the wheel? We use resources as a method to enhance our teaching. We look for activities and ideas that other teachers have tried and had success with. We can find programs that have been peer reviewed and researched with data testing to show their effectiveness. Please allow yourself some time to review the CDC or Ohio Action for Healthy Kids websites to see how they can evaluate programs online. These are two that I use that may help you understand why teachers use online resources in the classroom. www. apps.nccd.cdc.gov/sher/ www.Ohioactionforhealthykids.org/news_ resources/index.htm - Ms. Galdys
Personally, I thought this was a good, well-written piece. The writer is bringing up some valid points that should be voiced. In my job, I see evidence of this on a regular basis. Technology comes to us as a double-edged sword. It can be a blessing as easily as a curse. It requires a conscientious, responsible educator to evaluate its role in educating our students - provoking one's thought; demanding new understanding. It requires responsibility and professionalism to know the difference between education and regurgitation. It also takes an administration to oversee and take on an active role promoting professional behavior. Technology is only another tool in the arsenal to assist in disseminating information. Used wisely, it is a blessing. Used only for the sake OF its use, usually results in just another incredible waste of time. - Nancy Deye
I am writing this letter in response to the editorial in the previous issue The Student Prints about teacher and their apparent case of “senioritis”. While this article contains some valid points, there is also an accusatory tone directed at teachers that do not necessarily deserve it. One topic that was brought up was the fact that teachers are lazy when all they do is sit and read from a PowerPoint presentation. While this can be a rather boring lesson to sit through, some teachers do manage to make it different using videos and relevant pictures. Also, organizing a mountain of information is most effectively done with the help of visual aids. A PowerPoint is sometimes the best way to help students take notes and remember the information. This requires a lot of work on the teacher’s behalf. Overall, it is an efficient way for teacher to present a lesson. Secondly, I want teachers to know that this view is not a representation of the student body as a whole. I know that I personally enjoy when class ends a few minutes early here and there because it gives me a chance to soak in the information, start some new homework for the night, or just relax before my next class. In addition to that, I know that some teachers truly do want their students to have fun while learning, and sometimes grinding through the notes on the PowerPoint is necessary to understand the background information. I know this letter did not cover all aspects of the previous article, but it did address the parts that I felt were the most important. I hope teachers who are doing what they love know that they are doing a good job and that there are many students who appreciate their efforts. - Anonymous Student
As expressed in our masthead printed in this issue on page 6, “Unsigned editorials published in the prints are written by staff members and agreed upon by a majority vote of the editorial board.” This means that the bulk of the editors agree with the opinion. That is why that particular editorial was not signed. - TSP Staff
