Another reason why I hate this time of year...

I should not teach grade 12 students. I just shouldn't.

I don't believe that education is a competition, I do believe that there is more to life than getting good grades. I don't think that universities should hold kid's lives hostage just for the "prestige" of getting accepted. I don't believe that your life is over if you; don't get early acceptance/don't get accepted/don't go to university at all. I always say that univeristies are businesses, if you don't get in the first time, they will let you in eventually. Even if it is as a mature student. Bottom line: THEY WANT YOUR MONEY.

The problem is, I tell my students that.

Another problem is, they don't believe me.

I had 2 students come to me the other day to talk about dropping my course. One girl was sobbing mercilessly about how stressed she was because she didn't get early acceptance to her program of choice. This is a girl with a 96% average. If SHE didn't get accepted, who the hell are they letting in?

Her course load: Calculus, Chemistry, Exercise Science and my course, Sociology. She plays 3 sports competitively, works part time, and as mentioned maintains a 96% average!!

Talk about breaking my heart.

I totally counselled her to drop my course. I believe that nothing, especially grades, is worth your health. She was still visibly upset, so I asked her what was really the issue. Was it that she'd consider herself a failure for dropping a course? No. Was she afraid of how that would look to the universities? No.

Her answer? She didn't want to disappoint me.

Rip my heart open and stomp all over it!

That answer made me sob. I hate when kids are practically killing themselves because of the pressures placed on them by the unis, their parents and themselves.

I hate this time of year.