21st Century Breakdown

No, this post really isn't about the new Green Day album (though I'm eager to get my hands on it and can't wait to hear it), but I did think it was an apt title for what's happening in my classroom right now.

My juniors are having meltdowns left and right.

It's that time of year again, AP test time. Tests start this week and most of my kids are taking two or three tests, so it isn't just my AP Language and Comp class that they're dealing with, it's also AP American History and AP Bio. Add to that that the school performance of Fiddler On The Roof was this weekend, and you can see where the problem is coming in.

Friday morning I had one girl come into my classroom to talk. She couldn't even make it through her first sentence before she started crying. She is totally overwhelmed with everything. Second hour of the day (AP English) I had the same girl from the morning getting weepy AND her friend getting weepy too. Third hour, I had two more kids crying in class (one with walking pneumonia who came to school because if she didn't, she couldn't perform in the musical that night).

They are worn out. They are freaking themselves out and putting insane amounts of pressure on themselves. I can actually SEE the look of panic in their faces and I feel so bad for them. So, I took time out of class to talk with them on Friday. I know they don't believe me, but I did tell them that in 10 years, no one will care what they got on their AP tests. I told them I got a 2 on the American History AP and still managed to get into the U of M, still graduated from U of M with two degrees, still went to grad school and still found a job teaching. That 2 has not haunted me for the rest of my life and it won't for them either. I told them that they need to figure out when to say they can't push anymore, to know when to take a break and get something to eat, go for a run, take a nap, call a friend for a little bit. I realize that it takes time to learn those things, but if they can walk away knowing to work on that, I think that's a step in the right direction. I got a huge hug from one of my criers after class and she thanked me profusely for taking the time to talk and reassure them.

I know how they feel, I was the same way in high school, but they're going to be ok. It's a little tough though, because there's a week and a half till the AP English exam, I want to keep they psyched for it but not get them so psyched that they completely fall apart. What to do, what to do...