Senioritis

Most seniors find it hard to keep themselves motivated as they sense that the end is near.  Some seniors seem to do just the opposite and do more than is necessary and maybe even too much.  Perhaps it's a reaction to the thought that high school's almost over so I better do as much as I can while I can.  A few of my daughter's activities are shown here as the promenade part of the prom, getting arrested during the mock trial, and singing in the musical, The Music Man.

Teaching seniors here in Idaho has engaged a new meaning to me for "Senioritis".  It comes in two parts: the acceptance of mediocrity as success, and deathbed repentance. For years, I myself have in many ways accepted  mediocrity as success, or being "good enough for government work" just so I wouldn't burn myself out and lose other parts of my life that I value.  Seniors see that they can graduate without trying in certain classes (or even pass them), so they slack-off, slough-off, and find that attitude that is so unattractive which is to say, "I'm going to graduate anyway, so why bother."  Or even worse, the burning bridge attitude, "I'm never coming back here again, so I'll do what I want, then graduate, and no one can do anything about it."   It has been interesting to see that those who are the most vocal about being happy to leave are usually the first ones to return to visit the following year.  But both of these attitudes are recipes for regrets and major mistakes, which brings me to the other form of "Senioritis", deathbed repentance.
As some seniors are discovering that they can lighten up, there are those who are awakening to the reality of not graduating at all.  These are they who have waited until the last term to take required courses or retake failed courses.  These are they who have played too much and studied too little and find that there isn't enough time or opportunities to prove learning that they have ignored.  These are they who's parent are shocked to receive notice from the school all term long about impending failure to graduate and failed to rein-in poor behavior.  These are they who come to the teacher, after there's nothing left to do, and ask what they can do to fix their mistakes.  As one of these students put it, "I thought you were going to help me out."  The response of, "I tried to all trimester long, but you never showed up" was not comforting.  It is very much like the children of Israel seeking help from their God whose "hand is stretched-out still", until the judgement comes and He must say to them that he never knew them (or they never knew Him), and to depart.  This is such a sad, sad event that school officials do whatever they can to smooth things over and let them 'walk' during graduation.  Teachers are pressured to spend more and more effort on these individuals which takes away from efforts that could be spent helping the motivated do better on AP tests, entrance exams, SATs and ACTs.  It is cause for great sorrow, but who, when reading the book could not tell the end from the beginning.
Graduation is a ceremony celebrating an expected accomplishment.  As with many accomplishments in our lives, how well we celebrate and enjoy it depends on how we reach it.  Will seniors believe they can do anything if they work hard enough, or that they can do anything if they weasel their way through?  I still believe that the majority have learned the correct formula to succeed.