1 Mother 2 Another

Monday night one of my advanced acting
students approached me with tears in her eyes. A high school
junior, she’s been one of my favorite students for years and
I was immediately concerned.


“Miss Jen, I really hate to have to tell you this, but I
think I’m going to have to drop your class. I just
don’t have time for it right now.”


Stunned, I said, “You don’t have time for it? Does the
class meet at a bad time?”


She shook her head “no”. “I can see this is going
to be a demanding class and I don’t want to let you down with
what you want me to accomplish as far as learning lines and keeping
up and not disappointing my scene partner and I just don’t
have time to learn the stuff and it’s the only time all week
that I look forward to – this class is “me” time
– but I don’t think I can do it!”


And it all came pouring out.

This poor girl is in SIX AP classes and
her work load is excruciating. She’s at school every day
until 4:30 then comes home to hours of homework. Once she left my
class at 8 p.m., she went home and was up until nearly 3 a.m.
finishing her work for the next day; the night before, she
memorized her lines for my class in the shower at 1 o’clock
in the morning.


Of course, I cannot make this poor girl feel bad about needing to
drop my class. Of course, I understand priorities and all.


But is it possible – just POSSIBLE – that we’re
giving our kids too much to do? That our academic expectations are
a wee out of line?


I’m just asking.