My World

I have had a typical Marta's World time of late. I was sooo excited to get into school and start my new career. The teacher started out giving homework and instructing. As the weeks have gone by he has been less productive in the classroom. He does not teach but rather he sits in a chair in the front of the class doing nothing. You may recall the post at the begining of school the teacher left to get sick? That has happened two more times as well as him breaking out in a cold sweat, shaking, his voice is shaky and weak. He is obviously not well but he didn't pull himself out of the class. The students have been teaching each other and it is more like a study hall. It took some of us writing letters of concern to the heads of the program to make a change. We wanted a positive outcome rather than some of our fellow students that were out for blood. They were frustrated at the lack of instruction. We are all getting nervous that we wont have all the knowledge we need to pass the National test. If we dont pass that we dont work!

We were suposed to take our mid-term Thusday. The study group (named Divalicous HandiSlap's minions) met for a couple hours before class using his (lame) study guide to finish preparing for the 50 question multiple choice test. We were told as we were working by one of the heads of the program that the teacher would not be in class as he was sick. We were also asked to take a "mid-term" evalution. The subsitute teacher had no idea we were taking a test. When talking about the mid-term our teacher told us that it should take a half hour to take the test. When we started class the sub was surprised to see our study guide we had used to prepare. He said the test was 50 math questions - nothing else. We were originally told there would be very little math but a lot of other things from the first eight chapters of our book! After thinking for a moment the sub asked if he could go over some of the math that would be on the test. He said he would teach until 7 to prepare us for the test he would give us on Monday. Then he did something all of us needed and craved - he taught us! In the 1 1/2 hours he taught pharmacy math and how it relates to a prescription. He showed how you gathered all the info and translated to the final product. My hand hurt from the notes I took. We did not have the usual levity in the classroom but people busy writing and learning. When he dismissed the class some of us stayed to thank him for instructing us and begged him to stay for the next (and last) four weeks of our class. If he stays and instructs us we feel we will learn a lot and the National will be a slam dunk!