Whack a Mole

Do you remember playing Whack a Mole? You get a big mallet and wait for a mole to pop up out of the game board. The second you smash one mole, another one pops up quicker than you can whack 'em. This pretty much describes finals week in the CCHS Library, except for the whacking part.

The first and second floors of the library are for regular teen-style studying. Groups reviewing test prep packets, some light banter to relieve the tension, surreptitious snacking. We reserve the third floor for quiet, individual study. No group review sessions, no chit-chat. Many students seek out the silence, and this is the only place in the high school they can find it. Good 'ole library "Shhhhhhh."

We pack away the chess and Scrabble boards, and computers are strictly for academic use only. With so many students waiting to finish papers, download ActivBoard flipcharts and check online review material, the demand for keyboard time is high. No Facebook.

Monday was busy and sooo quiet. Kids were a little panicked.

Tuesday and Wednesday the panic was gone, and students were showing up more to relax than study. The chatter was at 11 (homage to Spinal Tap). We would get one group to quiet down and another table would bubble over. I feel like I'm out of quarters!

It doesn't really matter. At the end of the day CCHS has really nice kids who work really hard. The Library is where they want to be, and that's a good thing. I won't get out the Whack a Mole mallet just yet.

Photo credit:
Flickr Creative Commons

Busy week with the kids... by Life in the Pumpkin Shell