It's testing season.
Kids are miserable; teachers are stressed.
How did we get here????
When the reports came out in the mid 80s that students were graduating from high school without the ability to read, the you-know-what hit the fan. And it should have. What a waste of taxpayer money to allow students to miss such an important part of schooling. Change needed to be made.
The answer? Tests.
As usual, this country has gone too far. We test all the time and have ensured that our students reach mediocrity. How pathetic.
It's time for change. It's time to stop incessant testing. It's time to start teaching and allowing kids to learn not perform on tests.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Friday, April 12, 2013
Works in Progress
As a knitter I often have several things going at a time. This week there are four. Oddly enough, as of today, I am only still knitting one thing: a sock. The good news is that this is sock number 2 so I am pretty close to having a pair.
Today my goal is to finish the sweater I began after Christmas. Since I was tired of knitting for others, I decided to knit for myself. All I need on this sweater are buttons.
I also chose to knit something for my house. It seems that more and more interiors are handknit and I wanted in on the action. So, I chose to knit a rug (it will be placed on the floor in front of the kitchen sink). All I need to do on this project is weave in the ends and sew a rubber like back on it so no one slips.
Finally, the baby sweater. One of Julia's friends had a baby and I knit this little number for him. I still need to weave in the ends and get some cute buttons for it. I should have it done by the end of the weekend.
So, what will I put on my needles next?? I need another work in progress.
Today my goal is to finish the sweater I began after Christmas. Since I was tired of knitting for others, I decided to knit for myself. All I need on this sweater are buttons.
I also chose to knit something for my house. It seems that more and more interiors are handknit and I wanted in on the action. So, I chose to knit a rug (it will be placed on the floor in front of the kitchen sink). All I need to do on this project is weave in the ends and sew a rubber like back on it so no one slips.
Finally, the baby sweater. One of Julia's friends had a baby and I knit this little number for him. I still need to weave in the ends and get some cute buttons for it. I should have it done by the end of the weekend.
So, what will I put on my needles next?? I need another work in progress.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Riding the Rails
I don't mind saying that I am pretty proud of myself for accomplishing something I couldn't have done several years ago -- I traveled the subway system in NYC. I had an info session to attend in Brooklyn in the morning and an interview in the Bronx in the afternoon. Midway between I stopped on the upper East side for lunch with my friend.
Phew!
I never considered myself one who could read a map. The MTA subway map is simple enough, but there are some stations that are not necessarily connected. So, you get off the subway in one place and have to find the other place to catch a connector. I learned this before I went to Las Vegas when my daughter and I had an interview in Queens. She was able to figure out that the subway we needed to catch was NOT in Grand Central and she figured where we had to go. This was notable especially on my trip to the Bronx.
The school where I interviewed is the same stop as the Bronx Zoo. If you look at the school's website, it says you can take the 5 or the 2. However, when you take a close look at the map, the 5 seems not to go the stop I needed. So, I had to connect to the 2. (For the record, the 5 train seems never to be around.)
Once you arrive at your designated stop, you need to figure where to go from there. Once above ground in Brooklyn, I only knew what street I needed to be on and what the cross streets were on the way. Naturally I began by walking in the wrong direction. Nevertheless, I found my way. And back again.
There were hiccups.
On the C train headed toward Brooklyn, I looked again at the map and it seemed as though I made an error and needed to be on the A train. I got off; got the A train only to discover that I should have been on the C train in the first place. Off I got and WAITED for another C train. Then, on my way back to the upper East side, I knew I could take the 5 train. I got on an express and overshot my stop. I had to get on again going in the other direction direction.
On my way out of the Bronx I realized that despite my comfort level with Grand Central Station, it made no sense to travel from 177th street (or there about) to 42nd street only to catch a train that would pass 125th street. Previously I avoided the 125th Street station because it was not actually connected to the subway. Well, I conquered that fear too.
Did I mention that with all of this I was dragging my luggage?
What a day. But I did it and feel much more comfortable with my abilities than I had before. And, as usual, when in doubt, just ask someone for help. New Yorkers have a reputation for being mean, but it's been my experience that they are just the opposite.
Phew!
I never considered myself one who could read a map. The MTA subway map is simple enough, but there are some stations that are not necessarily connected. So, you get off the subway in one place and have to find the other place to catch a connector. I learned this before I went to Las Vegas when my daughter and I had an interview in Queens. She was able to figure out that the subway we needed to catch was NOT in Grand Central and she figured where we had to go. This was notable especially on my trip to the Bronx.
The school where I interviewed is the same stop as the Bronx Zoo. If you look at the school's website, it says you can take the 5 or the 2. However, when you take a close look at the map, the 5 seems not to go the stop I needed. So, I had to connect to the 2. (For the record, the 5 train seems never to be around.)
Once you arrive at your designated stop, you need to figure where to go from there. Once above ground in Brooklyn, I only knew what street I needed to be on and what the cross streets were on the way. Naturally I began by walking in the wrong direction. Nevertheless, I found my way. And back again.
There were hiccups.
On the C train headed toward Brooklyn, I looked again at the map and it seemed as though I made an error and needed to be on the A train. I got off; got the A train only to discover that I should have been on the C train in the first place. Off I got and WAITED for another C train. Then, on my way back to the upper East side, I knew I could take the 5 train. I got on an express and overshot my stop. I had to get on again going in the other direction direction.
On my way out of the Bronx I realized that despite my comfort level with Grand Central Station, it made no sense to travel from 177th street (or there about) to 42nd street only to catch a train that would pass 125th street. Previously I avoided the 125th Street station because it was not actually connected to the subway. Well, I conquered that fear too.
Did I mention that with all of this I was dragging my luggage?
What a day. But I did it and feel much more comfortable with my abilities than I had before. And, as usual, when in doubt, just ask someone for help. New Yorkers have a reputation for being mean, but it's been my experience that they are just the opposite.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Bullying the Bully
http://bronx.news12.com/news/tri-state/timothy-doherty-of-highland-falls-accused-of-making-threats-to-highland-falls-intermediate-school-1.5021052
It never fails to amaze me when a child who is getting bullied finally retaliates and then winds up getting in more trouble than the person who was picking on him. I have seen this countless times as a middle school teacher, but more recently I am witnessing the same thing with a parent.
For the past five years (at least) one of Tyler's classmates has been picked on at school. His parents have contacted the school any number of times with little result. In fact, one principal passed it off on the lunch monitor who couldn't possibly watch all kids at all times. It's enough to make you scream. (Well, it's enough to make me scream.)
Flash forward five years and we find ourselves in the middle of a seemingly scary situation. Again this child was bullied; he came home beaten up and the school called the parents blaming the child. The father went nuts and made threats. Now, he looks like the bully and the school and its students victims.
I do know that the child is one of those provocative kids who invites trouble. Still, that is part of the nature of dealing with bullies. I have sat through several professional development conferences that focus on bullying in schools and one of the issues is how to deal with the provocative student. Regardless of whether or not they ask for it, students need to be safe. Just because a kid is not intelligent is no reason to call him stupid. The same logic should apply to the provocative student.
Further, I do not condone a parent making any sort of threat, but I do fully understand it. And, in these times we need to be extra cautious about what we say. Making reference to blood and Sandy Hook Elementary school is dumb. Still, focusing only on a parent's reaction to what happened to his child is only one part of the story. If we only focus on the reaction of parents (or children) without looking at what caused the problem only ensures that the same thing will repeat.
If we really want our kids to be safe in school, we need to look the problems in the eye and deal with them when they happen.
It never fails to amaze me when a child who is getting bullied finally retaliates and then winds up getting in more trouble than the person who was picking on him. I have seen this countless times as a middle school teacher, but more recently I am witnessing the same thing with a parent.
For the past five years (at least) one of Tyler's classmates has been picked on at school. His parents have contacted the school any number of times with little result. In fact, one principal passed it off on the lunch monitor who couldn't possibly watch all kids at all times. It's enough to make you scream. (Well, it's enough to make me scream.)
Flash forward five years and we find ourselves in the middle of a seemingly scary situation. Again this child was bullied; he came home beaten up and the school called the parents blaming the child. The father went nuts and made threats. Now, he looks like the bully and the school and its students victims.
I do know that the child is one of those provocative kids who invites trouble. Still, that is part of the nature of dealing with bullies. I have sat through several professional development conferences that focus on bullying in schools and one of the issues is how to deal with the provocative student. Regardless of whether or not they ask for it, students need to be safe. Just because a kid is not intelligent is no reason to call him stupid. The same logic should apply to the provocative student.
Further, I do not condone a parent making any sort of threat, but I do fully understand it. And, in these times we need to be extra cautious about what we say. Making reference to blood and Sandy Hook Elementary school is dumb. Still, focusing only on a parent's reaction to what happened to his child is only one part of the story. If we only focus on the reaction of parents (or children) without looking at what caused the problem only ensures that the same thing will repeat.
If we really want our kids to be safe in school, we need to look the problems in the eye and deal with them when they happen.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Spring Cleaning
One of my favorite stories is about my friend Gretchen. She had just moved back to New York from Georgia and lived in a nice place in Larchmont, NY. On her way home from work she noticed a lot of "stuff" on the curbs. When she mentioned it to her roommate, Gretchen learned that it was spring cleaning. The stuff was put out as trash.
Gretchen got in her car and did some furniture shopping.
Just yesterday the people who live across the street put several pieces of furniture out at the curb for pick up. That stuff didn't last long. Literally, within an hour of placement all pieces were gone. And, I basically live on a dead end street (albeit a long one). It's good hunting.
But, if this town had a designated spring cleaning day, there would be good pickings.
Gretchen got in her car and did some furniture shopping.
Just yesterday the people who live across the street put several pieces of furniture out at the curb for pick up. That stuff didn't last long. Literally, within an hour of placement all pieces were gone. And, I basically live on a dead end street (albeit a long one). It's good hunting.
But, if this town had a designated spring cleaning day, there would be good pickings.
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