Blogging Class

My youngest is a senior in high school.  My time is limited with her.  When she wants to spend time with mom (not too often)  I take advantage of that.  Yesterday she wanted to go shopping.  I absolutley dreaded going to the mall.  I hate the crowds and the rude people.  I try my best to stay away from malls from Thanksgiving through the end of the year.

As far as the rude people go, it was present yesterday. Even before we got into the mall an incident occurred in the parking lot.  At this particular mall, the parking spaces are a bit on the small side.  The mall was packed to no surprise. There were not too many open places.  I did find one that was somewhat close to an enterance.  The person on the driver’s side was not exactly between the lines.  Being a slender person, I opted to park there anyway.  I carefully got out of the car.  My door ended up tapping the car next to mine.  Unbeknownst to me, the driver was in the car.  He rudely jumped out and yelled,”  How badly did you hit my car you B____.  Why did you even park there?”

I calmy responded, ” I am capable of parking my car between the lines.”  I proceeded with my daughter to enter the mall, thinking the incident had ended.  The gentleman follwed us into the mall.  IN a rage, he continued to yell and scream.  He made an absolute fool of himself.  A sales person asked if I needed assistance.  I politle said no.  The man( by no means would I call him a gentleman) said I did.  The sales person asked what the problem was.  The man told the story and the sales person again asked what was the problem.  The sales person said he saw the problem was the man was harassing me and asked me if I wanted security to be notified.  I graciously asked the man if he was done and then refused.

My daughter and I briefly talked about the incident.  She concluded that people have issues that they carry withe them and one should not  becoming in engaged in conversation with people when they behave in that manner.  I am hoping she will carry this lesson with her, particularly when  family returns home for the holidays.

Wow!  What a relief. Only one more required blog to compose.  It has been extremely difficult for me to not only come up with various topics to blog about, but I have had dfficulty find the time as well.  I would like to be more proficient in utilizing blogging in my classroom and personally. 

I am somewhat afraid to start experimenting.  You see, I am of the Type A and rather obsessive compulsive.  From what I have heard from various people (flower power or whatever), I have a feeling I would not be gettting any sleep.  I will most likely start exploring and messing around with this within the next couple of weeks while relaxing on the beaches of Maui.

I know how hard it is for me to find a subject to create a blog because I have great difficulty with finding a topic.  I have been keeping students informed about the current state of the economy.  I am extremely surprised to find out what they know, but even more so what they do not know.  I have encouraged them to find out more and one way to do this is through blogging.  I have also asked them to be knowladgeable on various topics in the current election—economy, environment, foreign policy, and education. 

Some of them said it does not matter because they are not old enough to vote. I have tried to bring current events into the classroom 9n a regualr basis throughout the years.  I have tried to explain that what happens here the next week impacts their life.  I am so surprised that as educators, many more teachers are not keeping current events as a topic of conversation in more classes.  It has a direct impact on each and everyone of else–no matter the discipline being taught or the age of the student. 

Tolerance is also another topic which has recently been brought to the for front( and has made National news).    Not only should this be taught in the homes, but reenforced in the classroom as well( or taught there, too).  I find it interesting with the parallelisms to a recent Parkway event and to that of a similar toelrance event which occured about 10 years ago.  You would think that there would be more tolerance today.  You would think the consequnces impossed on students for not having toerlance would be comparable.  Surpringly –they are not.  Whether difference are race, religion, ethicity, physical, etc , none of these are less servere then another.  I would hope there would be more equity in consequnces  which have been rightly earned, placed on the children who have made their own decision not to be tolerant of others with differences.

I am extremly frustated with a student who has been misplaced in one of my  b track classes.  His counselor and  his parents don’t want to move him into the next track because the student does not want to move.  SInce when do we ask a 16 year old what is best for him?  He wants to stay in the class because it is an easy A.  How many kids would love to be in a core class because it is an easy A?  Does this mean we need to keep all kids in a track below their potential so they can ge that easy A and keep their GPA high?  What is our role as educators if students are not being challenged and/or  not in a class to maximize their potential?  I am also frustrated  since he is bored in class, there are now behavior issues.  I have communicated several times with parents, counselor, principal, and student.  He did attend an A track class.  The instructor indicated he could handle the challenge.  the teacher also indicated the student told him he wants to go back to my class for that easy A.  I am extremly surprised at the way this issued is being addressed, or  not.

I am so surprised to hear about this one.  We may be one of the only districts that do not have free tuition for children of Parkway employees who do not reside in Parkway.  So what!!!  In the Parkway district, there is affordable housing at all prices–from subsidized housing to multi-million dollar homes.  If you want your child to go to Parkway, then live in Parkway.  The only excpetion to this that I feel is necessary is for those who have a spouse which works in the public safety arena.  CIty police, fire, and emts must live in the city to be employed by the city. 

Other districts may offer this to attrack and keep teachers.  They are also landlocked may not have housing level extremes.  The goegraphy and new home building are changing and continuing to grow.

It is simple.  If you want your kids to go to Parkway, then live there or pay the tuition. 

The other day a student new to the distirct asked me about finals.  She wanted to know who schdeuled them to end on December 23.  She said to me,” Don;t they know that be nobody is going to come to school for those 2 days?  I know are leaving town that Saturday before the break even begins.  When am I supposed to take my finals?”  I have heard this one before. 

How ridulous is it that we start school so early?  It is obvious that the decision makers on this one have no business sense.  Why would you run your transportation when fuel costs are the highest?  Why would you cool buildings when it is the hottest time of the year?  Why are they jumping on the band wagon, other schools are doing it?  Are you going to jump off the bridge after your buddy?

Are they not aware there is a law on the books that states Missouri schools are to run betweeen Labor Day and Memorial Day?  Do they not have kids that have wanted to attend summer camp, techonolgy camp, camp for the arts, fammily reunions, etc which typically run through the second week in August?  Even so, kids who participate in high school sports have to report for practice the first week of August.  I guess they are not aware of the coastal states where schools don’t start before Labor Day and end the first week after Memorial Day.  Where has summer break gone?

If they want to save money, the school year can be shortened, without loosing contact days.  Every month there is a developement/records day.  What a waste of time.  Most development that I participate in that is worth anything takes place during the school year and not at those times.  The approxiamlely 10 days, if were eliminated would enbale school to start at a more reasonable time.  Also, what is with the winter break?  If they want it to be 2 weeks, then please let it be 2 full weeks.  This would include 3 weekends.  If not, go back to the traditional week plus.  But schedule finals week to end the Friday before x-mas. Look at the end of the year.  Is it  before or after Memorial Day?  Kids have complained finals should be concluded before Memorial Day or start after.  They don’t like the break.  If they are going to have to study over break, they may as well study for all of their finals.

If the semsters need to stay balance, start school later and go back to finals after break.  In addition, there are many kids who work retail during the holiday season.  It makes it difficult when finals fall right in there as well.  If families receive some type of federal funding, that ends when their child graduates.  Why cut them out of 1 month of income.  We all know an additional month of income benfits the kid.  Are we about reaching and teaching every child everyday?  Are we really reaching the needs of kids on as many levels as are possible?

I think not only are kids being short changed by cutting the amount of time for summer BREAK, but also the district is not maximizing the use of its limited resources.  Again, fuel costs are at a maximum in August, but also St. Louisians  know hottest days of the year are in August.

The solution—bond issue.  The last bond issue was to update techonology-schools went PC.  It is funny how just 2-3 years prior, the district was MAC happy and gave everyone MACs. And a tax payer, parent, employee, and alumni, I am more than dissappointed at this calendar as it has been for the past several years–other than the semester ending which is only it its 2nd year.  Ask the people.  Then listen to what they have to say.

Well, I am the technoidiot in my department.  I have really been trying to implement technology into my classroom. I have been putting my lessons on smart view so that kids can access the lesson on line if they are absent.  I use this in my class as a skeleton outline for teaching.  The other day, I had begun a lesson and had gotten through pretty much of it on the smart board and giving examples, before I realized I had given the correct section, but for the wrong class.  The kids were taking notes and asking questions, but I was perplexed as to why they did not know even the basics and termonolgy of the section. 

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