It is very hard not to be impatient waiting to be proposed to when you see this on your boyfriend's bulletin board every day:
I mean, come on!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
No Child Left Behind
My first assignment for Foundations of Education is an essay on the No Child Left Behind Act. Unfortunately, I have yet to receive my main textbook from an Amazon seller, so I'm stuck searching the internet for some clear definitions.
Sure, I can easily just read the law myself on the education website, but seriously, there's a lot of legal-ese in there. I don't have time to search through all that mumbo jumbo to figure out exactly what is mandated.
Unfortunately, I'm not having much luck finding a watered down version anywhere. You'd really think there'd be some kind of simple checklist or something for it. Number one: all students pass such and such test. Number two: All teachers pass such and such test before being credentialed. Number three: Here is how much money you will get for meeting these standards.
I mean, how are the rest of us supposed to figure it out?
So far, all I've gathered is stuff I already know. Teachers must be credentialed and show a mastery of a single subject. Standardized testing is how the feds determine if a school is up to par or not. The hard part is figuring out what the penalties are exactly.
If anyone has any suggestions of some good websites that can explain it all to me, please let me know. This is going to drive me crazy all night.
Sure, I can easily just read the law myself on the education website, but seriously, there's a lot of legal-ese in there. I don't have time to search through all that mumbo jumbo to figure out exactly what is mandated.
Unfortunately, I'm not having much luck finding a watered down version anywhere. You'd really think there'd be some kind of simple checklist or something for it. Number one: all students pass such and such test. Number two: All teachers pass such and such test before being credentialed. Number three: Here is how much money you will get for meeting these standards.
I mean, how are the rest of us supposed to figure it out?
So far, all I've gathered is stuff I already know. Teachers must be credentialed and show a mastery of a single subject. Standardized testing is how the feds determine if a school is up to par or not. The hard part is figuring out what the penalties are exactly.
If anyone has any suggestions of some good websites that can explain it all to me, please let me know. This is going to drive me crazy all night.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Questions about adolescents
Working at a charter school with underprivileged high schoolers is a very rewarding experience.
Example A: When a tenth grade boy takes a photography class and shows you his final portfolio- and it's filled with the most breathtaking pictures of beaches, streets, and his little nieces and nephews.
Example B: When you get a girl who's actually trying- enough that, when shown an example of a CAHSEE geometry question, she looks at you with pleading eyes and asks if she can copy down the example for her notes, then is absolutely thrilled when you hand over a whole pack of test-release questions from CAHSEE tests over the years.
Then you get the bad eggs.
There's one in particular that really riles me up.
She's pretty much the most obnoxious eleventh grader you've ever had the displeasure of crossing. She lies, she sasses, she has no respect for any of the CA's, and the teacher I work for, M, told me the girl's sister used to be her student, and that the mom actually gets abused by the girls... and then they call the police and claim abuse when she tries to ground them.
What kind of sick child does that to a mother?
Needless to say, I'm always watching this girl when she's in class. And I'm pretty sure she knows I'm watching her. She glares at me when she notices. If I mention something to her about talking, or having her cell out, she either sasses or lies about it.
(She is so obnoxious!)
She called her CA a bitch today. I told her that was unacceptable and she told me I wasn't acceptable. This four-year-old banter went on a few more phrases before I finally just went and told her teacher, who basically said, "Oh, hello no," and promptly had her call her mom to come pick her up.
I'm pretty sure she's planning on making voodoo dolls of us at home tonight.
Whatever.
The whole ordeal has been weighing on me all day, along with the accompanying questions: Why does she think it's acceptable to act like this? How do children grow up to be such monsters? What's the proper method to deal with behavior like this?
I don't have any of these answers. There's home life to consider, of course, but some kids in rotten situations turn out just fine. What makes others take such a tragic turn?
I'm starting the teaching credential program at National in five days. Maybe they'll have the answers for me.
Example A: When a tenth grade boy takes a photography class and shows you his final portfolio- and it's filled with the most breathtaking pictures of beaches, streets, and his little nieces and nephews.
Example B: When you get a girl who's actually trying- enough that, when shown an example of a CAHSEE geometry question, she looks at you with pleading eyes and asks if she can copy down the example for her notes, then is absolutely thrilled when you hand over a whole pack of test-release questions from CAHSEE tests over the years.
Then you get the bad eggs.
There's one in particular that really riles me up.
She's pretty much the most obnoxious eleventh grader you've ever had the displeasure of crossing. She lies, she sasses, she has no respect for any of the CA's, and the teacher I work for, M, told me the girl's sister used to be her student, and that the mom actually gets abused by the girls... and then they call the police and claim abuse when she tries to ground them.
What kind of sick child does that to a mother?
Needless to say, I'm always watching this girl when she's in class. And I'm pretty sure she knows I'm watching her. She glares at me when she notices. If I mention something to her about talking, or having her cell out, she either sasses or lies about it.
(She is so obnoxious!)
She called her CA a bitch today. I told her that was unacceptable and she told me I wasn't acceptable. This four-year-old banter went on a few more phrases before I finally just went and told her teacher, who basically said, "Oh, hello no," and promptly had her call her mom to come pick her up.
I'm pretty sure she's planning on making voodoo dolls of us at home tonight.
Whatever.
The whole ordeal has been weighing on me all day, along with the accompanying questions: Why does she think it's acceptable to act like this? How do children grow up to be such monsters? What's the proper method to deal with behavior like this?
I don't have any of these answers. There's home life to consider, of course, but some kids in rotten situations turn out just fine. What makes others take such a tragic turn?
I'm starting the teaching credential program at National in five days. Maybe they'll have the answers for me.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
2008, baby!
Hurray for a new year! New goals, new plans, new starts... watch out '08- you are mine!
I woke up this morning with a brilliant story plot in my head for a kid's book, and I am very excited about this new development.
What a great way to kick of January!
Currently reading: The 2007 Newberrys
Friday, December 28, 2007
On Great Kids Books...
There's just something about reading a Junie B. Jones book that makes me want to write a great children's book....
Thursday, November 1, 2007
November 1
We had a longstanding tradition at my house growing up. On the first of the month, whoever woke up first would wake up the others to remind them to say, "Rabbit, rabbit." Saying this on the first was supposed to bring good luck, and the tradition was taken very seriously.
I'm twenty-three now, and not living at home anymore, but I remembered to say "Rabbit, rabbit" this morning. Hopefully my good luck will come in the form of lots of disciplined time to work on my book. And maybe fame and fortune, too.
Thursday mornings are peaceful here at the apartment. It's my sleep-in day, and everyone's gone, and it's always great to sit at the kitchen table with all the natural sunlight streaming in, reading, or doing devotions, or working on some creative project or another. This morning I loaded up the dishwasher before settling down with my Bible, and the hum of the wash cycle matched with the aroma of pumpkin spice candles really made the whole experience feel like November.
I'm twenty-three now, and not living at home anymore, but I remembered to say "Rabbit, rabbit" this morning. Hopefully my good luck will come in the form of lots of disciplined time to work on my book. And maybe fame and fortune, too.
Thursday mornings are peaceful here at the apartment. It's my sleep-in day, and everyone's gone, and it's always great to sit at the kitchen table with all the natural sunlight streaming in, reading, or doing devotions, or working on some creative project or another. This morning I loaded up the dishwasher before settling down with my Bible, and the hum of the wash cycle matched with the aroma of pumpkin spice candles really made the whole experience feel like November.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Wonder of wonders!
Tonight I became the proud owner of a pair of tannish-brown Editor pants.
I have coveted these pants for many years as they sat in the mall on the racks of Express, with their stupid $40 price tag.
But miracle of miracles, a pair in just my size found its way to my room in the form of a bag of throwaway clothes from my roommate's sister.
Now I can really get serious about this book business thing.
I have coveted these pants for many years as they sat in the mall on the racks of Express, with their stupid $40 price tag.
But miracle of miracles, a pair in just my size found its way to my room in the form of a bag of throwaway clothes from my roommate's sister.
Now I can really get serious about this book business thing.
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