-American Idol results show.
-picture posting and printing.
-preparing for tomorrow morning's counseling appointment.
-list additional accommodations I want added to Emily's 504 plan for next year.
-catch up on reading.
-watch recorded tv from earlier today.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Easter Pictures: A Bit Late...
...and only two at that!
Julia was utterly amazed at every piece of candy she received! I managed to capture her expression on camera for this one.
Two goofballs and Katherine, who looks gorgeous in that picture!
UPDATE
Um, ok a picture just disappeared? Huh?
UPDATE TAKE 2
And, now it's back. Weird. Very weird.
Julia was utterly amazed at every piece of candy she received! I managed to capture her expression on camera for this one.
Two goofballs and Katherine, who looks gorgeous in that picture!UPDATE
Um, ok a picture just disappeared? Huh?
UPDATE TAKE 2
And, now it's back. Weird. Very weird.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Thoughts On MCAS
I have made it well known I believe, here and elsewhere that I oppose MCAS as the single determining factor of a child's graduation from high school. I thought now would be a good time to elaborate further, as I was reminded by Emily that MCAS starts this week.
Decisions about student promotion or graduation should always be based on more information than can be gathered by a single test. Many students will be seriously harmed by this slim definition of what it means to succeed. A few examples:
-students who don't test well but in another setting know how to and can do successfully the material being covered on the test.
-special needs students who can not reach the standards required of other students and are labeled as "failing" despite hard worked for progress they may be making in general.
-transfer students who will not be taught the MA curriculum but will be expected to pass the MCAS to get a diploma.
-students in under-resourced schools who will be punished for something that is not in their control-their larger class sizes and overall lower level of resources available to them.
It seems to me that we are spending millions of dollars on a test that tells us what we already know: schools in our communities are under-resourced and need our help. Our resources should be spent directly on improving schools and classrooms, providing professional development for teachers, and on developing better ways to measure what students are learning. This can not be determined by a standardized, "across the board" test. To assume that it can, is not doing what we as parents and educators should be setting out to do in the first place: providing a well-rounded, multi-faceted program of education which spends more time on the individual student than the student body as a whole.
Decisions about student promotion or graduation should always be based on more information than can be gathered by a single test. Many students will be seriously harmed by this slim definition of what it means to succeed. A few examples:
-students who don't test well but in another setting know how to and can do successfully the material being covered on the test.
-special needs students who can not reach the standards required of other students and are labeled as "failing" despite hard worked for progress they may be making in general.
-transfer students who will not be taught the MA curriculum but will be expected to pass the MCAS to get a diploma.
-students in under-resourced schools who will be punished for something that is not in their control-their larger class sizes and overall lower level of resources available to them.
It seems to me that we are spending millions of dollars on a test that tells us what we already know: schools in our communities are under-resourced and need our help. Our resources should be spent directly on improving schools and classrooms, providing professional development for teachers, and on developing better ways to measure what students are learning. This can not be determined by a standardized, "across the board" test. To assume that it can, is not doing what we as parents and educators should be setting out to do in the first place: providing a well-rounded, multi-faceted program of education which spends more time on the individual student than the student body as a whole.
Why is it...
...that on a night where I actually decide to go to bed early, Julia wakes up at midnight, screaming bloody murder? Apparently she had a bad dream about spiders, and I feel bad for her, but, it made it so she was afraid to go back to her own room. That means that she spent the night in our bed which means from about midnight or so on, I hardly slept. I was glad that I had decided to crash early (9pm and I fell right asleep) because at least I had three hours behind me already. Still, 9 hours would have been nicer.
The Best Laid Plans
So, last night, I went to an Open House at The Carver Holistic Counseling and Wellness Center. It was nice, and I got a free massage. I think I have decided what I am going to spend at least some of my lottery ticket winnings on because that? Was five minutes of pure heaven. The counselor I have been seeing founded the center so I have been there before, but hadn't met any of the other people involved.
I was for whatever reason practically having an anxiety attack about walking in and ended up driving around Carver for a while before I worked up the nerve. I have had moments like this before, but not usually when I am going to some place familiar. I think it had to do with the fact that I was going in to meet people I had not met before and thinking it would be weird to see my counselor outside of our bi-weekly one hour sessions. I finally just drove up, forced myself out of my car, and walked up. I still wasn't one hundred percent comfortable while there (I sort of wished I had asked a friend to go or something). In any event, it had nothing to do with my counselor, because I feel more than comfortable with her (more so than with any one else I have ever seen). It was the social anxiety kicking in for sure. I don't have it to the degree that some do, but I certainly have it to some degree.
Still, I am glad I went, and proud of myself for overcoming whatever fear was preventing me from just you know, being "normal" and walking in as soon as I got in to Carver and to the office.
I was for whatever reason practically having an anxiety attack about walking in and ended up driving around Carver for a while before I worked up the nerve. I have had moments like this before, but not usually when I am going to some place familiar. I think it had to do with the fact that I was going in to meet people I had not met before and thinking it would be weird to see my counselor outside of our bi-weekly one hour sessions. I finally just drove up, forced myself out of my car, and walked up. I still wasn't one hundred percent comfortable while there (I sort of wished I had asked a friend to go or something). In any event, it had nothing to do with my counselor, because I feel more than comfortable with her (more so than with any one else I have ever seen). It was the social anxiety kicking in for sure. I don't have it to the degree that some do, but I certainly have it to some degree.
Still, I am glad I went, and proud of myself for overcoming whatever fear was preventing me from just you know, being "normal" and walking in as soon as I got in to Carver and to the office.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)