Hello, Mr. Sun!

I saw the sun today! I know that doesn’t seem like a big deal but it has been so very dreary, gray, and rainy the last week. Oh, and cold. Cold and wet. Today started out that way but by the time I got out of school the sun was shining. It was still cold. But, joy, the sun was shining. I think they are calling for rain this weekend again so I am hoping to enjoy the couple days of sunshine coming.

Tomorrow is Kenny’s work’s Christmas luncheon so I’ll go in early to put in my half day and then have the rest of the day free. I believe I’ll spend it getting dog food and getting the oil changed in the car. Woo-hoo, do I know how to have fun or what? Thursday and Friday are going to be devoted to getting ready for my one and only final (OT Survey).

I can’t believe that not only am I actually taking college courses (finally) but that I’ve just finished my first semester. I took 2 courses this semester and will take 3 next semester. Fingers crossed!

The kids and Kenny have been so encouraging. I imagine the novelty will wear off…for all of us. But now that I have Physical Science out of the way, I think all the rest of the courses are either Bible or related to my major (Biblical counseling).

But for right now? I’m enjoying being spoiled a bit as Megs makes dinner (dessert is turtle brownies a la mode!) and I sit on the couch feeling slightly queasy. I’m hoping it’s the Son of Baconator combo that I ate for lunch and not the stomach virus that seems to be going around. Jo stayed home today because of chucking first thing this morning. She’s still feeling a bit off but no other stomach (either end) issues so it may have just been snot-on-stomach that caused the problem.

Holy proctoring, Batman!

Students are taking 3rd quarter benchmarks. In order to prepare them for the CRCT testing in late April, they set up benchmarks with the same parameters: everyone tests at the same time, proctors in rooms, no movement in rooms, etc. I'm proctoring in a 3rd grade room. Good heavens, what an eye opener. All parents need to come spend a morning in their child's classroom observing. There are 21 students in this room and in the hour I've been in here DURING A MAJOR TEST most of the students have had to be redirected. I see these kids every day during lunch duty so I know many of them tend to be a bit mouthy, but I guess I assumed that they could get their crap together during academic times. I guessed wrong. This poor teacher, and she's a good one, has kids mouthing off to her, arguing, up and roaming the room, making noise, putting their heads down and sleeping...and let's not forget about the whining. It's like a second language for most of them. How do you get to be 8-9 years old with such an overwhelming entitlement attitude?! They are genuinely surprised that they can't do whatever they want to do. And expecting them to be prepared...um, not gonna happen. Most of these kids are wearing designer clothes and shoes yet they can't be bothered to bring in a 10 cent pencil to school.

Love this quote from the teacher: "What are you doing to improve yourself in 3rd grade? There is no test for looking around the room."

Teacher left to take the tests back to the testing center. She was only gone for 10 minutes. The students were supposed to read quietly at their desks but could use the computers to take AR tests as they were available. Here's how I spent that 10 minutes:

"Please open your book." "Who me?" "Is your book open?" "Yes." "Then I'm not talking to you."
"You have to have your eyes on the words for it to count as reading."
"Please stop talking."
"Xxxx, you've been at the computer too long. You are done." "I'm waiting for the password." "I don't have it. You are done. Please return to your seat. " "Daaaaaaang." "Sit down and read." (Student sits at desk mumbling under breath and writing on book cover.) "Please put down the pencil, stop talking under your breath and read." "I read this booooooook!" "I asked you to stop talking. Just open the book and read."
And on and on and on. It is simply unfathomable to me that students in the last half of 3rd grade cannot be told to sit down and read without having to constantly redirect them over and over.

These poor teachers...

Inauguration memories

Because the Inauguration was on the day after Martin Luther King, Jr. Day this year, it was considered a "critical day" for Rockdale County Public School employees. That means if you were absent, you better have a note from your doctor. But the cool thing was that it meant we were with all the kids to watch the inauguration festivities! AND we got to watch TV during a school day! I got to work around 6:45 as usual and started getting things ready for my day. As soon as the school's live newscast was over at 7:45 a.m., we changed the channel and watched all the festivities unfold. I got attendance done for the day and then turned in my chair and watched TV and chatted with other school staff and school visitors as they came in. The principal had the swearing in ceremony broadcast on a big screen into the cafeteria so that the kids eating lunch wouldn't miss any of it. The principal and assistant principal went into the cafeteria during the actual Oath so that they could be with the kids. They said that they didn't have to say a word, the kids (5th and 2nd grade...about 200 children, were in the cafeteria at that time) went dead silent. The cafeteria is 3 sides concrete block and one side windows. Once President Obama finished taking the oath, the kids all stood up and clapped and screamed and shouted. What was really fun was during the speeches and different addresses, whenever the crowd would cheer, there would be this surge of cheering swelling throughout the hallways. I doubt they had any idea of why they were cheering, but they were so excited to be part of this. Several parents came in to be with their kids for this historic moment and they were so appreciative of the school letting the kids experience. Johanna had Program Challenge so she was at a different school so I couldn't go down and be with her. I got to leave school as soon as buses left (my hours are such that I have another hour after buses leave on a normal day) because our principal wanted us to be able to be with our families for the rest of the Inaugural stuff. Usually Jo goes home on the bus so when I had her come to the office at dismissal, she was a little taken aback. As we were driving home and I was explaining to her that we could get home in time to watch some of the parade (not knowing it would be late), her response was "I had to watch inauguration stuff all day at school. Can I watch something else?" Ah well, hopefully someday she'll understand and appreciate the significance of what she saw. But then she doesn't comprehend why being black should make a difference to whether someone should be President or not! That's the world she lives in even here in the heart of the Redneck South! She has friends of different colors who repeat what they hear at home and her response is, "Why does his being black mean anything to being a President? Shouldn't everyone be worried about if he's going to do a good job or not?" Out of the mouths of babes...