PAISIE'S PERUSALS

This will be the last post of the 08-09 school year. We have had some sad times and we’ve had to help each other through. I know Mrs. Schuster needed all those hugs and smiles you have given her the past six months. And I know Mrs. Brackett wil love to read – for many, many years –  what you have written in Travis’s yearbook.  You’ve had a lot of growing up to do.

    With summer comes… freedom!  From books (but come on, read SOMEthing!), homework (ick), and having to find your backpack every morning.  I hope you find something new to learn and enjoy this summer. Maybe some of you will go on a trip, some might vist relatives (or have them visit you), maybe log some miles doing laps for swim teams or soccer practice.  Be safe, have a blast, and maybe I’ll see you while I’m walking my dog through MacArthur. She’s really friendly and would love to have you pet her!

   If you’re so inclined, check out my summer reading list and see what I think of the books I finally get to read.  AND feel free to add comments of your own; I’d love to hear from you, too. (yes, really).  If you make a new blog of your own, post it as a comment on the “new blog addresses” page on paisiespage.

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So the county is thinking of saving money next year by thinking they’ll cut off five days at the end of school. Their ‘reasoning’ is that kids zone out those last few days anyway, so just let the kids stay home, don’t pay the teachers to come in, and… problem solved.  The next year they’d take away five more days. Remember that “LOGICAL” reasoning I’ve been preaching for your problem-solution papers?  What are they thinking?!  There are always  “last days” no matter when school ends. 

  How about this idea?  Make “end” of grade testing truly the end.  After kids pass the tests, their school year is finished.  Pack up, go home.  Teachers remain to review with those kids who didn’t pass.   Since we (teachers) will have a relatively small group, like PAC, the kids who need more help really get it.  Plus there is definite incentive (getting out of school earlier) to pay attention during class and put effort into the EOGs.

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After writing a comment on Andrew Y’s page, I had a thought: why not hold a fundraiser, where people are asked to buy a tough plastic (or stainless steel, like the one in the picture) water container? We could get the DDMS panther paw on it , or something else, depending on where we donate the money (say, cats and dogs if funds went to the ASPCA).  Too late for this year, but maybe next year?

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I think we all agree that EOG tests are no fun. Not fun for kids who have a lot of pressure put on them to remember everything they’ve been taught in math all year, and every term from literature and poetry AND grammar as well. And in eighth grade, the science test covers all three middle school years.

   So, what would you offer as an alternative?   How can teachers and administrators be assured that kids have learned what they were supposed to over the past year? Should there be tests that “count” (towards moving up) given each quarter? semester?

  And what about kids who don’t pass EOGs? It is not an automatic “you don’t go to the next grade” if you score level 1 or 2.  Is that right? Should 70% passing on class tests be good enough to go on? (ooh, remember that “pretty good might not be good enough” poem?) That means missing about 1/3 of the curriculum means you still pass to the next grade. And then you can pass after that missing 1/3 of that next grade…

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What would happen if a law were passed outlawing plastic used for drinking bottles. You know, like Gatorade, Vitamin Water, not to mention all the bottled drinking water such as Desani or Deer Park.  Would your life be so terribly inconvenienced without these bottles?  Why were they invented in the first place?  Do a bit of research (i.e. “googling”) and find out what all goes into them as far as using up our natural resources that could be used for other (more important?) things?  How many of those bottles are disposed of each day?  What happens to them, since I would imagine only a small percentage are recycled?  Should the country institute a mandatory ban on these?  What are your thoughts – I want to read them on your blog!

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