Skip to main content

Summer School

Summer school starts next week for me. This year the class is considerably smaller, but if they're willing to pay, I'm willing to show up.

Why is the class so small? Did we suddenly get an influx of kids who cared to pass? Alas, no. This year our Superintendent decided to launch his online learning school. They're offering about 25 courses, including ones we don't normally have like "geometry" and "french". Over 90 students signed up and about 65 showed up for the orientation. Since it's online, they do not have to actually go to the school, although it is open during the day with a teacher there to help. I can tell you that yesterday (day 3), I saw 4 students... 3 of whom are masters in the art of screwing around. I'd like to believe that all of these students will be successful, but having watched them sit around for an entire school year, I don't really see any inducement for a flurry of work in 6 weeks. Perhaps they'll prove me wrong and I can start looking for a new job.

In the meantime, my garden is flourishing - tomatoes will be ripening soon, as will the raspberries. The lettuce plants are producing enough for a salad every other day. I finished painting the guest room and I'm working on refinishing the vanity. I never did get to the bathroom floors, but I still have time in the coming month.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

“They Don’t Get It”

I hear that a lot these days. It used to be mostly from various teens trying to negotiate the drama unfolding in their lives as they wandered into that no-man’s land between adult and child. These days it’s from adults trying to navigate the education scene these days. So many people talking and no one listening. The other day I was reading a post by a blogger I’ve been following for several years. Before there was such a thing as “blogging.” We all know spring is IEP review season. This blogger wrote about his daughter’s. Among the various elements, there was the discussion about the state assessment tests. She did not pass. There was discussion about what this means… and why said student needed to pass this test. Would she be taking a modified test? While reading, all I could think about was what would happen to that child as she entered middle school and high school. A history of not passing the assessment test vs. teachers who will now be evaluated on how many students pass t...

Summer Notes

Books to Read: New Kelly Gallagher   Make Just One Change: Teach Students to Ask Their Own Questions  by Dan Rothstein and Luz Santana  Notes for Art: Group Project for the First Day Expectations from group project exit question

The Cruelest Month

I know T.S. Eliot favored April as the most cruel, but we teachers know that May is… even more so these days. Most importantly, it is the final testing month. National ‘assessments, state ‘assessments’, district ‘assessments’, school ‘assessments’… on and on. It’s impossible to actually get anything done. Toss in graduation activities, planning for the upcoming year and the 2011 bonus, lay-offs and transfers, and you have to wonder if it wouldn’t be better to save money by simply shutting down school entirely except for a few test proctors. Meanwhile, there seems an air of hopelessness permeating the education world. Plans to lay-off thousands are coming to fruition. Schools are being closed, despite protests. Charters are increasing where they can whether they should not. Unions have lost a lot ground and teachers are trying to decide if it’s even worth it any more to continue talking about education . ( not that I blame anyone for that, we all have lives to live ) For myself, I...