Finally I am over the Bronchitis .... I hope!! Last night I went to bed w/o taking meds and didn't need a cough drop all night. I even got up and walked this morning .... at 5:30am!!
I am having to reframe my whole existance now! The time limits that I have now are mostly of my own making. That is very new to me! I mean, even in summers, I always had a deadline of "early in August" and every summer day was numbered. Now .... my morning walks can take 20 minutes or an hour .... especially if I choose to start at 5:30am. Even this Fall and Winter and Spring and Summer .... I can get up early and walk and still have 2 hours before my first possible tutoring job.
I caught myself thinking today that May is gone and I only have June and July left .... but that isn't true!!! I have my whole LIFE left!!
I actually put on a dress today and went to 3 High Schools in the area (Lewisville HS ... Marcus HS, and Flower Mound HS) and passed out my cards to the counselors. Saw some counselors I've known from years past and other schools. It was nice! I told them about my new business and got mixed reactions. I will go back to them in August and remind them and pass out cards again.
I realized how much different my attitude is now, compared to how I felt a week after school the past 22 years .... I am actually willing to take on tutees now! I am actually willing to do math!! On the other hand .... one year ago today Tom and I were in Germany ... and that was SO nice. And .... I plan to, we plan to, do more traveling like that again! Both of us are going to make our new endevours work!!
I even had two tutees today!!
Yeah Me!!
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Thursday, May 26, 2005
First Day of New Life ...
Well .... first of all .... I am pretty sure I have Bronchitis. These coughing fits are driving me crazy!! Back when I was in High School and College, I would always get sick over the holiday breaks ... or in the summer ... because I knew it was okay to be weak for a little while, I guess.
So here I am ... out of school forever ... and I guess my body sensed it was okay to let down .... but according to WebMD.com I have been doing most of the right stuff ... drinking plenty of fluids, using cough drops, taking an expectorant .... BUT .... I am supposed to give up caffine and alcohol??? YIKES!! Dang .... what fluids are left??
Sigh ....
Anyway .... on to the GOOD NEWS .... I got 2 new customers today!! Both needing intensive help this summer. That's pretty cool!! I really do have a new attitude! Normally I wouldn't want anything to do with teaching Math right after the school year has ended .... but now I am ready to go!! They both start next week.
I think I'll go take a nap .... WebMD says I need extra sleep with Bronchitis!
So here I am ... out of school forever ... and I guess my body sensed it was okay to let down .... but according to WebMD.com I have been doing most of the right stuff ... drinking plenty of fluids, using cough drops, taking an expectorant .... BUT .... I am supposed to give up caffine and alcohol??? YIKES!! Dang .... what fluids are left??
Sigh ....
Anyway .... on to the GOOD NEWS .... I got 2 new customers today!! Both needing intensive help this summer. That's pretty cool!! I really do have a new attitude! Normally I wouldn't want anything to do with teaching Math right after the school year has ended .... but now I am ready to go!! They both start next week.
I think I'll go take a nap .... WebMD says I need extra sleep with Bronchitis!
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Breakaway!
Breakaway
Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I'd just stare out my window
Dreaming of what could be
And if I'd end up happy
I would pray
And when the rain would fall down
I'd just stare out my window
Dreaming of what could be
And if I'd end up happy
I would pray
Trying hard to reach out
But when I tried to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I'd pray
I could break away
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly.
I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky.
Make a wish, take a chance,
Make a change, and break away.
Out of the darkness and into the sun.
But I won't forget all the ones that I love.
I'll take a risk, take a chance,
Make a change, and break away
And this is how I feel. This is my theme song since the day I decided to try something new. Take a risk .... Take a chance .... Make a change .... Tom and I are both doing that. It's scary, but it's exciting, too!!
I am cleaning out my classroom right now .... I think two trips to the car will do it. Then I am going to have to sort through all of this stuff again at home as I try to set up an office. This will be interesting!! I have gathered a lot of stuff in 22 years.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
SCHOOL'S OUT!!
Today is my LAST day as a Public School teacher.
I must say ... I am pretty darn happy about that. I have one more exam to give .... then I am going out to lunch with the Math Dept. then work on getting everything turned in a checked out!
I am giving away a lot of things .... all my lava lamps and many of my CD's ... and all my little handheld puzzles that kids have loved over the years. My essence will still be floating around TCHS even when I am gone.
One of my online buddies asked me what kind of reaction I got when I turned in my letter of resignation. Well .... basically ... I got no reaction.
The Principal's secretary sent me an email to come sign my exit papers and she had the little :( symbol in her note. That told me she was a little sad. No reaction from the outgoing Principal nor from the incoming Principal, although she probably did a little "happy dance" when she heard. I would have been a MAJOR thorn in her side next year if I had stayed here.
The Math Dept seems a little sad to see me go ... and many wrote me nice notes in a card they gave me yesterday. But I also know they will be a bit relieved. The students liked me so much that I became a very hard act to follow .... and I know my fellow teachers got VERY tired of hearing "Why can't you be cool like Ms. Mackinnon?" or "Ms. Mackinnon used to do it this way ... why don't you?"
On the other hand .... my classes were often full of some of the most difficult students .... I had more than my fair share of Special Ed students and ESL students and troublemakers .... and that was because I dealt with them fairly and kindly and patiently and it is amazing no one died .... but if you work well with these kids, your reward is to get even more kids like that!
I also had some amazing sparks of brilliance scattered through each classroom of students. Lights that shined for me and will continue to shine into the future! Wonderful, wonderful people have passed through my doors.
The one administrator who has shown any sadness at my leaving is Dr. Mike Killian, Deputy Superintendent for the district. He came out to The Colony to visit the Principal on the day that my students and I were outside doing sidewalk art. He stopped by to see what we were doing and was surprised to hear it was a Geometry class ... not an Art class. He asked about the assignment and I filled him in as we toured the designs.
Dr. Killian sends out a daily email to teachers, etc keeping us updated on things going on in the district and in Austin. I have printed some excerpts from some of his emails in these posts. He is very disillusioned by this latest legislative session and he makes that very clear in his emails.
Mind you ... I am one of thousands of teachers in LISD ... so he doesn't know me from anyone else (although he probably would if I told him my previous married name). But when I told him I was not going to be returning to the classroom he seemed truly perplexed. When I told him I wasn't leaving town, just starting my own business he seemed even more perplexed.
I may be putting words in his head here ... but he seemed to be thinking .... "We have a good Math teacher here who clearly cares about the students and we are letting her go??"
At least, that is what I would like to think he was thinking.
I told one of my friends here that I thought it was kind of sad that no one has even bothered to try to talk me out of leaving. She mentioned that when she worked in management, the general belief was that once someone had made the decision to quit, there was little anyone would be able to do to change their mind. That is most likely very true for me .... but I still would have liked someone to try!
I must say ... I am pretty darn happy about that. I have one more exam to give .... then I am going out to lunch with the Math Dept. then work on getting everything turned in a checked out!
I am giving away a lot of things .... all my lava lamps and many of my CD's ... and all my little handheld puzzles that kids have loved over the years. My essence will still be floating around TCHS even when I am gone.
One of my online buddies asked me what kind of reaction I got when I turned in my letter of resignation. Well .... basically ... I got no reaction.
The Principal's secretary sent me an email to come sign my exit papers and she had the little :( symbol in her note. That told me she was a little sad. No reaction from the outgoing Principal nor from the incoming Principal, although she probably did a little "happy dance" when she heard. I would have been a MAJOR thorn in her side next year if I had stayed here.
The Math Dept seems a little sad to see me go ... and many wrote me nice notes in a card they gave me yesterday. But I also know they will be a bit relieved. The students liked me so much that I became a very hard act to follow .... and I know my fellow teachers got VERY tired of hearing "Why can't you be cool like Ms. Mackinnon?" or "Ms. Mackinnon used to do it this way ... why don't you?"
On the other hand .... my classes were often full of some of the most difficult students .... I had more than my fair share of Special Ed students and ESL students and troublemakers .... and that was because I dealt with them fairly and kindly and patiently and it is amazing no one died .... but if you work well with these kids, your reward is to get even more kids like that!
I also had some amazing sparks of brilliance scattered through each classroom of students. Lights that shined for me and will continue to shine into the future! Wonderful, wonderful people have passed through my doors.
The one administrator who has shown any sadness at my leaving is Dr. Mike Killian, Deputy Superintendent for the district. He came out to The Colony to visit the Principal on the day that my students and I were outside doing sidewalk art. He stopped by to see what we were doing and was surprised to hear it was a Geometry class ... not an Art class. He asked about the assignment and I filled him in as we toured the designs.
Dr. Killian sends out a daily email to teachers, etc keeping us updated on things going on in the district and in Austin. I have printed some excerpts from some of his emails in these posts. He is very disillusioned by this latest legislative session and he makes that very clear in his emails.
Mind you ... I am one of thousands of teachers in LISD ... so he doesn't know me from anyone else (although he probably would if I told him my previous married name). But when I told him I was not going to be returning to the classroom he seemed truly perplexed. When I told him I wasn't leaving town, just starting my own business he seemed even more perplexed.
I may be putting words in his head here ... but he seemed to be thinking .... "We have a good Math teacher here who clearly cares about the students and we are letting her go??"
At least, that is what I would like to think he was thinking.
I told one of my friends here that I thought it was kind of sad that no one has even bothered to try to talk me out of leaving. She mentioned that when she worked in management, the general belief was that once someone had made the decision to quit, there was little anyone would be able to do to change their mind. That is most likely very true for me .... but I still would have liked someone to try!
Monday, May 23, 2005
The Beginning is NEAR!!
Exams have begun! 1.5 days left counting today!!
I spent a good 4 hours grading papers yesterday ... and when I was finally done ... I was DONE!! I AM done. No more stacks of papers inches thick to steal away my Sunday afternoons ... and weekday evenings. It was as if a great weight lifted from my shoulders and my heart. Freedom.
And all of my seniors passed w/o any help from me! YES!! I like it when things go that way.
AND ... I am already getting phone calls for summer tutoring. Seniors who failed the TAKS test and cannot graduate are finally deciding to take things seriously. And their parents are deciding to get serious, too. I had to turn my cell phone off because worried parents are calling me in class to set up tutoring .... (The state of TEXAS has over 22,000 seniors NOT graduating this year because of TAKS .... 10% of the seniors in the state. YIKES!!) I think Lewisville schools did okay .... but not 100%. I am going to go around to the other 4 High School and solicit tutoring for TAKS this summer .... probably will do that on Thursday.
Tutoring is my future now .... and I am glad.
The beginning of a new life is near. Very Near.
I spent a good 4 hours grading papers yesterday ... and when I was finally done ... I was DONE!! I AM done. No more stacks of papers inches thick to steal away my Sunday afternoons ... and weekday evenings. It was as if a great weight lifted from my shoulders and my heart. Freedom.
And all of my seniors passed w/o any help from me! YES!! I like it when things go that way.
AND ... I am already getting phone calls for summer tutoring. Seniors who failed the TAKS test and cannot graduate are finally deciding to take things seriously. And their parents are deciding to get serious, too. I had to turn my cell phone off because worried parents are calling me in class to set up tutoring .... (The state of TEXAS has over 22,000 seniors NOT graduating this year because of TAKS .... 10% of the seniors in the state. YIKES!!) I think Lewisville schools did okay .... but not 100%. I am going to go around to the other 4 High School and solicit tutoring for TAKS this summer .... probably will do that on Thursday.
Tutoring is my future now .... and I am glad.
The beginning of a new life is near. Very Near.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Three and 1/2 Days Left ....
I gave my last Geometry Test today .... except for the Exam ....
Speaking of which .... Our new Principal is insisting that we include 15 TAKS type questions on this EXAM. Questions pre-written by someone else and given to us on the day of the exam ... along with some expensive bubble sheets which we have to send to the Administration building to be computer graded and analyzed. The students names and SS#'s are pre-recorded into these sheets and will be linked to these results.
Mind you .... this is all totally fake ... these are not REAL TAKS tests. This is the new Principal's pet program and she just wants to do it until the end of the year. She just isn't thinking this thing through ... (again) .....
HOWEVER .... our students took the real TAKS tests 4 weeks ago .... and many of us just flat quit going over TAKS problems once the test was over. After all .... I teach Geometry and the 10th grade TAKS tests Algebra I and Middle School Math. So I have just been focusing on my Geometry lessons (and the kids have been focusing on nothing!!)
I already have my EXAM made out and run off ... 90 copies .... 6 pages front and back ... 50 problems .... then we get an email telling us we have to put these 15 "TAKS" questions first ... grrrrrrrr ..... so now they are running 90 copies of those 15 questions for me .... and I REFUSE TO GIVE THIS TEST TO MY KIDS!!
What are they going to do?? Fire me??
And the Juniors also have to do these 15 questions .... and they have already gotten their TAKS results back .... if they passed, they will never have to take a TAKS tests again ... so why do they have to "practice" TAKS on their Final Exam??
We are all so burned out on TAKS right now .... I cannot believe that Becky thinks it is a good idea to put TAKS questions on the EXAM.
Not to mention the huge waste of paper and expensive testing bubble forms!!
Gaaaack ..... I am SO GLAD I AM LEAVING!!
Speaking of which .... Our new Principal is insisting that we include 15 TAKS type questions on this EXAM. Questions pre-written by someone else and given to us on the day of the exam ... along with some expensive bubble sheets which we have to send to the Administration building to be computer graded and analyzed. The students names and SS#'s are pre-recorded into these sheets and will be linked to these results.
Mind you .... this is all totally fake ... these are not REAL TAKS tests. This is the new Principal's pet program and she just wants to do it until the end of the year. She just isn't thinking this thing through ... (again) .....
HOWEVER .... our students took the real TAKS tests 4 weeks ago .... and many of us just flat quit going over TAKS problems once the test was over. After all .... I teach Geometry and the 10th grade TAKS tests Algebra I and Middle School Math. So I have just been focusing on my Geometry lessons (and the kids have been focusing on nothing!!)
I already have my EXAM made out and run off ... 90 copies .... 6 pages front and back ... 50 problems .... then we get an email telling us we have to put these 15 "TAKS" questions first ... grrrrrrrr ..... so now they are running 90 copies of those 15 questions for me .... and I REFUSE TO GIVE THIS TEST TO MY KIDS!!
What are they going to do?? Fire me??
And the Juniors also have to do these 15 questions .... and they have already gotten their TAKS results back .... if they passed, they will never have to take a TAKS tests again ... so why do they have to "practice" TAKS on their Final Exam??
We are all so burned out on TAKS right now .... I cannot believe that Becky thinks it is a good idea to put TAKS questions on the EXAM.
Not to mention the huge waste of paper and expensive testing bubble forms!!
Gaaaack ..... I am SO GLAD I AM LEAVING!!
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
4.5 Days Left ....
Less than a week away!
Today I gave my last quiz to my students. I always let them work with a partner on the quiz given the day before the Test. This quiz is basically a review for the Test ... but they wouldn't do it if I didn't count it as a grade ...
Anyway .... I love sitting there listening to them discussing the problems with each other. There is usually one partner who is good at the stuff and one who needs help .... or they balance each other. They talk MATH ... they argue about who is right and why ... or one will explain to the other how to do this problem or that problem. I just love listening to their discussions!
Sometimes I'll hear a student explaining things so WELL to someone else ... and I want to suggest to that student that they might consider becoming a teacher .... they have a natural ability. But I just can't recommend this career choice to them.
Why spend 4-5 years majoring in Mathematics just to get out and earn less than $40,000/yr with horrible benefits?? I mean, a degree in Math can earn you big bucks! Why teach? Not to mention all the garbage that teachers have to deal with both in and out of the classroom!!
Yet .... maybe some of these students will become teachers. Teaching is a calling ... and some of these kids have a natural ability that just might not be denied.
I, personally, never intended to become a teacher. Yet while in college I found myself tutoring other students and liking the fact that they could learn from me. Then in Grad school at Texas A&M, I was a teaching assistant (TA) for Calculus I classes .... the professor taught the huge class on Mondays and Wednesdays and I retaught the lesson to smaller groups of the same students on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And I was pretty good at it. But I noticed that it wasn't the Calculus that the students couldn't do .... it was their stupid Algebra mistakes that were causing them problems .... so I decided to get into High Schools and fix those Algebra classes!
Yeah, right .... like I had any power over that.
And Algebra I is just getting worse and worse and worse because the course is being driven by the TAKS test instead of the TAKS test being based on the course. And I haven't done a single bit of good .... except maybe try to fix the kids who pass through my classroom. Maybe.
Anyway ... teaching is definitely my calling. I am leaving the classroom ... but I will continue to teach!
Today I gave my last quiz to my students. I always let them work with a partner on the quiz given the day before the Test. This quiz is basically a review for the Test ... but they wouldn't do it if I didn't count it as a grade ...
Anyway .... I love sitting there listening to them discussing the problems with each other. There is usually one partner who is good at the stuff and one who needs help .... or they balance each other. They talk MATH ... they argue about who is right and why ... or one will explain to the other how to do this problem or that problem. I just love listening to their discussions!
Sometimes I'll hear a student explaining things so WELL to someone else ... and I want to suggest to that student that they might consider becoming a teacher .... they have a natural ability. But I just can't recommend this career choice to them.
Why spend 4-5 years majoring in Mathematics just to get out and earn less than $40,000/yr with horrible benefits?? I mean, a degree in Math can earn you big bucks! Why teach? Not to mention all the garbage that teachers have to deal with both in and out of the classroom!!
Yet .... maybe some of these students will become teachers. Teaching is a calling ... and some of these kids have a natural ability that just might not be denied.
I, personally, never intended to become a teacher. Yet while in college I found myself tutoring other students and liking the fact that they could learn from me. Then in Grad school at Texas A&M, I was a teaching assistant (TA) for Calculus I classes .... the professor taught the huge class on Mondays and Wednesdays and I retaught the lesson to smaller groups of the same students on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And I was pretty good at it. But I noticed that it wasn't the Calculus that the students couldn't do .... it was their stupid Algebra mistakes that were causing them problems .... so I decided to get into High Schools and fix those Algebra classes!
Yeah, right .... like I had any power over that.
And Algebra I is just getting worse and worse and worse because the course is being driven by the TAKS test instead of the TAKS test being based on the course. And I haven't done a single bit of good .... except maybe try to fix the kids who pass through my classroom. Maybe.
Anyway ... teaching is definitely my calling. I am leaving the classroom ... but I will continue to teach!
Monday, May 16, 2005
Five and 1/2 Days Left ...
And one "Work Day" .... like we don't work the other days ....
Anyway .... serious countdown mode. I taught my last new lesson today. It went well. I am still carrying around multiple referral forms and amazingly, the kids are really affected by that .... and overall they have been very well behaved. That is so nice. But sad that I have to resort to threats to get their attention.
I still have a few topics I need to blog on about education .... TAKS scores are in .... that's one big thing .... using 10th grade scores to determine schools' performance ..... that's another BIG thing ....
I am SO GLAD I AM LEAVING!!
Depending on how you spin them, our Math TAKS scores were either wonderful or awful .... '"there's Lies, Damn Lies, and then there's Statistics" .... Since our new principal wants her "benchmarking policy" to look successful .... she will try to spin the results in as positive of a fashion as she can. That's a good thing for the Math Dept .... for now. My guess is that the "wrath of Becky" will strike soon enough, though. Thank Goodness I won't be there for it!! I will write more on this topic later .... with details ....
One week from tomorrow at noon the students get out of school!! The beginning is near ...
Anyway .... serious countdown mode. I taught my last new lesson today. It went well. I am still carrying around multiple referral forms and amazingly, the kids are really affected by that .... and overall they have been very well behaved. That is so nice. But sad that I have to resort to threats to get their attention.
I still have a few topics I need to blog on about education .... TAKS scores are in .... that's one big thing .... using 10th grade scores to determine schools' performance ..... that's another BIG thing ....
I am SO GLAD I AM LEAVING!!
Depending on how you spin them, our Math TAKS scores were either wonderful or awful .... '"there's Lies, Damn Lies, and then there's Statistics" .... Since our new principal wants her "benchmarking policy" to look successful .... she will try to spin the results in as positive of a fashion as she can. That's a good thing for the Math Dept .... for now. My guess is that the "wrath of Becky" will strike soon enough, though. Thank Goodness I won't be there for it!! I will write more on this topic later .... with details ....
One week from tomorrow at noon the students get out of school!! The beginning is near ...
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Seven Days Left ....
I have seven more days of classes left. Six and a half to be exact!!
Actually though ... I only have one more new lesson to teach tomorrow. Section 12-6 ... lengths of chords, sectants, and tangents in circles .... Good times!!
Then Tuesday is a BIG Quiz over all of Chapter 12 .... then Wednesday is a TEST .... Thursday is Sidewalk Art Project ... Friday Review for Exam ... and Mon and Tues are EXAMS!
One more Sunday spent grading papers .... then my Sundays are free forever. I am so looking forward to that!
I have to get serious about cleaning out my room. I have 22 years of teaching stored in that room. Some great posters which I probably will never hang up again. They cost me a lot of money over the years .... Escher and Einstein .... lots of Escher. We have so many boxes in our garage already .... I guess a few more won't hurt. I'll use a lot of stuff to set up my home office ... whatever I don't use ... well ... we shall see.
One big question that a lot of teachers are asking me has to do with my plans for the money I have put into TRS. They want to know if I am going to leave it in ... or take it out and reinvest it. That remains to be seen. I am considering many options. I'll have to keep you posted on that!
Actually though ... I only have one more new lesson to teach tomorrow. Section 12-6 ... lengths of chords, sectants, and tangents in circles .... Good times!!
Then Tuesday is a BIG Quiz over all of Chapter 12 .... then Wednesday is a TEST .... Thursday is Sidewalk Art Project ... Friday Review for Exam ... and Mon and Tues are EXAMS!
One more Sunday spent grading papers .... then my Sundays are free forever. I am so looking forward to that!
I have to get serious about cleaning out my room. I have 22 years of teaching stored in that room. Some great posters which I probably will never hang up again. They cost me a lot of money over the years .... Escher and Einstein .... lots of Escher. We have so many boxes in our garage already .... I guess a few more won't hurt. I'll use a lot of stuff to set up my home office ... whatever I don't use ... well ... we shall see.
One big question that a lot of teachers are asking me has to do with my plans for the money I have put into TRS. They want to know if I am going to leave it in ... or take it out and reinvest it. That remains to be seen. I am considering many options. I'll have to keep you posted on that!
Friday, May 13, 2005
School Start and End Dates ...
Both the Texas State Senate and the House have passed bills controlling the dates which Texas schools must start and end. The new law says that Texas schools cannot start before the Tuesday after Labor Day and must end by June 7th. (Starting the 2006-2007 school year.)
Most adults would happily agree to this plan. After all ... when they went to school that is how it was!! In fact, when I went to school in the 60's and 70's in Illinois ... we started after Labor Day and ended before Memorial Day ... and I got a pretty solid education. We even had 2 weeks at Christmas and all kinds of days off during the year ... Columbus Day .... Veteran's Day .... Lincoln's B-Day .... Washington's B-Day .... and a Spring Break around Easter time.
HOWEVER .... and this is a BIG POINT .... we were not required by the State to have 180 school days. In fact ... when I first came here to Texas to teach, the state only required 170 school days per year. In my 22 years of teaching the State has quietly and carefully increased the length of the school year .... WITHOUT increasing teacher's salaries accordingly. Teachers have effectively had 3 weeks added to their workyear (10 days of classes and 5 Inservice days). The length of the school year has increased and we have been backing up the start date to earlier and earlier in August. Where else do we get 3 extra weeks of school? ( I would prefer to go to school in August and not go to school in June rather than vice versa.) But now those 3 extra weeks will have to come from somewhere else ....
Parents will not even notice the negative effects of this new legislation until they start making plans for Thanksgiving. Under the new law ... schools have to fit all 180 school days and 7 teacher inservice days into the time between Labor Day and June 7. What that means is there will be no more days off during the school year. If families want to travel for Thanksgiving, they will need to travel ON Thanksgiving Day. Christmas Holidays will start Dec. 24th and end Jan. 2 .... no more 2 week Christmas breaks. Spring Break is totally canceled under this plan. (I'll bet we still have MLK Day, though!)
Does your church plan ski trips over Spring Break? Not any more. Does your family take a nice vacation over Christmas? Not any more. Will parents still try to do these things? YOU BET!! They will take kids out for a week here or a week there. Thanksgiving will be a week break, whether school is meeting or not. Schools' Average Daily Attendance (ADA) will suffer and that is one of the big criteria the State uses to send schools MONEY.
I personally am very glad that I have made the decision to leave Public Schools. I NEED those breaks during the year. Those are sanity breaks. I predict that with fewer days off during the school year, there will be more incidents of school violence .... but this time it will be the teachers causing the problems!!
Students need those breaks too.
It will be much better for me to watch from the sidelines as everyone tries to deal with the fallout of this new law.
Most adults would happily agree to this plan. After all ... when they went to school that is how it was!! In fact, when I went to school in the 60's and 70's in Illinois ... we started after Labor Day and ended before Memorial Day ... and I got a pretty solid education. We even had 2 weeks at Christmas and all kinds of days off during the year ... Columbus Day .... Veteran's Day .... Lincoln's B-Day .... Washington's B-Day .... and a Spring Break around Easter time.
HOWEVER .... and this is a BIG POINT .... we were not required by the State to have 180 school days. In fact ... when I first came here to Texas to teach, the state only required 170 school days per year. In my 22 years of teaching the State has quietly and carefully increased the length of the school year .... WITHOUT increasing teacher's salaries accordingly. Teachers have effectively had 3 weeks added to their workyear (10 days of classes and 5 Inservice days). The length of the school year has increased and we have been backing up the start date to earlier and earlier in August. Where else do we get 3 extra weeks of school? ( I would prefer to go to school in August and not go to school in June rather than vice versa.) But now those 3 extra weeks will have to come from somewhere else ....
Parents will not even notice the negative effects of this new legislation until they start making plans for Thanksgiving. Under the new law ... schools have to fit all 180 school days and 7 teacher inservice days into the time between Labor Day and June 7. What that means is there will be no more days off during the school year. If families want to travel for Thanksgiving, they will need to travel ON Thanksgiving Day. Christmas Holidays will start Dec. 24th and end Jan. 2 .... no more 2 week Christmas breaks. Spring Break is totally canceled under this plan. (I'll bet we still have MLK Day, though!)
Does your church plan ski trips over Spring Break? Not any more. Does your family take a nice vacation over Christmas? Not any more. Will parents still try to do these things? YOU BET!! They will take kids out for a week here or a week there. Thanksgiving will be a week break, whether school is meeting or not. Schools' Average Daily Attendance (ADA) will suffer and that is one of the big criteria the State uses to send schools MONEY.
I personally am very glad that I have made the decision to leave Public Schools. I NEED those breaks during the year. Those are sanity breaks. I predict that with fewer days off during the school year, there will be more incidents of school violence .... but this time it will be the teachers causing the problems!!
Students need those breaks too.
It will be much better for me to watch from the sidelines as everyone tries to deal with the fallout of this new law.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
A Bit of Pride ....
I am very proud of a young man named Deron Williams. I am also very proud of a young man named Bracey Wright. Both of these gentlemen went to The Colony High School where I teach. I had Deron in class when he was a sophomore (Geometry). I did not have Bracey as a student.
Now .... if you are not familiar with NCAA Basketball, you probably don't recognize these two names. However .... they might become American household names soon! Kinda like Shaq ... or Magic ... or Michael Jordan! Both Deron and Bracey are going into the NBA this year.
Deron just finished his Junior year at University of Illinois .... Illinois did rather well in March Madness this year .... finishing 2nd overall ... and Deron was praised by many, including Sports Illustrated, as being the most complete basketball player in the NCAA .... he has it all.
Bracey just finished his Junior year at Indiana. Bracey was the star here at The Colony .... but injuries sidelined him a bit for Indiana. Still, he was a standout player for them .... standout enough to be able to go for the NBA draft this year!
Both Deron and Bracey were at TCHS today .... working out in the Big Gym. I went down to see them, but I couldn't get past the doorway to the gym. Coach Ryan ... head boys BB Coach here now ... was Asst. BB Coach when Deron and Bracey played here .... Coach Ryan stopped me at the door and explained that they were having an intense work-out with a couple friends of theirs and they didn't need to be disturbed. Basically he was being a "Bouncer" for them! He even had the TCHS cop in there (and he wears a gun!) I really just wanted to shake Deron's hand and tell him how proud I am of how well he has handled himself .... but I settled with leaving my new business card with Coach Ryan to give to him. I probably won't hear from him, but I tried.
When I had Deron in class he told me that his plan was to play for the NBA. He told me he was going to be the next Kobe Bryant .... (probably not a very good plan now, Deron) ... who at the time was new to the NBA just out of High School. I laughed at him .... but then he showed me online how the North Carolina Tar Heels were recruiting him already .... and he was just a sophomore at the time!!
He and Bracey went on to lead the TCHS Cougars to State their senior year ... with a Basketball team of only 8 players. This is a Texas 5-A school ... that means BIG. They finished 2nd that year ... at State. Deron and Bam (another starter on the team) invited me to their end-of-year Banquet ... and the Illinois Head Coach was the Guest Speaker. I felt pretty special, I must say. I was listed as the Favorite Teacher on the BB Program by 3 of the players (including Deron) and got invited to the Banquet. That was cool.
I just want to say ... I am really proud of these two young men.
Their Head Coach from high school .... Tommy Thomas .... told me once that they were two of the most naturally talented players he has ever seen. He coached them and advised them and guided them all through high school and beyond. These two young men could have gotten so full of themselves .... so conceited .... so self-righteous .... but they didn't. They both went to Big 10 Colleges. They both started on their respective teams their freshman year. They have both been featured in Sports Illustrated magazine.
Deron has been the one I have seen play the most. When Tom and I went shopping for a wide screen TV Deron was playing for Illinois on all the TV's in all the stores we went to. I sat and watched him play .... him and all his tattoos ... while Tom talked to the salesmen. I told everyone who would listen that I used to teach him!
I love going to our local sports bar and glancing up at one of the TV's and catching sight of Deron or Bracey playing.
Through it all ... Deron and Bracey seem to have kept very cool heads upon their shoulders. And now they will be going through the NBA draft. That is so COOL! And I am so proud!
Now .... if you are not familiar with NCAA Basketball, you probably don't recognize these two names. However .... they might become American household names soon! Kinda like Shaq ... or Magic ... or Michael Jordan! Both Deron and Bracey are going into the NBA this year.
Deron just finished his Junior year at University of Illinois .... Illinois did rather well in March Madness this year .... finishing 2nd overall ... and Deron was praised by many, including Sports Illustrated, as being the most complete basketball player in the NCAA .... he has it all.
Bracey just finished his Junior year at Indiana. Bracey was the star here at The Colony .... but injuries sidelined him a bit for Indiana. Still, he was a standout player for them .... standout enough to be able to go for the NBA draft this year!
Both Deron and Bracey were at TCHS today .... working out in the Big Gym. I went down to see them, but I couldn't get past the doorway to the gym. Coach Ryan ... head boys BB Coach here now ... was Asst. BB Coach when Deron and Bracey played here .... Coach Ryan stopped me at the door and explained that they were having an intense work-out with a couple friends of theirs and they didn't need to be disturbed. Basically he was being a "Bouncer" for them! He even had the TCHS cop in there (and he wears a gun!) I really just wanted to shake Deron's hand and tell him how proud I am of how well he has handled himself .... but I settled with leaving my new business card with Coach Ryan to give to him. I probably won't hear from him, but I tried.
When I had Deron in class he told me that his plan was to play for the NBA. He told me he was going to be the next Kobe Bryant .... (probably not a very good plan now, Deron) ... who at the time was new to the NBA just out of High School. I laughed at him .... but then he showed me online how the North Carolina Tar Heels were recruiting him already .... and he was just a sophomore at the time!!
He and Bracey went on to lead the TCHS Cougars to State their senior year ... with a Basketball team of only 8 players. This is a Texas 5-A school ... that means BIG. They finished 2nd that year ... at State. Deron and Bam (another starter on the team) invited me to their end-of-year Banquet ... and the Illinois Head Coach was the Guest Speaker. I felt pretty special, I must say. I was listed as the Favorite Teacher on the BB Program by 3 of the players (including Deron) and got invited to the Banquet. That was cool.
I just want to say ... I am really proud of these two young men.
Their Head Coach from high school .... Tommy Thomas .... told me once that they were two of the most naturally talented players he has ever seen. He coached them and advised them and guided them all through high school and beyond. These two young men could have gotten so full of themselves .... so conceited .... so self-righteous .... but they didn't. They both went to Big 10 Colleges. They both started on their respective teams their freshman year. They have both been featured in Sports Illustrated magazine.
Deron has been the one I have seen play the most. When Tom and I went shopping for a wide screen TV Deron was playing for Illinois on all the TV's in all the stores we went to. I sat and watched him play .... him and all his tattoos ... while Tom talked to the salesmen. I told everyone who would listen that I used to teach him!
I love going to our local sports bar and glancing up at one of the TV's and catching sight of Deron or Bracey playing.
Through it all ... Deron and Bracey seem to have kept very cool heads upon their shoulders. And now they will be going through the NBA draft. That is so COOL! And I am so proud!
5-13-05 .... Deron and Bracey were back here today practicing with DEREK HARPER. I guess he is giving them a few pointers. Derek graduated from the University of Illinois, too. Went NBA in 1993.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
NINE School Days Left ....
Actually 8.5 days and 20 minutes .... I'm still in 4th period
It took me 45 minutes to get to school yesterday and today ... and I only live 10 miles away. Normally it takes 20-30 minutes ... traffic is killer in the DFW metroplex area. They are building a new toll-road to replace the road I drive to work on every day .... another good reason to quit working in The Colony! I'd probably have to pay toll to get here and then home every day!
Day 2 of Referral's Threatened has gone well so far. A couple of students are one more documentation away from being sent out. I have to have 3 documented cases of classroom disruption before I can send a student ... so I am building my cases.
I gave a Quiz today over the 1st two sections in Chapter 12 ... four students in my 1st period put their name on the quiz ... scribbled some guesses ... and turned it in .... making below a 20 for each of them. My question is .... why do they even bother to come to school?? I have asked them ... they say "Because the law says we have to!" So ... we make them come, but we can't make them learn!! The old "lead a horse to water ...." business.
Okay ... I am home now .... and it is bed time!
It took me 45 minutes to get to school yesterday and today ... and I only live 10 miles away. Normally it takes 20-30 minutes ... traffic is killer in the DFW metroplex area. They are building a new toll-road to replace the road I drive to work on every day .... another good reason to quit working in The Colony! I'd probably have to pay toll to get here and then home every day!
Day 2 of Referral's Threatened has gone well so far. A couple of students are one more documentation away from being sent out. I have to have 3 documented cases of classroom disruption before I can send a student ... so I am building my cases.
I gave a Quiz today over the 1st two sections in Chapter 12 ... four students in my 1st period put their name on the quiz ... scribbled some guesses ... and turned it in .... making below a 20 for each of them. My question is .... why do they even bother to come to school?? I have asked them ... they say "Because the law says we have to!" So ... we make them come, but we can't make them learn!! The old "lead a horse to water ...." business.
Okay ... I am home now .... and it is bed time!
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
10 School Days Left ....
WOW!! Today went pretty well! I started each class by holding up a pile of referral forms, with names and numbers of the "usual suspects" already written on them .... and telling the students that I wanted my last few days as a public school teacher to be peaceful.
It's sad I had to resort to that .... but dang, they sure did behave today!
I realized that I only have 4 more days of actual teaching to do .... then a day of review on Chap. 12 ... then a day for the test .... then a day to go out and do the Sidewalk Art Project ( http://photos.yahoo.com/cincin21 )..... then a day for Exam review .... and 2 days of exams!
I started moving out of my room today. Cleared off one bulletin board ... and loaded 4 boxes with books and took them out to my car .... now I gotta figure out where to put them here at home. People pass me in the halls and ask me "How many more days?" .... they know I am counting down. I think some folks are a little jealous. I sure would be!!
It's sad I had to resort to that .... but dang, they sure did behave today!
I realized that I only have 4 more days of actual teaching to do .... then a day of review on Chap. 12 ... then a day for the test .... then a day to go out and do the Sidewalk Art Project ( http://photos.yahoo.com/cincin21 )..... then a day for Exam review .... and 2 days of exams!
I started moving out of my room today. Cleared off one bulletin board ... and loaded 4 boxes with books and took them out to my car .... now I gotta figure out where to put them here at home. People pass me in the halls and ask me "How many more days?" .... they know I am counting down. I think some folks are a little jealous. I sure would be!!
Monday, May 09, 2005
Eleven School Days Left ....
Ten and a half to be exact. However, my students seem to think school ended after TAKS testing was over. I say that, but yet they did really well on the Trigonometry Chapter I taught them last week. They love learning "NEW" stuff. Today they were asking for more Trig .... but we are on to Chapter 12 and Circles and all their parts. They won't find this stuff as interesting as they found Trig. 90 minutes classes are too long this time of year.
I always get in a bad mood towards the end of a school year. Too many kids waiting until NOW to try to save their grades and they have grades in the 30's and 40's and 50's. They want me to come in earlier and stay later ... and I refuse to do that. I am already coming in early as it is ... and have been ever since they started failing .... but now they feel the pressure.
I do hate being in a bad mood at the end of school. This is my last chance to see some of these darlings and what they will remember of me is my being a shrew the last couple of weeks. I need to keep that in mind. What I really need to do is write-up the trouble-makers and get them out of my class for awhile. I'll send them to the office and 15 minutes later, they will be back in my class .... but maybe my point will be made?? Yep .... I think that is what I need to do. I don't usually send students to the office .... but at this point, they tend to take advantage of that fact!!
So here is your warning ... Isis, Anthony, James, Erica S., Crystal, Glenice, Chris, Jose .... and anyone else who wants to talk while I am teaching .... and talk instead of doing classwork .... Fair Warning!!
I always get in a bad mood towards the end of a school year. Too many kids waiting until NOW to try to save their grades and they have grades in the 30's and 40's and 50's. They want me to come in earlier and stay later ... and I refuse to do that. I am already coming in early as it is ... and have been ever since they started failing .... but now they feel the pressure.
I do hate being in a bad mood at the end of school. This is my last chance to see some of these darlings and what they will remember of me is my being a shrew the last couple of weeks. I need to keep that in mind. What I really need to do is write-up the trouble-makers and get them out of my class for awhile. I'll send them to the office and 15 minutes later, they will be back in my class .... but maybe my point will be made?? Yep .... I think that is what I need to do. I don't usually send students to the office .... but at this point, they tend to take advantage of that fact!!
So here is your warning ... Isis, Anthony, James, Erica S., Crystal, Glenice, Chris, Jose .... and anyone else who wants to talk while I am teaching .... and talk instead of doing classwork .... Fair Warning!!
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Twelve School Days Left ....
Eleven and a half, to be precise!
Been awhile since I have posted on here. Sorry about that, to my faithful readers! But ... I have been CONTENT. I have even been a bit HAPPY. I did officially resign my job on Tuesday .... so no going back now!
The Texas Legislature is just getting more and more ridiculous and with each new bill or ammendment, I get happier and happier that I have decided to leave public education. My 15 year old son will still have 3 years left at Lewisville High School. But I will keep a close eye on him and his education ... and I have friends who work there and will also keep an eye on him. I have no doubt that my husband and I can homeschool him if we need to ... but for now, he is doing just fine where he is.
I am about to start my normal Sunday routine of grading papers. I will probably spend 6 or 7 hours today (Mother's Day) grading the Test I gave on Friday as well as all the make-up work, absent work, and Test and Quiz corrections from the past week. Then I will spend an hour or so putting all of those grades into the computer.
Only 2 more Sundays after today. Yeah!!
My evening tutoring business has been picking up quite a bit lately ... and that is surprising to me! But, I am glad! Pretty soon my whole income will depend on tutoring and teaching from from my home! Any positive business flow is good.
I don't have any rants to go off on today. I did get a nice response from one of my students on my "Education is Wasted on Our Youth" post .... and that reminded me that I needed to be posting in here ... 'cause people are reading.
Been awhile since I have posted on here. Sorry about that, to my faithful readers! But ... I have been CONTENT. I have even been a bit HAPPY. I did officially resign my job on Tuesday .... so no going back now!
The Texas Legislature is just getting more and more ridiculous and with each new bill or ammendment, I get happier and happier that I have decided to leave public education. My 15 year old son will still have 3 years left at Lewisville High School. But I will keep a close eye on him and his education ... and I have friends who work there and will also keep an eye on him. I have no doubt that my husband and I can homeschool him if we need to ... but for now, he is doing just fine where he is.
I am about to start my normal Sunday routine of grading papers. I will probably spend 6 or 7 hours today (Mother's Day) grading the Test I gave on Friday as well as all the make-up work, absent work, and Test and Quiz corrections from the past week. Then I will spend an hour or so putting all of those grades into the computer.
Only 2 more Sundays after today. Yeah!!
My evening tutoring business has been picking up quite a bit lately ... and that is surprising to me! But, I am glad! Pretty soon my whole income will depend on tutoring and teaching from from my home! Any positive business flow is good.
I don't have any rants to go off on today. I did get a nice response from one of my students on my "Education is Wasted on Our Youth" post .... and that reminded me that I needed to be posting in here ... 'cause people are reading.
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