Hen23's Journal~Goodbye

[abifae]

Given the whole "children are the future" stuff that everyone does seem to actually believe, I will never understand why education is always so low on the list of things to fund and improve.

 

[AL]

We have big fancy slogans and such about how every child deserves a complete and equal education..... and when they cut the budget the schools are the first ones on the chopping block (2nd only to law enforcement - and we had the highest crime rate per capita or something last year).

Hope things work out for you... I know it is concerning and frustrating - my sister is a teacher.

 

[Henrietta23]

It is incredibly backward thinking in my mind. Scrimping on education is not going to save anyone money in the long run..

More sad news. One of our third grade teachers who has cancer is now in Hospice and not expected to have much longer. One of the best, most inspiring teachers. So sad.

The final exam schedule for the high school was sent out today. makes the end of the year seem so much closer!

 

[glenolam]

Man...when it rains it pours. On a side, unhappy note it's going to be a few weeks before I can give you any more goat milk. If you read over on my journal you'll see that I'm about to dose the heck out of all the gals to get a grip on some nasties that are invading my space. I'm declaring war, though. I do have lots of frozen milk if you'll take that!

 

[abifae]

It is incredibly backward thinking in my mind. Scrimping on education is not going to save anyone money in the long run..

Yeppers... Not to get super political but who ends up on welfare? Unemployment? etc etc...

Just in general, the lack of critical thinking skills shows in even the lives of the successful.

 

[Henrietta23]

It is incredibly backward thinking in my mind. Scrimping on education is not going to save anyone money in the long run..

Yeppers... Not to get super political but who ends up on welfare? Unemployment? etc etc...

Just in general, the lack of critical thinking skills shows in even the lives of the successful.

It's hard not to get political on this issue and it gets ethnic in our town too. It's like certain groups don't want other groups here but by voting down budgets and making a decent education impossible, they're guaranteeing that kids are stuck here for life.
They can't see that they are causing the very thing they want not to happen. It's just dumb. My mom talked to one school employee today who lives in town and didn't vote. She said she really didn't know how she felt about the budget so she didn't bother to vote. For crying outloud. She works in the system.She sees the over crowded classrooms, the teachers spending their own money on copy paper because we RAN OUT in February...

I'll take a break from ranting for a while, I promise.
I had a bittersweet moment when the Instructional Consultant at school made the rounds room by room to tell us in person that a teacher who is battling cancer is not doing well and is not expected to last much longer. That's the way it should be. Not news we wanted to hear, but it came just a tiny bit easier because it was delivered in person by someone who cares about her.

 

[abifae]

Glad they came to tell you!!

In my opinion it's like cutting arts.... Arts are required to emote. If kids are forced to sit all day without physical exertion or a chance to emote, you are just begging for more of the issues that are plaguing schools. Inattention, violence, avoiding classes....

I was just talking to my roommate about that, actually. Especially in high school where kids are explosive bundles of emotion. Not sure how they can be expected to learn anything without an emotive outlet.

So cutting arts cuts the ability to focus on all the classes they are keeping to improve our test scores.

 

[Henrietta23]

One of the things they cut a few years back was Middle School sports. Our middle school is a nightmare. In my opinion kids in middle school have an even tougher emotional time than HS. They tried putting them back in this budget. I'm betting it's the first thing they cut. We were down to Art class in the elementary schools once a month two years ago. We got it back to once a week this year through some grant. DS's lowest grade at his new Catholic school is in Art. He is graded on his skill compared to classmates. I actually had to complain to the teacher that he doesn't have the background coming from the public school. He still has a C. Stupid. I had to decide if it was a battle worth fighting. I decided I had better things to do with my time.

Gleno, I did read your thread. Sorry about the icks. We had 'em here too a while back. It happens. Not worry about the milk. I can get some from our vet too. I'm bring him eggs tomorrow when the pugster goes in for his heartworm test and tire rotation. He usually gives me a quart and a hunk of cheese when I do that. He lives next door and calls his wife to send it over with their daughter. Gotta love a good barter!

 

[Henrietta23]

I was emailing back forth with one of the Cub Scout leaders yesterday during the school day, debating spending $100 for the archery certification course. I came home from school, sat for a few minutes while DS did his homework. The phone rang. Caller ID showed a man's name with the last name of one of our Scouts, but not the number I knew. Weird. I answered. It was a friend I made in 1983 when I was first an archery instructor at a YMCA day camp. The camp is having a 50 year anniversary celebration in a few weeks and she had tracked me down to see if I was going! We had both subbed in the same school in about 1993 but haven't seen each other since then. I'm not sure about going to the reunion but we are probably going to get together soon with our kids. She has an 11 year old daughter who loves the outdoors and animals. Should be fun!
Had the pug at the vet for his heartworm check (negative). EVeryone who walked through the waiting room wanted to know how Indy is doing. I just roll my eyes. You'd never know there was ever a thing wrong with him!!
Tomorrow is Friday the 13th. So I'm betting for some reason my obnoxious Friday student will not actually spend his day in In School Suspension. I'm sure it will be postponed and I will actually have to see him. My hearing impaired student walked out today. He doesn't like reviewing the same vocab words each week, but he doesn't learn them so I really have no choice. Today he simply told me his hearing aid stinks and he's not turning it on anymore so why bother. Several adjectives and adverbs deleted by me..... So sad. He's not doing himself any favors.
I watched one of my autistic students have a mini anxiety attack in the middle of his session. You see he is now 21 so this June he leaves for real. He graduated several years ago but stayed in the work study program past graduation. As a 21 year old, that ends. And in the middle of our work he grabbed his aide's hands and started asking questions about what he'd be doing over the summer and where would he go in the Fall and what would Frank be doing... I just took notes as best I could. It was some of the best speech and true communication I'd ever seen from him. He talks at me more than with me. With Frank, you could see true communication. It's hard to explain but it was fascinating to watch.

26 days to go, counting finals week at the HS. Considering a personal day before the end of theyear. DS's class has a field trip coming up. There are probably more than enough chaperones but I'll offer....

DH is baaaad! He was at the package store (liquor store outside CT) and the woman we know who works there offered him a sample of this: http://www.chocovine.com/welcome.htm so he bought a bottle and gave it to me on Mother's Day. Hic. I will sleep well tonight!

 

[abifae]

What are YOUR plans over the summer??