Now here's a guy who knows what he's talking about

http://www.akdart.com/edu4.html
At least take the time to browse through.

What, Me, Homework?

Can anyone beside me remember from about the 6th grade on being loaded with homework? My mom made sure I spent one hour on it every day after school and then after dinner it was back at it before any TV. I can say one thing, I was somewhat prepared when it came to college, I had the study skills and the discipline to deal with the very unstructured and open ended nature of college life. let alone the life you want to lead.
Where's the homework now? Is somebody being lazy? You tell me, you are the parent of a school kid, do you honestly believe they can get enough exposure just by doing in school work? Will they have what they need to succeed in the world of work? It is two different things to do your own work at home vs. being in the classroom with the teacher at your beck and call. Remember this when you are trying to scrape by in retirement with not enough money left after paying school taxes to go anywhere or even enjoy a good meal out and your kid is still living at home because all they can find is part-time work in retail. Remember this when you watch the retired teachers leaving for their third cruise this year. Remember this when you pay your taxes. Remember this when you vote. Remember this and speak out against lavish packages for Public Educators.

Heads Up it's the F-BOMB

This may be nothing new to you but it was for me. While putting in my time in English class I learned that it is completely o.k. for a student to shout out in class during a screening of "Romeo and Juliet" every time Claire Danes is on screen that she is a slut and she needs to be fu#ked.
 That's right, you read it correctly, fu#ked.
How did Mr. Substitute learn this? He sent the darling child to the office! The assistant principal brought the young man back and called ME out of the room for a talk. It seems that a student is allowed to say fu#k in class as long as it is NOT directed towards myself or another student.
Just saying fu#k is not a punishable offense!!!
 You say what?
 I even had this recently proved again to me just before my retirement, in fact it was the straw that led to my decision to never spend another day in the public school system. You would think that I would have learned my lesson the first time.
The use of this and other words of the same type in the halls between classes is commonplace and the teachers out in the hall monitoring behavior just ignore it, what else can they do? If the teachers union were more pro-active on the side of decency and less about the "contract" it might even be useful for improving education.

Bully bully who's got the bully

This week I have been hit by two startling revelations:
1. According to an article in TIME the experts are totally divided on whether there is a bully problem in schools. Go figure exactly opposite results in independent tests.
2. Even BONES has made a statement, she says critical speaking without self aggrandizement is NOT bullying.

Here's my point, in the schools institutionalized response to parents outcries against bullying they have as usual for Americans gone completely over the top into a knee-jerk response to ALL critical statements and labeled the perpetrators as bullies. This defeats all usefulness and only serves to make every whiny little weasel out there hypersensitive to the least little utterance. All this accomplishes is more neuroticism  and distraction from lessons. Parents should teach their kids how to deal with bullies, I know my mom did for me, that's how I learned to run really fast for a fat kid. Bully's are everywhere in real life and especially in the workplace. Recent studies I have read in THE WEEK have shown that aggressive inconsiderate people are sought out in industry and rewarded with higher wages and faster promotions. I have seen this personally and can vouch for this studies truth even though as a considerate self effacing humble person I could never understand how any of those particular a##holes ever got "in like flint".

Boys and their toys

Boys of all ages are the same, they always want a new toy but soon after receiving it become bored and are looking for a new one. Every school age girl child should have this drilled into their brain from K on. So what am I going on about this time ?, it's cleavage, the abundance of breast flesh on display every day of every week at school. I could never understand this when I was working in the high schools. Why would a young lady want to show things to the general public that really would be left to the privacy of the bedroom. I know, I'm some kind of throwback prude but isn't it much more interesting for guys anyway to actually wonder what's there rather than to have it thrust in our face like it is some kind of semi-nude pole dance. I just do not have enough fingers to count the number of times some high school hottie who wanted something came up to my desk and leaning over with hands on desk threw it all out there expecting what? Usually a pass to get out of class or some other substitute forbidden privilege. Bet you didn't know that, subs are forbidden to write passes to other rooms, makes sense but few enforce it. Or did she expect to catch me ogling her tatas so she could call me a creeper or report me to the admin? Don't laugh this happened to the woodshop  long term sub and while no charges were ever brought he doesn't work around here any more. I feel sorry for the guy, he should have never been put in that position. This is why high school has a dress code. WHAT A JOKE. None of these wannabe go-go girls is ever sent home to change clothes by ANY homeroom teacher ever. I tried it once and did I hear about it. So the girls flounce around dressing like Ho's and nobody gives a crap, and this is my point. The boys don't give a crap either, they've had these toys in their faces every day for years and there is nothing to interest them . No one cares, the boys, the teachers, the administration and obviously the parents. The only people who get upset are the ones who come into the school who are not inured to the display of flesh, you, the substitute. Keep your eyes on your desk male subs, there is danger lurking in those shadows!
On the flip side of this phenomenon are the female Elementary school teachers I've seen through the years who dress like the High School girls, Vicky's secret isn't a secret with these women both their push up red bras showing through their sheer two sizes too small blouses and their thongs peeking out of their low riding stretch slacks are right there looking at you. I remember one time outside the library room one of these young women redressing some poor child for coming to school sick until the little kid started crying. If this doesn't get you upset then imagine the surprise of the librarian and I when this teacher leaned over showing us a clear view. The librarian looked at me and I looked at her and we were both appalled. The young woman came up and had to re button her tight blouse because she had popped it open. OMG.  You draw your own conclusions on this one, I for one think we are long overdue for uniforms in school.

Another way to waste your money, SEGUE it!

Recently some of my kids were telling me about this program administered through the school system. It's called SEGUE and its purpose is to ready school kids for entry into the  real world. Sounds good doesn't it? In theory perhaps but that is not how the students have told me it all works out. Most of the kids in this program would perhaps be better served in a life skills class but their particular diagnoses' would not permit their entry to that type of room so here they are in this program where they do things like learn to balance their checkbook kind of,  but some of them don't really have to because they are non-readers! Imagine graduating with a High School Diploma and you still do not know how to read! No child left behind BABY. So they sit there and shuffle the papers around and pretend they are doing something and fool around and generally waste YOUR money. "What a joke" is what some of them have told me, "We don't do anything" "It's boring". Oh yeah,  sometimes we bake cookies and some of us get to go shopping! Shopping??? I guess that it is important but I think that most already know how to SPEND money, what they are not learning is a way to make money. But your tax dollars are paying an Aide to take them out and drive them around and they get treats and isn't it all just too cute for words. Except that somewhere else in the school system someone is being denied essential learning services because there is a budget shortfall. And did I mention that school taxes will be going up again.

School Bus Rodeo

Recently there was in our area an unfortunate accident involving a driver striking and killing a High School kid who was in the road in the dark when the buses lights were on "amber". This driver was crucified in the media without regard before the trial and had his picture on almost every evenings broadcast. As it all worked out the driver was NOT using his phone, was NOT under the influence,was below the speed limit when this kid jumped out in front of him without waiting for the bus to come to a stop and have its red lights on. Unfortunate and tragic as it is it was clearly a case of an accident and there was nothing the driver could have done to prevent it . How has the school district responded? Now the kids at that stop get preferential treatment when the bus service deviates from its route to go down into their neighborhood on the access road to pick up the kids. This is another case of accommodation and leaves the door open for ANY parent to insist now that his kid be picked up in a preferred place regardless of the effect it may have on the drivers schedule or fuel costs. This will all add up to more money out of the taxpayers pocket for special service when all that was really needed was some basic review training in school bus stop safety for the kids. Like they haven't already had that, they just weren't paying attention as usual. The school makes a lousy parent!