Mr. Niceguy

I just want to take a minute to mention the school's drama teacher. He has the most positive way of handling his class. Even when he's telling them they need to be quiet he does it in the nicest way. It's as if he truly believes what we all know, positive reinforcement works. Just seems so much easier for most of us to be negative, it really is much more work to be sooooooooooo much more encouraging, and positive. Grace's limitations haven't discouraged him at all, he's going to include her as much as she's able. He's going to push her just enough to bring her outside of her comfort zone.
We stayed home today, my girl has some pain issues that spring up now and then. Today was just one of those days. Hope you're all doing well. Thanks for reading!!

5 minutes?

Today Grace's English teacher had a conversation with her about 5 minutes. It sums up to this:::::   There are about 9 months of school, 5 days a week. if you waste 5 minutes a day in a class, by the end of the school year you've wasted over 3 hours. She was amazed at how much time just 5 minutes would add up to, I think it used up some of that time just explaining it all to her.
Mondays are always the hardest day around here, seems like since school started I've tried & tried but to no avail, my house is just a mess. I always think I'll catch up on the weekend, but I never do. I never know how I should manage the days. Aside from being at school all day, driving to and from is about an 8 hour day. Helping w/ homework is at least another hour. Then there's laundry/cooking/bathing. Thankfully my hubby helps with all those things, but he works his 8 hours also. I suppose I spend too much time in the evening on the computer.  When you have someone completely dependent on you there's no "go to bed" you're the person that has to help the disabled person  get in bed. There's no "get in the car" for school, because you're the one operating the lift & getting the chair anchored. Mondays are just hard, I suppose they are for everyone, just getting back in the "week"  routine.
I wonder if I could capture those 3 hours that get wasted in class........hhmmmmm that's a thought.

Air?

Thankfully today was cooler than the previous 2 days. The hot classroom  still has a broken air conditioner, but it was full of fans today. I was wondering why I don't remember hot days as a kid..............Now I haven't checked the record books but, there had to have been a few hot days way back then. I can't even say if my elementary school had AC, I don't think it did as I remember the doors being open a lot of the time. We also NEVER went back to school in the August heat, it was well after Labor day when school started. We got out of school in June, might have been hot then. Wonder how the teachers could stand it. Especially those classes that drive an adult crazy anyway. I always seemed to be in the rowdy class, don't suppose I was part of the "rowdy" problem do you? I'm sure if we'd had air we would have been the "good" kids. Looking for  some cool days to come..............

HOT!!!!!!!!

All I can say today is when it's 107 out & we have a classroom 2 times during the day without a working air conditioner it's just TOO hot to learn anything or to blog. I'm going to crawl in the fridge for a few. Be back tomorrow. Stay Cool!!!!

work hard?

Don't just assume that a kid that gets good grades ,"comes by it easily." Recently I heard a comment about a kid that gets A's & B's. The person said that those grades come easily to them.
That's not necessarily the case. As with any occupation ( must say that school is harder than any job I ever had) there are things people do more easily than others. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, but just assuming that a kid with good grades learns easily is implying that they don't work hard for those grades. The same can be said of those kids that don't get the best grades, it doesn't mean they didn't study or that they never work hard at school.
I am the first to think students need to work as hard as they can to get the best grade they can get. I think every kid that works to their highest potential should be praised for their effort. I guess none of us really know who works hard at school and who doesn't, but I do know that the grades aren't always the best indicator of  their "hard work".

Testing Day

Today was the day for English vocab testing. It was the first one & the teacher gave plenty of time to learn the 20 words,but she also threw in a pop quiz ion the book they're reading. Tomorrow is a geometry ( yes I had to stop & think: is it  geometry/geography & thanks to my sister geology) well, I'm talking about the math class. Wednesday is a biology test & who knows what might get thrown in for Thursday or Friday.
I'm curious, which days are better to take a test, although it is nice to have them spaced out instead of all on one day, it seems crazy to have them on Monday. I guess the thinking behind this is that the students have ALL weekend to study.  Stop!!!  my side is hurting, Really? At my house it's Friday right after school or Sunday before bed, there's no all weekend studying. I guess Friday is a good day because as my daughter tends to think, the students have all week to go over/learn the info in class. Then Friday comes you take the tests and go home for that NON-STUDYING weekend. Now I also think about the teachers that have 250 tests to grade over their NON -WORKING weekends, because you always have those eager kids that want to know how they aced the tests. I guess there isn't any good day, someone always ends up forgetting about the test, panics during tests, has too much studying to do, or too much correcting to do.
I think maybe we should just do away with tests/grades/school/work................................. guess I'm dreaming again. Happy Monday!

Gryke

Learned a new word today. I was reading a book that had a word I'd never run across before. I was pretty sure of what it meant because of the way it was used. I love words, I admit I don't know near enough of them or the proper way to use them, but I still enjoy a new word now & then. Now this word was one I'd never run across, the two dictionaries I looked at didn't have the word in it. I could just hear my 6th grade teacher, Mr Phillips, telling me to "look it up in the dictionary". I finally went where any highschool student goes -------to the English teacher! She looked online for me and solved my dilema.........YAY. Not too sure I'll have a chance to use this word, unless a nasty game of scrabble comes my way. I'd love one by the way! So here's the word of the day for me. Happy Weekend !!!!!
World English Dictionary


gryke (ɡraɪk)
— n
a solution fissure, a vertical crack about 0.5 m wide formed by the dissolving of limestone by water, that divides an exposed limestone surface into sections or clints

what's your name?

My daughter noticed yesterday that most of her teachers don't call their students by their name. I hadn't noticed, probably because I don't need to be called on and because since Grace is the only kid in a wheelchair at the school, the teachers always know her name.But I payed closer attention today, I can see some of the teachers are learning names, but more teachers than not are just pointing at students when they call on them, even if they have assigned seats and a seating chart to refer to. I know they have many students, but it's a small community at this high school. I remember back to my pre school teaching days, there was always at least one "invisible" child in every class. You know, the one that is very shy, and quiet. I always made it a point to try to draw them into the activities and help them feel comfortable. It seemed they were usually very intelligent, and loads of fun. just wondering how many teachers are missing out on getting to know those "invisible" high school students that they influence every day.

where's my abacus

Learned a couple things today...........I now know where the "unofficial" smoking section is at school. No I didn't witness the smoking, just heard about it.
I also learned how to use a calculator! Yes, a calculator, honestly I thought I knew how to use one before, but the sweet math teacher informed me I was hitting the wrong key. She must think I'm either daft or am so old that I learned to cipher on the original abacus or I counted knuckle bones on our cave floor. Truth is I should have had reading glasses on so I could see which key i was hitting. So with my  red face I  thanked the teacher for her help. As soon I got home I  packed the glasses for tomorrow. Guess my pride got to me. 

oh my ears

When I was in high school things were soooooo different. Some things were worse, we actually had a student smoking section!! Yes, I know I'm old. But I must say we weren't allowed to curse in school. That's not to say we didn't curse, I was probably the queen mother of foul language, but I had the respect (or was it fear?) not to use it where the adults could hear me. I was thinking to myself today that a young lady I've known from school for many years had gotten so pretty the last couple of years..........then she opened her mouth and dropped an "f" bomb......she's not as pretty as I'd thought. Must say I'm glad there's not a student smoking section any more,,,,,,,,,just a swearing section & it sounds like it's the entire school.

Tests

It's only day five and Grace already had a test, she's studying now for another test tomorrow, she has 2 more on Friday. I think I'm learning that our kids are under more pressure than most people realize. They always have multiple tests every week, papers due, projects for classes, sports/drama/band practices and all the other pressures of high school. They worry about how they dress, hair looks, zits; if they drive the right cars, wear the right clothes, have the newest phone, listen to the right music,  talk to the right people.
 They do all this and have jobs at home and away from home . plus probably the biggest stressor they put up with us : their parents who are trying to keep our own lives in balance.We probably all know teens with other worries as well, ill family members, drug/alcohol abuse/ money problems you know the list can go on forever.
I have had people tell me I must be crazy to be surrounded by teens all day. Well, yes I am a bit out there at times, but I also get to see the best side of our kids, they honestly have times when they're helping each other, looking for ways to be their best  and mostly I think you'd be proud to see just how hard they work at pleasing all the adults they have to deal with every day. They have more bosses than I've ever had at a job, and they still manage to enjoy the ride their on. Remember them in your prayers.

week one

Well, I made it through the first week, actually just 4 days, but it felt like more. The classes seem OK to me, some will be a challenge for Grace, but a challenge isn't always bad.
I'm just wondering is there a special rule for math teachers that the rest of the world doesn't have to follow? maybe  A SPECIAL HELL JUST FOR THEM? I don't know that very many of Grace's past teachers haven't given homework every day of the week. & I don't mean just a few problems, it's as though they believe they have to go to math teacher hell if they don't assign 30-50 problems every night. Kind of crazy if you ask me. I think you either get it or not. how does doing the same type of problem wrong 10 times  help you get it right? & if you get them right then a few should be enough. ok I can climb off my soapbox now. No homework tonight we'll hold off till later in the weekend...............thanks for joining me this week. Will be learning more next week I'm sure.

Geo...........what???

So, yesterday I asked which class I would have the most trouble with........looks like I subconsciously answered that question when I listed the class Grace has an geography. Nope!! It's geometry. Who's the smart one now??

How Stupid Am I Really??

Today in a couple of classes there were tests/surveys...........whatever you want to call them. They sure looked like multiple choice tests to me, they were given to show the teachers just what the students don't know. I'm assuming ( yes I know one should never assume) they are to help the teacher meet the classes needs.
As I read the questions in the World History class I realized I know next to nothing. My daughter did better than I could have, she's either listened & learned in Middle school or a darn good guesser. Now I know there are different history books and that books give different info, but honestly I don't know who Russia's first,sencond, last imperial rulers were.............maybe I just don't really care? I grew up during the cold war, just knew someone had his finger on that button that would end the world once and for all.
Somehow sitting in these classes makes me wonder why I never had these classes in high school. And how is it that 14 & 15 year olds know so much.
Just occured to me that I should let you guess as to which class I'll learn the most in this school year. Here's the schedule what do you think?
Remember, Grace doesn't have P.E.  I'd probably fail that class!!!!!!

Photography
Geography
Yearbook
10 English ( advanced)
Drama
World History
Biology

I Love Teens

Well, made it through the first day. I must say I really do love this age,not mine the kids. There were so many emotions running through those bodies today. the scared freshmen, with the wild eyed, deer in the headlights, I don't know where I'm going look. The Sophomores, so happy to see their friends, feeling like old hands at this high school business. the juniors, they know it's a serious year coming up, but they also know most of the staff/teachers now and are allowed some perks ( classes) that underclassmen aren't, and the seniors, so close to full adulthood, some understand the huge responsibilities ahead of them, they're either working extra hard or playing even harder their last year.
I have to admit though that my feet are killing me and the day did seem to drag on & on & on.........looks like a good year ahead of us.
Now I have to share the lamest/original "I'm late to class" story I've ever heard. It was the last class of the day, about 15 minutes into the class a girl walks in and the teacher made a comment about being late so she fessed up.............."I thought school was over and walked home, then I looked at my schedule and realized I had one more class and walked back."        LOL  gotta give her credit for either being very creative or brave enough to tell a truthful "I'm goofy" story.

Last Supper

Well, school starts in the morning, I had great plans to be ready this year HA! My house is a mess, I don't have my clothes ready to wear. Grace has been ready for a week, she has enough clothes ready for weeks. My hubby is working on laundry  THANK YOU. As I made dinner, my daughter asked if I was making her favorite dish, well No I hadn't planned on it. Apparently since the dinner before kindergarten I've always made her macaroni. Heaven forbid I ruin her sophomore year, so the spoiled kid got her macaroni. Not sure if she's just a good con artist or I'm a sap...............those that know us please don't answer that one.
I do have tomorrow's dinner ready, about the only thing I know I've learned about being my age and going through the first day of school is I will be exhausted when we get home. I'm gonna need a long nap. Hope there's no homework.........ya hear that teachers??? NO HOMEWORK PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!! 

SAY A PRAYER FOR ME  as the fun begins :)

Here we Go

Well, here we go, the 2010-11 school year starts Tuesday. I think we're ready enough to start. I should explain why I'm starting this crazy blog. I started attending school with my daughter (Grace) when she was in the 4th grade. It wasn't exactly what we wanted, but I have definitely been blessed through the years. She has had understanding, loving teachers that have taught both of us life lessons and become lifetime friends. I was a preschool teacher for about 16 years when circumstances required I quit to care for Grace. We had homeschooled 2nd grade and found it just wasn't the best environment for us. Grace is an only child and VERY social. She definitely needed to be in school.
Grace will be a sophomore this year and when she got her class schedule I realized that I have never had any of the classes she's taking ( I must have been educated in a cave). Now I have always learned "something" every year I've accompanied her to school, but this year I expect to learn more than I ever have. So my plan is to share what I learn. Hope this is a fun year.