Monday, September 23, 2013
Thursday, May 2, 2013
What Doesn't Kill Us Makes Us Stronger
Two weeks ago I listened to a youtube video staring Tony Robbins. I'm so not into the life coach thing, but it's interesting to see why I am the way I am.
I still think I'm justified and it has served me well.
The most interesting thing about this video about the 7 things needed was community. I never felt part of a group. Always the outsider. Even when I'm embraced within a group, I don't like what I see and try to change it. But groups don't like change.
But now enters a child without siblings. All she wants are friends. Each friend that selects her, gets her into trouble. They lock themselves into a locker with her in the room and point fingers at her.
She is at fault. She's looking for inclusion and it is pretty funny.
This lead us to the case of the recent bullying on the ice rink. After months of dirty looks, telling her coach, and waiting to talk to her mom, I asked her, a 12 yo to stop bullying an 8yo.
This was wrong. I know it. Even as the best skater on the team, she was cut.
I'm sort of happy. I wanted to take off a few years and work on FS. Also we are trying to sell our house and relocated.
It's as if there's a plan for us.
Only time will reveal itself.
I still think I'm justified and it has served me well.
The most interesting thing about this video about the 7 things needed was community. I never felt part of a group. Always the outsider. Even when I'm embraced within a group, I don't like what I see and try to change it. But groups don't like change.
But now enters a child without siblings. All she wants are friends. Each friend that selects her, gets her into trouble. They lock themselves into a locker with her in the room and point fingers at her.
She is at fault. She's looking for inclusion and it is pretty funny.
This lead us to the case of the recent bullying on the ice rink. After months of dirty looks, telling her coach, and waiting to talk to her mom, I asked her, a 12 yo to stop bullying an 8yo.
This was wrong. I know it. Even as the best skater on the team, she was cut.
I'm sort of happy. I wanted to take off a few years and work on FS. Also we are trying to sell our house and relocated.
It's as if there's a plan for us.
Only time will reveal itself.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Life Happens
Why is it when I'm on the fence about something, the outcome always turns out to be exactly what I really wanted? See J'accuse.
My problem is that now I have a daughter. And what I want, may not be what she wants. Or what's good for her in the long run. And herein lies the dilemma.
It's team tryouts again. Due to circumstances I don't want to get into, I don't want to spend $5,500 (team dues and expenses) to be on the team again this year. We had a great year. However, we did not get along with the team members for this coming season. I was going to suck it up for her sake. But they beat us to it. She would have been one of the youngest and the most accomplished skater on the team. The coaches didn't like me.
But the team spirit thing is sometimes taken too far. Too many parties, celebrations, little freebies given out by moms who have the least talented children on the team is really so not who we are.
This is why I like test. Tests do not play favorites.
And I can finally say this without fear, there's a team coach who I've never seen wash her hands after leaving the bathroom stall.
Glad I got that off my chest.
My problem is that now I have a daughter. And what I want, may not be what she wants. Or what's good for her in the long run. And herein lies the dilemma.
It's team tryouts again. Due to circumstances I don't want to get into, I don't want to spend $5,500 (team dues and expenses) to be on the team again this year. We had a great year. However, we did not get along with the team members for this coming season. I was going to suck it up for her sake. But they beat us to it. She would have been one of the youngest and the most accomplished skater on the team. The coaches didn't like me.
But the team spirit thing is sometimes taken too far. Too many parties, celebrations, little freebies given out by moms who have the least talented children on the team is really so not who we are.
This is why I like test. Tests do not play favorites.
And I can finally say this without fear, there's a team coach who I've never seen wash her hands after leaving the bathroom stall.
Glad I got that off my chest.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
A the Comedian
How to deal with bullies and other 3rd grade issues.
My name is A. Some people call me Ah. Whatever. At this point I don't really care. I sometimes call myself Ali G. I'm told it's an alter ego thing. I don't really know what that means either. I need Lemony Snickettes to do the explaining for me.
I started school with 24 pencils and 5 big erasers. It's March and I'm negative 52 pencils. I think there's a pencil monster in the ceiling.
There's two kinds of bullies. The kind that demands your lunch money and the kind that does things like "the look". Lunch money bullies don't exist at my school. There's a "no bully" policy. However, "the look" kind is only borderline bullying. The look kind does other things. Like I'll get up from my chair to throw a used and snotty tissue in the garbage and "the look" bully will take my chair. I know this is going to happen. So I fart in the chair before I get up. When I get back I mention to her that "I was sitting there." She says "too bad". I'm not sure if I should let her know that I farted in the chair.
I don't really like the way the teachers treat us in school. When we do something well, they say "good girl". "Here's a treat. Go take a ticket". Really?
Did you ever listen to what teachers say to each other? I would think they would share new teaching methods. "The best way to teach multiplication is to spend all day lining all the student up in 5 lines of 6. But no. They discuss the merits of permanent eyeliner.
Comedy is, as we have said, an imitation of characters of a lower type- not, however, in the full sense of the word bad, the ludicrous being merely a subdivision of the ugly. It consists in some defect or ugliness which is not painful or destructive. To take an obvious example, the comic mask is ugly and distorted, but does not imply pain.*
I started school with 24 pencils and 5 big erasers. It's March and I'm negative 52 pencils. I think there's a pencil monster in the ceiling.
There's two kinds of bullies. The kind that demands your lunch money and the kind that does things like "the look". Lunch money bullies don't exist at my school. There's a "no bully" policy. However, "the look" kind is only borderline bullying. The look kind does other things. Like I'll get up from my chair to throw a used and snotty tissue in the garbage and "the look" bully will take my chair. I know this is going to happen. So I fart in the chair before I get up. When I get back I mention to her that "I was sitting there." She says "too bad". I'm not sure if I should let her know that I farted in the chair.
I don't really like the way the teachers treat us in school. When we do something well, they say "good girl". "Here's a treat. Go take a ticket". Really?
Did you ever listen to what teachers say to each other? I would think they would share new teaching methods. "The best way to teach multiplication is to spend all day lining all the student up in 5 lines of 6. But no. They discuss the merits of permanent eyeliner.
Comedy is, as we have said, an imitation of characters of a lower type- not, however, in the full sense of the word bad, the ludicrous being merely a subdivision of the ugly. It consists in some defect or ugliness which is not painful or destructive. To take an obvious example, the comic mask is ugly and distorted, but does not imply pain.*
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Going Public Part 2
Friday, March 15, 2013 Note from Teacher to me
Hi M I saw your note in the booklet. We have gone over in class the procedures for doing an essay. Students are not expected to do a perfect job but should try their best and with time and experience, will rise to the occasion. This is new to most third graders and is a bit overwhelming. You do not need to show her how to do it as that our job.
These tasks are very similar to those she will have to complete on the ELA so we are trying to see what the students ARE able to do and help them fill in the gaps as needed. If she does not bring back the booklet when it is due, it is quite difficult to follow along and pay attention when going over the essays in class which is what I was doing Wed. the date the essay was due back. Since this is the first real essay we are reviewing, she should not feel she has to know everything at this point. I sit with each student in small groups or individually to support them as needed.
There were a few students who did not bring back the booklet at all this week which makes it extremely difficult to review in a timely manner. I did speak to the entire class to emphasize the importance of these assignments and how I can help them to be prepared.
Students are writing down assignments in their planners and should be returning assignments on time, unless there is a note. I think that is a reasonable expectation. I do not want the students to think they can bring things back after due dates, otherwise writing down when they are due is quite pointless and does not instill personal responsibility.
In the future, if A has a problem with an assignment, please write me a note if an extension is needed. This has been my policy for many years and was communicated to everyone on Parents' Night. The students are aware of this policy. No one is being "singled out". Students' homework is not marked complete until it is returned. As for the tests they will be sent home today unless the copier is broken. Conferences will be held in April as noted on the school calendar. Notices will be sent out regarding appointments.
Hi M I saw your note in the booklet. We have gone over in class the procedures for doing an essay. Students are not expected to do a perfect job but should try their best and with time and experience, will rise to the occasion. This is new to most third graders and is a bit overwhelming. You do not need to show her how to do it as that our job.
These tasks are very similar to those she will have to complete on the ELA so we are trying to see what the students ARE able to do and help them fill in the gaps as needed. If she does not bring back the booklet when it is due, it is quite difficult to follow along and pay attention when going over the essays in class which is what I was doing Wed. the date the essay was due back. Since this is the first real essay we are reviewing, she should not feel she has to know everything at this point. I sit with each student in small groups or individually to support them as needed.
There were a few students who did not bring back the booklet at all this week which makes it extremely difficult to review in a timely manner. I did speak to the entire class to emphasize the importance of these assignments and how I can help them to be prepared.
Students are writing down assignments in their planners and should be returning assignments on time, unless there is a note. I think that is a reasonable expectation. I do not want the students to think they can bring things back after due dates, otherwise writing down when they are due is quite pointless and does not instill personal responsibility.
In the future, if A has a problem with an assignment, please write me a note if an extension is needed. This has been my policy for many years and was communicated to everyone on Parents' Night. The students are aware of this policy. No one is being "singled out". Students' homework is not marked complete until it is returned. As for the tests they will be sent home today unless the copier is broken. Conferences will be held in April as noted on the school calendar. Notices will be sent out regarding appointments.
Going Public
A came home last week from school concerned she couldn't write an essay. She's losing interest in school. She started in Sept at the 98% and the test in Feb had her at the 96%. We will see what it is in June. And I'll spend all summer getting it back up to Sept. levels.
I sent her teacher an email. March 14, 2013 As we discussed, please send all Aliza's tests home for us to review during the break. It's silly to wait until the end of the year. By that time it's meaningless. If there's a "rule" that doesn't let you show parents completed tests, please let me know. Perhaps we can have a group meeting to review the tests next week.
I want to bring something to your attention. Aliza feels intimidated by you when she asks you a question or when you ask her to do something. She feels she (and a few other students) are singled out for this attitude. Also, for the past week she's been struggling with writing the fable comparison essay. She is at a loss on how to put it all together.
She feels you explained to the class how to do it by reading the question. However, never showed/involved her on the task on exactly how to do it. She's afraid to "bother" you about this because of the intimidation factor. It would be great if you can send me an example of an essay comparing two stories, similar to the one she is being asked to do. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks. Monica The next post is her response.
I sent her teacher an email. March 14, 2013 As we discussed, please send all Aliza's tests home for us to review during the break. It's silly to wait until the end of the year. By that time it's meaningless. If there's a "rule" that doesn't let you show parents completed tests, please let me know. Perhaps we can have a group meeting to review the tests next week.
I want to bring something to your attention. Aliza feels intimidated by you when she asks you a question or when you ask her to do something. She feels she (and a few other students) are singled out for this attitude. Also, for the past week she's been struggling with writing the fable comparison essay. She is at a loss on how to put it all together.
She feels you explained to the class how to do it by reading the question. However, never showed/involved her on the task on exactly how to do it. She's afraid to "bother" you about this because of the intimidation factor. It would be great if you can send me an example of an essay comparing two stories, similar to the one she is being asked to do. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks. Monica The next post is her response.
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