Three More Days Until T-Day!!!

Okay, I am having WAY too much fun adding music to my blog. In honor of testing week, I have to share this song. I am one hundred percent sure that this song is exactly what some of the students are thinking when they take the BIG DEAL TEST. Note, that most of it is in foreign language. To me, this represents how many students read the test in English.

blah blah blah blah bubble
blah blah blah
1234 bubble
happy clouds and pretty day
bubble

I, of course, have a panic attack when I notice that they are bubbling in this manner. BUT I can't really do anything about it. As a teacher, during this test, you just have to watch.

Update

It looks like I do have a job next year. I will also give credit to my district for being transparent at this meeting. This is the first time we have been given all the information, but it was very clear.

The board meeting had a higher turn out than usual but most of those affected by the rif were not there. I just don't understand that. I knew I was probably not affected by the rif at this point, but you better believe I wanted all the facts and details because I was even close to it. I guess for a lot of people it really is enough to just know the "what" of the rif. I don't understand that. I always want the detailed explanation of the "why". Some people think this trait is cynicism, but I think that is a fallacy. Cynicism is a reluctance to accept any facts, but wanting to ask why is a search for a deeper understanding. I'm not saying that I'm never cynical. I'm just saying that wanting to understand the facts isn't cynicism.

I know this is a really technical entry for this blog, but my allegiance to empirical thinking really affects my life as a teacher. A lot of my conflict between what I see as politics verses practice in education is generated by the way that I think. I am going to give an example.

When I am sitting in a staff meeting and someone says, "You need to do x in your classroom. It is best practice," I look at whatever they are suggesting and I try to comprehend it. As I think it through, I note the gaps in my own understanding. I always try to clarify. I might say, "So, doing x in my classroom fosters y." Of course, as I get a deeper understanding of what is being suggested the holes in the logic become more apparent. I might then note, "It seems like x doesn't account for c, e, and b." To me, it's an empirical discussion, but it is sometimes viewed as cynicism.

A lot of my colleagues in education are more heart people than head people. I learn a lot from them because this is a field about people and the heart matters. My obsession with facts and logic isn't always helpful in a classroom, but I think it is a good thing to have heart and head people in schools together.

I just got so frustrated tonight when the board kept dwelling on how to tell people and how to deal with the human element. I just think, "Well, it doesn't change the facts. They present a budget scenario to these teachers." I would prefer that if I were in their shoes, but then again, I would be at the board meeting taking notes...

The Man Behind the Screen

I am going to the bored meeting tonight--excuse me, I meant board meeting of course! How could I make that mistake?? I'd rather be watching LOST, and I will later. I just want some information from the source to set my mind at ease.

I wish they would just hand me a contract. I would sign it. Really. --Even if it was a bad deal for me.

This waiting game and hints of things to come makes me feel like a mouse being bated by a cat. The district keeps congratulating themselves on being transparent, but I can't see through whatever they are saying. For example, what does a rif involving "primarily" first and second year teachers mean? For example, what does significantly larger class sizes mean? I've had thirty one students in a class before. Does it actually mean significantly higher than that? Maybe I am really dense, but some of this does not seem transparent to me.

Riftide

I am a strong swimmer. I can't even remember before I could swim. I like surfing and I am not afraid of waves. Once, though, I did get caught in a riptide. It was a pretty scary experience. I was able to swim my way out, but it was not easy.

We finally got rif news, and it does look good for me. The district says it will "primarily" effect first and second year teachers. I have to wonder why "primarily" is thrown in there as a third year teacher with a late hire date. The thing that is difficult for these second year teachers is that this is the second rif they've been through. They will probably go through it again next year if they are rehired. They are caught in a rif tide.

Earthquake

Baja California, Mexico just had an earthquake of 6.9 magnitude. We felt it all the way up here! I was sitting on my bed doing my work when it started swaying. "Something is wrong with my bed," I thought, but when I looked up all the clothes in my closet were swaying back and forth, my venetian blinds were swaying back and forth, I actually felt a little light headed. I realized that it was probably an earthquake and I wondered what I should do if it were to intensify or continue. Things calmed down pretty quickly. It did make me realize how scary it must be to be caught in a serious earthquake. Where are you going to go, when the whole world is shaking?

Oh the Punishment

Well, it is starting to get hot around here and soon it will be so hot that going outside will be chore. My grandmother, the other day was singing her own variation of Going to See the King.

Soon and Very Soon
It Is Going to Get Real Hot
Soon and Very Soon
It Is Going to Get Real Hot

I informed her that her song was really the opposite of a hymn. She is right, though, the nasty desert weather is coming soon and very soon. For that reason I decided to go on a hike with friends today. The view was beautiful, but it was yet another blunt reminder that skinny does not mean in shape.

Clearly, I haven't transferred my new healthy goal to diet. I need to go make a Peeps cake. No that is not something that you serve at a bachelor party or something someone jumps out of. Neither is it a cake for my peeps. It is a creative arrangement of Peeps candy. My family insists that I bring a dish for Easter. All the stay at home wives girls in my family are bringing homemade dishes, and I am bringing my Peeps cake. Does that say something bad about me???

Field Day All Star

I am getting a rude wake-up call today, my day off (not for Good Friday of course, it is a "district holiday"), that I need to start working out again. We had Field Day on Thursday. I felt the need to participate in every event and give my full effort-- I am not one of those people who wants to let kids win to protect their self esteem. As a result, I jumped hurdles, crabwalked across a field, was dragged across the field hanging on to a tug of war rope, and sprinted in the relay race. Yesterday I felt quite victorious--grant you I was competing with nine year olds, but hey, those of us who are not so athletically talented have to take our victories where we can get them. Today I do not feel so victorious. I feel tug-of-war in my ankles, the hurdles in my thighs, bean bag toss in my shoulders, and the sprinting everywhere else.

I really have not felt a big pull to go back to working out because I am skinny, but suffering like this from a kiddy field day is a blunt reminder that skinny does not mean in shape. It is more like being a bag of bones.