January 26, 2013

This week I worked three days.  Considering that there were 4 school days this week, I guess that is good.  I wish sometimes that I have my own classroom.  Yet, with the politics in schools and their districts, I am not sure I do want my own classroom.   Right now I do not like the regulations that are put upon teachers.  Between the state regulations, there are district regulations which make "learning" almost impossible.  The standardized test results have huge results for students and teachers alike.  I would love to see something change soon, but I doubt it will. Anymore I am loving homeschooling. It allows learning life skills which are no longer taught in schools.  I substitute in junior high and senior high in the valley and see so much wasted trying to keep the smart kids slowed down to meet up with the slower students who disturbed the class.  The slower students should not be ones that we are exclusively trying to teach.  Each student should be able to taught at his or her own level.  That can only happen in a smaller class environment.  Yet the funding is so low that most classes are over 30 not under 20.  I do understand that most college classes are more packed than that, so I know we are preparing them for college but we are not doing a good at that, either the smartest students or dumbest students lead the class in a good way or bad way.  For most students and classes, they do learn how to think critically and for themselves.  This is lacking in way too many classes.  I would love to see actual thinking on their own done almost every day.  What I see is students doing the work for others and much copying happening which I tell them how it is not helping anyone.  That is does not cause any learning on either parts.  We are just making dumb the next generation. I do like to work and enjoy the students for the most part, but I do like how "learning" is not truly happening in the school environment.
One vent down only 100 or more still to go.  Are you sure you want to read all my crazy thoughts?  I am not sure that they are worth reading. In the weather, it is still too warm to feel like winter.  We needs more snow and rain - I know that almost always also means fog too but without wet, we will be a drought again.  We are barely above a drought and not not sure we will stay above it but the people who declare that do not until June or July.  We have more months with the potential for more wet.  I just want it now and later not just later.