Well it is testing season in both CA and SC! So anyone in SC thinking CA does not test - that is not true. We are testing 11th graders until they are going to collapse or at least it feels that way. For the next three weeks my inner "Anita Wilson" is coming out. I have adopted Anita's thoughts on maximizing instructional time and making sure students have something to do in their extended periods so we are having all students do something at various times over the next three weeks. We are administering four tests - 1) Smarter Balanced Field Tests, 2) EAP - Math, 3) EAP - ELA and 4) CST - Science. So it is not just SC that test the bejeezes out of their kids - it is all across the US!!! However, we have a teacher who has been talking with students about the Smarter Balanced test and has somewhat encouraged the students to boycott the test. Now, the truth is, the test is a field test and it is within the students parent's rights to request they not take the test but since this is a "norming" year and practice year I do not feel this is a good idea. In addition, for these students to talk intelligently about the test later they need to see it. The last reason is the students have brought me papers that remove them from all testing including the EAP which is the Early Assessment Program - this affects their placement in English and Math classes if they attend a California State University (CSU) or a University of California (UC) campus. They do not understand the repercussions of their decision in an attempt to rebel against testing. They got a form off the Internet that removes them from all testing except the high school exit exam rather than asking the teacher or administration for the form that allows them to select the tests they don't want to take. Oh well, live and learn!!!!
I have been doing testing training this week also for teachers. Of the 91 teachers that come on campus there are only 80 that have not had anything to do with any of the testing this Spring. That includes our part time teachers also. I have a few teachers on campus who are having a hard time with the testing schedule. I know they don't want to test and hate the change in the schedule so they are closed off to the changes and therefore are having a hard time understanding what they are doing on what day because they are overwhelmed with the full process. I have another teacher who only wants to teach his class and is very upset they have to give one test on one day during the entire Spring Testing season. I don't remember any of the science teachers in Laurens or District 5 having issues like this so it is new for me. Now, remember that I was only working with science for the most part but I would imagine the Administrators had some people complaining about giving tests that I just did not know about! My thought process - "If you are in public education in this century, you are in the age of accountability, so taxpayers want results for their money, hence we test. So if you don't want to test, you probably need to go to a private or charter school." Now that makes it seem like I am okay with all this testing - no, I am not, but there are ways to protest and be proactive in this career field and refusing to give a test or have your students take a test is not one of those ways in my mind nor is it effective when you are talking about an entire state!
On the discipline front, it has been calm. I know I am going to regret typing that. I have a few students who are running away every other night from their homes and am having parents call me asking for help, of which there is not much that I can do because they are not coming to school either. I don't remember students in Laurens running away this much and having the absenteeism that my school is having but again, it may be because Sylvia Woodard was so good. I did not teach honors students all the time. I did have the reunion tour kids for biology and physical science and they were very transienent but they would at least show up a few times a week or the following week but a lot of my students here at North High School just do not come.
I do want to give a shout out to two people who have been incredibly helpful this week in helping ease my stress. It has been some really late nights for me as we get ready for testing and I need to thank Alison, a guidance counselor at the school, who has been with me every step of the way to brainstorm. I also need to thank Mike, the nighttime custodian, who has been helping me move carts, get access points ready and work on making sure LCD projectors work in rooms for Senior Exhibition that is coming up. Without their help I would not be able to be the sane girl I am right now. I don't know if they read this blog or if anyone I work with does but give them a high five and thank you if you do!!!
On the apartment front, Squeak is going to be ticked at me. See cute little face below. This week I was invited by the Journalism / Yearbook staffs to attend a conference with them in San Diego. So I left Thursday night to go to San Diego till Sunday morning. Squeak will have no one to cry to and sleep with while I am gone. So I will really hear about it when I get back this evening. She will not look so cute.
So I have been taping the doors of the kids. I tape about 1:30 am and then check again at 3:00 am and again at 5:00 am when I take the tape off. I am very tired right now from not getting a full nights sleep but it has been absolutely fun to be here with the kids and see them so happy and excited about the sessions they are attending. They have been phenomenal kids who are taking this conference seriously as well as exploring the city. They have been down to Seaport Village to visit, found an awesome breakfast place and several other little areas to eat. The kids have been spending their evenings in the pool and then hanging out in rooms at night to watch movies. Yesterday was an awards ceremony and the students took 4th place for their Special Edition paper.
On Saturday night I went to my very first Major League Baseball game. I am not a huge fan of baseball. I look at it as wait….wait….wait….swing…3 seconds of action and wait……… So I wanted to see what a MLB game was like. It was a lot of fun and they have vegetarian options at the stadium. Of course Mike Breyer, AD at my school who was in town for the AD conference and ended up being there also, stated that it was because it was San Diego and most stadiums do not, but needless to say I was pleased they had veggie dogs, veggie burgers and so on. The entire event was fun and I would be willing to go again. It was extremely nice because the hotel that I am at with the kids - literally has a bridge that you walk over and I was at the stadium so I did not have to deal with traffic or anything. The AD's who were staying in Fashion Valley rode the trolley into town. The AD from my school, Poly High School, a Catholic Girl's school in Davis, CA and a friend of theirs from Murrieta were all at the game and we hung out together. Seeing them act a fool was entertaining as well. I think I had pretty good seats. This was my view.
I did eat at two new places. One was Meze, a Greek restaurant and it was super yummy. The other place was a "mom and pop" place in Seaport but I don't remember the name of it. At Meze, I went for brunch and had this yummy Greek Omelet and Greek potatoes with fruit. It was so good!!!!
Now, I know that I am in San Diego and I have been here since Thursday night and it is the weekend but I have worked and had fun. I have gone shopping in Seaport, walked around San Diego, and gotten to eat some new places. I know that I have a problem with balancing my work and downtime so I did get this bracelet for myself to remind myself to do things for me (see below). This is very hard right now because of finishing the PhD. There are so many things I want to do, places I want to visit and friends I want to hang out with but feel I need to spend my time working on my writing on the weekends because I don't have time during the week to do that, much less work out the way that I want and need to as well. Anytime you start a new job there is a learning curve and next year will be better once programs, policies and knowledge is in place. So yes, I am looking forward to the 2014-2015 school year.
So for my wonderful teachers who have gotten emails from me at different times and odd times over the past three days - sorry!!!! I am getting ready to leave here and go back to the apartment to unpack, go to the grocery store and getting ready for next week and am looking forward to my favorite Sunday afternoon activity - Seeing the Roe's!!!!
YAY for the writing! I know getting that first draft is always the hardest. Revisions will not be nearly as bad as you are thinking. Several students in my department are finishing up and the writing is the worst part for EVERYONE! You are doing great to have completed two chapters last week. You will be finished before you know it.
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