My mom volunteered to host a family reunion here today. It's the side of the family with a priest, an uncle who goes to church like 3 times a week, and two great-aunts who would be nuns except they had to take care of their mom when she got sick.
Sounds like fun, huh? This is what I get to deal with: (ps I have no clue how I'm related to these people)
"Uncle": I taught in a middle school that failed under NCLB for four years. Thing is, we have 30 percent special ed, and they try their best, but they just can't do it.
Aunt: Shouldn't they be separate?
"Uncle": Yeah, probably. But the law says that they all need to be the same. Hopefully we'll have a president who will change things up with that law. I know Mr. McCain won't.
Everyone else in the room: BOOOOOOO!!!!!
Argh. When they asked me what I'm doing this summer, I wisely decided not to mention that I'll be volunteering on a Democratic senator's campaign.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
I chose this?
Magnet schools are crazy. The concept is something like this: "Let's put a whole lot of really smart and competitive kids and force them to be together for NINE FREAKING HOURS a day and them give them some crappy teachers* who don't like to, you know, follow the curriculum, so that when they have to take common assessments, they're screwed! Great idea!"
*To my teachers' credit, only one of them is really a bad teacher. Two or three are awesome, and the rest try really hard but I just don't learn much (or at all). And yes, nine hours. 7:15 when the buses get there to 4:10 when classes end. My god.
*To my teachers' credit, only one of them is really a bad teacher. Two or three are awesome, and the rest try really hard but I just don't learn much (or at all). And yes, nine hours. 7:15 when the buses get there to 4:10 when classes end. My god.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Done!
Words can barely describe how relieved I am to be done with that stupid test. I think I did pretty well (remember, I had low expectations) and, as soon as I got home, I threw out all the loose papers and notes I had. It was thrilling.
I walked into the school where I was taking it, which is neither MS or my town school (TS), and had absolutely no clue what to do. I saw a long line of kids checking in, and got onto the end of it. Being on line was incredibly nerve-wracking, since I had no clue what I was doing and didn't know anyone. At the same time, though, it was relieving to hear the girl behind me tell her friend that she had no chance of getting an 1800. I did see two girls from my school, though, which made me happy, but I also saw zillions of random kids who I don't know. Of course, when I got to the front I realized that approximately 99.9% of those kids were checking in for the regular SAT, so I had waited for nothing. I initialed next to my name and saw the room number.
The room was the furthest from check-in (figures), but at least I didn't get lost like I was worried I would. I was sitting in the back corner (yay end of the alphabet!) behind this asian girl who looked like the type who had been studying for years. She had two calculators PLUS extra batteries. And she had friggin earplugs. So we mere mortals wouldn't disturb her, I presume.
The proctor in my room was pretty funny. He read those instructions like he was racing someone. We did the boring old fill-in-your-name thing, and finally started. The test...like I said, not bad. I could have used a few more minutes, but it's okay. I think I still only left two or three blank, and I at least attempted all the questions.
We were the first room done. I'm glad--I felt bad for the kids still testing because they had to deal with the noise from some of the kids in my room, but I wouldn't have wanted to deal with it myself (I had a loud radiator to deal with).
When I got home, I chilled for a bit before returning to my studying and then going to tennis. The week of hell begins the day after tomorrow. I have so much to do, but instead I'm writing a blog post. That sounds like a good idea, right?
I walked into the school where I was taking it, which is neither MS or my town school (TS), and had absolutely no clue what to do. I saw a long line of kids checking in, and got onto the end of it. Being on line was incredibly nerve-wracking, since I had no clue what I was doing and didn't know anyone. At the same time, though, it was relieving to hear the girl behind me tell her friend that she had no chance of getting an 1800. I did see two girls from my school, though, which made me happy, but I also saw zillions of random kids who I don't know. Of course, when I got to the front I realized that approximately 99.9% of those kids were checking in for the regular SAT, so I had waited for nothing. I initialed next to my name and saw the room number.
The room was the furthest from check-in (figures), but at least I didn't get lost like I was worried I would. I was sitting in the back corner (yay end of the alphabet!) behind this asian girl who looked like the type who had been studying for years. She had two calculators PLUS extra batteries. And she had friggin earplugs. So we mere mortals wouldn't disturb her, I presume.
The proctor in my room was pretty funny. He read those instructions like he was racing someone. We did the boring old fill-in-your-name thing, and finally started. The test...like I said, not bad. I could have used a few more minutes, but it's okay. I think I still only left two or three blank, and I at least attempted all the questions.
We were the first room done. I'm glad--I felt bad for the kids still testing because they had to deal with the noise from some of the kids in my room, but I wouldn't have wanted to deal with it myself (I had a loud radiator to deal with).
When I got home, I chilled for a bit before returning to my studying and then going to tennis. The week of hell begins the day after tomorrow. I have so much to do, but instead I'm writing a blog post. That sounds like a good idea, right?
Friday, June 6, 2008
Comparing Teachers
A long, long, time ago I wrote a pretty incoherent post about how kids coming from middle school (aka annoying frosh) have totally different criteria for evaluating and describing their teachers than I now do. (In a nutshell: they want the nice teachers who will be easy, I want the teachers who will make me laugh, teach me a lot, but probably not be 'nice')
Over the past couple of days, I've been thinking about two teachers. They both started at my school this fall, and came from public schools in cities (one from Newark, one from NYC). A note: the one from NYC taught at Bronx Science, not some inner-city school that has 50% of its students drop out. I think my arguments will still be true.
Both of them, at the beginning of the year, were clearly not used to my school (MS, for magnet school, from now on) and its hyper-competitive, fairly affluent environment.
One of them, Ms. B, was my teacher for an required interdisciplinary project first trimester. When she heard our conversations about how we needed this grade in that class to get an A, she was shocked. She told us that in Newark where she had last taught, she would never get kids who had B's coming to her begging for A's. rather, the kids who were failing would approach her and try to get her to at least give them D's so they would pass.
My math teacher, Mr. C, last taught at Bronx Science. What I've noticed about him is that he seems to have been trained to an essentially "us vs. them" attitude.
I finished a test about ten minutes early one day, and I immediately started to pack up my stuff so I would have a couple of extra minutes before my next class to decomp from the test. He looked at me and said "What are you doing?"
I was completely taken aback. I said something along the lines of "I'm not allowed to leave?!?" and sat back down. He came over to me and started lecturing me about how he would get sued if I a) did something dumb or b) did something clumsy while I was technically supposed to be in his class, under his supervision. I told him what another teacher had told me last year, that since we have oodles of free time and are unsupervised during that time, it's not as much of a liability issue as it is at schools where the hallways are deserted during classes. He shook his head. I sat at stared at the clock, going back and overthinking all the test questions.
I wrote this post intending to show the difference between city teachers, who are used to dealing with problem kids, and everyone else. Now that I think of it, though, there are three real classifications. I like writing about this, though, so I may (or may not) add to the thought tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow, wish me luck!
Over the past couple of days, I've been thinking about two teachers. They both started at my school this fall, and came from public schools in cities (one from Newark, one from NYC). A note: the one from NYC taught at Bronx Science, not some inner-city school that has 50% of its students drop out. I think my arguments will still be true.
Both of them, at the beginning of the year, were clearly not used to my school (MS, for magnet school, from now on) and its hyper-competitive, fairly affluent environment.
One of them, Ms. B, was my teacher for an required interdisciplinary project first trimester. When she heard our conversations about how we needed this grade in that class to get an A, she was shocked. She told us that in Newark where she had last taught, she would never get kids who had B's coming to her begging for A's. rather, the kids who were failing would approach her and try to get her to at least give them D's so they would pass.
My math teacher, Mr. C, last taught at Bronx Science. What I've noticed about him is that he seems to have been trained to an essentially "us vs. them" attitude.
I finished a test about ten minutes early one day, and I immediately started to pack up my stuff so I would have a couple of extra minutes before my next class to decomp from the test. He looked at me and said "What are you doing?"
I was completely taken aback. I said something along the lines of "I'm not allowed to leave?!?" and sat back down. He came over to me and started lecturing me about how he would get sued if I a) did something dumb or b) did something clumsy while I was technically supposed to be in his class, under his supervision. I told him what another teacher had told me last year, that since we have oodles of free time and are unsupervised during that time, it's not as much of a liability issue as it is at schools where the hallways are deserted during classes. He shook his head. I sat at stared at the clock, going back and overthinking all the test questions.
I wrote this post intending to show the difference between city teachers, who are used to dealing with problem kids, and everyone else. Now that I think of it, though, there are three real classifications. I like writing about this, though, so I may (or may not) add to the thought tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow, wish me luck!
14 Hours
SATs tomorrow.
Wish me luck.
I already have all my stuff ready.
I know what I'm doing. I can do well on this.
I even have low expectations, so I can exceed them easily. I like that.
Wish me luck.
I already have all my stuff ready.
I know what I'm doing. I can do well on this.
I even have low expectations, so I can exceed them easily. I like that.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
CollegeBoard
Thank you SO MUCH for sending me a reminder that on Saturday I will take the first SAT that actually counts. I just love having additional stress!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Work Out
Work Out is (was?) one of my favorite shows. I tend to like shows that follow people around and give you at least some impression of what their life is like, (like Kathy Griffin, Little People Big World) and there are very few shows on Bravo that I can't stand, and only a few more that I'd rather not watch. So I started watching Work Out when it came out last year, and I've watched it at least semi-regularly ever since, even though it comes on a little past my bedtime.
For the past couple episodes, though, I've been getting really annoyed with Jackie. I can't stand the way that she's treated Brian Peeler, and I just think that her (understandably) more-stressed-out self is kind of irritating, especially since she so often takes her anger out on other people. I think that she doesn't really understand, or even attempt to understand, other people. It's almost as if she feels like she doesn't have to. I would love to tell her that she does, if her business is going to really succeed.
(And about the business? Maybe if she related more to her trainers they wouldn't all have such issues.)
For the past couple episodes, though, I've been getting really annoyed with Jackie. I can't stand the way that she's treated Brian Peeler, and I just think that her (understandably) more-stressed-out self is kind of irritating, especially since she so often takes her anger out on other people. I think that she doesn't really understand, or even attempt to understand, other people. It's almost as if she feels like she doesn't have to. I would love to tell her that she does, if her business is going to really succeed.
(And about the business? Maybe if she related more to her trainers they wouldn't all have such issues.)
Sunday, June 1, 2008
SAT-IIs are killing me
I'm taking the Math II Subject Test in less than a week. My scores are not boosting my confidence.
Diagnostic: 650
Test 1: 680
Test 2: 720! Yes!
Test 3: 670. What happened?
Computer Test 1: 660. ????
My rational side is reminding myself that Barron's is famously more difficult than the actual test, but 650? 660? That's crazy!
I think I'm going to sit down and take a practice test that was actually given a few years ago. My math teacher gave it to me. My biggest fear is that I'll do worse. Wish me luck.
Diagnostic: 650
Test 1: 680
Test 2: 720! Yes!
Test 3: 670. What happened?
Computer Test 1: 660. ????
My rational side is reminding myself that Barron's is famously more difficult than the actual test, but 650? 660? That's crazy!
I think I'm going to sit down and take a practice test that was actually given a few years ago. My math teacher gave it to me. My biggest fear is that I'll do worse. Wish me luck.
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