The message is loud and clear: testing is the entire point and purpose of public education in the U.S. today.

My children have almost two months of school left, but for all practical purposes school is over by the 14th of April. You see the AIMS testing is happening during the second week of April here. This test is all you hear about from the time school begins. It’s is the nationwide test that serves the purpose of determining how smart our children are and thus if their school and teachers did their job to government satisfaction. (There’s a scary thought.) The entire year is spent cramming and training for success in taking the test. One could argue - I know I often do - that this “coaching to test well” has replaced teaching.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that my daughter’s math tutoring program ended last week. It doesn’t matter that there’s nearly two full months of school left, nor that she was running at full steam finally grasping many of the concepts. Similarly, I heard the announcement over the intercom last week at my son’s school that art classes were also finished for the year. I’m looking around wondering if I’m the only one who thinks it doesn’t make sense to end teaching programs two months before school is out. When I went to school you had maybe one or two days of freebies at the very end of the year which involved cleaning desks, tables, turning in books, etc. I can’t figure out why they don’t move the testing back a month making full use of their time and keeping learning going.

To me the message is loud and clear that learning is not the focus or primary objective for our public education system nor the many government regulated programs surrounding it like “No Child Left Behind Act.” No wonder we’re behind on the learning curve. And if we think our kids aren’t smart enough to figure this out then we’re in even bigger trouble.

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Parenting School Blogging

Yesterday on the drive to school I was addressing words and phrases with my son. He was on a “what the heck?!” kick. I told him maybe we could come up with a better one. He naturally questioned why and I tried to explain that even though “heck” isn’t a bad word it is used as a replacement for a swear word so it’s really not a great choice. He snickered and said “What the heck?!” again under breaths of giggles. Ah - reasoning with a five year old.

So I tried a different approach. I gave him some silly examples of made up words and phrases like “Golly Wolly!” and such. He laughed but didn’t want to let go of his precious heck phrase. So I offered “Oh Boy!” explaining how that one phrase can work for every situation and every emotion. Then I proceeded to give examples of all the ways and inflections you could use which led to rolls of laughter from the back seat. While he liked the idea, I could tell as we walked to his playground he still wasn’t completely sold.

So you can visualize my reaction yesterday when I opened his calendar to see a yellow square (stop light theory for behavior) and read the words at the bottom:

“Oh Boy!”

*sigh*

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Funnies School Sharing Motherhood

Friday mornings I help out at my son’s Kindergarten class. I’m quite certain I get the most education from it. They were talking about paper for their science unit today and I helped the kids make paper sculptures. To say that my son enjoyed the project would be an understatement, in fact, as you’ll see below he brought extra paper home to keep working on his masterpiece. His design started as more a Hot Wheels creation with loops and tracks and grew into what I think is best described as something from a Dr. Seuss book.

One of their assignments was to take the label of “This is made of paper” and attach it to something appropriate. In good form, he put his label on his own work of art. *smile*

Note the concentration tongue as he continues to work on it at home.

He may have a future in engineering as every time he added more height he’d go back and add supports on either side to help it stand up straight. Have I mentioned lately how much I love 5 year olds?

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Kelly asked this week if anyone knows a teacher who qualifies for passing the torch. She describes such a teacher as:

“Teachers who adopt their students for a year, as if they’re their own kids; who find ways to help even the neediest child to learn; who network with other master teachers to discover best practices to use in their classrooms; who share their expertise with parents to help them become more effective; who know their “kids”, love their “kids” and hurt if one moves away.”

I do know one of these teachers and I am so blessed that she is working with my daughter this year! As one who could have chosen many fields to excel in, she choose education specifically for the purpose of being this kind of teacher. Taking her own personal experience and using it to fuel her desire to help her students with different needs and learning styles find success, she is amazing at helping each student feel successful. Consequently she has more than her share of student who fit this description and it actually seems to feed her success with each of them. She’s amazing. She tells them how amazing and smart they already are, pointing out so many skills they’ve already mastered and how hard the were. And I’ve never known anyone who works harder at getting the message through to her students that you don’t compare yourself to anyone but yourself. How grateful I am for this!

I knew on ‘meet the teacher night’ my prayers had been answered when I walked away feeling excited for my daughter instead of anxious. FINALLY - a teacher who cared more about the students individually and their learning/mastering important life skills than the new guidelines, reports, tests, programs and procedures. With this being my daughter’s fourth grade year, and the continued push for more curriculum and higher expectations, this attitude in today’s education world was something I didn’t even dare hope for. Yet here she is, a teacher who really knows my daughter and cares deeply for her. She calls me with any concern and made my heart leap for joy at our first parent teacher conference when she told me how much of me she sees in my daughter…that she knows right from wrong and she works hard every day to choose the right. As a parent, these are the BIG questions that you have and worry about with your kids. Have you taught them enough to stand up for what’s right even among the peer pressure they are bombarded with every day? To hear a comment like that is like a spring rain that just renews hope and courage in a mother’s heart.

This post is in tribute of my daughter’s teacher and every other teacher that fits Kelly’s description. I wish we could clone them. *grin*

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School Motherhood ADHD Success Blogging

Last week my friend Kelly issued a challenge to blog about our goals and resolutions for this school year. Like her, I find that so much of my calendar rotates around school that it sure makes sense to give some attention and direction to it.

I’ve decided my primary goal this year for both my kids is to keep focus. By doing this I’ll be able to keep things more relaxed and hopefully feed the fun of learning. It has taken me a few years to realize that the push and stress of my children’s teachers and schools do not have to be owned or accepted by me; that my role of homeschooling is to keep my kids happy and healthy, enjoying learning without pressure and/or stress. They’re kids for crying out loud and they have their whole lives to master the concepts they are being exposed to now. You won’t get that from today’s education system in the states though. Everything continues to be pushed harder, faster, and earlier with more regulation and emphasis on the testing. Never mind actually learning or understanding that content. I believe wholeheartedly that our kids are smarter than we often give them credit. And I further believe we tend to underestimate their capabilities, but that doesn’t mean that developmentally they are ready for the regimented curriculum and tasks we are throwing at them earlier and earlier or that it’s in their best interest.

For example, this year I was looking over the performance expectations for Kindergarten. It didn’t look like Kindergarten requirements to me. My son’s teacher confirmed my concerns by telling me that this year’s Kindergarten curriculum is last year’s first grade curriculum. Check it out:
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I have a growing frustration about our educational standards in the United States today. I’ve voiced some of my concerns in the past. Today the fires of my frustration have been refueled.

I don’t want to be misunderstood so I’m starting with a point that I want to make crystal clear. I am in complete support of the goal this legislation was created for. I too believe that our educators need to be held accountable for teaching and that our youth benefit from the best education possible. What I strongly disagree with are the methods the act uses. And here’s my primary reason why: Common sense, development and individual needs should be the paramount considerations. Currently, they are secondary - if regarded at all.
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So I’m just sitting down at my computer for the first real time this week. I’m so behind on everything! It’s crazy but my morning computer time is like a cup of coffee for most people. I don’t do well without it and the last two days have been crazy and filled with getting ready for school things. So today I’m restoring some balance. I know I won’t have enough time to get all caught up but at least I’ll get a start.

Both kids are back in school. That almost seems surreal. I’m very happy that my little guy got into the early kindergarten program of our school district but I’m pretty bummed about the commute to get him there. It’s not nearly as bad as it could be, not even as bad as it was when I took my daughter to a different school her second grade year, but it’s enough. Just having to plan the morning routines to allow for all the unknowns of traffic, etc. can be a strain. This morning we just made it in time to his classroom because there were about 4 miles of cars parked everywhere around his school. We had to hurry with the walk to get there on time and the first/only thing he said when he got to the classroom was how tired he was from walking because there were too many cars! His teacher seems to be a really nice and I think they’ll hit it off great. She’s got more of a grandmother’s love and touch which tells me she’s been at this a long time and she’s in it because her heart is in the kids. In fact this morning the handout she gave each parent as she placed a name tag on their child was called “Whose Child is this?” It’s too precious not to share:

“Whose child is this?” I asked one day,
Seeing a little one out at play.
“Mine” said the parent with a tender smile.
“Mine to keep a little while,
To bathe his hands and comb his hair,
To tell him what he is to wear,
To prepare him that he may always be good,
And each day do the things he should.”

“Whose child is this?” I asked again,
As the door opened and someone came in.
“Mine”, said the teacher with the same tender smile.
“Mine to keep just for a little while,
To Teach him how to be gentle and kind,
To train and direct his dear little mind,
To help him live by every rule,
And get the best he can from school.”

“Whose child is this?” I asked once more,
Just as the little one entered the door.
“Ours” said the parent and teacher as they smiled.
And each took the hand of the little child,
“Ours to love and train together,
Ours this wonderful task forever.”

I thought it very sweet that she would be thinking of so many parents in this tender way on their child’s first day of Kindergarten. I think I’ve lucked out once again with a fantastic teacher for my little guy.

My daughter’s school starts just ten minutes behind my son’s. I knew she’d be late if I tried to take her with me to drop him off first. It’s hard to believe she’s already so big and independent. She waited at home for my phone call at 8:05 to tell her it was time for her to leave. She put the garage door back down with the key pad and walked to school. I’m so proud of her! The only thing I knew I’d need to manage was having her wait for a call to leave because she was so excited to go this morning! I’m not sure when they both grew up but they’re already leaps and bounds ahead of where I’m ready for them to be and I see no end in sight.

Yesterday we tackled my daughter’s bedroom to make sure everything was where it should be for school today. She set up her week’s outfits with such pride and enthusiasm. I wish you could bottle that first of the year excitement for later in the year when you all need a little shot in the arm. She’s getting a HUGE surprise this weekend that she knows nothing about. I can’t wait for that. Her birthmom is making a stop at our house for a few nights on her travel plans back home. It’s been 5 years since we saw her last and ironically Cidderbug has been talking a lot lately about wanting so much to see her again. It’s going to be a really fun weekend! And now I know there’s clean sheets on the bed and no hidden surprises under it! *laugh*

Well, my time has already expired if I hope to get the child free grocery trip in before it’s time to pick up my little guy. Some days I really wish I had one of those time turners like Hermione used to get more done.

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Parenting School Sharing Motherhood Balance Blogging

Somedays I feel like I must be the world’s best second guesser. I catch myself doing this all the time. Notice that at least now I know to catch myself! That’s got to be worth some brownie points doesn’t it? Anyway, in school I was always told never to second guess myself on testing, to go with my first reaction/answer. I have to admit I never really mastered that even though I tried. I always have such a desire to be certain that I had great difficulty leaving an answer alone if I wasn’t positive. And most of the time the teachers were right, my first answer was correct.

The good news is that I’ve found this easier as a mom than I ever did as a student. Don’t get me wrong, I still have many moments of beating myself up for things I wished I done better, etc. But by in large I’ve learned to listen to my mother instincts. I had one experience when my daughter was entering first grade when I didn’t listen to my gut and it proved to be a situation where I really should have. I knew from the moment I met my daughter’s teacher that the combination was not going to work. Mid year I asked if we could consider changing a teacher but the principal wasn’t ready to do that I wasn’t as bold as I needed to be to make it happen. That is one thing I regret and if I could go back I’d have made a necessary change the moment my gut sent up a warning flag. But from that I learned to act on my mothering instincts with great confidence and determination. Today it paid off for my son.

I recently shared the experience of having my son tested to qualify for a Kindergarten program. And heaven knows I’ve vented more than a few times about school related frustrations. So this morning’s call telling me my son qualified for one of our district’s Kindergarten integration programs was truly a mini victory for me.

As I visited with the lady on the phone I told her that he tested right where I thought he would and that my desire has never been to push him, but to make sure the opportunities for learning and growth were available to him. She said that’s the whole purpose for the program he qualified for. (And on a mother’s bragging right card the program only accepted 40 of the kids tested for the entire district! Way to go Taylor!)

So today I’m enjoying that taste of victory for being right. That’s such a good feeling. I’m not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but I am learning with greater confidence and conviction to listen to my gut as a mom.

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Family Parenting School Emotions Motherhood Success

Earlier today I responded in a discussion about raising high spirited children. It took place between a group of adoptive moms, which incidentally is a group that is no newbie to the high spirited child. As I looked over what I wrote I decided much of it was worthy of being repeated here.

There’s something about a mother’s heart that helps us understand our children. I believe it is a gift that helps us be prepared for them as well a powerful resource that can help us know how to help them as they grow. I think it can help speak peace to our hearts when we come across things that just feel right. That mother’s intuition was something I’d heard about before I was a mother - the times and examples when a mother just knew something about her child. But it took experience as mother to truly comprehend and appreciate it.
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Isn’t it interesting how no matter where you go you can find stereotypes? I just returned from a testing event at a local elementary school. I’d like to find out if my son, who misses the Kindergarten cut off by a few weeks, could still go to Kindergarten this fall. The only surprise was how many kids it appears they’re testing. I was originally thinking about 100 or so but after today I’ll bet it’s at or over the 500 mark.

As I sat there it was impossible not to take in some of the personalities of the room. They told us in many workshops for my daughter’s acting that the best advice for any mother is to avoid other mothers at an audition. Women are generally caddy anyway but in these competitive settings the stories of what takes place were down right brutal with many moms trying to intimidate and eliminate as much of the competition as possible on their own. I’ve met a few of those “stage moms” and it’s not hard to picture those scenarios they warned us about. Today was no different watching some mothers interact. I suppose there’s one in every batch, but in the third wave a new mom entered the scene which fit the “barracuda” bill most perfectly. She dressed in intimidating and professional black attire, wore smart looking glasses and was extremely confrontational and loud. She immediately started asking the staff for percentages in front of the entire room. She wanted to know how many kids are tested and of those what percentage qualify, etc. A sweet woman (who obviously has dealt with this type before) simply told her none of them have that information as it is handled at district office and they simply help with the testing. She promptly sat down a little agitated, but not before making a big scene about her son telling her the colors of several markers in a box and giving him a paper to trace his name on. Then she proceeded to initiate discussion with a woman next her about how much better things were done in New York when she lived there. The conversation remained dominated by her sharing how brilliant and gifted her son is and how much better he is than all his other classmates combined. I had to suppress a giggle or two at the flashy show and self importance of it all.

And it makes me question the motivation of those present. It’s small of me I know, but I doubt that there are as many parents there for the best well-being of their child as there were for their own agendas and personal conveniences. How many have primed and pushed their kids to avoid another year of arranging and paying for day care or to have them reflect well on themselves and how many are really in touch with their children and have their best interests at heart? I know it only matters what I am there for and the needs of my child, but it was so in the face for me that I couldn’t resist the wondering about others.

It’s sad to see so many adults making education a competition. Isn’t the world full of enough competitive reality already? Barracuda’s breeding future barracudas….yikes.

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