Early Release Day

Mindless, wasted day. School ends at 12:10. Must include Art and Lunch. Must give at least an hour for the Math PreTest (which most everyone BOMBED). Bathroom breaks. Oh, yes. It is also PICTURE DAY!!!!! Are you kidding me? Guess how much genuine instruction I got in? That would be none.

After school was dismissed, we had to take the faculty picture on the playscape (0n which I climbed to the top because I wore my khaki walking shorts and tennis shoes - hey, don't judge, it's 86 freaking degrees here!!! and it was jean day) and then we had PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.

I've had about all the professional learning I can take. We had to read and "jigsaw" (fancy term for reading and giving a book report) a chapter about data and data teams; we had to meet as a grade level team about data and then we had to meet in the big group and report on data. We didn't leave until nearly four o'clock. That's three hours I'll never get back.

Conference Week Roundup

• Bob Marley's mom came - late - apple doesn't fall far from the tree - and she told me that she doesn't agree with him having to take the Super Big State Test because she knows that he is smart; she believes he is almost gifted (!), but I told her I had neither written nor passed the legislation, I just had to get him through the test. I also told her that he was basically counting on his fingers when we were doing timed multiplication tests. That he was reading at least two grades below grade level. That he can't string coherent sentences together. She found that hard to believe. I want to know what part of FantasyLand she is living in and when I can get my condo.
• The sweetest kid in my class is also the MOST unorganized boy in my room. He might win an award for being one of the most unorganized kids I have ever met. His parents came today and his dad (Mr. Trial Attorney/Mr. Anal Retentive/Mr. BlueTooth in His Ear ALL THE DAMNED TIME/Mr. Indiana Jones Hat on His Head) asked what he could do for his kid. (How sweet to hear those words.) I assured him that half the kids had the same problem and I suggested that Mr. Anal Retentive come one afternoon and give a pep talk, organizational lecture on how to keep your desk, notebook and backpack organized. AND HE SAID YES.
• Only one parent stood me up.
• No one yelled.
• No one cried.
• I understand my kids SO MUCH after seeing and hearing their parents.
• The ones in denial are in deep, deep denial (she knows her facts at home) but everyone else understands what strengths and weaknesses their children have.
• Scary Principal Daddy is a pompous ass. If he can be in administration in this county, your monkey's uncle could probably be in administration.
• I came home and slept the sleep of the dead. (Chinese food all around) Conference week is the most mind boggling, time consuming, life sucking week of the year. There has to be a better way and somebody's monkey's uncle needs to find it.

Conference Week

In the past, our county has mandated two conference weeks; one in the fall and one in the spring. Apparently, we have wasted too much time with parents by doing this, so this year, the powers that be decided to consolidate our conferences into January conference week. Five days of conferences, starting the day after the MLK holiday. All of these days are early release days which mean that I lose the little darlings at 12:10. I'm just getting warmed up at 12:10, people. By said dismissal, we've had to cram in our specials and lunch. My team insists on teaching math and then I insist on a little Social Studies and Reading. And bibbidy bobbidy boo... the school day is magically over and parents begin to invade my private space.



Today wasn't as bad as I expected. Of course, there was the parent who told me her daughter did know her math facts at home. (Well, she doesn't know them or won't do them at school. She managed to get an F in math from her math teacher - phew- it wasn't me - but, by golly, she knows her facts.) And, I haven't had my conference with scary assistant principal daddy. So, we'll see how it goes. After all, tomorrow is Wednesday.