Katherine

In such a typical "middle child" thing to do (suffer quietly while the attention is bestowed upon older and younger siblings), Katherine informed me just last week that she has been missing recess consistently for months, due to unfinished class work. Needless to say this was all horrifying to me (missing recess to complete work, her keeping it to her self for so long, and the fact that the teacher had not been in contact with me to let me know what was going on).

Rather than share the whole letter I will quote a portion of it here, in which I directly address my distaste for missing recess to complete work.

"While I agree that the work needs to be completed, I would like to try, with your assistance and guidance, to find out why that is, and take steps to correct the problem, rather than just have her miss recess to get it done."

Of course, that was a lot tamer than what was going through my head. Something that the teacher brought up at Katherine's Parent-Teacher Conference back in November was that Katherine's social behaviors sometimes get in the way of her academics (read: talking too much). I wonder exactly how taking recess away will help in that regard? As it is, the kids only have that 15 minutes in a six and a half hour day of unstructured free play. Taking that time away for any reason (most especially not completing class work) is certainly not going to help her pay attention and talk less. I wonder why teachers, who seriously should know this stuff and should make the connection, don't?

I also wonder why the first step wouldn't be to figure out why she isn't finishing her work. Is she being allowed that recess time and still not paying attention/talking too much? Is it too much or too hard for her? Is there some other distraction?

I understand the idea behind taking recess away, besides the obvious part of the work needing to be done. I am guessing the hope is that the child will make the connection that if they don't finish their work they will miss recess. In some cases, maybe that is true, and maybe the problem would be solved. After months of though? I think it's time to explore other options.

Parent-Teacher Conferences:Emily

They went the same as they do every year. Something like this, just for reference:

"Emily is a very bright young lady. She participates well, is eager to learn, is very helpful, asks a lot of questions and is a pleasure to have in class. The only concern I have for her is her lack of organization."

Her World Geography teacher added the following statement (which made me want to...well...hug him, if such a thing were appropriate):

"The only concern I have for Emily is her organization. She'll come to class sometimes and not have what she needs, but, she has a "B" so obviously it can't be affecting her that much."

Finally someone who gets it. Maybe she could e getting an "A" if she were more organized but a "B"? Is not bad. More importantly, if she is content with it than it should matter that she could be doing this or that.

Emily's Middle School Experience So Far

Mostly? It's been good. I mean, she seems happy (most of the time at least), likes switching classes and seems to like her teachers. Really the only thing that has been too much for her? The absurd amount of organization that they expect out of an 11 year old, let alone one who has more trouble with this sort of thing than the everyday 11 year old.

For lack of a better way of wording this, I am going to list the "problems" we have had with organizational type things so far this year:

-lost her agenda that she needs everyday.
-missed two math assignments (although they weren't technically missing, she had them in her folder and just forgot to turn them in when the teacher asked).
-forgot a rough draft of a paper she needed in order to write the final draft.
-forgot to bring home a modified study guide her social studies teacher gave her ( but YAY for her social studies teacher actually following her 504 plan)
-has been late to math class once
-is late to homeroom frequently( although in all fairness her bus is one of the last ones to arrive thanks to us living on the other side of town, but I am fairly certain it arrives in plenty of time for her to get to class).
-forgot to write a rough draft of a paper, or even tell me about the final draft being due...found out when I called the homework hot line.

To me? This seems like a lot...considering we are only ending the 2nd full week of school. There are some people who are going to argue that this is just a "kid being a kid." while I agree on some level, the truth is? This is by no means some thing we can let go, nor is it something that I think most kids go through. If that were true, that all kids in her age group were this disorganized, I sincerely doubt the expectations of those in charge would be the same. In other words, if it was the norm for kids her age to forget their things, lose their things and be late to things, it would be unlikely that those in charge would expect that of them, or at least not to the degree that they do. It's not like I am saying that makes it so there is something wrong with Emily...just that she's a little more unique than one might think, and perhaps her way of doing things (or even not doing them) is a little different then what would be considered "average" for her age. The bottom line is, while I don't think it's ok to insist on doing anything to inherently change her, if she is to "survive" in this crazy little world called "middle school"she is going to have to make some changes in the way she does things.

I spoke with her guidance counselor the other day. She in turn met with Emily yesterday. I also know that the guidance counselor has been going to all of the classrooms during SSR time (Silent Sustained Reading) and speaking with all of the 6th grade classes about middle school, organization, "talk aloud strategies" and various other things. Both the guidance counselor and Emily's math teacher who I met briefly at Open House have said Emily has a wonderful attitude, is willing to accept help, and that she is a "good kid." So that will certainly help her in the long run.

Next Up: Organizing ideas...both mental and physical that may help.

Middleboro School News

Of note to local readers...

The Middleboro School Committee is looking at saving energy costs. YAY! More money for the kids and green living...works for me!

And, perhaps even more exciting than that...

The School Committee has decided against pursuing the extended learning time initiative.

NCLB Etc.

When, I ask you, are the higher ups going to get off their high horse and do away with the stupid law?

This article caught my attention this morning.

There are a couple of things that really set me off, first and foremost of course, is the money. It's wrong to expect the state and town to come up with the money for something the feds hand down. Take some responsibility for your actions (what am I thinking...responsibility and government don't even belong in the same paragraph). If you can't fund it, kill it.


Something else? If the federal government is the one handing down these silly laws, then why is it up to the state to set the standards which need to be met? I have said before that I don't think the feds should be involved in any form, but, if they have to be, they could at least support and stand behind their initiatives.

Speaking on behalf of my own town, as it stands now, we are only level funded from last year. Last year we were functioning (barely) on a budget that was drastically reduced (as in more than 30 positions cut). So all of the "bad stuff" going on last year will continue this year. Great. It's certainly better than being cut again but still? When are the kids going to get the support they deserve and need? And how the heck are we supposed to come up with the money to fund programs that will help us make AYP and other goals when we can't even hire a librarian to staff the media center in the elementary schools? An override? Maybe but even I don't think that's a good idea. I'd support one again because when faced with no other options what else can you do? The kids shouldn't suffer.

I'm telling you, I'd support and extended school day before I'd support NCLB and federal involvement in education.

Ugh.

I don't think...

...I have ever had a bad thing to say about the Middleboro Public School System but, I am appalled that I have not yet been officially informed that Emily has a long term (more than likely until the end of the year) sub in her classroom right now. Emily has informed me of this verbally but I think that it is crazy to expect a 10 year old to tell this to her parents and leave it at that. It is the school's job to inform parents for a major change in the classroom. I realize that there is only a month and a half of school left but it still seems like something I should be getting official word on.

Am I wrong here? I mean, maybe I am over reacting?

*UPDATE* Emily came home with a letter today! YAY! I knew the higher ups wouldn't disappoint!

Emily's 504 Plan: The Details

Emily is currently on a 504 Accommodation Plan based on her diagnosis of ADHD. Her plan is reviewed every March, and added to or changed if needed. Her current accommodations are as follows:

-Preferential seating
-Parent/teacher communication as needed
-Reminders to bring home important papers at the end of the day
-Frequent verbal cues prior to giving directions and transitioning
-Rules and expectations should be clear, explicit, and consistently reviewed for understanding
-Small group and alternate site for testing
-Checklists and graphic organizers
-Time lines for longer assignments
-Check agenda and material daily
-Study guides and outlines as needed

I can tell you right now, only some of these are being adhered to. I really don't see it as much of a concern now (although I often wonder how much better she would be doing if she was more organized and together, which would be helped by following the above accommodations) but I am so concerned about next year (middle school) that I am practically having anxiety attacks about it. As it stands right now academically, she is doing well enough to succeed (mostly 3's which is Middleboro means at grade level standard). Could she be doing even better if she was more organized both mentally and physically? I think so. I haven't really worried to much about it because at grade level standard? That's not something to be concerned about really, is it? Unless of course (which my counselor pointed out and I have often thought), she is gifted. Then, at grade level standard might be a concern. What really worries me about next year though, is how much more organized she will need to be (compared to elementary school) just to get by, let alone get to grade level standards or beyond. While I hope some of the needed organization skills will come with maturity, I also know that some of this? It's just the "way she is." Did I mention she has a known abnormality (diagnosed via MRI during the whole Epilepsy diagnosis saga) in the frontal lobe of her brain (the very area which "controls" the so called executive functions of the brain, as well as planning and memory)? So yes, maturity may help, but I question how much it will help.

I feel like I have failed her in a way, not really taking the necessary steps to make sure her 504 plan accommodations are being met. I don't want to be known as "one of those parents" who constantly calls the school, demands services for their child, and in general is just a pain in the ass. Because really? I'm not. Also, authority figures that by the very nature of their job title and/or degree are supposed to know about these things and have a tendency to make you feel inferior, they scare me. Scare the hell out of me if I am being honest. For some reason I live in this world which I think , "If there's a plan in place, they must be following it because well, they're supposed to." After I bang my head on the desk though and come back to reality, I know that while the plan is there, it may not be being enforced and the only way it will be is if I make sure that it is. To that end, not only am I going to take some initiative and meet with the necessary people prior to next year even starting, I am going to request that the following accommodations be added to her existing plan:

-tap on desk or use some other code to bring child back in to focus.
-notify family immediately of any missing or late assignments by phone or email.
-provide Emily with a simple outline and/or notes for lectures.
-allow for expedient make up of late or incorrectly done homework. If deduction for lateness works to the curb problem, keep doing it. If not, recognize the problem as an uncorrectable disability.
-provide an extra set of books for home.

I think the addition of these accommodations, combined with maturity and medication, will really get Emily off on the right foot for the beginning of next year.

Extended Learning Time: My Take

I have been researching the expanded school year initiative that seems to be taking form across the country, perhaps with more intensity then a person with just a mild interest would. While all areas of public education are of great interest to me, this particular piece has recently become the cornerstone of my research, due in part to the fact that my town has been awarded a grant to study the possibility of implementing an expanded learning time plan in one of the elementary schools, as well as the middle school.

The reason behind the initiative is simple. It would seem that more time in school would result in more learning and better student performance. What I have learned through my reading is that it is not quite that easy. Other factors, like improving the quality of the instructional time have been shown to be equally beneficial, in particular to certain groups of students (such as low income and others who may have limited time for learning outside of school). Other considerations of course, are the money and politics behind expanding learning time, as well as others (aside from the obvious students, teachers and parents) who may be affected by a change in school time. These people would include employers, and many other industries who are dependent on the traditional school day and year.

As anyone who has paid any attention to the current situation in public education knows, educators face never before seen pressures to raise student achievement. Federal and local mandates are handed down and schools are in effect, "threatened" if the requirements aren't meant. The concern behind the increased pressure is that in today's high tech world, students who are not adequately prepared, will not not succeed in this environment. While there may be some truth behind that in specific cases, it seems to me that one thing is being overlooked. The very people who had a hand in inventing, or at least bringing to the forefront some of the technological advances we see today, were educated on a 6 1/2 hour, 180 day school year. This of course is not true of those in other countries, some of which are in school year round, or for longer periods of time on a day to day basis. Still? We (we being anyone who has been educated in the United States public education sector for the past 100 years or so) are doing ok, aren't we? I mean, I'm getting down to the bare basics here, but isn't part of life, learning as you go? We didn't know how to, for example use the Internet when we were in school because, for most of us, it may have been "invented" but it wasn't as mainstream as it is today. There certainly weren't any classes we could take to learn the ins and outs of the Internet, email, or even computers in general. We just learned as we went. And, some of us, on perhaps a broader level, had a hand in pioneering some of these things, even though we were only educated for 6 1/2 hours per day. So why, I ask, is this extended day necessary? Is the current generation incapable of doing just what we did as the world continues to advance?

That being said, if such things are a concern on a national level, more focus should be on those who actually need the extended time. While this could open all kinds of doors for lawsuits and discrimination claims (speaking of current trends), it seems unfair for a student who is successful in this age of high stakes testing to be forced in to an extended day or year. It stands to reason that these tests are a reflection of what students are expected to know in order to succeed in the world. Moreover, while it seems true that a more affluent student may have more access to educational resources outside of school than a poor or minority student, it would be inappropriate to include all poor, minority or even special needs students in the group of students deemed in need of an extended learning day, based on that fact alone (i.e., it should not be assumed that all poor, minority or special needs students will not succeed without the extended time because, some, in fact will, and some more affluent students will not). Each decision should be on a case by case basis, and, in the best possible scenario, it should be a student's (with the help of a parent in the case of younger students) choice to participate in such a program.

I have long thought that homework was a waste of time, but, if this extended learning time plan is implemented, it should be eliminated completely from the curriculum. The idea behind homework is to torture the parent and child reinforce what was taught during the day. Extending the day really should provide more time to "reinforce" while there, with hands on learning, field trips, and other "reinforcing" type activities. Taking in to consideration also, everything else that needs to be done when school is out (extra curricular activities, dinner, showers, quality time with the family), extending the day and including homework, would not only seem like overkill, but also not in any way beneficial. The whole thing would be rushed and just done in a manner reflective of getting to the next thing on the list, which truthfully, in this house is how it gets done now, without the added pressure of a longer day.

When it comes down to it, what matters most is those moments, which seem far and few between right now, in which students are engaged in activities that are adequately challenging, and at the same time, allow them to experience success. It seems to me that this type of learning could be achieved without the consequence of adding hours or days to the existing school year. It would be behoove those "in charge" to prepare a study in which the current way time is used in schools is studied intensely, improved upon within the current structure, and further evaluated after, to see if in fact, extending the day is the way to go.

Being A Parent Volunteer

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked to speak at the volunteer meetings being held at the MECC. I did so eagerly, even if I was asked the first time 5 minutes before the meeting started. I am a fairly confident speaker and how could I possibly be nervous speaking about one of my favorite things in the world?

I did well, at least from my perspective. Talking about being a parent volunteer, my love of the Middleboro School System, and being an active member of the PTA, even off the cuff, is something I never have trouble with.

I focussed mostly on what it meant to me personally, but also pointed out what a positive effect I think it has on the kids. I also discussed how being a parent volunteer keeps you "in the know." I love feeling like I have an inside track on what is going on.

I am always happy to speak on what it means to be a part of the Middleboro Schools family, even if I feel that words can't always adequately describe.

Why I Love Middleboro Schools

-Emily knows the superintendent, and he knows her. I already knew of course that he was awesome, if based just on the fact that he attends (as do the principals) every PTA meeting but, the fact that he knows my daughter? That means he is in the schools, meeting with the kids, visiting classrooms and watching performances. That, people, is a good superintendent. I know for a fact, not all of them are like that.

-The level of appreciation from staff and administration for volunteering is phenomenal. It almost makes doing the Entertainment book fund raiser worth it! Seriously, it so nice to be appreciated!

-Despite functioning on a budget that is $1 million less than last year's, the level of enthusiasm and that "Welcome Home" feeling are still alive and well. It proves that while money matters, enthusiasm can work wonders.

In other unrelated news, I got the "unofficial" official word that Katherine will be getting Title I reading help again this year. I am very happy that she will have the same person as she did last year, and so is the person who said this to me last night: "I love when I get the same kids as I had last year, especially the good kids."

Also unrelated, but noteworthy just the same, Emily has decided to join the chorus at school this year. She is very excited about this naturally, and I am sure she will love it!