This week marks the final week for EDU 586. It has been an interesting and enlightening experience. I have had my first blog, such as it is. I have also learned to use programs such as Audacity to create lessons and podcast materials. I also was able to learn some useful tips for operating Microsoft Office 2007 that have made my life easier and that I have been able to share with colleagues as well.

Starting my gportfolio has also been most helpful as it will allow me to pull things together much faster in the future as I (hopefully) am able to complete my Masters Degree program at Georgetown College.

This year is becoming a real grind. Last year, we were being held up as some sort of model for other Title I schools. This year it seems we are below the bar. What has changed? Nothing much on our end. A lot, apparently, has changed downtown. The same folks who praised us last year had a walk thru a few weeks ago and just trashed us. We scored the equivalent of Novice or Apprentice in every category that they rated us in. As a result, our director has become even more involved and is causing us to spend so much time planning math and reading under these newer guidelines that we don’t have time to do anything else. It is very frustrating and demoralizing. The effect on staff morale is palpable as we become more cynical and stressed. All of this in the name of reaching some arbitrary standard (100+) that none of us can articulate and which means nothing to our stakeholders.

No one expects this job to be easy, but this is absurd. Recently, one of our best and brightest teachers shared with me that she is spending so much time progress monitoring, and force feeding her first graders to complete open response questions to an almost unattainable standard of a “4″ that she’s no longer teaching. All of this so some “suits” can feel good about themselves and our hallways can be filled with “quality work” and no fluff. It must really suck to be a kid these days. I loved school so much that it inspired me to want to be a teacher. School was fun and we learned so much! Today’s kids get nothing but Readin’, Writin’, and ‘Rithmetic for the whole day. I used to say we didn’t teach to the test, but now we clearly do just that and nothing else. Where are our future historians and scientists going to come from. Not to mention our great thinkers and problem solvers. One thing’s for sure, not from KY Public Schools.

rant over

L-A-FAYE-T-T-E Lafayette! The cheer could be heard resounding throughout the emptying stands and parking lots surrounding Papa John’s Stadium (The Oven) in Louisville, KY late on the night of November 1st, 2008. Once again “The Pride of the Bluegrass” had won the KMEA State Marching Band title (Class 5A) defeating the mighty Paul Lawrence Dunbar band in the finals by a margin of nearly 2 points. Parents, students and alumni were stoked.

For Lafayette it was familiar territory. 23 times they have made it to the finals (out of 23 attempts) and for the 15th time they took home top honors. Only Adair County (Class 3A) has achieved more with 18 titles in that same span. Next up for the band was a trip to Indy for the BOA (Bands of America) regional where they would face the heavyweights of Indiana (Lawrence Central, Carmel, and Avon) along with Marian Catholic from Chicago Heights, IL and Centerville (Ohio). Lafayette’s show this year was called Allure and featured music from both “Carmen” and “Bolero”.

Lafayette finished 5th at the BOA contest, the only one that they didn’t win this season. The band previously won titles at Boyle County and Grant County as well as placing first in the KMEA 5A East Region Quarterfinals held at Tates Creek in Lexington.

My chance to vent! On Monday, the elementary directors for our county conducted our first rectal, err walk through exam. Last year, we were commended during these visits for having many things they were looking for in place and our syatematic approach to instruction. What a difference a year makes. We are now apparently boobs without a clue. In every category we scored the equivalent on apprentice or in some cases novice. Very little of a positive nature was said even though we haven’t changed what we are doing at all except to step up our efforts in planning and aligning instructional practices.

This is so discouraging to me and has angered many of our staff. We are woeking so hard and have come so far as a school only to get this metaphorical kick in the teeth for our efforts. I hate to think what will happen if we are unsuccessful in our efforts to reach our goal of 100, whatever that means.

It’s our first of two annual conference nights. I’m glad we didn’t have class tonight as I have several families that I need to speak with. This gives us the opportunity to meet with those who are unable to come during my planning period or afterschool. Of course with the way that administators are demanding more and more of our time, I guess this is really the only time we can meet with parents anyway.

This is a great product for educators. The program features a spiralling curriculum which adresses the primary learning goals set by the state of kentucky as well as national standards. The program is very “hands on” and emphasises games and manipulatives over tedious repetition (sometimes referred to as drill and practice, or “drill and kill”)

jp.mp3Check it out! Soggy Bottom Boys meet Darth Vader on pain killers. LOL

No, not the song by David Crowder* Band, the Ryder Cup. The US team won the three day match held at Valhalla CC in Jefferson County over the weekend. It was great and was especially satisfying due to the presence of locals Kenny Perry (WKU) and JB Holmes (UK) on the team. Both Kentuckians as well as their “adopted cousin” Boo Weekley performed admirably and were very instrumental in returning the cup to the USA for the first time since 1999. Almost no one mentioned the fact that Eldrick “Tiger” Woods was absent from the fray.

USA! USA! USA! USA!

I love message boards. I know they get a bad rap because of the actions of a few idiots, but that’s like hating cars because some choose to drink and drive. I never liked chatrooms, but message boards give you time to respond (at length if necessary) and think about things before you respond. I have been involved with some great message boards (not UK sports in nature) and have made friends with some of the regulars there. Just today I have spent a lot of time on the message board for this class and have found the discussions informative and thought provoking. Can’t wait to see where the discussions go tomorrow!

The last week has been very busy. I am currently involved in posting multiple responses to threaded discussions for this class as well as planning and implementing instruction for 20 7 and 8 year olds. Oh yeah, I’m also painting my living room.