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1861. arkymalarky - 4/17/2016 6:47:24 AM The ACT Aspire is our whole program replacing PARCC, grades 3-11, and it is light years better. The Other is truly awful, and only 7 States are still using it.
I liked our old benchmark test. I was on the state range finding committee for 8th open response, and it was as you say it should be. Age-appropriate and practically assessed. But with the Aspire system, all that is already baked in. I think the turnaround on results should be a lot faster, too. We got our PARCC results this Nov. Had they had enough brains to get and keep 50 States on board, I don't believe they could have gotten them in by this year at all. I loathe Pearson. Aspire uses their testing software, which did fine, as long as you looked to Aspire, not Pearson, for admin instructions and FAQs. 1862. arkymalarky - 4/17/2016 6:54:56 AM PARCC had mistakes, and we're so anal about their stupid test security it's almost impossible to address them. My sis-in-law did fifth grade last year and got in s lot of trouble because the kids were pointing out a major error and she looked at a kid's screen (not reading the question) in trying to report it. 1863. arkymalarky - 4/17/2016 2:44:51 PM One more thing about Aspire. You can tell I like it since I keep talking about it. Kids not only can see progress from year to year and whether they're improving, but every year they're also working toward a goal that's meaningful for their future academic success. This is something you need a translator to interpret for you. I never did understand what the parcc was supposed to be assessing, and I never did understand what the results were supposed to be showing in terms of the group of kids and the individual kids. I knew they tried to assess synthsis with three articles, and that my ninth graders beat the state and National averages, but those were only 37 and 39% respectively. 1864. arkymalarky - 4/17/2016 2:45:12 PM That right there indicates a poorly designed and essentially meaningless test. 1865. arkymalarky - 4/17/2016 2:46:10 PM PARCC is something you need a translator.... 1866. Ms. No - 4/25/2016 9:56:55 PM I must not slap a child....
I must not slap a child...
I must not slap a child...
I hate windy days. It makes the kids crazy and gets on my last nerve. I am so done with this year. I don't even want to teach the fun stuff at this point. 1867. arkymalarky - 4/25/2016 11:31:02 PM Any chance seen that t-shirt that's like writing sentences, "I will not screen, throw chalk, etcetera etcetera. I am the teacher." 1868. arkymalarky - 4/25/2016 11:34:20 PM And it's Monday, and I'm too tired to proofread my voice to text. 1869. arkymalarky - 4/25/2016 11:36:08 PM I got a stupid stomach virus last weekend, after having been sick with a sinus infection all of spring break, and I missed two days of last week. So irritated. I'm trying to be strategic about my absences for the next two years, which is when I'm going to retire. 1870. arkymalarky - 4/25/2016 11:41:53 PM Point of the previous post is that I am ready for this school year to be over as well. Our last day is May 25th, so I don't have much longer. This week is going to be so long, but looking at May next week is going to be great. 1871. Ms. No - 4/26/2016 9:49:33 PM We're not done 'til June 16th. This is the longest haul for us --- 12 weeks straight with just Memorial Day off.
It's also "Project Season" which makes everything crazy. At least I can put my Action Civics stuff to bed this weekend.
So far, I've wrapped up my History Project presentation. Tomorrow night I present my Unit Plan to my reading strategies class. Saturday is the Action Civics showcase (all. day. long.) Y-PLAN presentation the week of the 15th -- or maybe the 25th depending.
And then all I'll have left is the PBIS stuff.
tired. tired. tired. 1872. arkymalarky - 4/28/2016 2:02:07 AM Do you ever take sanity days? I have to several times a year or I would have gone nuts long ago. My school actually encourages that by not counting sick days and personal days differently.
Oh, and On a related subject we're going to be doing the gathering at the end of July this year. 1873. arkymalarky - 5/5/2016 1:16:27 PM I said two years above--99% Sure next year is it. 1874. Ms. No - 5/5/2016 8:24:27 PM I haven't taken a mental health day in a couple of years. I end up being out so often with other school-related stuff that I feel bad about taking off yet again on my classes. This creates a problem because even though I'm out of the class on those PD days, I'm not just kickin' it with a book and a Mai-Tai, either.
I'm eyeing my calendar right now trying to figure out when I can take a day without throwing my lesson plans into chaos at this point. If I don't pick one soon, I'll run out of time to do so. 1875. arkymalarky - 5/5/2016 11:28:33 PM I'm out today, but not for sanity. Crazy-making family stuff.
But the good news behind the one year left is...wish I could post a pic...I'M GONNA BE A GRANDMA!!!! 1876. Ms. No - 5/6/2016 4:34:07 PM WOO-HOO!!! Congratulations!! This is so cool! 1877. arkymalarky - 5/6/2016 11:15:18 PM Thanks! So excited. I'll text you an ultrasound. It makes it easier for me to decide next year's my last, in addition to the fact that I'm not happy with my administration right now. In fact I'm mad. Which is awkward, because I've known them for decades and taught their kids and siblings, but I do not like important things they're doing, and I'm about to show myself the door and let them know that on the way out, I guess. I told everybody else who matters, and there are a lot of really good people at that school. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy my last year with my kiddos, who have been stupendous! 1878. Ms. No - 5/8/2016 7:23:29 PM What's your admin been doing? 1879. Ms. No - 5/20/2016 2:22:22 AM grrrrr! Had a totally pointless and frustrating common planning time meeting today with our Junior English teacher.
All (ha!) we needed to do was to simplify the district benchmark rubric for Argument Writing. Instead we spend nearly the entire hour debating just what is formal writing and do kids really need to learn how to do it.
Yes, a philosophical and semantic debate where he's going to insist on repeating "Well, it's just my opinion but..."
Okay, great, That's your opinion, and much of it I agree with, but we were hired to teach according to the state standards and we don't get to decide all on our own that they're just worthless and throw them out the window to teach any damn thing we want.
I'm a full proponent of "Teach the kids what I know they're going to need IN ADDITION to what the District requires." I'm not a traditionalist by any means, but I also don't think writing objectively is a worthless, souless endeavor.
You'd think that someone in his first year of teaching might assume he could learn something from folks who've been doing it a little longer than him. Except that he's the kind of first year teacher who thinks --- truly believes -- that he's far and away better than most veteran teachers.
Okay, great. Go be better, but don't waste any more of my time in meetings. I'm here to get shit done. If I wanted to talk philosophy I'd do it with a beer in my hand and people I enjoy hanging out with a hell of a lot more than you. 1880. Ms. No - 5/20/2016 2:23:44 AM I'm am irritated all to shit for various reasons about this dude, but I don't dislike him on a personal level. He's a nice guy and entertaining, but he rubs me the wrong way professionally.
Fuck, running late for the gym.
Maybe I'll go work off some of this snit.
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