Current Education Issues

                Homework is often welcomed like a fart in an un-air conditioned Chevy Chevette in the middle of August.

                For obvious reasons, most kids don’t like it. Although there are those who welcome it into their lives because they’re good at it, the majority does not.  Most parents hate it because it’s a hassle. 

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The week before a new calendar year begins, you begin to wonder:  “What can I do to improve myself and make next year better than this one.”

We don’t often do this before a new SCHOOL year begins, but we should.  It’s a great opportunity to think about one or two things that you, as a parent, or your child can do to make this school year better than the last.  For some reading this post, the need for such resolutions are painfully obvious. 

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You’ll be getting something in the mail soon if you haven’t already received it.  It’s your child’s test scores from last year.  Some people hold their breath when they open it, others casually look at it before filing it away, and I’m sure others don’t even bother looking at it.  Being that you even read this blog, I bet you’re one of the first two.

                But should you care about these scores?  Here’s one of those wishy-washy answers:  Yes and no.  It depends on how you answer the following questions.  Did your child do well or badly on the test?  Does your child get good or bad grades?  Do you own or rent your home?

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                Remember that teacher in high school or professor in college you made fun of?  You know, the one who didn’t have a clue; the one who dropped one acid too many; or the one you wish you could put in a bottle because you were sure he mankind’s cure for insomnia.

                These are the first people that come to mind when you hear the word “tenure.” 

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                There I was, the fourth grade “general education teacher,” sitting amongst a group of 15 people at an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting for a special education student. 

The child in question was not mine, but was of the fourth grade level, and since I was a friend of the child’s actual teacher, I was asked to join simply because it was required by federal law that a general education teacher be there.  My friend teaches the “severe disabilities” class, which is actually run by both the district and the county, and was located in my school next door to my classroom. 

For those who are unfamiliar with IEP meetings, one must be held on a regular basis for any student with disabilities (sometimes they’re annual, bi-annual, or tri-annual depending on the disability in question).

                Anyway, back to the scene.  According to the psychologist, the little girl was at pre-school level mentally, despite being the age of 10.  We were there to discuss what her goals would be for the upcoming year. 

Included were such things as her being able to cut a six-inch dotted line. 

Also included in this meeting was an extreme sense of tension.   The parents are currently suing our principal and the district, not to mention they want to get my friend fired.

                Since I have a background in business and have actually come to like math over the years, and I really love those Mastercard commercials, I’d like to illustrate for Joe and Joanne Taxpayer just what was going on here:

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