Monday May 22

[Bethers]

Oh, Lyn, so sorry, but happy you're on the mend.

Martha, you're getting better weather info for where I am than I am here! We had rain with hail a few times this afternoon, then my phone let me know that we were in danger of flooding. Luckily Ty and I got sitter than normal walks and only a few raindrops. Once I was ready to go out the door and putting his leash on, and the rain, with hail, started up before we made it outside. Luck that we weren't caught in that one.

I hope things go better with this new manager, Anita. But at least the move is over and now you can get settled.

[snowball]

I listened to a pod cast as part of my scripture reading this one was really long almost 2 hours by time I finished and trying to work on this hat for my great gd kept telling myself to quit and do something when someone knocked on the door I had heard mom go into the bathroom so took myself to where I could see who it was ... was friends that came over to mount the shepherds hook so quickly got dressed very late at that I may have just had a jammie day if they hadn't come got it mounted the chimes are so long that I may have to rethink where they go but for right now it will be ok.. haven't heard them a lot am surprised as it's been windy and thought that I would hear them more...
tomorrow I really need to go get some stuff from the store and see if I can find pots for the plants Shirl you can come visit and help me get my deck plants in
I have decided what the two plants are they are called Brazilian Jasmine they climb so need to either get them something to climb on or put them by something they they can climb up a bit...
had grilled cheese sandwiches and soup the chicken that I got out today wasn't thawed
have you ever had Irish cheddar cheese makes a good sandwich
I was trying to find the word learning disability and thanks Barbie the term makes sense
it is like the wires are crossed and not going where they should
so glad that you are healing Lyn and that you posted so we know what is going on...
Hopefully all will be well with your move Anita
part of the problem with schools is the amount of kids in a classroom... you can teach more effectively with a class of 15 or so but they usually are 30 in a classroom making it so hard for the teacher to teach and help each kid that simply don't learn on the same wave it's a struggle for sure
you all have a great day
sheila

[Redetotry]

I have a few comments about teaching in schools from yesterday.

I agree with a lot of what Judy said. I also feel children should be allowed to excel if that’s what they want. My daughter was one of those. My children went to a Lutheran elementary school. Reading was presented to the children in kindergarten, but all were allowed to progress at their own speed. My children were exposed to books before starting school, so my daughter just took off in kindergarten. The teacher allowed her to move ahead as fast as she wanted and encouraged her. She also loved every other subject so much so that she ended up skipping first grade. Again, she did this all on her own. I’m thankful she was not made to “tread water” while the other kids moved at a slower pace. She ended up graduating from Stanford University and attended Yale Law School. She’s now a successful attorney.

My point is: I think classrooms/teachers need to be flexible to accommodate all levels and abilities in their classes. Maybe this is asking too much, but I don’t think students who are anxious to learn should be held back to a slower speed of learning to accommodate slower learners. Just my opinion, but my daughter is a good example of what can be accomplished if a child is allowed to learn at her desired speed. I understand the difficulties teachers face today and maybe we were just lucky to be in the right school at the right time when my children started school.
Sandi

Sandi, I agree with kids being allowed to progress at their own speed. Your children were lucky they didn't go to a public school. Your daughter would probably have been bored and frustrated had she been held back. Standford and Yale Law school!!

[Cudedog]

Yes, Sandi, congrats on your daughter's attendance at Stanford for Law School.

I also agree that children should be allowed to learn at their own speed, and never be criticized for being "different" in their learning progress!!!

I'll add one more story on my early education. When I was in Junior High School, we were assigned a major book report that was to be a large factor on our final grade. We had to give a written report, along with an oral report.

The book assigned was "Lord Jim", by Joseph Conrad. Man, this book was a boat anchor, and dry as dust.

Nonetheless, I struggled through it to the end, bored with every page, then spent hours and hours writing my book report. I was actually quite proud of it, I had gone into some detail explaining/analyzing the happenings and motivations of the characters, which I thought was pretty good. LOL - even if I do say so myself. I was just a pretty young kid at the time.

When it came my turn, I got up in front of the class, gave my oral report, and turned (with a big, triumphant smile on my face) to the teacher to hand her my written report, as everyone else had done.

I was surprised - shocked even - to see my teacher glaring at me. Unfortunately (for me, I guess) a film of this book had come out not too long before, and there had been a major write-up of it in I think it was "Life" magazine.

In front of the whole class, my teacher verbally chastised me for copying the article verbatim from "Life" to use for my book report, and said that I was getting an "F" for the report, and an "F" in the class for cheating. At the time, I hadn't even read the article, and I didn't even know that the film had been reviewed by the magazine.

I was totally and completely mortified - if not destroyed. The whole class laughed at my obvious discomfiture.

Later, after I had seen the film, and read the "Life" review, I realized that the teacher hadn't herself read the "Life" review (nor the novel, either), because (as usually happens) the film (and thus the "Life" review) was very very different from the book.

And, of course, my book report was accurate for the book - and not at all like the magazine review or the film.

LOL. I guess I am still mad about that one.

If she ever bothered to later read the magazine review, or to see the film later, she never said so to me.

BUT. She gave me a decent grade in the class (which I should not have got with a "F" book report), which tells me that she maybe recognized her error, but was too proud to admit it to a child.

Anne