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Incident at school
Apr. 14th, 2009 03:36 pmThe middle school has a bus stop right at the back corner of the elementary school. One of the middle school students had a pellet gun and was fooling with it. The police came (or were already there) and ordered him to drop the gun. He didn't, so a police officer drew his gun and repeated the order. Finally he did and he was hand-cuffed and taken to the station. One girl (from his bus) wanted to talk to me about it, since I was an adult and nearby, although I hadn't seen anything. I asked her if she wanted to talk to a teacher or the principal. She didn't, since the boy was already with the police. I am wondering if I should have insisted.
Everyday Math
Mar. 12th, 2009 08:19 pmSomeone else's rant. It is the math program in my school district. I think that I should be able to help with some of the issues that tend to occur. For one thing, keeping a record of her work for the year should help in reviewing materials and keeping her fresh on some of the things that she learned a year ago.
Everyday Math is a spiraling curriculum, so the same ideas are tackled at the same time of year in all grade levels. So there is a geometry unit, a measuring unit, an adding unit and some others. Advanced students don't like it because they never get deeply into a unit and it feels like it is all review. Struggling students don't like it because they never spend long enough on a unit to master it.
Emily is on the geometry (shape) section. So I had to pull out a picture (from the air) of a certain interestingly-shaped building :-). We drove by it on the way back from dinner with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
starstraf 's sweetie.
Everyday Math is a spiraling curriculum, so the same ideas are tackled at the same time of year in all grade levels. So there is a geometry unit, a measuring unit, an adding unit and some others. Advanced students don't like it because they never get deeply into a unit and it feels like it is all review. Struggling students don't like it because they never spend long enough on a unit to master it.
Emily is on the geometry (shape) section. So I had to pull out a picture (from the air) of a certain interestingly-shaped building :-). We drove by it on the way back from dinner with
starstraf 's sweetie. Can't compare DC and Chicago
Jan. 29th, 2009 12:27 pmObama is on record as saying that DC Public Schools need to toughen up. That they didn't need to close for this recent snow (and Chicago would not have).
Chicago's Mayor Daley is on record as saying that Chicago schools never close. I will have to ask my friends who still live there if that is true. The neighborhoods are more dense, there are acres and acres of three-story brownstones with no side yards to speak of. Many of these brownstones are three apartments, one per story. Kids walk to school, and it doesn't even take that long.
Chicago is colder. Most of the snow that falls stays snow for a while. You can plow it out of your way (onto the sidewalks where the children are supposed to be walking so they have to walk in the streets).
Now, there are a few neighborhoods in DC that are that dense. U street has the buildings for it. But there are huge swathes of federal buildings, parks, museums and other things that don't have people living in them (like the Loop, maybe).
DC is in the ice zone. When you plow, some will melt and turn to ice. Where ever someone walks, you'll get a little footprint of ice. On the warmer days, your snow will melt (but the sewer which is lower and darker will be full of ice so nothing can drain) and you'll get ice.
Chicago's Mayor Daley is on record as saying that Chicago schools never close. I will have to ask my friends who still live there if that is true. The neighborhoods are more dense, there are acres and acres of three-story brownstones with no side yards to speak of. Many of these brownstones are three apartments, one per story. Kids walk to school, and it doesn't even take that long.
Chicago is colder. Most of the snow that falls stays snow for a while. You can plow it out of your way (onto the sidewalks where the children are supposed to be walking so they have to walk in the streets).
Now, there are a few neighborhoods in DC that are that dense. U street has the buildings for it. But there are huge swathes of federal buildings, parks, museums and other things that don't have people living in them (like the Loop, maybe).
DC is in the ice zone. When you plow, some will melt and turn to ice. Where ever someone walks, you'll get a little footprint of ice. On the warmer days, your snow will melt (but the sewer which is lower and darker will be full of ice so nothing can drain) and you'll get ice.
Just posting one little thing
Jan. 20th, 2009 08:08 pmWhen Marine 1 flew over to take George W. Bush out of Washington, the crowd (which was much more dispersed by that point) sang "Nah nah nah nah, hey hey, goodbye". Now, none of us knew for sure that that was him, and he certainly couldn't hear us, but it did let us let out the frustrations that have been felt. Yes, it is time for a change.
By this time tomorrow...
Jan. 19th, 2009 09:15 pmWe'll be done with this whole Inauguration thing.
We'll know if our major highway is really supposed to be "Buses Only". There is a sign that says "Buses Only to DC" at our intersection, but beyond that intersection is the on-ramp to the Beltway. Surely, they mean to close it PAST the Beltway.
Whatever we are going to forget, will have been forgotten and then found at the last minute.
I need to sleep. Tomorrow morning will come way too early.
We'll know if our major highway is really supposed to be "Buses Only". There is a sign that says "Buses Only to DC" at our intersection, but beyond that intersection is the on-ramp to the Beltway. Surely, they mean to close it PAST the Beltway.
Whatever we are going to forget, will have been forgotten and then found at the last minute.
I need to sleep. Tomorrow morning will come way too early.
10 days left.
Jan. 10th, 2009 05:31 pmWe are getting the walking map for the Inauguration. So cool!!!! I love maps (so does Emily). Our neighbor works for the Metro printing office, so we called him up and he offered us 50 out of the 2 million that they are printing.
I am a tutor
Jan. 9th, 2009 10:12 pmI got a promotion at TPR. I am now a tutor. I found out by checking my name against a list at our professional development seminar.
Wow, that is really not the best way to find that out, although I suspected it.
In other news, the Red Line blew a gasket (had a cracked rail and a derailment). Only 11 days until I-day (Inauguration Day). I hope that they are checking ALL the other rails.
Wow, that is really not the best way to find that out, although I suspected it.
In other news, the Red Line blew a gasket (had a cracked rail and a derailment). Only 11 days until I-day (Inauguration Day). I hope that they are checking ALL the other rails.
What do I need to do?!
Dec. 25th, 2008 10:59 amThere are a lot of things going on with our school system with regards to gifted education by Jan. 15th. See my link to "The More Child" on the side. The author of that blog (SwitchedOnMom) has helped me understand how the system works here, although I don't think anyone truly understands the levels of pro-forma public consultation in this county.
I feel a sense of loyalty to her that impels me to get involved in the process now. But, yeah, MCPS has gutted the process straight away by scheduling things right after the holidays. I will have to dig to find out who is on my PTA's "Highly Able Learner" committee.
I feel a sense of loyalty to her that impels me to get involved in the process now. But, yeah, MCPS has gutted the process straight away by scheduling things right after the holidays. I will have to dig to find out who is on my PTA's "Highly Able Learner" committee.
News or weather, you decide.
Dec. 23rd, 2008 01:34 pmWater main break resulting in water pouring on roadway and dramatic rescues.
Working on working
Dec. 12th, 2008 12:28 pmI went to the local ACS affiliate meeting last night. I heard a very interesting talk on science priorities and government funding. The speaker had spent a year volunteered to the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the executive branch. She said that chemists aren't getting out the good news for good discoveries and aren't making their agenda known in the halls of government.
My local affiliate is hosting the Fall National Meeting and they are getting ready to call for volunteers. I think stepping up would be good for me.
My local affiliate is hosting the Fall National Meeting and they are getting ready to call for volunteers. I think stepping up would be good for me.
School system
Dec. 10th, 2008 01:48 pmWe are officially closed for Inaugural Day, and every four years thereafter. Good.
crimes, poverty and illegal immigration
Dec. 8th, 2008 12:43 pmThere was a student from the local high school killed a little bit ago (Nov. 1). One local would-be politician is connecting this murder with other murders and crimes by illegal immigrants to alarm the residents. It is true that there is quite a picture forming. An elderly woman, who had hired someone for household chores and was murdered by them on Nov. 26th. And another older woman who was tied up during a robbery in September and died.
Although the would-be politician is always over the top, this picture is not wrong. He draws in a murder in the District, but since they are not in the same state, I would not include them.
Although the would-be politician is always over the top, this picture is not wrong. He draws in a murder in the District, but since they are not in the same state, I would not include them.
(no subject)
Dec. 8th, 2008 09:08 amThe walk is ... refreshing. Or just very cold.
Emily is going to see a play at Adventure Theater as a field trip. I wonder what it is. "Peter Pan" is on stage fairly nearby, and we could go to see that also.
Our school system (Montgomery) is considering canceling classes for Inauguration day. DC has already done it. Prince George's (majority black) has already done it. And Alexandria and Arlington may have already done it. Now, DC should do it; many of their students (and teachers) use the Metro system to get to school and home again. Prince George's wants to acknowledge the first black president. I want Montgomery to do it, since we (my family) are going to the Inauguration. But if Montgomery doesn't, I'll write the note for an absence. What would be bad, is if all the white students left school, and only the black and the Hispanic students went to school (because their parents couldn't get off from work). It couldn't be done as a field trip, because there aren't enough buses (in the world) to get all the high school students, middle school students and elementary school students there. Plus, it really makes much more sense to take the Metro.
Emily is going to see a play at Adventure Theater as a field trip. I wonder what it is. "Peter Pan" is on stage fairly nearby, and we could go to see that also.
Our school system (Montgomery) is considering canceling classes for Inauguration day. DC has already done it. Prince George's (majority black) has already done it. And Alexandria and Arlington may have already done it. Now, DC should do it; many of their students (and teachers) use the Metro system to get to school and home again. Prince George's wants to acknowledge the first black president. I want Montgomery to do it, since we (my family) are going to the Inauguration. But if Montgomery doesn't, I'll write the note for an absence. What would be bad, is if all the white students left school, and only the black and the Hispanic students went to school (because their parents couldn't get off from work). It couldn't be done as a field trip, because there aren't enough buses (in the world) to get all the high school students, middle school students and elementary school students there. Plus, it really makes much more sense to take the Metro.
Doesn't help
Dec. 6th, 2008 07:12 amThe 5 local high schools have formed a group and each developed a signature program. Students are allowed to rank the schools in order of their preference and then the schools chose the students. Demographic concerns (and gender balance) are definitely considered in the choosing of students by the schools. Grades don't matter, if a student's grades are good enough to allow them to enter high school, they can be chosen. If all spaces are filled, the child will go to the geographically assigned school (even if it is overcrowded).
This was supposed to reduce overcrowding, reduce white and to a certain extent female flight, and balance the demographics of the schools. A new school was added to the system at the same time.
Overcrowding still exists, there is still white flight from the whole system (these 5 schools), and there is an increase in poverty in the whole system (these five schools). Many if not most of the students rank the same school at the top. The biggest and most popular school has spaces for 2,885 students and is overcrowded to about 3,000. The new school has spaces for 1,526 and is not acknowledged to be overcrowded (Although, most students think it is).
Now, what is really going on here? The schools aren't preventing the growth of population in this area (how could they?), nor are they preventing increases in the proportion of blacks, Hispanics and Asians in the larger population. They aren't preventing an increase in poverty, either. For the most part, the increase is due to people moving in, rather than more children being born. In fact, I doubt (with the movement of people near an urban center) that many of the graduates are buying houses and finding jobs in the area served by the schools. DC (and its surrounding suburban areas) are known for the high turnover of people (political appointees, military personnel, foreign government personnel assigned to the area, political refugees, and aspiring young people from other parts of the country).
School choice is having very little influence on the changing demographics of the area. The changing demographics are driving change in the schools to a much higher extent than almost any thing that the schools can do. And the most effective thing would be to substantially enlarge the available spaces to the point at which there are more spaces than the maximum number of students. This may well require a completely new school to be built from scratch (at a substantially greater cost than any of the money spent on the signature programs).
This was supposed to reduce overcrowding, reduce white and to a certain extent female flight, and balance the demographics of the schools. A new school was added to the system at the same time.
Overcrowding still exists, there is still white flight from the whole system (these 5 schools), and there is an increase in poverty in the whole system (these five schools). Many if not most of the students rank the same school at the top. The biggest and most popular school has spaces for 2,885 students and is overcrowded to about 3,000. The new school has spaces for 1,526 and is not acknowledged to be overcrowded (Although, most students think it is).
Now, what is really going on here? The schools aren't preventing the growth of population in this area (how could they?), nor are they preventing increases in the proportion of blacks, Hispanics and Asians in the larger population. They aren't preventing an increase in poverty, either. For the most part, the increase is due to people moving in, rather than more children being born. In fact, I doubt (with the movement of people near an urban center) that many of the graduates are buying houses and finding jobs in the area served by the schools. DC (and its surrounding suburban areas) are known for the high turnover of people (political appointees, military personnel, foreign government personnel assigned to the area, political refugees, and aspiring young people from other parts of the country).
School choice is having very little influence on the changing demographics of the area. The changing demographics are driving change in the schools to a much higher extent than almost any thing that the schools can do. And the most effective thing would be to substantially enlarge the available spaces to the point at which there are more spaces than the maximum number of students. This may well require a completely new school to be built from scratch (at a substantially greater cost than any of the money spent on the signature programs).
Of the 13 active listings in our area, 7 are "distressed". Distressed means foreclosure, bank-owned, short sales and subject to 3rd-party approval. A few of the recent sales are down 29-34% from the previous transaction in May or August of 2006 (alright, only two sales were analyzed in this way).
I hope that the families involved were able to start over. There is a lot of possible tragedy in those numbers.
I hope that the families involved were able to start over. There is a lot of possible tragedy in those numbers.
I listened to a ton of podcasts on Friday. I did not pick up my prescription or my library book.
Traffic was a major disaster with rain and slick roads and the G20 coming into town. I got stuck behind a rolling roadblock. It looked like the rolling roadblock was for an eighteen-wheeler, so T and I are guessing that the IMF felt it necessary to bring some of its gold reserves to town. :-) Comments about what a foreign leader or an international institution may need transported in an eighteen-wheeler are welcome.
I am going to be very frustrated with Emily in just a few minutes. T parked me in AGAIN. We have errands to run. T wants to go to the Apple Store.
Traffic was a major disaster with rain and slick roads and the G20 coming into town. I got stuck behind a rolling roadblock. It looked like the rolling roadblock was for an eighteen-wheeler, so T and I are guessing that the IMF felt it necessary to bring some of its gold reserves to town. :-) Comments about what a foreign leader or an international institution may need transported in an eighteen-wheeler are welcome.
I am going to be very frustrated with Emily in just a few minutes. T parked me in AGAIN. We have errands to run. T wants to go to the Apple Store.
Filed an ancient bill (which finally balanced my Quicken). Fortunately, it was paid before being lost forever (or just lost until now).
Read my yahoogroups and the Gazette. Found out more details of the crime that has everyone talking.
Watched the leaves fall from the trees. Raked and swept some leaves out of places they don't belong.
Listened to several podcasts in an attempt to clear my backlog. No real progress, but it was fun.
Copied over several pages worth of notes for MCAT Biology. Realized that the numbering of the problems that the teacher is responsible for going over has changed although the content has not. So it is very important to double-check that I have the right problem number in my extensive notes.
Added more address information to my apple computer in preparation for switching to an iPhone.
Finished a form and wrote a letter to the PTA president to get him to sign the form.
Now, Emily is home and needing my attention for everything she does. I will lose my mind.
Read my yahoogroups and the Gazette. Found out more details of the crime that has everyone talking.
Watched the leaves fall from the trees. Raked and swept some leaves out of places they don't belong.
Listened to several podcasts in an attempt to clear my backlog. No real progress, but it was fun.
Copied over several pages worth of notes for MCAT Biology. Realized that the numbering of the problems that the teacher is responsible for going over has changed although the content has not. So it is very important to double-check that I have the right problem number in my extensive notes.
Added more address information to my apple computer in preparation for switching to an iPhone.
Finished a form and wrote a letter to the PTA president to get him to sign the form.
Now, Emily is home and needing my attention for everything she does. I will lose my mind.
We've got trouble
Nov. 10th, 2008 10:45 amRight here in River City
TRouble with a capital R and
that stands for Race.
A Vietnamese boy (14) was killed on the bus by a Hispanic man. Both were in groups of their own ethnicity and age and had not previously known each other. The boy and most of the children in his group attended the school nearby. This action occurred at 11pm on a Saturday night on a bus leaving "downtown Silver Spring", a shopping, dining and recreation area.
There is a meeting at the high school tonight, to let people get their feelings and worries out and to discuss solutions and safety.
TRouble with a capital R and
that stands for Race.
A Vietnamese boy (14) was killed on the bus by a Hispanic man. Both were in groups of their own ethnicity and age and had not previously known each other. The boy and most of the children in his group attended the school nearby. This action occurred at 11pm on a Saturday night on a bus leaving "downtown Silver Spring", a shopping, dining and recreation area.
There is a meeting at the high school tonight, to let people get their feelings and worries out and to discuss solutions and safety.
Still annoying, but I will survive
Oct. 1st, 2008 02:15 pmTwo libraries have Tutoring rooms for just the kind of thing I am trying to do! And fortunately, neither of them is super-far from where I live. The manager said that it is a little crowded to fit four chairs in there, but we should be able to.
