TeachingToTheTest

The Olde Towne Teams Meet Again

The Sox go for the sweep today against their former crosstown rivals, the Bost..err..Milwau..err..ATLANTA Braves. Curt Schilling goes for number 10 against John Smoltz. Let's go, Red Sox!

posted by Boston Dreamer @ 1:32 PM 0 comments

Evolution and the 'Godless'

PZ Meyers has a nice takedown of Coulter's evolution nonsense from her new book. Specifically, he does a nice job responding to her comment that there is 'no evidence' for evolution. This is the sort of thing that I have heard quite a bit, even as a history teacher discussing early man. The links that he provides will be useful!

posted by Boston Dreamer @ 12:18 PM 0 comments

What is Wrong With Public Schools Today

Via Pharyngula, we have this letter to a Principal about what a crappy leader he is. I would hate to be at this school. An excerpt:

First, there is a dangerous man in room 134.I have referred to him as Jackass, mostly, but you know who he is. I know that you are aware that he is tracking his female students menstrual cycles on a sheet of paper at his podium because I have told you this. I am certain that you know he also keeps a picture of a female student on his whiteboard and has been observed kissing it by students because, again, I have told you this. At Field Day recently he also laughed along side some male students as they stood behind a female teacher making comments like "This is the best view around!" and "Booty, booty, booty, booty, rockin' everywhere!" He has spit in the face of some male students, pushed a boy into the door, made fun of the accents of Hispanic students, and held votes as to whether students would be punished or made fun of. Again, I made you aware of each of these activities, though you've done nothing about it. I'm not sure how you sleep at night knowing you have allowed this man to be here for two years and are now planning to write him a "shining recommendation" though you aren't allowing him back here. It seems obvious that he is just going to go to another school and behave the same. It is people like you that make child abuse an easy crime to commit. You might want to deal with your issues concerning this.

Read the rest at 'First Year Teacher.' Disturbing.

posted by Boston Dreamer @ 8:21 AM 0 comments

Summer School in the 21st Century

When I moved from the great state of Massachusetts to Florida (or as I called it at the time, 'freaking Florida'), I was a senior in high school. Because 'Health' is apparently NOT equal to 'Life Management Skills,' I had to take a 6 week class in the summer where I actually, you know, TOOK 'Life Management Skills.'
Now, it's 14 years later (wow), and I am 'teaching' summer school. Summer school consists of 4 weeks, 4 hours a day, 4 days a week. During this time, I sit at a computer and they sit at the computer taking tests in whatever subject they failed. They cheat like crazy. I have done my best to minimize the cheating, but it is impossible to keep them from looking back the 'book' (which is a PDF file) when they take their tests. And they test in every subject: Math, English, Literature, American History, HEALTH!. It's all a joke. If they can take a class online in 4 weeks and test out of it, what the hell is the point of school? Am I wrong for 'supporting' it because I need the money?

posted by Boston Dreamer @ 8:14 AM 0 comments

Third Time is the Charm

Every summer I start blogging again, and every summer it dies. Let's see if this one lasts.

posted by Boston Dreamer @ 8:12 AM 0 comments