| Name: |
BamaBob3
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| Subject: |
School has started
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Date:
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8/12/2006 9:01:29 AM
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I guess I'm old school...but I hate this school starting the beginning of August. School should start after Labor Day. The lake water is too cool for me in May and the beginning of June is just tolerable. That leaves July and August to play ...at least it used to. I feel sorry for the kids participating in sports/band/etc having to get out in the heat.
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| Name: |
jawjagal
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| Subject: |
School has started
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Date:
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8/12/2006 10:06:28 AM
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Yeah, it's different all right. My #2 was out in the heat this week for football tryouts. And we have been in school a week.
Why?
Because the school systems here in Georgia, want to get in half of the 180 day school attendance requirement before the Christmas break. Exams and all. Done.
But one gets out here BEFORE Memorial Day. So, part of May is enjoyable....beat the rush of those who don't get out until June. LOL
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| Name: |
FLee
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| Subject: |
School has started
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Date:
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8/12/2006 11:00:12 AM
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Our schools started this year on July 31! It has been earlier and earlier each year. State lawmakers here in Florida are considering changing the laws so that public schools can start no earlier than a week before Labor Day.
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| Name: |
ot
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| Subject: |
School has started
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Date:
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8/12/2006 11:25:33 AM
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there were problems with several birmingham school air conditioners.
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| Name: |
jawjagal
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| Subject: |
School has started
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Date:
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8/12/2006 11:52:11 AM
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Well, it's really tough with the summer we've had.
But I do see the logic. Like colleges, one doesn't have to come back after Christmas break and take exams....and you know HOW IMPORTANT THESE EXAMS ARE NOW...with end of course testing, end of year testing, all because the president implemented:
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND.
Don't get me started.
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| Name: |
BamaBob3
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| Subject: |
School has started
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Date:
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8/12/2006 12:46:28 PM
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Go ahead and start it up jawjagal. I would like to hear what you think about No Child Left Behind. I would be willing to bet that in due time, the school start time will change back to near where it used to be. I don't like the year-round-school idea personally.
Kinda like daylight savings time. I hate that even worse. I wish Congress would eliminate it completely. We don't need it in our day and time. The older I get the harder and longer it is for me to adjust
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| Name: |
jawjagal
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| Subject: |
OK - BamaBob
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Date:
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8/12/2006 4:37:08 PM
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As many of you may think, when federal governmental legislators with no background in an area ( in this case - education) makes policy, I just want to puke.
Want to know what we are doing in schools?
Teaching to the test. That's right. Critical thinking, problem solving, and independence have gone OUT the window.
The tests required by the government are multiple choice, teaching objectives only, and because there are so any objectives to cover, the teachers cannot stay on one area too long. The curriculum is not wide, but deep....and they've got to cover so much in a shortened period of time.
End of year course tests are scan-tronned taken (like SATs when you fill in the blanks of those pink standard papers) and graded ( a machine) and toward the end of many courses, pushed in a hurry down kids' throats if there has not been enough time to introduce - much less master - the objectives before the test.
Hands on learning - like science labs - are just skimming the top (why do you think we lag behind in science skills and scores?)
But this is public school. Public schools are funded in part by the federal government. "Meet our demands - as a whole - and you will get our money."
Teachers have to be on the same page at all times....and I think this was for POOR teachers...so they can "keep up" but it drags down the good/creative teacher because these teachers, too, have so much material to cover and can't elaborate as well as they once could.
It sucks, big time. The federal government mandates how many times teachers have to meet with parents, each other, how they spend their time, must answer all kinds of questions involving annual yearly progress questions, and if they don't pass these mandates, then the government puts them on the "endangered" list. And when you hear of schools not meeting Annual Yearly Progress...let me tell you it can be for the mundane (don't want to offend anyone here with my example) reason such as: the special needs group did not meet attendance requirements. Then the whole school is put out to be thrashed and humiliated, when it could be ONE subgroup that didn't meet ONE criteria.
Now, I am all for raising the bar...but I think it should be done by local and state agencies...not a federal one. School systems know their demographics, their students' needs....and the federal governement should stay out of it.
They've made it a business....not a learning enviroment.
Bush is an idiot.
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| Name: |
jawjagal
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| Subject: |
OK - BamaBob
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Date:
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8/12/2006 4:37:55 PM
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MAKE policy -not makes.
Gee...I wish we could edit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| Name: |
jawjagal
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| Subject: |
School has started
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Date:
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8/12/2006 4:40:59 PM
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The school calendars are voted on by the local boards of education. It has nothing to do with NCLB.
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| Name: |
JIM
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| Subject: |
OK - BamaBob
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Date:
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8/12/2006 5:46:03 PM
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Jaw, you sound like Cynthia Mckinney.
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| Name: |
LifeTime Laker
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| Subject: |
No Child Left Behind was....
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Date:
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8/12/2006 6:26:51 PM
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... written by, TEDDY KENNEDY. Bush is an idiot alright, but not for the reasons you think. It was for ACTUALLY trying to do something in a NON-PARTISEN way. He let TEDDY write it then immediately start to trash him for it.
I am sure that ALGORE would have done a better job in between inventing the internet and saving the world from global warming!!
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| Name: |
HappyCamper
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| Subject: |
No Child Left Behind was....
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Date:
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8/12/2006 9:01:15 PM
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"No Child Left Behind" sounds wonderful. Who doesn't love that phrase? We also love "one size fits all" which really means "one size fits no one".
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| Name: |
jawjagal
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| Subject: |
No Child Left Behind was....
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Date:
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8/12/2006 10:08:43 PM
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I don't think Al Gore could have done any better. Bush is the idiot because he came up with NCLB in Texas. Wasn't it his baby?
Jim - I'll certainly stop ranting and raving now since I remind you of CMcK. OMG!!!!!!!!
I wonder why they don't call her Dr. McKinney? I think she got her doctorate from UCLA...in law.....I'm not kidding. I think I saw in the AJC during her re-election campaign.
Let me check both facts out...NCLB/Bush and DR. McKinney.....get back with you...
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| Name: |
jawjagal
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| Subject: |
Here's #1
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Date:
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8/12/2006 10:11:53 PM
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Born in Atlanta, Georgia on March 17, 1955, Cynthia currently lives in south DeKalb County. She earned a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California in 1978 and a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Cynthia was accepted into Berkeley's Ph.D. program and hopes to graduate from that institution one day. In 1984, Cynthia worked as a Diplomatic Fellow at Spelman College in Atlanta. She also taught Political Science at Clark Atlanta University and later at Agnes Scott College, a women's college in Decatur, Georgia. Before being elected to Congress, Cynthia served on the board of the HIV Health Services Planning Council of Metro Atlanta from 1991-92.
Oh, she was only accepted...I knew I read something about her doctorate.
I mean - UCLA, Tufts, and Berkely. Impressive.
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| Name: |
jawjagal
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| Subject: |
School has started
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Date:
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8/12/2006 10:39:03 PM
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www.savealabamasummers.org/pdf/Alabama_Voters_Favor.pdf
You Alabamians may have seen this.
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| Name: |
jawjagal
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| Subject: |
NCLB
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Date:
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8/12/2006 10:44:34 PM
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www.rethinkingschools.org/special_reports/bushplan/test191.shtml
Take the test. See how your answers match up.
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| Name: |
bug
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| Subject: |
Hey jawja
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Date:
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8/13/2006 2:55:40 PM
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I read in the B'ham paper a couple of weeks ago about a push from teachers and parents to have the Al. legislature pass a law stating that school CANNOT start until after LAbor Day. The group is called SOS- Save our Summers. I think their line of reasoning is that kids need to be kids while they can. Golly- imagine that...
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| Name: |
jawjagal
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| Subject: |
Hey jawja
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Date:
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8/13/2006 3:25:48 PM
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That's what the article found on the web address I just wrote in my most recent post on this subject is about. See above....
Oh, heck...I sure don't have all the answers. I just know we are competing on an international stage these days and that is the impetus for the heat on teachers, schools, and systems.
I wish my kids could have caught more fire flies in the summer, drank more water from the water spicket, and chased more frogs, too.
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| Name: |
SandyCreekman
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| Subject: |
agree...
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Date:
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8/13/2006 7:38:26 PM
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it should start after Labor Day!!!
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| Name: |
BamaBob3
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| Subject: |
Hey jawja
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Date:
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8/14/2006 10:23:56 AM
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Hey jawjagal. Sorry I sturred you up. I really did want your views. I think you are right on the money. Thanks for the web site too.
I only have one (daughter) left in high school and she is a Jr. in the Jefferson County International Baccalearate school (voted # 1 and #2 respectively in the nation the last 2 years). It is more like going to college as far as I can see. They have very good teachers that really teach...inside and outside of the box. They even require 100+ hours of community service in the IB program.
I seems that with a diverse group of students going to public schools, it's a real challenge to be able to teach to a students needs and adapt the curriclum to the student without offending or breaking some stupid rules.
My hats off to all teachers. My cousin is a teacher in the Atlanta area.
Teachers should make double the money, or at least have a path to a much higher pay range.
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| Name: |
jawjagal
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| Subject: |
BamaBob...no problem
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Date:
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8/14/2006 10:42:06 AM
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I knew what you were looking for. No problem. I have very strong feelings about education.
I walked into my new school today ('ll be teaching part-time Gifted) and there were the kindergarteners all moving around - learning by moving, by doing - then I think of middle schoolers sitting....
:-(
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| Name: |
roswellric
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| Subject: |
Did you know
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Date:
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8/15/2006 3:37:45 PM
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the reason school is starting earlier and earlier?
Air conditioning. When I went to school it was just too hot in August for teachers to teach in unairconditiond schools. Heck, the house I grew up in didn't have air either. Just an attic fan.....Couldn't handle that now...
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