Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Day 52

The Big Cheese is mad at me because I wrote passes for a couple students to get water today. "I made a directive that students were not to get passes for water. Kids don't need water!"

I disagree. Kids need water, and regularly. Especially in my room, which bakes their brains at a steady 93 degrees for 90 minutes. And I don't consider a late Friday afternoon page over the intercom saying "please limit hall passes to students" to be a "directive" that students shouldn't get passes for water. A directive is typed up and official.

But I understand why the Big Cheese is on edge. We had a group of adults from the 'hood bust into the building today looking to settle a vendetta with a student--they trashed some furniture in the main office and six squad cars and a paddy wagon showed to stop a near-riot. And then there was the small matter of a bathroom fire and an evacuation. Kids outside in shirtsleeves with an 18 windchill? Priceless!

I just lock my room and handle my business. My kids' benchmark exam scores were substantially higher, but only six out of 45 passed the test with "proficient" scores (ZERO passed the first). I'll take double-digit increases in scores, but would have liked to see more make the leap to 60%. Those who did got paid--I budgeted $100 per class and doled it out equally to those who passed the test. First I had to make sure they could make it home with $33 without getting bainked or jumped or mugged.

2 comments:

Designerd said...

you continue to astound me...
great job with the numbers increase... I know you were hoping for more, but it seems like your increase already pushed the limits of what's possible in any given semester

as far as the big cheese, those pompous windbags just need something to yell about, it's a managerial style and a method of control more than anything else. as long as you keep that in mind, it just makes them look silly.

:) jv

Anonymous said...

In PA, any teacher or caregiver withholding water from a minor would be subject to citation...what do the MD laws say?

so disturbing!
lil sis