ExCuse ME WHiLe i VeNt...

I have been trying to "cut the cord" and let Ryan deal with any "problems" he may encounter and not butt in and 'SAVE THE DAY' like I LOVE to do for my kids. I mean he is in high school and I need to start to let go and let him deal with things, right?!?! Before you know it he will be off to college and will be forced to deal with everything life throws his way.

Last Friday, Ryan had to make an oral presentation for Spanish. It was assigned the Wed. a week prior and the class had 8 school days to make their presentation. The teacher paired up the kids~(my first complaint), had to approve their questions 2 each and 2 answers each~(my second complaint),they had to learn their questions and answers and present them to the teacher before the bell rang to start the school day. NOT HER CLASS TIME, THE SCHOOL DAY~ (my 3rd complaint).

MY FIRST COMPLAINT:
Wednesday, for the last 20 minutes,(of a 90 min. class),they found out who they were paired with and got to start figuring out their questions and answers. Well wouldn't you know Ryan gets paired with someone who obviously doesn't care about his grades or others. He gets paired with a kid who doesn't give a SH**. For those who have read my blogs or know my kids KNOWS that my kid actually gives a SH** about his grades and tries their best! My beef~ YOU CAN NOT PAIR KIDS THAT DON'T CARE WITH KIDS THAT DO CARE- IT ISN'T FAIR TO THE KIDS THAT CARE. Do I feel bad for the kids that don't care? YES b/c they were and still are probably in a situation that they never asked to be in hence why they don't give a SH**. Can they change their attitude when it comes to partner work? YES they can, but will they? NO!! So should my kid get the same grade as the kid that doesn't care even when my kid put in the effort and tried? I say HE** NOOOOOO!! Let the kids pick their partners, they will pick someone who they KNOW they can work with and who takes the same pride in their own work as they do themselves. Is this always fair, probably not BUT when you have kids wanting to go to college and kids that don't care about even high school, paired up, who is getting hurt? The kid that cares b/c no matter what he says or does the kid that doesn't care won't budge. Then the child that cares has no choice but to wait.
You ask what is she babbling about....I am getting to it.

MY SECOND COMPLAINT:
If a teacher gives a deadline and then misses classes 2 days in a row when kids have to get things approved in order the rehearse and memorize their sentences and questions, is that fair to the students? Should they of not had more class time KNOWING that you will not be there for 2 days before the weekend, when they are going to rehearse their lines, to get their questions and answers approved? So now that Monday is here and they do not get their questions approved until the end of a 90 minute class, when do they rehearse... oh they don't get to they just have to hope the person they have been paired with is learning their questions and answers. With the teacher saying since Monday(before she approved the questions), don't wait until the last minute (Friday) to come to me and do your questions and answers. Ryan and his partner had Monday night, Tuesday and Wed. to memorize them all. Ryan says to his partner on Wed. during class, let's go see Ms Spanish teacher Thursday morning before the bell rings and get ours done. Great incentive on Ryan's part seeing his Q&A's were not APPROVED until Monday. His slacker partners response...NO, I don't know mine yet. We will do ours Friday morning. UT OH, the slacker has spoken!!!! Oh and my child is non-confrontational so his partner wasn't ready what was he suppose to do?

MY THIRD COMPLAINT:
Do all kids that depend on either their parents for a ride to school or even ride the bus to school always get there BEFORE the warning bell rings? Nope, things happen and as a former bus rider, I NEVER had much time before I had to be in 1st period if I rode the bus and if I counted on my sister to get me to school before the bell than just forget it b/c she was never there before 2nd period. Hence why she had to take gym in summer school, but that is another story! So how can teachers give out a class grade when school has not started and it isn't even their class time? I don't think that is fair for kids can get to school late and it is out of their control. I think if it is for a grade then it should be done during her class time. If you don't want to waste your class time on assignments like this then DON'T GIVE IT!

THE RESULT
Well so Friday is here and there stands ALL the kids who waited until last minute and the ones that had partners that wouldn't do it before Friday and there stands my child waiting and waiting and waiting outside the Spanish room for his slacker partner to show up. Mean while the Spanish teacher giving them the same speech she said all week long about telling them not to wait until the last minute yadda yadda, blah blah blah. Well some had no choice b/c their partners would not budge.

Well now the warning bell rings to get to first period and did his partner show up....NO. Ryan, who tried to get this kid to do it the day before now has a BIG FAT ZERO for his speaking assignment. Who was partnered with a kid who doesn't give a SH** and made sure he also hurt Ryan and Ryan's A average that he worked hard to have. What is this kid thinking? Is Ryan mad...YES, he even went and talked with his teacher this morning trying to persuade her to give him a chance to get his points. He was ready to go on Thursday but if your partner won't budge, what was he to do?????? Did Ryan deserve that ZERO, NO! Was it his fault who is partner was, did he pick the slacker, NO! Should the teacher let the kids that come to her have a chance to get their points back, I say ABSOLUTELY! He got the courage to come to you, Ms Spanish teacher and explain how the situation was out of his hands. That is HUGE for Ryan for I normally step in or he just takes it. What do u think she did? Hmmm interesting, she paused and thought and told him that she could not make an exception for him. That wouldn't be fair. So Ryan still has a BIG FAT ZERO!!! Hmmmm, was it fair who she partnered Ryan with? What it fair that she took off Thurs and Fri after assigning this and was not available to get it approved sooner? It is fair that Ryan's partner wouldn't budge on Thursday? Is it fair that his partner blew him off on Friday? In all is any of this situation fair to Ryan??? Let me know what you think.... Should I step in? Should I leave it be? I am so hot over this, I want your feedback!

Madelyn's First Day of Kindergarten

Well here it is, my baby girls First day of Kindergarten. Her school career has begun! Let me say that we both woke with excitement. Madelyn was in a great mood~ I LOVE those mornings and makes things easier! So after the typical morning routine: potty, breakfast, dressed, teeth brushed,face washed, hair combed and piggy-tails in and shoes on we made sure her backpack was packed and she had her lunch, the bag of supplies for the classroom: extra crayons, pencils, hand soap, post-it notes, play-doh, glue sticks, liquid glue, tissues, paper towels. OH MY the list goes on and on! Finally outside to take pictures....






Into the class and putting her things into her cubby.






Already making friends =)