Monday, January 28, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Quality??
Class.
Character.
Excellence.
You make it happen!
Does anyone recognize those lofty thoughts? Why, they're posted on the Klein Oak High School homepage, of course!
So far, so good, I was thinking as my oldest grandchild works his way through his freshman year in high school. This is usually the toughest time for a school kid -- adjusting to the demands of high school, especially when he is taking several pre-AP classes.
Then on the first day of second semester, he and many others at KOHS were handed new schedules! What? A new schedule? Why? He is enrolled in year-long courses, and his grades are really good. Theexcuse reason given was that these "changes occurred due to class leveling." Class leveling? Was someone complaining about class sizes? Was this done with the knowledge of the teachers? Did anyone even CARE what the students and parents thought?
And how does this concept of "class leveling" fit with class, character, and excellence? If a student is having real success with a teacher, and then is moved to another teacher's class that is supposedly the same course -- except that the original teacher was keeping a good pace and (as it turns out) is TWO UNITS ahead of the current teacher -- how is that "class" or "excellence"? What does that tell the student that builds his "character"?
Overall, I've been pretty impressed by the good education my grandkids in Texas are getting in this district. Even with this stupid move on administrators' parts, the level of education is still noticeably better than in California. But really -- what message does some political decision like this send to the students?
Character.
Excellence.
You make it happen!
Does anyone recognize those lofty thoughts? Why, they're posted on the Klein Oak High School homepage, of course!
So far, so good, I was thinking as my oldest grandchild works his way through his freshman year in high school. This is usually the toughest time for a school kid -- adjusting to the demands of high school, especially when he is taking several pre-AP classes.
Then on the first day of second semester, he and many others at KOHS were handed new schedules! What? A new schedule? Why? He is enrolled in year-long courses, and his grades are really good. The
And how does this concept of "class leveling" fit with class, character, and excellence? If a student is having real success with a teacher, and then is moved to another teacher's class that is supposedly the same course -- except that the original teacher was keeping a good pace and (as it turns out) is TWO UNITS ahead of the current teacher -- how is that "class" or "excellence"? What does that tell the student that builds his "character"?
Overall, I've been pretty impressed by the good education my grandkids in Texas are getting in this district. Even with this stupid move on administrators' parts, the level of education is still noticeably better than in California. But really -- what message does some political decision like this send to the students?
Friday, January 18, 2008
"Musical" video games
Austen, Parker, and Kira, along with their friends Abbi and Austin, have discovered some "musical" video games. These games don't MAKE music, you understand! The players just have to hit the right buttons on the "guitars" or the right drum on the "drum set" at the right time to rack up points. It's really a hoot, but I am not sure we should be calling these games "musical"!
And here is a link to a couple of videos. The picture "quality" is almost completely non-existent, but the sounds alone tell what these games are all about!
And here is a link to a couple of videos. The picture "quality" is almost completely non-existent, but the sounds alone tell what these games are all about!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Birthday
Wow! It's been a while since I posted. Lots of things have happened, but I've taken very few photos. Oh, well.
Between Christmas and New Year's Eve, I went to visit my folks in California. It was a short but very good visit. And the plane flights were smooth and easy, no lost luggage, etc. Marvelous.
Kids went back to school on Jan 2, and life is back into some kind of routine. Austen will experience his first-ever Semester Exam schedule this coming week. He's really happy that he'll get out early - maybe he hasn't figured out yet that the extra time is meant to be used to study for the NEXT exams!!
Today is my birthday, and so far, so good. It's a gorgeous day outside, not hot, not too breezy. Just right. I'm going to send my mom a big bunch of flowers - SHE'S the one who should be celebrated!
Between Christmas and New Year's Eve, I went to visit my folks in California. It was a short but very good visit. And the plane flights were smooth and easy, no lost luggage, etc. Marvelous.
Kids went back to school on Jan 2, and life is back into some kind of routine. Austen will experience his first-ever Semester Exam schedule this coming week. He's really happy that he'll get out early - maybe he hasn't figured out yet that the extra time is meant to be used to study for the NEXT exams!!
Today is my birthday, and so far, so good. It's a gorgeous day outside, not hot, not too breezy. Just right. I'm going to send my mom a big bunch of flowers - SHE'S the one who should be celebrated!
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