Another day. There wasn't too much eventful about the beginning. I
read with kindergarteners and then came back to the lab to await the
first State Assessment. After getting everything ready I passed the
time starting a pixel drawing of Super Mario Bros.
Considering that is an 8-bit game, I am doing a straight,
pixel-for-pixel copy. I found a picture, zoomed way in using Gimp,
and started counting pixels. Rather than copying everything I plan
on adding things in. I'm not sure what yet but I'll cross that
bridge when I get to it.
During the first assessment of the
day, several fifth graders came racing into the computer lab to get
iPads. The teacher, who's class was taking the test, and myself were
a little taken aback by this and let the first several get iPads but
then turned the other ones away. The whole thing really annoyed me
because I sent out an email awhile ago telling teachers not to send
their kids to get iPads during testing because it is distracting.
But it is still happening. So after the test I sat down and wrote
another email. And sent it to the entire school. It was really only
for the sixth grade class and one of the fifth grade classes but I
have refrained from calling them out by name. The ironic thing is
that those are the two teachers who would be the most pissed if
someone interrupted their class while they were testing. Yet they
have no regard for anyone else.
During lunch the same group of fifth
graders came down and got iPads, again unsupervised (which I
mentioned in the email, because they are supposed to be supervised).
I am giving them a pass because they had a sub today but it shouldn't
happen again. Mostly because right after that the Boys & Girls
Club lady sent an email directly to that teacher calling his kids out
and asking him to talk to them about respecting Boys & Girls Club
property and students taking tests in the lab. Hopefully there were
enough emails today to get the point across. I had several teachers
and other staff members thank me for send the email and one asked me
if I could send one out about kids wearing hats in the building. And
when I was talking to the receptionist about it she mentioned how she
wasn't going to miss the sixth grade teacher when she leaves next
year. I also learned from her that our school now has a dress code
for the staff because of the sixth grade teacher, who used to wear
even more inappropriate clothing than she does now. Anyway, here is
the email I sent:
–
Test times have been posted outside
the computer lab for weeks now. During a test there are four
separate signs on the doors to the lab, whose sole purpose is to
convey the fact that there is a test in progress and that people
should be respectful of that fact.
Today we had several kids race into
the lab, during a test, to get iPads. This is unacceptable behavior
when we're not testing, even more so when we are. When kids are sent
unattended to get iPads, regardless of their age, they always race.
The exceptions to this are rare enough to be insignificant. Ashley
has previously sent an email regarding the fact that kids need to be
accompanied by a teacher or adult when they come to get iPads or
return them. This has also been a rare occurrence but I am
specifically talking about testing.
If there is a class in the lab
taking a test, the only kids coming into the lab should be coming to
take a test. If you have signed up for iPads, come get them before
the test or wait until it is over. The times are posted outside the
lab and should provide plenty of time to make arrangements. Coming
to get or return iPads during a test is unacceptable, yet it has
happened throughout the testing process. It needs to stop.
Next week we will be finishing up
State Assessments as well as starting MAP testing, which will
continue through the week of May 6th.
This is the second email I have had
to send about this topic and the next will be to belatedly invite you
all to an iPad bonfire. Bring a mask because electronic fumes are
toxic.
–
Between the last two tests today the
sixth grade class came to get iPads, accompanied by their teacher,
for the first time since we first got iPads I think. They still
ended up inconveniencing the last test by a few minutes because they
took awhile to get the iPads but it was better than them trying to
get them during the test, I guess.
During that last test I had a good
conversation with the teacher about random high school and college
stories, as well as stories from when she was a new teacher and was
having to take assessments for the first time. In North Carolina
they apparently took things incredibly seriously with training and
ethics waivers and multiple proctors. When she came to a town nearby
they were way more laid back about things. Because it had been
drilled into her in North Carolina, she insisted on having a proctor
in the room with her during testing. The first day it was the
computer guy, who fell asleep in a chair in the back of the room.
The second day it was the principal, who also fell asleep in a chair
in the back of the room. She also said one of the other teachers,
rather than walk around the room, would just stand in the back and
read the Bible. I'm not sure if she was trying to put the fear of
God into her students or if she was just asking Him for a little bit
of help. Kind of sounds like cheating to me.
It was Chipotle night so after work
I went to pick that up. Right after I left Chipotle it started to
pour and then the hail came. I started saying “shit” a lot in my
head because my car is still new, and headed to my sister's. The
drainage on that side of town is awful and I was a little afraid I
was going to kill my engine in the deeper water. On numerous
occasions I had water shooting out well above my car when I drove
through it. It stopped hailing by the time I got to my sister's but
I wasn't going to take anymore chances so I left it in the garage for
the night. Better safe than sorry.
My mom went out to dinner with some
girls from work and my sister couldn't come over because her dogs
were freaking out due to the storm. So it was a solo Chipotle night.
I sat in my room, watched YouTube videos, and ate half of a Chipotle
burrito. With a three dog audience because my dogs were also mildly
disturbed by the storm. Dogs.
Right now I am listening to the
Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, which I looked up on Spotify after
seeing a Coachella video of them on YouTube. They are good times.
Soon I will be recording my day with my microphone. That is still
going well. I am getting more comfortable with it.
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