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The Testing Generation

Posted on June 13, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

These days, I often find myself thinking and worrying about my children. It is not about their health, it’s about their future. More specifically, I am growing more fearful of the lack of education they will receive as they proceed in their academic lives. As I have mentioned in the past, I have seen a dramatic difference in public education in just the last five years between my own two boys. I do NOT blame their teachers. They are also a victim of the teach to the test mentality that is being forced at them. If they want to keep their jobs, they must do what they are told. The chain of command is a lot higher in this respect and far above most on even the district level.

Looking back, I hardly remember tests as a child. Sure we took the Iowa exams, there was the New York State ELA in grade 4, and of course the Regents exams in high school. None of these exams scared me for life or left me afraid of following my dream of becoming an educator. I think I took a lot of things for granted at the time. I was given the ability to be a kid, to learn and be able to think outside of the box, and my teachers were able to be creative and teach us material that would NOT be on a test.

Fast forward to the One Voice United Rally at the Empire State Plaza on June 8. It was at that moment that I realized more had to be done. I did not want my children to lose out on what they should be learning and doing in their school. I no longer want to see the frustration on the faces of parents, children, and teachers. We need to stand up together and make our voices heard. We need to gather groups together to let New York State know that our children mean more than a number to us. Our children need to be educated so they can think freely and not conform to tests. The robotic nature of teaching to the tests has to end now.

One of the most inspiring speeches at the rally was from 18-year-old Nikhil Goyal. As I noted in my rally post from the other day:

18 year old Nikhil Goyal, a recent high school graduate from Syoset, New York talked to everyone at the rally. He is the author of One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student’s Assessment of School. He pointed to the need for students to join the fight for their education. Next year, he plans on rallying them to stand up for a world beyond No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. In his words we need to stop the “drill, kill, bubble fill” generation of students.

Here is the video he posted of the speech. I urge you to take the time to see what a young man who is from the testing generation thinks of the system. Watch his passion to stop this and get the kids involved in the process.

As Goyal stated:

To Governor Cuomo, Commissioner King, Mayor Bloomberg, Chancellor Tisch: We’re coming for you. We’re taking back our children. We’re taking back our schools. We’re taking back public education from your hands, from the hands of corporations, billionaires, Wall Street, and testing companies.

Now I am more determined to keep going in the right direction to help my boys and other children. They deserve to be able to follow their dreams, be kids, and not have to worry about tests constantly invading their lives. Remember, this is not just happening in New York State, it is all over the United States. Look for groups in your area to get more information and join in the movement to take back public education for the future of our children.

It's Me

Categories:
Educational PSA

Dads and Disney Memories

Posted on June 12, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Father’s Day is this weekend and so many of my memories of Walt Disney World include the fathers in my life. Magical moments going on Space Mountain with my father and seeing him experiencing the wonder with my boys for two trips. In addition to this, I have watched TechyDad bond with the boys in Orlando. Here are few of my favorite memories from my last trip with Nana, Papa, TechyDad, and the kids.

Be sure to stop by Focused on the Magic by clicking on the button above to join in the Disney magic this week.

Categories:
Disney family holidays travel

Tuesday Tales – Splurch Academy for Disruptive Boys

Posted on June 11, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

My boys are growing up and with that the reality that they are both able to read on their own. While this is a huge milestone for my kindergarten kiddo, he is my “baby” and it is hard to let go at times. Some of my favorite memories with the boys are curling up and reading favorite books with them. I was the new mother that had a pile of my teacher books ready to introduce my son to Eric Carle, Laura Joffe Numeroff, and other favorites from teaching and my childhood.

It has been a while since I have read with NHL. As an almost ten year old, he spent much of last summer reading about the wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter with TechyDad. When reading alone, my Aspie tends to prefer reading non-fiction books. While it is great for him to read about science, math, people, places, and things of the world – the educator in me wants to expand his horizons. Of course, I will not push too hard and we just search for new fiction books that will keep his interest.

While at the Albany Children’s Book Festival in April, we met author Julie Gardner Berry. Although it may not have looked like my son was paying attention to her, he was listening. Ms. Berry took time to talk to him. She was explaining the premise of the Splurch Academy for Disruptive Boys series of books. She pointed out that the main characters in the book are a group of boys. In addition to this, the boys get into some trouble and have to do a lot of problem solving. As I mentioned in my post from the Festival, NHL selected the first of the Splurch Academy books to get autographed and purchase.

I also think one of the items that sold NHL was the illustrations by Berry’s sister Sally Faye Gardner. Not only are there comic book style illustrations within the book by Gardner, they truly are interactive. Many times the story heads right into the pictures with Cody Mack, Headmaster Farley, and the other characters.

NHL and I finished The Rat Brain Fiasco (book 1) and are well into Curse of the Bizarro Beetle (book 2) right now. It seems that he does best with fiction books as a read aloud and I am not upset with this. It is nice to be able to spend time with my big kid and read. We are able to talk about the situations that pop up. We can discuss the social scenarios that happen with the boys and even some of the teachers at times. I have a feeling we will be ordering more of the Splurch Academy books soon. We are in luck too since there are now four titles available.

As always, Tuesday Tales is all about sharing our love of books. Please let me know what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else.

Disclosure: None really since we bought both of the books on our own. Thanks to meeting Ms. Berry and reading her books we wanted to share our experience with the Splurch Academy books.

Categories:
books Tuesday Tales

One Voice United for the Children of New York

Posted on June 10, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

On Saturday June 8, my family went to the One Voice United Rally for public education in New York.

I was a student in the public schools of New York and so was TechyDad. I have spent some time teaching in the public schools of New York. These days, I am a mother of two boys in a public school in New York. The high stakes testing and curriculum manipulation that results in teaching to the tests has gone too far. The rally was a time for teachers and parents to come together to say enough is enough.

NYSUT was coordinating the rally where bus loads of people were coming into Albany from throughout New York. Seeing the streets lined with school and charter buses filled with people marching onto the Empire State Plaza by the State Capitol Building took my breath away. We were all there for the same reason – children.

Some may question why TechyDad and I took the boys to the rally. In my mind, it was an educational experience. NHL and JSL were going with us to the State Capitol and they saw history taking place. Of course, they also saw all of their teachers and their parents together. All of the boys’ main teachers were at the rally. The kids saw their teachers and colleagues, along with other families from our school together. Estimates also say the rally drew close to 20,000 supporters all there in the name of children and their right to learn, be creative, and not be taught simply for high stakes testing.

I am still digesting the experience because it truly was powerful. Listening to Albany High School teacher Jeremy Dudley perform “Stop this Madness” completely rocked the crowed to the core. My kids are still chanting the key words (sorry to their teachers).

17 year old Nikhil Goyal, a recent high school graduate from Syoset, New York talked to everyone at the rally. He is the author of One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student’s Assessment of School. He pointed to the need for students to join the fight for their education. Next year, he plans on rallying them to stand up for a world beyond No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. In his words we need to stop the “drill, kill, bubble fill” generation of students.

Then, Tom Chapin filled me with even more memories that will last. I watched as teachers laughed at his “Not on the Test” song. The biting words in the song that I shared the other day really do say a lot. Then, he introduced a new song that he wrote. “One Voice” brought tears to my eyes. I watched as two of my sons’ teachers linked arms to sway and sing together. I listened to my boys utter the words in unison with the giant crowd. I do hope this song will be shared for others to hear as well.

Thank you to everyone that worked on making this rally happen and to all those that showed up and stood on the Plaza in the name of the children of New York State. This is just the beginning of the public school movement, but it was a truly inspiring experience. More will be coming on this topic soon.

Categories:
Educational PSA school

My First Windows Phone

Posted on June 7, 2013 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I get to check out new phones to see how they work in my life. I have to admit, it is exciting to try new smartphones on different platforms to see how they compare one another. When I was asked if I would like to try a Windows phone, I agreed. While I have never tried one, I know many people that love them and figured it would make me a more well rounded consumer.

Disclosure: As a member of the Verizon Lifestyle Bloggers, I received a Nokia Lumia 822 Windows Phone (link to information page). The UP allows me to track my activity, sleep, and other items with the app that go along with the device. There was no other compensation. I am a long time Verizon customer, and all opinions are my own.

So far I have taken the Lumia 822 out of the box and charged it. Once that is finished, it will be time to move my SIM card over and set the phone up. I have to say, a few first impressions here. The phone is very polite. I like that it welcomes me and says goodbye when I turn it off.

If you are a Windows Phone user, I would love some advice. What are some of the apps that are a must on your phone? I have certain ones that I adore on my phone and hoping to find most of them available for Windows Phones as well. One great resource is Selfish Mom where she shared her favorite Windows Phone apps. Robyn’s Online World has also shared a variety of posts about her experience with a Windows Phone.