Goodbye to 2013 – Part 1

It is hard to believe that that end of 2013 is already here. Looking back at this year, it is difficult to focus on a theme. There were many ups and downs, but I really feel that my growth as an advocate was huge and a major accomplishment over the last 365 days. Here is a trip down memory lane of the year that was 2013.

January:

January 2013

February:

  • This was the month where the kindergarten kiddo celebrated 100 days of school. We had fun putting together his project.
  • February also marked my sixth year of blogging. My have I come a long way from those first days.
  • A favorite activity from the winter months was definitely when we made slime. The boys spent hours playing and exploring for days and also enjoyed making a fort in our living room.

.February 2013

March:

March 2013

April:

, April 2013

May:

, May 2013

June:

June 2013

There was so much more that happened in the second half of 2013. More of that to come in a second post. What were your favorite memories of the year gone by? Please share below or leave a link to one of your favorite posts if you blog.

It's Me

Share:
Share on Facebok
Share on Twitter
Share on Pinterest
Share on Google+



Joy and Christmas Wishes

Nothing brings me more joy than being at Walt Disney World with my family. It only seems fitting that my Christmas wishes for all that celebrate include photos of the parks from last year when we visited. Wishing all of my friends a wonderful and very Merry Christmas. Enjoy the time making magical memories with those that you love.

Walt Disney World at Christmas Time

TechyDad-and-TheAngelForever-Christmas-WishesFocused on the Magic

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

It's Me

Share:
Share on Facebok
Share on Twitter
Share on Pinterest
Share on Google+



The Innocent Victims of Common Core

It is hard to believe that December is almost over. It seems like only yesterday that I was bringing the boys back to school. On Friday afternoon as I walked with the boys back to the car, I pulled out my phone to capture a moment. NHL and JSL were walking back in their pajamas (a school fundraiser) and boots next to piles of snow from earlier in the week. They would have been holding hands, but a gingerbread house was being carefully balanced by the little kid. The reason I took the photo is it was a precious moment. The last time the kids will be walking back from school for December break together. This is the last year my boys will be together in school, assuming we keep them in public school.

The Innocent Victims of Common Core

Yes, you read that last sentence right. Each day, my heart is pulled into another direction on what to do with the boys thanks the current problems that were brought on by the New York State  Department of Education. While I really do like our school, I do not feel that our district is stepping it up enough to fight NYSED. I have written a letter to the superintendent of our school district and never heard anything back from this individual or the dozen other people that I copied on it. Within the letter, I wrote about the love of learning being sucked from my children. While I had been active in a local advocacy group, I never got around to writing my own letter prior to this day.

What was the inspiration for my letter?

I wish I could say it was something fantastic, but it was not. That morning, my first grader cried not to go to school. He wanted to stay home and was trying everything not to leave the house. While he adores his teacher, it was not enough. Each and every step into school was a struggle. He fought me getting his shoes, going to the car, and then walking into school. I thought we were good when he walked into the cafeteria and kissed me goodbye. I was wrong, horribly wrong. As I was turning to walk with NHL to where he goes in the morning, JSL came running out and latched onto my side. He was in hysterics within seconds. Three months into the school year and my first grader had to be pried off of me by several people at school. I left the building numb, angry, and like a piece of my heart had been ripped out. My little boy who loved learning was not the same child that I was seeing in recent weeks. Where he used to write stories for fun, he never wanted to write and battled me when it came time for the small amount of homework sent home. EngageNY Math frustrated him because he did not know what to say in some areas other than the fact that he knew the answer to the math problem.

In addition to this, my oldest was now avoiding his math and cringed when he came home with items from engageNY. NHL is amazing at math and could likely be doing work well above grade level if given the opportunity. Unfortunately, like most of the children he is not good at learning simply one way and being forced to do things in a specific and very abstract manner. The new math curriculum that is riddled with problems (thanks to being rushed by NYSED) was pushing my child away from his love of math. My child who once shied away from reading and writing was now picking up a book to try to avoid his math homework. While the reading teacher in me was overjoyed that he was reading fiction, I was mortified with this latest development.

The day after my youngest was pulled from me, my phone showed a call coming in from the school nurse. My heart sank fearing the worst. The nurse was quick to let me know that everything was okay, but that my six year old son was sitting there complaining of chest pains. Yes, you read that right. My first grade son who has never had that complaint before was in the nurses office with chest pains. I was able to talk with JSL and we agreed that he should stay in school since his pulse was fine, he had no fever, and had stopped crying. An hour and a half later, another call from the nurse. This time JSL got back on the phone and I could hear him trying to catch his breath from crying. I asked him to explain his chest pain to me. He told me that his heart was going fast and felt like it was going to go out of his chest. He was clearly anxious about something, wanted me, and did not want to be in school. He stayed the rest of the day, but I worried about the next morning.

The Reality of Common Core Syndrome

My brain still hurts trying to process the fact that my six year old went to the nurse with chest pain. Sad to say, he was not alone. In several advocacy groups that week, parents noted the same thing happening to their elementary aged children. I will be blunt when I say that I think my youngest is trying to cope with the horrible reality that is Common Core implementation in New York State. He is a perfectionist, does not like to complain, and always wants to please the people around him. I think the stress caught up with him and he simply does not know how to express it in any other way. While this has not happened again, I still worry about JSL and his educational experience. I could home school. I am a teacher after all. It just breaks my heart to think of this concept because he used to love school and learning there. I am not blaming the teachers – they are simply trying to keep their jobs and do what they are told by the powers that be.

No matter what happens, I am still going to fight the fight to fix public schools. We must stop inBloom and the data mining of our schools. Politicians need to buck up and stop the insanity that is Commissioner John King, Chancellor Merryl Tisch, and Governor Andrew Cuomo. As the NYS Assembly gets ready to elect four Board of Regents Members, it is time to have major amounts of transparency from all individuals involved. Please take a few moments and listen to the words of Katie Zahedi, Ph.D. Principal of the Linden Avenue Middle School in the Red Hook Central School District. Her testimony will really make you think about what is happening.

So what is my plan? I am not entirely sure what it will be. I take things one day at at time. For now, I am sitting back and relaxing for a few days. The kids are home for two weeks, there will be no engageNY trauma, no NWEA exams, no state mandates, or tears. This week will be about educational play, being a kid, and regrouping.

It's Me

Share:
Share on Facebok
Share on Twitter
Share on Pinterest
Share on Google+



Arts Paradis on Etsy

Several months ago, my friend at Chaos in the Country shared some earrings that she liked from a store on Etsy. I clicked on the link and browsed for quite some time. I immediately fell in love with several items from Arts Paradis and knew that I would be ordering something. Time went by and I sent some messages to Charlene Wood to see if she could made her beautiful angel earrings in different colors. Before I knew it, she wrote back to me and said she was going shopping and would look for new colors. A few days later, a rainbow of angel earrings were available in her Etsy store.

Shortly after this, I tried to figure out what to order myself for the boys to give me for my birthday. Yes, you read that right. I told TechyDad that I really wanted something from Charlene’s store and was going to order them. Not long after my order was placed, they arrived in a beautiful little bag grouped together.

Earrings from Arts Paradis

The photos above do not do the earrings justice. They are amazing! Not only are the earrings beautiful, they are constructed really well. Charlene also looked into something that I inquired about. I told her that I really wanted to get something for autism awareness one day. Well, she ordered some items to make some different styles. I am linking to the autism items here. Right now she has wine glass charms, a bracelet, key chain, and several pairs of earrings.

Have you ever bought yourself a birthday present for someone to give you before? I would love to know if other have done this.

It's Me

Disclosure: None, I simply wanted to share a great artist on Etsy. I bought my earrings and loved them so much I hope others may find something they enjoy.

Share:
Share on Facebok
Share on Twitter
Share on Pinterest
Share on Google+



Disney Letter R

Once again it is time to celebrate a letter of the alphabet Disney style. There are a lot of possibilities with the letter R, but a few were really easy thanks to the Art of Animation resort where you can see Rafiki, Ramone, and a reef with Marlin and Nemo. The others were from various trips where some special “R” items brought back magical memories. What are some of your favorite Disney Letter R items?

Disney Letter R around Walt Disney World

Focused on the Magic

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

It's Me

Share:
Share on Facebok
Share on Twitter
Share on Pinterest
Share on Google+