A few quick hits…or as the title suggests, me throwing up a bit:
SLPS is shut down for the day. No school due to the snow. Many of you will scoff at SLPS closing down when there is only three or so inches on the ground but here’s the deal, if schools were open, attendance would be terrible. At my school, about 90% of the kids ride a bus to and from school. On days like today, it’s a wildcard as to when the bus will arrive or if the bus will arrive at all. On top of that, many of my students don’t have appropriate winter gear. So when it’s 13 degrees outside with a few inches of snow on the ground, parents aren’t likely to get their kids out and about. So I get it. I get why inner-city school districts are some of the first to close.
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Speaking of school, my students will take the MAP (Missouri Assessment Program…aka, the standardized state exam for Missouri) in late March. The stakes are high and the pressure trickles down – no, correction, it flows down mightily. That’s about all we’re doing in class these days, MAP prep for reading, writing and math. Science and social studies? Who needs ‘em?
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At some random point on Saturday of this past weekend, I walked up to Ira, grabbed him, hugged him tight and said, “Ira, I’m so glad you are with us. I love you so much!” He hugged me for a second and then said, “Chill out, dude.”
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Life is so consuming that I no longer watch some of my favorite TV shows. I haven’t seen The Office, 30 Rock, or Lost in, I don’t know how long. I tried starting The Sopranos but the investment seems too much. There is one show that keeps me tuned in: Friday Night Lights. Simply brilliant. Again, friends, why aren’t you watching this show?
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About a month ago, I took the state licensing exam for teaching. It’s called the Praxis. As soon as they handed me the booklet and scantron, my heart started racing. I was immediately transported back to the days when I took exams for college – SAT, ACT. I wasn’t a good test taker then and I was pretty sure nothing had changed in 18 years.
I walked out of the Praxis thinking that I did horrible. I found out today that I passed. That’s a huge relief!
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For Christmas, my mom took all my high school basketball games that were on VHS to a guy who put them on DVDs. I have to admit that I’ve actually watched one of them. I should continue my admission by saying I intentionally watched a game in which I played well. It was pretty funny to watch my young, little, scrawny self play basketball. It also made me miss playing with those guys who I grew up with.
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Opal went to her six month check up last week. Is it bad that I was a little sad that she no longer ranks in the 99% in weight? Yep, she dropped to the 97%. Gotta start feeding that girl again.
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Speaking of growing, Sophia continues to grow and I don’t like it. There’s a boy in her class who really, really likes her. I don’t like him. Sophia has my heart in a way she can’t even understand.











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