Still busy

Tomorrow- Helen's eye appointment, Zachary's swim lesson, Home & School meeting

Thursday- Swim lesson

Friday- Zachary's eye appoinment, storytime, my haircut

ai, yi yi!

Busy, Busy

It is my turn to do freezer club this month. A group of my friends- we take turns preparing things for the freezer- like casseroles, etc. Unfortunately, my first partner flaked. My second partner had a death in the family. So, I have had to do it alone. It really hasn't been so bad- I've sort of enjoyed it. I haven't been cooking a lot lately and it was nice to get back into my kitchen. Maybe now summer is here, I can spend more time in dinner.

On the menu: garlic lime chicken, sausage and veggie "foil packs", bbq chicken, chili. vegetable soup and garlic studded pork. Some are for the crock pot, others for the grill.

In other news, Zachary has another endoscopy scheduled tomorrow. Not sure what time- they don't call until the night before. He also had to do a "home clean out". He is quite full of poop- so he is on a liquid diet and loaded up on Myralax. It seems to be working- he has pooped about 9 times since yesterday morning (ewwww). The reason for the scope? He was off meds for about 3 weeks and I thought things were going well. But during our last appointment, Zachary told them he throws up in his mouth and food gets stuck in his throat when he eats, etc...... So they are going to take a look. He is also back on meds. The chalazion on his eye is getting smaller.

And finally- Helen. I will follow up with her doctor later this week. I feel bad about dropping the ball on her, but I have had a crazy couple of weeks (besides the fact that I deep down want the problems to go away). We have also had swimsuit issues this year. Nothing fits or looks cute. She had the swim shorts that she loved, but they were too tight. I ordered more from Land's End when they went on sale. She keeps fishing them out of the hamper before I can wash them, so I ordered more..... along with the tops that go with them.....

13 stuff

Sorry I have not posted- crazy week or so here-

1. My wallet was stolen yesterday- what a pain in the ass.

2. Zachary has another chalazion on his eye and it looks U-G-L-Y.

3. He also went to University Hospital for his appointment.  Now he is scheduled for an endoscopy on Tuesday.

4. Due to Zachary's eye and stomach, and a to do list as long as a 4 year old, I have dropped the ball on Helen's issues....

5. Swim lessons start on Monday.

6. I am so ready to move on to the "next phase" of my teaching- I am way over the library now....

7. Why do I feel so responsible for the library still?

8. So ready for my vacation.

9. The new vacuum cleaner (a Dyson!) is AWESOME!

10.  I will be happy to get my house back on track and (hopefully) get routines in place over the summer.

11. The produce stand is calling my name- I cannot believe I haven't been once this year!

12. Slumdog Millionare is just about the saddest thing I have ever watched.......

13. Softball is OVER and I am so glad for that....... this season has sucked.

Thought Provoking......

I am reading an article about the need for preK in the middle class.  OK, I am "middle" class, I have young children and I have taught preK.  I can see what they mean- the cite one family in which the first born went to a church nursery school 2 days per week and the second son, who had special needs, qualified for services daily.   The older child was behind in the first grade- he couldn't keep up.  The second was right on target for every benchmark.  Interesting. 

My first thought is about how much kindergarten and first grade have changed over the years- even since I first started teaching.  We are doing things much earlier than in past years.  Why?  Who are we trying to keep up with?  What are we trying to prove by removing the fun from childhood and replacing it with serious academia?  I think we are hurting our future rather than helping it.  By going faster, we are stressing our children while removing curiosity, wonder and thought.  We cram phonics and math down their throats for 7 hours a day before they are 6 years old, then complain that they are not critical thinkers or good writers in the 6th grade.  And why can't they think, problem solve and write.  No one has ever expected them to.  We are demanding a skyscraper, but failing to build a deep and sturdy foundation.  A mighty oak would blow over in a breeze without strong, deep roots.  Children are very much the same.

My second thought is this- why are one group of children (special needs, ESL, etc) given priority over another (gifted, average, slightly but not significantly delayed, etc)?  Why does one group get rescued while another is ignored?  ALL children have special needs at one time or another.  Every child is worthy of being taught in the best way for THEM.  Tests and "programs" are not personal.  Teaching a test, or following the teacher's guide to the letter benefits no one.  Teachers are not allowed to be creative or to even see the individual child because they are teaching standards, teaching to raise test scores, teaching the masses........

We as a nation need to stop this way of thinking.  No Child Left Behind  was a horrible concept.  Please, please look past numbers and keeping up with another culture and look at our precious and most valuable resources before they are lost.