matching tracksuits

Spring Showers

Monday 06 May 2024

We're entering the phase of afternoon thunderstorms, when the day can turn to near-night almost instantly and a deluge appears seemingly out of nowhere. (You know the saying about spring showers: April showers bring May flowers, and Mayflowers bring smallpox.) I get a little nervous this time of year: our basement likes to flood, and while it's never happened while we've been gone, I know it most likely will at some point.

Today, though, all we had to worry about was K getting in the house semi-dry.

Spring 2024 Tournament Day 2

Sunday 05 May 2024

Today was the final day of our short spring tournament. They boys played their hearts out, and they had a good time -- the results (0-1-2) weren't as important.

It was a bittersweet afternoon, though: it will be the last season this team is together. There are always some new members each season, but this team has had a little core for the last three seasons, and now it's all over. Several of the boys (E included) will be too old to play on the fall team, and the coach won't be working with U12s anymore: he's moving up to the 18s travel team.

Coach M was a great coach, the only coach the Boy really wanted to play for, and we're going to miss him.

In the evening, we went on our first ride of the season.

Except for L: she doesn't like cycling, which is a shame.

Tournament 2024 Day 1

Saturday 04 May 2024

Last Practice Walk

Friday 03 May 2024

Yesterday was E's final practice of the season before this weekend's tournament, so I went for my customary walk. When E started playing at this complex, the vew below was impossible: it was nothing but forest. For a year or more, the grading was done, and it sat empty. Now they're finally building homes here.

I wonder how much development will take place over the summer. We'll find out when fall soccer begins, but at the rate they're going, I'll bet it will be done.

More evidence that our area is growing too fast: they keep adding dwellings (primarily apartments) without upgrading the infrastructure.

In a few years, traffic will be an utter nightmare...

Thursday

Thursday 02 May 2024

Today is Thursday. Papa's birthday the year of this picture (what was it? 2010? 2011?) was on a Thursday as well, I believe. Now only L remains.

Another Jumping Victory

Wednesday 01 May 2024

Testing

Tuesday 30 April 2024

Today was the first day of state standardized testing, and it was, as I expected, a mess. The company that our state pays to do the testing is DRC Insight. I'm not sure why: we've never had a smooth testing experience with them. We've staggered starts by grade; we've staggered by grade and then hall; we've staggered by grade, and then hall, and then room -- nothing has ever produced a simple experience where all students get logged on immediately and start the test without issue.

How many millions of dollars are we spending for this substandard, time-wasting torture?

For my part, it's hellish because I'm not allowed to do anything other than watch the students test. We don't want them cheating, you see. But the truth is, students know this test really has no impact on their lives, and while they usually do their best, they're not overly worried about it.

And this led me once again to cynicism: as I walked around the room, I crafted a sentence. I took a moment and jotted it down, then continued walking around the room, looking at the tops of students' heads. I thought of edits and changed the sentence. I repeated the process until I'd eliminated all unnecessary words to express the simple truth of standardized testing:

Standardized testing quantifies students and teachers to provide politicians scapegoats for their failed education policies.

Lit Circles

Monday 29 April 2024

Kids are ending the year with lit circles, which gives them a lot of independence and an opportunity to show themselves (and others) how well they can handle such responsibilities. Unlike the rest of the year, for this work I allowed them to choose their own groups. Several of the Latino students decided to work together. Their English ability is a wide spectrum: one boy has just moved to America and speaks no English at all; another boy just moved to America and speaks intermediate-level English. One girl has been living in the States for a number of years but still has some difficulties with English.

I told them to do their best to stick to English, to help each other out as they're working. They've been doing just that.

These kids have a very special place in my world right now: I know, to a slight degree, the struggles they're going through. I often remind them about how much they've improved this year, and I tell them how proud I am of them and more importantly, how proud they should be of themselves.

"And just between us, teachers aren't supposed to have favorites, but I so enjoy working with you guys," I told them. "You're not my favorite, because I'm not supposed to have them, but you're close," I added, with a wink.

"We know," one of the girls laughed.