Good Morning and wasn't it nice to not have to shovel this morning!

So, the biggest offshoot of all this snow is school closings.
You know, it's nice a couple of times a winter (once?), to get that extra snow day. It gives students a chance to regroup and just have some fun in the snow.
When we are stretching into a week off, well, it's way too much.
A Facebook from Lansdale says if there is another snow day tomorrow, she's taking her children and dropping them off on the doorstep of the superintendent.
Now, that might be going too far, but anybody who's been home with school-age children during this epic week, well, you can understand the sentiment.
There are only so many snowmen to be built. There are only so many times you can say 'Read a book' or 'Clean your room!' There are only so many indoor games of tag anybody can take.
It's time to get back to school!
If tonight's snowstorm turns out worse than expected (they are currently calling for about an inch), I forsee a band of parents shoveling a path to school.

Good Morning and welcome to the middle of the week!

The request comes every other day now (it used to be once a week).
'Dad, everybody is school has a cell phone. Can I have one?'
The answer is always the same: 'I didn't have a cell phone until I was 40 years old. You don't need one at 10.'
Now, I've come to the realization that cell phones are now a way of life. We don't even have a land line at home anymore, it's just better to keep the cells around.
Still, I can't wrap my mind around why elementary school students need cell phones.
Maybe, just maybe, if the student is involved in a lot of clubs that have open-ended meetings, a cell phone is useful. After all, most children probably wouldn't know how to use a pay phone if they could even find one.
So, maybe in a small instance, a cell phone is necessary.
While my answer is kind of contrite, I don't see the need for a 10-year old who gets dropped off at the school door every morning, then gets picked up at the school door every afternoon needs a cell phone.
At least I'll keep fighting the battle until I'm too beat up.

Cell Phone In Art Gallery - watch more funny videos

Good Morning and welcome to the rest of the year!

OK, now I get that schools have to play to many masters. I get that they need to stay somewhat away from politics. I get that some parents would become offended (offended?) if teachers talked about political candidates they didn't support. I get that 'No Child Left Behind' doesn't leave much time to actually teach students other than what may show up on a standardized test.
That's all fine and dandy. Yet, the day after we elected a new president, all that should be thrown out the window.
When a fourth-grader comes home and says the school 'is trying to avoid the election as best it can.' Well, that's just plain wrong.
The only way we can build on the unprecedented involvement of so many people this election season is to keep talking about it, especially to children.
Sure, they can't actually vote, but they can feel engaged. They can discuss things. They can do things other than the 'lesson plan.'
Those spelling words will still be studied. The math problems will get done. The testing pressures will still be there.
To ignore what's going on outside the doors is just plain wrong and every adult in the school should be held accountable.
Children want to learn. They do learn. They don't need to be ignored.


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GOOD MORNING, DELAWARE COUNTY!

So, we have Memphis vs. Kansas for the NCAA Tournament title tonight. Like most, the 9:20 start is just too late for me. Why do major events tend to start later and later all the time? I understand the networks want ratings from California, but, with pre-game and a longer-than-usual halftime, it's probably going to push midnight before the game is over.
Just like the World Series and NBA Playoffs, the games are negating a big part of a possible viewing audience: children.
Sure, most of them would probably watch the new adventures of Spongebob or Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, but they aren't given a chance to see these events.
With all the pressure being put on children at school, they need to get to bed earlier and earlier. With games pushing the midnight mark many of those who would enjoy the games the best are no longer able to watch them.
Add to that the overpriced tickets for a 'regular' game and suddenly it's a lot easier to sit in front of the television or play video games.
Then, we wonder why more children aren't out being active.
Just a thought.
Anway, here's a funny photo sent along by reader Raymond Supper from Tampa, Fla.:


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GOOD MORNING, DELAWARE COUNTY!

OK, I have a confession to make, I told a third-grader not to worry about the PSSA tests. This, of course, will be a shock to the system.
The PSSAs are government-mandated tests that will be given over the next couple of weeks and schools are into an all-out push.
There have been daily letters home to parents. There was even a 'contract' sent home telling parents it was their duty to make sure there are no activities after school during the week the PSSA will be administered.
Some schools even hold pep rallies and all-day study sessions to get ready for the 'test.'
Hogwash!
In fact, I thing we'll stay up late every night and maybe even take in a movie or two.
Sure, it's probably a dumb protest, but there is enough pressure on young students these days without adding any more.
The PSSA tests are now the complete focus of the public school system. Instead of teaching to learn, teachers are teaching for the test. There is extra homework, extra time spent during class and extra pressure on the teachers, adminstrators and students.
I'm not blaming the schools. Our President has set this 'No Child Left Behind' bull. The states have no choice but to follow along, which leads to pressure on the school districts, individual schools, principals, teachers, finally, the students.
You know what they say runs downhill.
We should be giving students a reason to love learning, love going to school, instead of adding more and more onto their heads.
The biggest problem is the tests are standardized throughout the state.
Now, let's just look at the school districts in the county. There is no sane way to argue the students in the Radnor School District and the students in the Upper Darby School District get the same education.
This is not to say the teachers, at least some, don't try and that there aren't some talented teachers in both school districts. The plain truth is it's not the same education, yet they are held to the same standards.
When a third grader is walking home and believes the PSSA tests could potentially keep him out of fourth grade, that's just plain wrong.
If that's the message schools are sending, they should be held accountable.
Instead of getting all the students together to 'pump' them up for another test (really, aren't there enough regular tests throughout the year) gather them in the gym to sing or listen to some stories or ... whatever.
So, take the tests because you have no choice, but think about baseball the whole time.
Here's a quick history lesson: When I was in school there were standard tests given each year. We always thought they were very important to our advancement.
By the time we reached sixth grade, it was obvious the tests had no real meaning. So, we took the No. 2 pencils and created designs in the little circles, barely reading the test questions.
We all made it into seventh grade.

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