Texsox

I smell a motivational play with the whole will he or won't he play. Why not just have him parachute in? He'll play.

QUOTE (flavum @ Aug 30, 2010 -> 11:54 AM) He's an idiot who disrespects the game in every way. I don't think the Sox will win the division with or without him, so I'm a little disappointed he's on the team I root for. That said, it's only 5 weeks, so I will root for him and hopefully a miracle will happen and the Sox will go 23-9 the rest of the way and that will be enough. what he said. It was cooler to pick up Junior for a month or two. But, it's only for a couple months then he is a free agent. Manny has to know that a play off spot or better this year sets him up for another Manny Payday

I could never remember anyone listing it when talking about places to see in Chicago. Navy Pier, etc all made sense, but not Prarie Avenue.

When we were in Chicago my girlfriend purchased a bag with Chicago and some of the landmarks listed, Oak Street Beach, Water Tower, etc. One thing caught me eye, Prarie Avenue. I can't for the life of me remember Prarie Avenue.

During meet the teacher night I was explaining all the tools we would be using, laptops, netbooks, Qwizdom, and the software, Inspiration, Word, Excel, Publisher, video editing, etc. Finally one parent asked me what subject I taught! lol

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Aug 26, 2010 -> 02:21 PM) Maybe it's just the way I read it then. A different history as in some bizarro world where we never gained independence from England and the South actually won the civil war. I guess the only way history could be different is when people explain why something happened or tell it from a different POV. Maybe not different, but a different set of information. You can't discuss everything, so would it be OK for one teacher to only barely mention Frederick Douglas as an author and another to spend three weeks on the brave abolitionist?

Balta, I don't have time to research a good source, but one area I've heard the US leads is the percentage of children who are in school. We do everything we can to keep a kid in school. In other countries, IIRC, there is not that same push. So our numbers on test scores are somewhat skewed by kids that would not be enrolled in other countries. If someone has time, I'd be interested if there is any data to refute or confirm that.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 23, 2010 -> 01:49 PM) We are getting to the point where they can only teach what the tests and the mandates state. Again, the results speak for themselves. I am conflicted on this. I think everyone agrees something has to be taught. But should someone in my class learn something different than a student in the classroom across the hall? Should kids in San Antonio learn a different history than a kid in Houston or Bloomington? Why should I, or any classroom teacher, decide what is taught? The problem becomes when a state mandates a minimum number of things that should be covered. Let's say it should occupy 50% of the time, allowing Districts and teachers the opportunity to fill in the rest as they see fit. While that sounds like a nice compromise, what ends up happening is the 50% is taught then the rest of the time is spent reviewing to make certain the kids perform on the test or else schools start losing funding. Taxpayers want the type of accountability that can only happen with test results.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Aug 23, 2010 -> 01:51 PM) I don't like the tenure system and think its B.S., but I agree with your post here. School principals work a ton of hours in a hard job, and I have zero problem with someone who has attained that position making 6 figures, much like their private industry cohorts (people who manage dozens or hundreds of people and are in a very public leadership role). Tenure does not pertain to Administration. Principals, like baseball managers, are much easier to fire.

It seems like he's been spiraling down the past decade or so. Next will be the trip to Betty Ford Clinic while admitting to a drug and/or alcohol problem.

The next surge propels them to the playoffs, the next slump exits them from the playoffs. Six Flags will name a ride after this team.

I already saw plenty of that. I also noticed a few students logged in and posted after school yesterday. After I get some traffic, maybe I can start selling ads

My classes will be using an on-line classroom environment for some projects. One of the components is a forum. I have the laptops out and they are learning to start posts and reply to posts. Finally something I am teaching something I know about. Some kid named Miguel is already the class champ.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Aug 21, 2010 -> 11:14 AM) Do they also get to retire at 50 with full pension and paid medical, summers off while working, and days that end at 3 pm? Plus an untold amount of days off throughout the year for every holiday known to man? I understand your anaolgy, I just dont quite agree with it. I forgot to mention that in the story about the district wanting to increase principal pay, they also mentioned that they had just laid off about 20 teachers and cut the sports budgets. Not even close to their actual hours. The principal here arrives well before 6:30 am and is still here when I leave around 5. They attend about every district meeting imaginable (*all in the evening) He is the one that opens the schools on Sunday afternoons for any teachers that need to get in. They do not have summers off. They do receive more vacation than most managers, but not the same as teachers.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Aug 21, 2010 -> 12:47 PM) The last post was two weeks ago, and you bumped it for that? Here's one I remember from when I was a kid: Did you hear about the new book "Little Brown Spots on the Wall" by the Chinese author, Hu Flung Pu? It was on my first page and I hadn't read the thread before. lTEACHER: Who is your favorite author? PUPIL: George Washington. TEACHER: But George Washington never wrote any books. PUPIL: You got it.

QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Aug 21, 2010 -> 03:01 PM) It's not the 60's anymore Tex. far out man, I can dig it. So we got peace and everything? No more war to stop communism?

QUOTE (Queen Prawn @ Aug 21, 2010 -> 08:39 AM) That is cool Tex! My cross country coach in HS was a big inspiration to me, not just running but life in general. She Lives!! Great to see you posting, I hope all is well.

I had them waxed a couple times and the stray hairs stopped growing back. One time the woman that was doing it wanted to shape them a bit by thinning out a few hairs between the eyebrow and my eye. OH f*** THAT HURT. Never again. The threading looks interesting. No way I could sit in the mall and have it done, too weird. And no way I will be getting my teeth whitened at a kiosk in the mall. Sit in a reclining chair smiling like a total dumbass with a blacklight shining on your teeth.

The title said BAD, not tasteless. Your perspective usually changes when you have kids. Suddenly Dahl's "Another Kid in the Crawl" parody isn't as funny. Dead baby jokes don't sound so cool. And pedophile jokes just aren't funny. It's probably hardwired into our DNA somewhere.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 20, 2010 -> 08:59 AM) When are the group hugs? Not so much group hugs, but hook them in the first couple weeks with some fun stuff. The motivated kids will always work a little harder. We'll push harder week three.

QUOTE (Iwritecode @ Aug 20, 2010 -> 10:06 AM) spewed coffee on my keyboard Yesterday, Student "Mr. Welton, do you have a facebook?" Me "No, what's that". Student "Do you use twitter?" Me "No, what's that". Student "Damn, you don't know anything about on-line!" Me "What's on-line?"

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Aug 20, 2010 -> 06:56 PM) So are you saying that government workers are generally smarter than private sector employees, or just your average McDonalds workers? The civil service process may weed out some, but I'd guess overall it is about the same for the McJobs*. *I believe we're taking about those that are exactly equal.

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Aug 19, 2010 -> 11:10 PM) The Plainfield school district here wants to accelerate and increase the pay for first year principals from $116,500 per year to $121,400 per year because "many of the assistant principals we are interviewing are making more than that and wold have to take a pay cut." I read that (in an actual paper!) at dinner tonight. I would say that 6 figures for an assistant or regular principal seems like a lot, for running one school. That does seem a little high. I'm trying to figure what an equivalent position would be in the private sector. Most principals would have close to 100 employees, anywhere from 600 to over a thousand "customers". Lots of mandates and government regulations. A restaurant that will feed a thousand meals a day. Perhaps a sports program. The fixed assets in the millions that they are responsible for. A plant manager for a maquila in Mexico here would make easily that with bonuses pushing well beyond that.

I haven't been able to follow a game for the past few weeks. I guess I picked a nice time.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 18, 2010 -> 05:39 PM) Don't forget bloated pensions in most cases are based on bloated government wages. Are the wages for the vast majority of government workers really that high? I know we hear of some directors and stuff that are making what sounds like generous salaries, but it seems most workers are in line with private sector jobs.