Real men don't need no stinkin' laws.

(soon to be) X-posted with Bitches...

Question for teachers:

Tomorrow, Ben begins taking MCAS exams--our state's leap into the sort of standardized testing that is not only an assessment, but also counts for/against the students, teachers, and school district. Students in higher grades (Ben's only in 3rd grade) cannot graduate unless/until they pass.

Third graders are tested on reading. Ben reads well, and seems to have done well enough on his practice exercises. We sent him (voluntarily) to a before-school enrichment class this month. For practice, the students read a one or two page essay or story, and answer approximately 8 objective questions. Ben does well on these.

There is an open-ended question at the end, usually asking for detail to support the question. Unlike his mother, Ben has no patience for that which he considers trivial. Although he understands what detail means, he is reluctant to provide it. He can, if I pull it out of him. I don't have to lead him to the details, but it just isn't his nature to give it on his own. It's not even that he doesn't absorb it. In fact, he never has to go back to the essay to give me detail. He's just not into giving it. At all. I blame his father, whose work stories are always about the guy, but I digress. *g* The teacher who leads the enrichment course has not provided any feedback to say whether or not his answers would be acceptable on the actual tests.

In his usual coursework, Ben does well. He's mostly an A student, with his worst grade in penmanship (B-). When he misses something on a regular quiz or test (not too often), it is usually because he has glossed over the directions, or has been careless because he was rushing.

I have written a note to his teacher, asking her if she has any test-taking strategies to recommend to him (or for us to recommend to him), beyond the typical go to bed early; eat well; get outside and play. I also asked what level of detail is expected on the open-ended questions, for third graders, and if she had any feedback to offer, specific to his open-ended answers.

All our Buffista teachers are so bright and committed, that I thought I would ask you, too. Even though (as far as I know) none of you teach at the elementary level, is there anything any of you would recommend? I don't want to stress him out. I just want to ensure that since he is capable of fully answering questions, that he does. Also, if you have any general test-taking strategies, I would be thrilled to learn about them. Thanks in advance.

ita gave Perkins tamarind balls and then Perkins gave Nicole a tamarind ball and Nicole is still using the tamarind ball seed as a strange mouth toy.

Oh, crap. I didn't try a tamarind ball!

I was even able to ignore some kind of odd celebrating that seemed to be happening today. Was it some kind of holiday today?

I find it interesting that one never hears comments like this about Purim, or Yom Kippur, or Diwali, or Ramadan.

(ND, I swear I'm not singling you out; your comment just prompted me to post. Because over the weekend I heard [IRL] and read [on the internets] lots and lots of comments that are insulting to and dismissive of people who celebrate the most holy day of their faith. And it bothers me.)

I was watching CNN in last night and Randall Terry was listed as a spokesperson for the Schindlers. Which had me wondering if that was their choice or he'd horned his way in (or CNN was wrong).

I couldn't listen to much because how America should apologize to those tried at Nuremburg (which I know I just misspelled) because the Bushes, etc are saying they are following the law by not reinserting Terri's feeding tube and the Nazis were a legitimatly elected party that made rules that the citizen's followed. But the world made them answer to a higher moral law. And that situation is just like this situation with Terri. And then I turned it off.

He also said Terri was "interacting" with family members.

Congrats on the best-seller, Hec!

I was watching CNN in last night and Randall Terry was listed as a spokesperson for the Schindlers. Which had me wondering if that was their choice or he'd horned his way in

Not sure, but I don't think he's the spokesperson.

You know, this is a weird issue, when even most conservatives (and I think most Evangelicals) disagree with the people who are trying to get the feeding tube put back in, and yet the radical people like Randall Terry continue to get lots of media coverage.

I just watched Grey's Anatomy. I think I'll keep the season pass. Sandra Oh is great, and Patrick Dempsey is nummy.

MSNBC also says Randal Terry is the family's spokesman....

I know that the family issued a statement that they wanted the protesters to leave. I also saw Terri's brother in front of cameras asking for people to be respectful and peaceful.

I feel that many of the protesters don't honestly care about Terri or her parents, or if they did they are now only interested in what *they* want to happen.

CNN's correspondent talked about the kids that were there -- that some of them were very informed and others could only say they hated Michael Schiavo but didn't know why or really the situation. Also that most parents were saying their children wanted to come and be a part of the protest.

I just watched Grey's Anatomy. I think I'll keep the season pass.

Hey, I know someone on that show! TR Knight. Good guy.