Sunday, October 7, 2007

The Pony Can't Multiply

This should be a 4-day week for the students. I was supposed to have a teacher's inservice day, but with My Little Pony scheduled for surgery sometime Friday, it looks like I'm going to miss being serviced. Which is too bad, because I have a feeling it will be time to whip the ol' curriculum into shape, and perhaps some subject-area meetings, but I am just guessing, because I'm sure we won't know that until Thursday afternoon.

The Pony and I did his homework. Only one hour this time, for two days work. That little guy needs some serious work on his multiplication tables, methinks.

The #1 son needs to complete some community service work for one of his 7th grade classes. Which is just an elective class, and not involved with Civics or anything, and I am not so sure I agree with such an assignment for this age group. Anyhoo...the boy wants to volunteer at the city library. Surely they can use him. One of the crusty old gals told him they DO have a volunteer program. I'm thinkin' they could use him to carry or shelve books, what with their average age being near 105, and their fragile hips not cut out for hiking up and down the stairs. Of course, they DO have that elevator with the sign that it is only for people who NEED it.

He could have used his church PowerPoint go-to guy status as his community service. The teacher even suggested it. But the boy told me: "Mom. You have to write a half-page about what you learned from this experience, and I didn't learn anything at church. At the library, I would be doing things I don't already know how to do." I'm thinking he's missing the point of this community service thingy. I'm not sure the teacher wants to know technically what they have learned, but probably some touchy-feely it's-better-to-give-than-to-receive kind of lesson in humanity. We'll see how it all turns out in another week, when 1st Quarter ends. The school year is almost over, you know! The library gals must not know. They had the nerve to be closed Saturday and Monday to celebrate Columbus Day. It reminds me of when I worked for a state agency. As one of my interviewers told me, "We have a holiday every time it's cloudy."

That's all the excitement for tonight. I can't carve out enough time to tell you about the dentist, or finish my D. H. Lawrence parody.

I know. The suspense is killing you.

6 comments:

LanternLight said...

"... and I didn't learn anything at church. At the library, I would be doing things I don't already know how to do."

Least the kid is honest about it.

:-)

Here is something I'm starting to use more often when I write PowerPoint slides:
http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2005/12/the_102030_rule.html

Hillbilly Mom said...

Lantern,
That's true. The boy is Asperger-y honest.

I'll pass that link on to him.

Mommy Needs a Xanax said...

We're supposed to have a staff development day Thursday too. You should tell 'em the only day the doc can see Pony is Friday, and take yourself a 3.5 day weekend.

I called in today. Shoulda saved it for Friday.

Hillbilly Mom said...

Meanie,
What were you thinking? I read on your blog how you played hooky, you crafty hooker! We had a teacher who did that, and was caught that evening at Pasta House by his principal. He was used as our fake-calling-in-sick poster boy for several monthly faculty meetings.

Our inservice happens to be on Friday. So I AM having a 3-day weekend, but I will be sitting in a hospital waiting room for one of the days.

LanternLight said...

http://www.presentationzen.com/ is another good link.

On Monday, I had to go into work to induct some new victims/employees.

68 PAGES! is what our current powerpoint slidedeck is. I've recommended to HR that they reduce it.

Hillbilly Mom said...

Lantern,
68 pages. It's a wonder you could keep them awake. I have to crank my room temp down to 68 F to keep my kids awake through 4 pages of textbook.