Hello everyone..it's been almost a month since my last update. I have been busy stitching and reading, so I suppose that is a good thing. This blog post has no pictures and is just me rambling about two things, school and my hamsters, so here goes.....
School
Today was the first day of school here in Florida. I shall never get used to the idea of school starting midway thru Summer. It just seems Wrong.
Most years I try to maintain a positive outlook and hope for things like my girls making nice friends, and that they learn a few things and make wonderful memories. This year, I hope that their teachers aren't incompetent or that the teachers aren't verbally abusive (a big problem at my kids' school) and that I won't have to write any complaint letters. I am hoping that the food served in school doesn't make the kids sick, and that there is soap in the bathrooms for hand washing, and that for two months after the FCAT, the teachers don't stop teaching and continue to get paid for doing nothing until June. I also hope my kids learn something academic, but I know that I must teach that at home. Funny...used to be the kids learned their academics in school and the morals and social mores at home but things are reversed now.
There is so very much I have teach at home. I am rather overwhelmed with it, frankly. I know this is not new to American schools, but it's new to me. And yes, I worry that my girls will not be prepared for college. Perhaps it's just me. Maybe my standards are too high and the schools are doing it exactly right....but I don't think so.
My kids' school seems to focus exclusively on reading and language arts, and then math, but the kids are doing really poorly in both areas despite the focus and despite the complete disregard of other subjects. Something's wrong. Used to be you learned to read by actually reading...reading about history, science, reading plays and writing poetry, analyzing song lyrics and you know, writing book reports and making presentations. Not no more (smile). Now you learn to read by going on the computer and reading sort passages and spitting out the answers two seconds later. This doesn't actually test what you may have learned long term and it doesn't help you fall in love or hate with characters or imagine your life elsewhere or...oh, what's the use.
To all those with kids in school, I wish you good luck, and may this year be filled with competent and caring teachers, a warm circle of friends and lot's of meaningful learning opportunities...oh, and hope your kids actually learn something useful!
Hamsters
Well, folks, my hamsters are about one year old at this time and two of the three are doing fantastic. One of the babies appears to have a some sort of mass just under its neck, on its chest. She is feeling unwell and is off her feeding and activity. Am going to contact the vet and see what can be done.
Stitching-wise
I have not been stitching very much, due to school preparations and lot's of reading of bad urban romance novels. I did not pick up any stitching last week at all, but am hoping to pick up where I left off tonight, once everyone is abed!
Well, August is almost at an end...soon will come the September holidays (my office closes for all of the High Holy Days...yay and thank you Lord!) and then the fall ones...always a treat. I am hoping to start on some Halloween stitching and finish something I started last year for Thanksgiving...I need more Time!!!!
That's it folks and thanks for reading and leaving a comment!
Hugs , Chris G
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