Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 : The concept was a good one if the schools were able to provide tutors for the children with difficulties. I was one of those for a year. We were called Para Professionals and I went from class to class and helped in reading (my " speciality " ). Not to say that I was any great shakes in helping but I was able to weed out and pin point the problems of some of the students. I, myself, have dyslexia and it wasn't uncovered until my college entrance exams when I spelled a word backwords. I was put into a remidial reading class and learned how to read all over again, which I thoroughly enjoy now. That's what I was doing with the kids. Teaching them to slow down and understand what they were reading which it seems the teachers didn't have time to do. The only reason it lasted for just one year was money. You see, the schools pay for people like me out of their school funds. If there's no money, there's no help. I even offered to volunteer. They know my background check is clean (had to have one to be a Para) but was denied the volunteer hours because they didn't want to step on anyone's toes. Kind of makes me want to through my hands up and walk away. I didn't, by the way. I help kids at home with their reading. It started through our temple and grew from there. You're right though, this idea of no child left behind is ridiculous if there's no help for the kid to advance other kids have to suffer for that. Take care and be well. Ellen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 If only more people would volunteer their time maybe politics would prevent people from feeling like they were getting their toes stepped on. Let the system pay for the background check and then let the volunteers go at it. I d say that the system would then have a great chance at working. Having managed so many large projects, it makes me sick to see all this pomp and circumstance' go into a project that has all kinds of testing rolled around it, when in actuality it is holding back more kids than it helps, especially now that I know that there are people like you that are trying to help are are basically told - sorry, we don't have the money and you say 'that's ok, I don't care about the money and they still don't take the help'... Politics drives me nuts sometimes.. If they would just follow common sense and say 'hey - this could work if we took the money for the program to pay for background checks instead of paying people and put out a nationwide drive for good volunteers through local schools, I'd bet they would be really surprised with the support they got. This is the next generation we are talking about - they deserve better than the school system we are giving them. I'm really amazed that you are volunteering and proud of you to. I'd love to do that, maybe sometime I'll try. Right now it's about all I can do to get through a day. Anyway - good job. That's got to feel pretty amazing to be able to do that. -- Re: No child left behind. : The concept was a good one if the schools were able to provide tutors for the children with difficulties. I was one of those for a year. We were called Para Professionals and I went from class to class and helped in reading (my " speciality " ). Not to say that I was any great shakes in helping but I was able to weed out and pin point the problems of some of the students. I, myself, have dyslexia and it wasn't uncovered until my college entrance exams when I spelled a word backwords. I was put into a remidial reading class and learned how to read all over again, which I thoroughly enjoy now. That's what I was doing with the kids. Teaching them to slow down and understand what they were reading which it seems the teachers didn't have time to do. The only reason it lasted for just one year was money. You see, the schools pay for people like me out of their school funds. If there's no money, there's no help. I even offered to volunteer. They know my background check is clean (had to have one to be a Para) but was denied the volunteer hours because they didn't want to step on anyone's toes. Kind of makes me want to through my hands up and walk away. I didn't, by the way. I help kids at home with their reading. It started through our temple and grew from there. You're right though, this idea of no child left behind is ridiculous if there's no help for the kid to advance other kids have to suffer for that. Take care and be well. Ellen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 I'll be honest, it's exhausting but well worth it. Watching these kids develop and learn is one of the most rewarding things in the world. Oddly enough, after I wrote this post I received a phone call from another parent that wants her daughter to learn hand eye coordination and wants me to teach her arts and crafts. I've scheduled her for this weekend (Saturday) for an hour to start and see what she needs. If you have time and the inclination I strongly suggest volunteering your time somehow. Oddly enough you may actually feel a little better physically as well. It takes you out of your realm for a time. Take care and be well. I have to go pick up my son from his Teen Advisory Board meeting now. Then I'll make dinner and collapse later (LOL). Ellen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 You ought to love this....is in 4th grade and at least weekly the whole class is made to go over times tables, basic addition & subtraction & such as there are 4 or 5 students who still do not undersatnd it, yet they were promoted from 2nd & 3rd grades!! Thankfully enjoys learning, especially math. I have taught him things that he easily comprehends that he won't see in school for at least 2 more years. I also give a quick read to his books and ask him questions on the book and either my wife or myself review ALL homework. on does well, but the 1st grade curriculum is pretty much self explanatory, and he never has a question, nor does he show the same desire does, although didn't ask about anything back then, either, The teachers teach these students how to pass a state test, not much more. If the school flunks " X " number of years in a row they can be taken over by a state agency and such. MOST schools in my area fail!!!! NO SHIT>>>>>THEY AREN " T TEACHING!!! I'm sorry if " Jane " is smarter than " " but if " " can't keep up with his peers he must be held back until he is able to! School in a way, is like life.... some are born into wealth, some are born into poverty....some are born into a decent family, some will never " know " the word....... Life isn't fair and never has been, yet we (as a society) have been led astray by sme idiots who think that every child must be as important as the next in order for the world to revolve! You know not enough of us (AMERICANS) aren't voting when you see yourself being led by EXTREMISTS! If everyone did their job and voted, maybe, just maybe we'd have representation that worked. I know so many people who have the attitude " Why should I vote, it won't change a thing " that I want to smack them upside the head. Sorry...getting a bit carried away on a wicked rant that has no end in sight....... Adios, Kirk > > : > > The concept was a good one if the schools were able to provide tutors > for the children with difficulties. I was one of those for a year. > We were called Para Professionals and I went from class to class and > helped in reading (my " speciality " ). Not to say that I was any great > shakes in helping but I was able to weed out and pin point the > problems of some of the students. I, myself, have dyslexia and it > wasn't uncovered until my college entrance exams when I spelled a > word backwords. I was put into a remidial reading class and learned > how to read all over again, which I thoroughly enjoy now. > > That's what I was doing with the kids. Teaching them to slow down > and understand what they were reading which it seems the teachers > didn't have time to do. > > The only reason it lasted for just one year was money. You see, the > schools pay for people like me out of their school funds. If there's > no money, there's no help. I even offered to volunteer. They know > my background check is clean (had to have one to be a Para) but was > denied the volunteer hours because they didn't want to step on > anyone's toes. Kind of makes me want to through my hands up and walk > away. I didn't, by the way. I help kids at home with their > reading. It started through our temple and grew from there. > > You're right though, this idea of no child left behind is ridiculous > if there's no help for the kid to advance other kids have to suffer > for that. > > Take care and be well. > > Ellen > > > -- Everything in life sucks except things that should! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 I can relate as a mini football coach, I've been working with the same " crew " since they were 5 and the changes you see over time are beautiful! I also am a teacher in a sense, and try to instill good sportsmanship and such in them. I try to teach them to win, (we do quite well) but in every game one team wins, and the other loses. I try to explain that to them....also. Aside from my own 2 boys I deal with roughly 20 others on a daily basis for 4-5 months out of the year, and love it. It tires the hell out of me but is one of the few things I can still do (to a point) and I truly love doing it. I actually stopped fishing tournaments due to football, and fishing has been my favorite summertime " hobby " since I was 11 or so. Adios, Kirk > > I'll be honest, it's exhausting but well worth it. Watching these > kids develop and learn is one of the most rewarding things in the > world. Oddly enough, after I wrote this post I received a phone call > from another parent that wants her daughter to learn hand eye > coordination and wants me to teach her arts and crafts. I've > scheduled her for this weekend (Saturday) for an hour to start and see > what she needs. > > If you have time and the inclination I strongly suggest volunteering > your time somehow. Oddly enough you may actually feel a little better > physically as well. It takes you out of your realm for a time. > > Take care and be well. I have to go pick up my son from his Teen > Advisory Board meeting now. Then I'll make dinner and collapse later > (LOL). > > Ellen > > > -- Everything in life sucks except things that should! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 Kirk: As far as I'm concerned you have every right to rant. You're not wrong, too many people aren't voting so the politicians are doing as they please and they seem to think that this " no child left behind " is a good thing. It's quite obvious they haven't spent much time in a classroom lately. In the " olden days " a child was left back because he/she didn't comprehend enough to move on. Perhaps the school tested them for reading or comprehension but that was about all the school was able to do. Now if a child's hair is blue they are sent to the school psychologist and there are meetings as to why the hair is blue and who did it and is it allowed, etc, instead of going to the possible source and simply asking 'why'. Everyone has to have a voice here. There are so many things we could discuss but I'm afraid very little will change until election day and even that is uncurtain. I believe there was a time when our government was supposed to work for us not the big companies that are lining their pockets. Somehow what we've become may not have been what our forefather's had in mind when they drafted the Pre-amble and the Constitution. Of course back then, children worked along side their parents and other siblings. Take care and be well. Ellen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 I couldn't have said it better myself! Way to go!!! > > Kirk: > > As far as I'm concerned you have every right to rant. You're not > wrong, too many people aren't voting so the politicians are doing as > they please and they seem to think that this " no child left behind " > is a good thing. It's quite obvious they haven't spent much time in > a classroom lately. > > In the " olden days " a child was left back because he/she didn't > comprehend enough to move on. Perhaps the school tested them for > reading or comprehension but that was about all the school was able > to do. Now if a child's hair is blue they are sent to the school > psychologist and there are meetings as to why the hair is blue and > who did it and is it allowed, etc, instead of going to the possible > source and simply asking 'why'. Everyone has to have a voice here. > > There are so many things we could discuss but I'm afraid very little > will change until election day and even that is uncurtain. I believe > there was a time when our government was supposed to work for us not > the big companies that are lining their pockets. Somehow what we've > become may not have been what our forefather's had in mind when they > drafted the Pre-amble and the Constitution. Of course back then, > children worked along side their parents and other siblings. > > Take care and be well. > > Ellen > > > -- Everything in life sucks except things that should! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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