Domestic Psychology

Saturday again

// January 31st, 2009 // 1 Comment » // flickr

she said/he said – Valentine’s Day edition

// January 30th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // Doug, holidays, kid quotes, marriage, teenagers

Sarah: “Oh, no! I have Color Guard all day on Valentine’s Day. My hair will look terrible for my date that night.”

Doug: “I’m going camping February 14 – 17. Why are you making that face? Did you have plans that weekend?”

Dear Knox County Schools,

// January 29th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // local, school, TN

When School Matters was created, I pretty much stopped writing about school topics on this blog. As the site has gained users, I realized that I was spending more of my time nudging discussions and calming tempers than just writing what was on my mind. That ends now.

When the Superintendent search was narrowed down to a handful of candidates, I googled each finalist. The candidate who once complained that Boston’s $832M school budget needed more money seemed like a very bad fit for Knoxville’s $360M school budget. I guess I should have considered that our school board would see him as someone who could convince Knoxville to put more money in our schools. Knoxville schools need more money. Our businesses in Knoxville are laying off employees and folding faster than new jobs are being created. How are we going to provide more money when we all have less money?

So, here we are 6 months into the new Knoxville Super’s reign and his “vision” is being presented to Knoxville. He asks “How do we transform our system from a very good one to a better one?” In one KnoxViews thread, commenters praise the improved academic requirements in our system. In multiple School Matters threads, the discussion keeps returning to the fact that TN is 38th in the nation in ACT results and things like zero High Schools in TN making the list of the state’s best. Are we a “very good” system or a failing system? Of Knoxville’s 13 high schools, only 5 are not on NCLB’s naughty list. Our new Super wants to add a STEM high school. The school system’s budget for the next year can barely afford to replace one leaking roof. How are we going to build a new high school and where will it be?

The new Super has been visiting the schools. Everyone in the school has been told to smile and agree with everything the new Super says to them. They have also been told to keep their mouths shut about anything that is bothering them. With this absence of honest communication, anything that is not working optimally in our system is going to be kept that way.

The new Super has an assortment of other ideas, like giving teachers and students mentors. We already have that. His primary focus is on getting parents and students to change. He has a great plan to get parents more involved in their children’s education. He wants parents to learn how to continue the school day at their kitchen table. Seriously? What does he think we have been doing since we became parents? I don’t deny that we have a culture of ignorance in this area, but there are a LOT of very involved parents who have been working hard to supplement their children’s education and we want to be HEARD by school board members, not condescended and told that everything is great.

Here’s an idea – Let’s start by honestly and accurately stating out loud the current status of our school system. Then, let’s do a complete inventory of what we have in our toolbox. Be sure to recognize that toolbox includes parents and teachers with ideas for how we can see all of our children achieve their highest potential. Now, take that toolbox and let’s ALL start fixing what is broken.

quickie LOST questions

// January 28th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // television

Is Daniel Faraday Charlotte’s father?

Is Sawyer the inspiration for the 4-toed statue?

Are Daniel and Richard related? Is one of them the evil twin? Or is Richard Daniel’s father and the teeny soldier with braids Daniel’s mother?

Are Adam & Eve, Penny & Desmond?

Why is Juliette so calm?

Where is Walt?

Amy says:

// January 27th, 2009 // No Comments » // kid quotes, marriage, parenting

“This. Is. SO. Em-bar-ras-sing.”

git yer hand stamped

// January 26th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // life, local, people, school

So, I went to the Color Guard competition Saturday night. It was in a very northern area of Knoxville which I rarely visit. As I paid the parental extortion fee to watch my own child performing in her half a grand a semester activity while wearing 50 dollars of makeup, the person collecting the fee told me I needed to get my hand stamped. I did what I always do and asked questions instead of just being quiet and nodding my head in agreement. The money collector looked stunned that anyone would question the need for hand stamps and after a moment of being on the receiving end of the deer-in-headlights look, I was politely told, “You’ll need it for readmission.” I don’t know if I looked unsatisfied with that answer or someone felt sorry for the money collector who was really just a mom volunteering her time, but a voice in the crowd that sounded like a direct descendant of Jed Clampett shouted the answer I needed. “They won’t letcha smoke in the buildin’.” Have been hit on the head with the proverbial stupid stick, I smiled at the money collector and said, “Thanks for the stamp.”

Late Saturday night, I scrubbed the stamp off the back of my hand. One of the quickest ways to attract attention in the South on a Sunday is to have a stamp from the night before still visible on your hand. I did not want a long lecture from anyone who looked like my grandmother and I certainly didn’t want phone calls several times a week inviting me to a Baptist Women gathering. Doug absent-mindedly wore his hand stamp all day Sunday. I can’t decide if I want to blame his innocence on too much time spent in New Jersey or sexism in Baptist churches. Either way, I wouldn’t want anyone thinking I was running in and out of the high school gym to smoke cigarettes all night. I could just say I was out club-hopping with my five children. Two dogs. Two cats. And a snake.

If they sell it in a f*tish shop…

// January 25th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // flickr, school

…then it isn’t a good costume for high school students.

Saturday night

// January 24th, 2009 // No Comments » // flickr

further proof they think I’m stupid

// January 23rd, 2009 // 2 Comments » // kid quotes, parenting, teenagers

boyfriend: “Text me after you ask your mother.”
Sarah: “I will. Buh-bye.”
- Sarah gets in the car and we begin the drive home. -
Sarah: “Soooooo, do uh, we have any uh, plans tonight?”
Me: “What do you and Z have planned?”
Sarah: “How did you know we have plans?”

silage

// January 22nd, 2009 // 5 Comments » // flickr, food

Learning about silage did not encourage me to drink milk.