Kevin's Watch

Let's keep the threadjack going!

It's the same way in Massachusetts, but I go to a private school so I don't have to take the state-mandated standardized exams (called MCAS), but I do have to take all the college-mandated exams. Ugh. From what you have written about Beorn, I imagine he would be fine taking either the SAT exams or the ACT exams.

Interesting about the private schools not being required to do the state mandated tests. AFAIK, the private schools here have to do at least the Iowa, if not the FCATS themselves.

That really sucks. I've always considered myself lucky because I get out of MCAS.

Do you feel not having taken standardized tests every year affects your attitude toward and ability on the college entrance exams though?

Hm. I don't really think so. The school makes us take PSATs and the pre-ACT. I don't think the public schools do that (or maybe they do), so it's not like we never take standardized exams. And there are always the AP exams. But like I said, I pretty much dislike standardized exams for the exact reasons that you listed. Education is not always quantifiable.

It's sad.

Beorn has actually gotten to the point where he looks forward to the FCATS. At least through this past year.

They're given over a two week period, M-TH, for the classes up until lunchtime. Then, so as not to "overtax their minds" the rest of the day is spent in class either watching movies or being allowed to read, or whatever. Then, the two Fridays are totally free days. No homework the entire two weeks.

But we'll see what happens during the high school day starting this next school year...

Looking forward to a standardized exam?! Oh, the humanity! Nah, it will serve him very well in a few years.

He really is a sweet kid, LM. I fear what going from a K-8th grade school with a total student body of 133 pupils to a high school of over 2000 pupils will do to his outlook on his classmates and life in general...

But the Cambridge magnet program seems customized for him, and this is the only local school that offers it (it's also our zoned school, so if it doesn't work out at least he doesn't have to change schools). We will see what comes in the fall.

I'm sure he is! I didn't make a transition that big, but my 8th grade class had some 40-odd kids in it, and my high school has over 1200 in total. It was a fairly sizable difference. Will he be a freshman in the fall? Hope he has a good year. I had a great freshman year actually.

Yes. He's entering as a 13 year old freshman. He'll turn 14 about two weeks into the school year.

I really hope he has a good freshman year. With his AS, and as physically big as he is, if he should decide not to like this school I am unsure how I'll force him to go, without asking Paul to physically get involved, which I am loath to do. For now he still responds to the stern look and the harsh Jewish mother voice when needed, but as short as I am compared to him now, I always wonder how long that will last.

Well, to get back on topic, my weekend wasn't too bad. GF worked on saturday morning, so I had 6 hours to waste in front of the PC.

Then we managed some climbing which was great, I did a line that was probably as hard as anything I've done (which is not tooo hard, I don't put more effort in than is comfortable for me) and I made my first rapp-jump which was a painful and hilarious experience. (Just did it in my climbing harness, which is not designed for it, so I have 2 lovely buckle-shaped bruises over my hip-bones.)

Then home, a few friends round for pizza and a movie, and a completely unproductive sunday.

--A

Nice weekend Avatar! I did a double-take when you said "I did a line" - before I worked out what you were talking about. Heh!

My weekend has been monumentally lazy. Cheering Essendon on to a famous victory Friday night... caught up with my sister and her hubby for a nice stroll on Saturday... a little work Sunday morning (paging DBAs and getting them to start jobs), running Sunday (4k) and Monday (10k), and generally recovering from a cold by taking it easy.

Gotta love the Queens Birthday long weekend. One of the joys of living in our little convict colony.

Haha, to be honest, after I posted I realised how that might be misconstrued if read hastily. Nah, haven't done those kind of lines for several years.

--A

My weekends vary from week to week, but this "weekend" I fixed my couch and read a lot. Speaking of which, it's time to make a run to the Lassleys book store.

I'm taking Friday off to golf. The first time I'll have done that this year. So my weekend starts tomorrow night.

fly to las vegas tonight. i'll catch a show, lose my shirt. then drive out to the grand canyon and stay the night then back to vegas and home again on monday.

I suppose you want me to feed Bird for you, Bloodguard Bob.....

Buying a motorcycle helmet

Waddley Hasselhoff wrote:Buying a motorcycle helmet

To go with a new motorcycle, Wadds? Do tell!!