School starts tomorrow! How about in your areas?

[artist4perry]

School starts tomorrow. Christmas eve for teachers who love to teach! I am curious how many schools are starting this early.

I think ours has a great deal with the addition of snow days.

How about your area?

[Deb]

School starts tomorrow. Christmas eve for teachers who love to teach! I am curious how many schools are starting this early.

I think ours has a great deal with the addition of snow days.

How about your area?

Daughter's 21 now, so I don't have to keep track of school calendars anymore.

[Enigma869]

Never starts before Labor Day in Massachusetts and never has.

[Ratgirl]

Aug. 22nd here.. although I'm already "kid-less".. band camp started lasted Thursday.

[mikemarrs]

Started one week ago Monday.I do remember school starting after Labor Day when i was a kid back in the eighties.

[artist4perry]

Never starts before Labor Day in Massachusetts and never has.

We never used to either Jon, but it gets earlier and earlier every year and summer gets later and later. But you have snow plows and proper equipment in Mass. right? I bet that is why. Weather not an option of school there.

[steveo777]

It can't happen too soon. I'll be glad when all those migrant worker's kids go back to school, then it will be safe to go to the store or the mall again,
without all those little shits running around knocking everything over. I swear they raise their kids on auto pilot.

[DrFU]

First time I don't have any kids starting any kind of school in a REALLY long time ... From preschool with the oldest to a master's degree with youngest.

I do have one starting tomorrow as a teacher though ... And he's happy and excited.

[artist4perry]

First time I don't have any kids starting any kind of school in a REALLY long time ... From preschool with the oldest to a master's degree with youngest.

I do have one starting tomorrow as a teacher though ... And he's happy and excited.

What does he teach?

By the way you look pretty in your av!

[DrFU]

First time I don't have any kids starting any kind of school in a REALLY long time ... From preschool with the oldest to a master's degree with youngest.

I do have one starting tomorrow as a teacher though ... And he's happy and excited.

What does he teach?

By the way you look pretty in your av!

Thanks, Ginger!

Middle Son Scott teaches high school world geography and world history. He got hired mid- year last year, so this is his first first day of school to be an official teacher. He Loves his job; happy kid= happy mom.

[artist4perry]

First time I don't have any kids starting any kind of school in a REALLY long time ... From preschool with the oldest to a master's degree with youngest.

I do have one starting tomorrow as a teacher though ... And he's happy and excited.

What does he teach?

By the way you look pretty in your av!

Thanks, Ginger!

Middle Son Scott teaches high school world geography and world history. He got hired mid- year last year, so this is his first first day of school to be an official teacher. He Loves his job; happy kid= happy mom.

Sounds like he knows what to expect though. Great! Will he have to do the Praxis III? This is an observation test to get your standard license. Usually it is done in your first three years of teaching. Some states do not require it. Arkansas does.

[DrFU]

Sounds like he knows what to expect though. Great! Will he have to do the Praxis III? This is an observation test to get your standard license. Usually it is done in your first three years of teaching. Some states do not require it. Arkansas does.

Texas doesn't do Praxis. We're the only state that was once an independent nation and we continue to preen and posture about it. Not participating in the national curriculum standards project. Don't use the ISLLC standards for administrators ... The list goes on ...

Not sure how Governor Goodhair is going to handle this now that he has presidential aspirations ...

[artist4perry]

Sounds like he knows what to expect though. Great! Will he have to do the Praxis III? This is an observation test to get your standard license. Usually it is done in your first three years of teaching. Some states do not require it. Arkansas does.

Texas doesn't do Praxis. We're the only state that was once an independent nation and we continue to preen and posture about it. Not participating in the national curriculum standards project. Don't use the ISLLC standards for administrators ... The list goes on ...

Not sure how Governor Goodhair is going to handle this now that he has presidential aspirations ...

What no Common Core curriculum? LOL What do they ever do on Professional Development days?

This common core is going to be something I think all states will be compelled to do in the long run. Arkansas just decided to do it and be done with it. I am having to familiarize myself with it this year. It starts K-2 in literature and mathematics. All subjects must add part of it to their curriculum, even art. Darn Texans, get away with everything! LOL

[DrFU]

This common core is going to be something I think all states will be compelled to do in the long run. Arkansas just decided to do it and be done with it. I am having to familiarize myself with it this year. It starts K-2 in literature and mathematics. All subjects must add part of it to their curriculum, even art. Darn Texans, get away with everything! LOL

We have curriculum standards (good ones, actually), teacher certification exams, administrator standards, and everything else. We just have the Texas version of it all ... no national anything. Cooperation is defeat!

[artist4perry]

This common core is going to be something I think all states will be compelled to do in the long run. Arkansas just decided to do it and be done with it. I am having to familiarize myself with it this year. It starts K-2 in literature and mathematics. All subjects must add part of it to their curriculum, even art. Darn Texans, get away with everything! LOL

We have curriculum standards (good ones, actually), teacher certification exams, administrator standards, and everything else. We just have the Texas version of it all ... no national anything. Cooperation is defeat!

I love Texas........

[Rick]

Neelee starts the 22nd. It doesn't seem like Christmas Eve to her.

[No Surprize]

Starts the 22 here. We have the fucking FCAT down here in florida which has fucked up traditional schooling to the max. Although my son who will be a soph. this year makes straight A's in all honors class's, the FCAT should be abolished and the teachers need to go back to teaching. For example, and one thing that piss's me off is my kid has at least 1 and a half to 2 hrs. of homework every day! Every day! That's absurd and needless. But, he does take the honors class's and that is a reason but come on, let's be reasonable here. Another thing, here in Florida, you do not have to take P.E. but for half a semester to get a credit for it. You see a lot of fat ass kids now. P.E. should be mandatory every year. Plus, now that the FCAT is here, they only get an half hour lunch break to rush and cram some peanut butter & jelly sandwich down their throat before their back at it, doing FCAT bullshit so the schools can get their money, cause it's all based on the overall grade the school's get to receive money from the state. Plus Skeletor Scott is doing his best to run every good teacher out of the state with his cutbacks which many have already left, they are tired of the threats. The FCAT and all this standardized teaching bullshit has got to go. Not all of these kids(but this is what they think) are gonna be Rhodes Scholars or even go on to college. They need to bring back Vocational class's that actually TEACH you on how to survive in the world!

[lordreo]

Am I the only one here that actually has to go to school rather than sending his kids?

Well I'm 21 now and I have to start on the 16th next month. Quite some time left - yay!

Though it is university and I'm looking forward to it

[artist4perry]

Starts the 22 here. We have the fucking FCAT down here in florida which has fucked up traditional schooling to the max. Although my son who will be a soph. this year makes straight A's in all honors class's, the FCAT should be abolished and the teachers need to go back to teaching. For example, and one thing that piss's me off is my kid has at least 1 and a half to 2 hrs. of homework every day! Every day! That's absurd and needless. But, he does take the honors class's and that is a reason but come on, let's be reasonable here. Another thing, here in Florida, you do not have to take P.E. but for half a semester to get a credit for it. You see a lot of fat ass kids now. P.E. should be mandatory every year. Plus, now that the FCAT is here, they only get an half hour lunch break to rush and cram some peanut butter & jelly sandwich down their throat before their back at it, doing FCAT bullshit so the schools can get their money, cause it's all based on the overall grade the school's get to receive money from the state. Plus Skeletor Scott is doing his best to run every good teacher out of the state with his cutbacks which many have already left, they are tired of the threats. The FCAT and all this standardized teaching bullshit has got to go. Not all of these kids(but this is what they think) are gonna be Rhodes Scholars or even go on to college. They need to bring back Vocational class's that actually TEACH you on how to survive in the world!

Good luck with that. Sometimes we feel we dumb the kids down for the standardized tests. They learn to cram for the tests and have little understanding of the material. The Common Core is supposed to fix that. Sorry to be skeptical too, but we will see. I wish we would just get back to the basics. These kids need a true understanding of things at their learning pace.

[Melissa]

Starts the 22 here. We have the fucking FCAT down here in florida which has fucked up traditional schooling to the max. Although my son who will be a soph. this year makes straight A's in all honors class's, the FCAT should be abolished and the teachers need to go back to teaching. For example, and one thing that piss's me off is my kid has at least 1 and a half to 2 hrs. of homework every day! Every day! That's absurd and needless. But, he does take the honors class's and that is a reason but come on, let's be reasonable here. Another thing, here in Florida, you do not have to take P.E. but for half a semester to get a credit for it. You see a lot of fat ass kids now. P.E. should be mandatory every year. Plus, now that the FCAT is here, they only get an half hour lunch break to rush and cram some peanut butter & jelly sandwich down their throat before their back at it, doing FCAT bullshit so the schools can get their money, cause it's all based on the overall grade the school's get to receive money from the state. Plus Skeletor Scott is doing his best to run every good teacher out of the state with his cutbacks which many have already left, they are tired of the threats. The FCAT and all this standardized teaching bullshit has got to go. Not all of these kids(but this is what they think) are gonna be Rhodes Scholars or even go on to college. They need to bring back Vocational class's that actually TEACH you on how to survive in the world!

Agree 100%. My son has done fine on the FCAT, but it's definitely screwed up traditional schooling. And the hours of homework is ridiculous. And those ridiculous "Sunshine State" standards are getting out of hand too. But what cracks me up is all these new "standards" in place, yet these kids graduating lately can't spell their way out of a paper bag, can't do basic math in their heads, etc., and have no common sense about the basics in the real world to save their damn lives.

[Everett]

September 1st here. Can't believe my half sister is starting high school man i feel old

[Moon Beam]

Our Sons are slated to start back on September 6th.
I love that the school year doesn't start until the day after Labour Day.

[artist4perry]

Starts the 22 here. We have the fucking FCAT down here in florida which has fucked up traditional schooling to the max. Although my son who will be a soph. this year makes straight A's in all honors class's, the FCAT should be abolished and the teachers need to go back to teaching. For example, and one thing that piss's me off is my kid has at least 1 and a half to 2 hrs. of homework every day! Every day! That's absurd and needless. But, he does take the honors class's and that is a reason but come on, let's be reasonable here. Another thing, here in Florida, you do not have to take P.E. but for half a semester to get a credit for it. You see a lot of fat ass kids now. P.E. should be mandatory every year. Plus, now that the FCAT is here, they only get an half hour lunch break to rush and cram some peanut butter & jelly sandwich down their throat before their back at it, doing FCAT bullshit so the schools can get their money, cause it's all based on the overall grade the school's get to receive money from the state. Plus Skeletor Scott is doing his best to run every good teacher out of the state with his cutbacks which many have already left, they are tired of the threats. The FCAT and all this standardized teaching bullshit has got to go. Not all of these kids(but this is what they think) are gonna be Rhodes Scholars or even go on to college. They need to bring back Vocational class's that actually TEACH you on how to survive in the world!

Agree 100%. My son has done fine on the FCAT, but it's definitely screwed up traditional schooling. And the hours of homework is ridiculous. And those ridiculous "Sunshine State" standards are getting out of hand too. But what cracks me up is all these new "standards" in place, yet these kids graduating lately can't spell their way out of a paper bag, can't do basic math in their heads, etc., and have no common sense about the basics in the real world to save their damn lives.

Well they always have the teachers to blame when the testing fails. I am for getting back to basics. We actually got higher scores before they started testing.

[Melissa]

Well they always have the teachers to blame when the testing fails. I am for getting back to basics. We actually got higher scores before they started testing.

I wouldn't blame the teachers. Kids should know how to spell by studying on their own too. Thing is these days I guess they figure why bother learning when their computers and cell phones will just correct them and they don't have to bother to use their own brains.

[artist4perry]

Well they always have the teachers to blame when the testing fails. I am for getting back to basics. We actually got higher scores before they started testing.

I wouldn't blame the teachers. Kids should know how to spell by studying on their own too. Thing is these days I guess they figure why bother learning when their computers and cell phones will just correct them and they don't have to bother to use their own brains.

This is true. Unfortunately the government breathes down on the schools and the principals breath down on the teachers. So many have chosen to resign or retire early due to all the pressures. I am afraid new teachers won't hang in there long. The English and Math teachers have the most scrutiny. They teach the most tested areas. I knew a teacher who just sat down for a moment and got a write up! The kids were working and let me tell you standing all day without sitting down once is hard. Mind you they never said one word to me if I was sitting down when they came in. The Math and English teachers had to do miles of paperwork, workshops, redundant meetings, and still was asked to do more and more!

I am glad I did not chose that profession. The test has become the replacement for regular classroom teaching basics.

[Enigma869]

Not sure how Governor Goodhair is going to handle this now that he has presidential aspirations ...

Just what this country needs...Another Texas Governor wanting a new job. What could go wrong with that? It seemed to work out so perfectly last time around.

[DrFU]

Not sure how Governor Goodhair is going to handle this now that he has presidential aspirations ...

Just what this country needs...Another Texas Governor wanting a new job. What could go wrong with that? It seemed to work out so perfectly last time around.

This one just may be worse ... and I didn't think that was possible.

Hubris on the hoof.

[Don]

The schools around my neighborhood are doing the traditional track this year; Sep 7 to Jun 22.

[Moon Beam]

The schools around my neighborhood are doing the traditional track this year; Sep 7 to Jun 22.

I'm envious that you get an extra day.....Summer's end, so very sad it is.

[No Surprize]

Agree 100%. My son has done fine on the FCAT, but it's definitely screwed up traditional schooling. And the hours of homework is ridiculous. And those ridiculous "Sunshine State" standards are getting out of hand too. But what cracks me up is all these new "standards" in place, yet these kids graduating lately can't spell their way out of a paper bag, can't do basic math in their heads, etc., and have no common sense about the basics in the real world to save their damn lives.


Teachers do get the short end and in the end it seems to fall on their shoulders which is far from fair. Parent's should be the one's to take the lion's share of the blame. My son also has done fine on the FCAT (Your just focusing on Core curriculum after all) but like you said they aren't learning basic every day fundamentals that get you by in the real world. That's why I stated they should bring back more vocational class's such as auto-mechanic's, welding, Agriculture, AC repair and so on & so forth. I know some schools may still have some of these, I'm not sure. A couple of years ago I noticed my sons hand writing. I was like "what the fuck is this, it's barely legible". He said "The teacher can read it". Are they trained in Heiroglyphics? It's because they do not teach basic writing fundamentals in schools anymore. So I made him sit down for an hour a day a write something out of a book, day after day after day. Now his hand writing(along with cursive) is really good.