What?!

I just read these two CRAZY stories on msn.com

Girl, 13, gets detention for hugging two friends

Mass. grade school bans tag, other chase games

All I can say is WHAT!??!??!

Seriously, what is our world coming to? Seriously!!!

And then a couple of issues come to mind:

1. No hugs? Well, we wonder why kids always resort to violence... and we wonder why its so hard to teach people respect. And we wonder why some people think kids have no hope... I think I could make a pretty good argument on the idea that the removal of hugs is the removal of hope.

2. Ummmm no games of tag? No running, no chasing, no catching, no falling down in a fit on insanity because you've just run so hard you can't breathe and your legs gave way and you toppled on top of your 3 best friends all of which are laughing so hard they begin to snort and thus cause more laughter. Why don't we just give these kids a tv or video games and let them get fat during recess? They are kids... they will fall down and they will pick themselves up, wipe off the tears and dirt and get back in the game... and if they don't do that... they will have a hard time getting through the rest of their life!

3. No hugs and no tag? What's next... no smiling? No laughing? No walking? No moving? What would that make us... animals? Robots? Machines? Definintely not humans.....

Argh!!! I think I would have to throw in the towel and give up.

Meanwhile, computer lab/research day/TAKS day #1 is running swimmingly:)

-coach b!

P.S. If you would like to take the learning styles quiz go here and if you want to read about your results go here

Changing seasons

Out with the old and in with the new... basketball is the new. From now until the 1st week in February, I will eat, sleep and breathe basketball. I'm sorry, not basketball... hoards of 7th grade and 8th grade girls fouling each other up and down the court in a game that sorta resembles basketball.

Ok, we aren't that bad... are we? We have 7 practices until our first game. 7 practices until I have to sit on a bench and tell girls what to do. I'm so nervous for my team. I feel like there is not enough time for me to teach them what they need to know and definitely not enough time for me to learn what I need to know.

One thing that frustrates me about this is that my science class will fall down the drain. I have no time for morning or afternoon tutoring anymore. I am at school from at least 7 til 5 each day ON DUTY. That doesn't mean I am just hanging out and fixing stuff in my room. I can only be in my room to help kids on work during lunch... my supposedly "free time."

Today, I was prepared. I started a week ago... getting everything together and setting up for this event to happen. Yes, my mom would be proud... but then today came and its just like when the first day or school passed us by. There is always a tomorrow. And 91 pairs of eyes will be joining me in the computer lab for tomorrow's research session and I have to be on my toes.

This is not me trying to complain... this is my form of a pep talk. Get ready! Keep moving!.. and all those sorts of things. And this is when we have to make time up. Our TEKS benchmarks were deemed unreflective of our progress because no class had gotten to physics... but the numbers still scare me and right now it says only 16% of my kids are passing... AHHHHH!

Tomorrow is 1/2 of TAKS day #1. I'm looking forward to it... if my basketball team doesn't kill me first! - coach b!