Gripe Session

Today was one of those days. We've all had them. You know- the ones that seem like the world is conspiring against you.  Today was one of THOSE.   I did not want to get up this morning. I don't know why I've been so tired, but I have. Immediately this morning, the girls reminded me that today was "Nerd Day". I immediately went off on a tirade that sounded something like this-  "uhhh no. This family does not do "nerd day". We do not participate in activities that perpetuate falsehoods, prejudices or inaccurate stereotyping."  I am pretty sure both girls thought I was nuts. Maybe I am, but such things have always pissed me off.  I have always loved Math and when I was a senior in high school, I took AP Statistics as an ELECTIVE people! I guess I was a "nerd- but I never wore those stupid fake glasses and I never wore my pants up under my armpits with suspenders and honestly, as I recall, our valedictorian, she didn't either. I remember one brilliant classmate, Jennifer, in my Trig class. She is now a physics professor at Colorado State. Guess what? Never ever dressed anything like Steve Erkel. What are we really teaching our kids with such seemingly harmless shenanigans? I think we're teaching them that it's somehow "weird" to be academically successful. We're reinforcing the notion that it is not cool to be smart. I find this absolutely unacceptable. I know shows like The Big Bang Theory tend to form a whole sit com around the prodigious intelligence of the characters, but there's something about that show that I like. Can't explain it. What chaps my hiney worse than Nerd Day? FARMER day. Oh do NOT get this girl going on that one. My children are growing up good and slow on a farm. Neither has black teeth, straw sticking out of their teeth, etc. Maybe it sounds petty to you all, but to me it is insulting. Back in my Effingham days, the school had a "farmer day" for spirit week. Mr. Kessler- and I will never forget this- wore a dress shirt, tie and had a calculator. The kids asked him "why didn't you dress up like a farmer?"  His wonderful response? "I AM a farmer, and this is how I dress."  Thank you! I find it particularly disturbing that the FFA perpetuates this during their FFA week sometimes. FFA Chapters- please consider discontinuing "farmer day". You of all people should be furthering the cause of American agriculture and educating the general public about the importance of global agriculture. I don't think a John Deere hat on backwards, a pair of overalls, and those stupid buck teeth mouthpiece things really serve this purpose.   Why don't we consider "college day" where we all wear our favorite college sweatshirts or jerseys. Perhaps a "dress for success day" where kids dress in a way that depicts their career goals? Surely, we could be more productive and less mockingly demeaning in our choices.

Okay so off that soapbox and on to another.. I am swearing off of technology at school. I promise. Today I about blew a gasket. I am working hard with my small group of students in the mornings on geography. Geography is a big part of their standards in social studies. The 6th grade was studying Latin America and they also study earthquakes in science so I had a GREAT activity prepared merging the two. Discovery had a phenomenal movie on the Haiti earthquake and I had the coolest activity planned for after the movie. This all went to crap when DISCOVERY is blocked on our school internet filter. Really? Y'all cannot be serious. I know I know... send an email and we'll unblock it.. Uh okay but last week GMAIL was blocked and that's the email we use. I have seriously HAD IT y'all. As if that didn't make me crazy enough- oh no. Here comes my 7th grade. I was trying to help the 7th grade social studies teacher by trying to find some recent news stories on the Strait of Hormuz conflict. The 7th grade studies the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz is one of the places they must be able to locate on a map and explain it's strategic value in global trade. Oh no. We will NOT allow our students to watch the news. That would be horrible. I mean if we could see live footage from the strait of Hormuz, or hear live accounts from Iranians about the effect of sanctions on the Iranian economy, or if we could actually hear an economist talking about the impact on oil prices if the Strait is shut  down- oh well hell our kids might be corrupted for life, therefore all video must be blocked. Heck in fact the ENTIRE CBS NEWS website is blocked. So y'all- I am done. Seriously. You people wanna know why teachers cling so hard to the textbooks? Why they don't want to think outside the box? IT'S BECAUSE THE DAMN BOX IS BLOCKED BY A SONIC FIREWALL!

Okay. Wow I feel better. Verbal catharsis is good for the soul. Looking forward to taking the girls to basketball practice tonight and enjoying a quiet evening. I'll be surfing the internet looking for worksheet printables rather than anything remotely stimulating to the minds of children.

Here's a few pics from the last couple days. I always find it fascinating that my children forego the 1000 dollar play set and the 400 dollar trampoline and head straight for the woodpile to climb. Kids.

Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.
Bill Gates