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JillZ

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Posts posted by JillZ

  1. I just am not sure that I should be paying to attend a class where the professor blasphemes. It is about MY behavior, not the professors. I'm trying to decide what I should do; how I should act.

     

    I do see your point here. As a Christian, one thing to think about is that everyone is a sinner, and no one sin is worse than another. Even if you were in a Christian college where the professors didn't blaspheme, they would still be sinners, whether or not the sin was visible. There is just no way to avoid it in this world. We all have to interact with and depend on each other; even isolating ourselves would not solve the problem. I'm not sure what you should do in this case, but it's something to keep in mind.

  2. Two of my favorite sources for updated hymns are Sovereign Grace Music and Indelible Grace Music.

     

     

    :iagree:

    We sing a mix of hymns and contemporary music, but the contemporary music all has meaningful theology (no mindless repetitions, etc.). We sing a decent number of Sovereign Grace songs, and songs by the Getty's. I love the mix at our church!

  3. I haven't used Dave Ramsey's method, but I do use and like You Need a Budget. It's pretty easy to set up, and I like that it's aimed more at budgeting rather than just tracking spending (although it also does this). For example, all of the money you have to spend for a month comes from the money that you actually bring in that month. You can't budget money that you don't have (actually you can, but you end up with negative, red columns which will drive you crazy until you have everything balanced :D).

  4. It doesn't bother me at all! We have one guy who takes trash furniture and fixes it, then he gives it to single moms. You never know why they need it. I would never shoo anyone away if they were not hurting anything.

     

    :iagree: It always reminds me of the gleaning guidelines in Deuteronomy:

     

    Deuteronomy 24:19-22

    19 "When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

     

    20 When you beat your olive trees, you shall not go over the boughs again; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.

     

    21 When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, you shall not glean it afterward; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.

     

    22 And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command you to do this thing. NKJV

     

     

    It's not exactly the same thing, but this is what I always think of.

  5. Caffeine withdrawal can cause headaches, sleepiness and irritability, among other things. You could avoid this by drinking other sources of caffeine (e.g. tea) or you could tough it out and take aspirin as needed. I think you should be over the worst of the effects in 3-5 days. Good luck!

    :iagree:

    I gave up Diet Coke a few years ago, and the caffeine withdrawal was really hard for me. Bad headaches, nausea, irritability. It lasted about a week and then all was well. But for almost a year after that, I'd get a bad headache whenever I'd have any caffeine. It was like my body remembered the caffeine addiction :glare: Now a few years out, it isn't a problem and I can have caffeine without any problems (although I don't drink it regularly).

  6. If they liked The Hobbit, they might like The Neverending Story. I remember loving it around the same time I read The Hobbit, although I was a bit older than your children are now. It's epic and adventurous enough to be a centerpiece for the summer (I love the idea of having a "centerpiece" for the summer).

  7. I've had bouts of stabbing pain in random places (my arm, hands, big toe, etc.). It usually has lasted a few weeks and is always related to stress. I have no idea why this happens, but I do know that stress makes my body do all sorts of weird things and causes weird pains. My (completely unscientific) theory is that my body cannot physically handle the stress without some "outlet" and the resulting sensations are a kind of overflow. Or something like that, lol. I've also had random problems with taking deep breaths and swallowing which are stress/anxiety related. Usually the symptoms only last a few weeks and then are gone for long while.

  8. The other posters have some great advice. I just wanted to encourage you again that it gets much easier as time goes on. Once you get in the habit of always checking labels, finding your safe foods, etc. it just becomes a new routine. I would add that bringing safe snacks wherever you go helps with any unexpected food issues. You may not need them often, but it's great to have them when you do. Good luck with everything!

  9. Anyway, have both parties 100% on-board with the plan and implementation to ensure the child is successful. Document along the way things like homework being done, assignments handed in on time, etc. That way a teacher has proof that they did their part, and teachers who DO their part are protected. Parents who don't do their part don't have a leg to stand on in blaming the teacher. If parents fail in keeping their end of the bargain, they get to deal with the fallout. Teachers who don't do their part risk losing their job.

     

    There. My plan for educational reform. :D

     

    Sounds like an awesome idea! I know of a couple of charter schools who have an approach similar to this, and they are EXCELLING. Even with the students being drawn randomly from the traditional PS student population.

  10. I'm going to take it a step further.

     

    When you are struggling to teach your child math, what do you do?

     

    Do you immediately assume YOU are the problem? Or do you ask these questions....

     

    Is it the curriculum?

    Is it the schedule?

    Is it the child's natural difficulty?

    Is the child getting enough sleep?

    Are they sick?

    Is grandma's death causing them difficulty?

     

    Don't you ask all those questions first?

     

    I'm currently teaching a small science co-op class (I have one DS but he is only 2.5 now) and honestly, if one of the students isn't learning a concept, I DO assume that it's my teaching. Granted, I know my students are all capable of excelling, though it may require a lot of hard work on their part.

     

    I know in many PS settings, there are so many extraneous circumstances that are out of the teachers control. I graduated from a failing PS system, and I have lots of sympathy for the teachers. I absolutely do not think it is the teacher's fault for students failing (unless the teacher is genuinely one of the bad teachers, which do exist).

     

    The thing I wonder about, though, is what can be done to solve the problem. Are there really teachers out there who could somehow reach the students, in spite of miserable circumstances, and inspire them to excel? Is it worth looking for these teachers? I don't know the answer to this, and it may be the answer is "no" to both questions. Although I really hope not.

     

    For what it's worth, I admire teachers of all kinds, especially PS teachers. I really wish that they could be treated and respected as professionals.

  11. This simple statement isn't so simple. It is a shame if students aren't capable of passing the test.

     

    Why didn't the parents read to them before they started school?

    Why don't the parents help with homework?

    Why don't the parents show up to sign off on the paperwork that would provide their child with extra tutoring?

    Why don't the parents show up for meetings regarding their children's poor behavior?

    Why do parents change their phone numbers so they don't have to be contacted?

    Why can't the parents speak English?

    Why can't the parents get the child a decent night's sleep or something more than a snickers bar for breakfast?

     

    Frankly, it would be just as easy to blame the parents as to blame the teachers. Or look I can blame the administrators. Let's fire them...

     

    Why didn't the admin provide the teacher with enough textbooks?

    Why didn't the admin buy any of the additional supplies that teach the materials in a hands-on way?

    Why did the admin tell the teacher to stop tutoring that child since the child will never improve in time?

    Why did the admin give the child a lollipop for being sent to the principal's office when a referral was requested?

    Why did the admin put extra students in the teacher's classroom but keep them off the official role so it appears they are abiding by reduced classroom sizing?

    Why did the admin tell the teachers not to send behavior problems to the office?

    Why did the admin take away all the PE time so the kids never get any exercise, but then tell teacher to lie and say they were doing PE in order to meet state standards?

     

    Dang, I can probably blame the bus driver, too.

     

    Yes, teachers should be held accountable for their job performance, but standardized test scores are not the best way to do that.

     

    I agree with you completely :) I don't think there is any easy answer, and I don't think standardized tests are the best way to hold teachers accountable. But I still think they are useful and shouldn't be totally discounted. AND I agree that the administration should be held equally accountable for student success.

  12. :iagree:

    I think bad teachers should be fired. I don't think testing can be used as the definitive yard stick.

     

    I agree with this. But the problem becomes, how do you determine which teachers are the "bad" teachers? Some are completely obvious, but others not so much. And though testing shouldn't be the definitive yard stick, it can be a helpful metric for determining how much students have learned. The topics covered on most standardized tests ARE important, and not particularly advanced, and it's a shame if students aren't capable of at least passing the test (if not excelling).

  13. I've struggled with this issue too. On the one hand I agree with you completely. On the other hand, if you keep teachers whose students don't show progress, how is that helping the students? Unless you are willing to admit that it is IMPOSSIBLE for the students to improve, it might make sense to keep looking for the teachers that will somehow connect and help their students to improve.

     

    I don't know what the answer is, but I think teachers should be treated as professionals, and dedicated teachers should be rewarded. IME, the teachers that should be fired are those who don't take their jobs seriously and don't put much effort or thought into preparation.

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