OK, in the initial euphoria of making it through my portfolio review, and the resultant celebration that followed down the road in "Clarks-Vegas", TN I forgot to blog last night. :o

Right now all efforts at our school are driven towards getting our kids ready for CATS. This makes the third year I have been witness to this madness. Now, on one hand I more than understand what is at stake here. (Something happened this last year with how our scores measure up or some such government-produced drivel.) I also realize just how one-sided this whole affair is with the school district and its personnel being accountable while the students are accountable to nothing. However, I cannot help but feel that we place SO MUCH emphasis on this, and get so wrapped around the axle in regards to CATS testing that we end up wigging out the kids. OMG! OMG! OMG! So much drama, and there is more than enough drama at a middle school on a regular day. I just can't get my head wrapped around the idea of why having pep rallies and all these other bells and whistles does us any good?

I have my marching orders from my principal via my team leader: all of my efforts for the rest of the year are to be directed towards math and reading. Now, on one hand that's not so bad since I teach social studies and I can pretty much include anything in my curriculum, but then again, it does make me a little miffed because there are some things that I would like to teach this last nine weeks in relation to my curriculum the way I think it should be taught.