Life With Steven
Kathleen,
Love it. I am sorry for you that this post has driven me to hysterics. I can empathize however. In seventh grade my English teacher insisted that we keep a 5x7 three ring binder. Actually we had to have 4 of them, in different colors. The school did not supply them. Because you don’t always run across 5x7 college ruled paper in the store (or binders!), that meant manually cutting and hole punching. Of course, in the event we had to cut, it could also not look sloppy. Not to mention, the penmen-ship of 60 twelve/thirteen year olds was expected to proportionally shrink down to the size of our new paper. In her case, her purposes were the ‘environment’ (4 plastic pvc binders? Wasted scrap paper?)…maybe she can get together with Steven’s science teacher….
Oh, well, it could be worse, the teacher might have wanted the instruction manual pasted, and only single sided pages. Perhaps in your report on the environmental impacts of the science curriculum you could also highlight the additional cost of buying multiple five star notes books, and the cost of buying color ink cartridges, and paper, and glue, and tape….. its public school!
Anyway, I am glad to read that these are the school issues that you are battling, and that both boys are well.
The notebook looks great... : )
Why don't they just go to Kinkos (or the California equivalent of the copy place)? This kind of project would make my 7th grader jump out the window. That said, we have to stain a stained glass window and illuminate a manuscript this weekend, which beats building a castle (his first choice...he has great ideas, but the execution he's not so into, I just couldn't run a medieval construction site this weekend).
I'm glad Steven got this project done so magnificently, and I hope the school district eventually has a merciful thought for the trees.
peace,
Kristin, G & R's mom (and A, resident 7th grader)
That is nuts and the typos are unexcusable considering what is expected from the students. Why don't they just ust three ring binders (like in college) so all you have to do is punch some wholes. Gosh these kids are wasting so much time.
Hey there, Kathleen. I came here to check up on Steven and your family and I'm glad to hear that things are going well for you guys.
Oh.my.goodness.
I SO sympathize with you on the notebook thing. Sometimes I just want to pull my hair out.
Kathleen, I implore you to send your marked-up copy of those instructions back to the instructor, and his/her administrators. I might even be tempted to send it to the superintendent. Include your ideas about having these notebooks mass-produced and sold for a profit. I, like you, would GLADLY pay $20 rather than have to go through all that ... And what, exactly, is the student learning about science during this process?
**sigh** ... Sorry, but you've hit a sore point with me. Our local school system is so frogged, and seeing the typos and various inanity in that assignment just made me shudder. Had to let you know I feel for you, Mom!!! 
I also thought that what you wrote about "angry parents" on the PBT list was spot-on.
Well, didn't mean to write a book. Glad to hear things are well. Is there a way to subscribe to updates to your site?
~Heide
m/o ^Jessica^; forever 17 -
http://caringbridge.org/visit/jessicarandall
Kathleen,
Thanks for sharing this unbelievable science story. I was only a little nervous about my older son entering middle school next year - now I am terrified!!!! I agree with Heide - the powers that be should know about the ridiculous task that Steven was assigned!
Best of luck to Steven with the REAL science work!
~Michelle, Alec's mom
OH.
MY.
GOSH.
I just laughed so hard, there is orange juice on my screen. You should have put a spew alert on this one.
We live in a crazy world.
And I know all about the missing assignment thing. Zach, now taking Math Analysis, often does his math and then lets it ride around in his backpack.
Me: "What's this?"
Z: "My homework."
Me: "Why is it here? You are getting a C in that class, even though you got 98% or better on all the tests. Think this missing homework has something to do with that??"
Z: "Well, I learned what I needed to and then I was done with it. Isn't that the point of homework?"
Me: ...... (Groping for something to say)
Sigh. And now he's got his driver's license. Just today. Can you imagine what I'll find in the back of his 4-runner?
I'm going to bed. I'm tired just thinking about it.
Hang in there.
You're amazing.
Wow and to think that all this time I was under the impression that those who thought up these things had to have a education. Guess I was mistaken. What a mess!! I like your idea of them doing the 2 sided page and making a little money but that's just uneducated me thinking someone really had a good idea. What do I know?
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