Pissivity!!!!!

Let me just get this off my chest. I am pissed off to the highest of Pissivity!! Yes, I did say pissivity!!

I am proctoring the state mandated tests at the school that I work at and boy am I pissed.

Let me just say that it is not fair. I sound like a whining baby, but I’ll say it again, “IT’S NOT FAIR!”

Those questions are soooo tricky. It seems to me that the people who make the test don’t want most children taking it to succeed.

I have personally worked one on one with some of the children and I know that they knew some of the questions that they marked wrong. But they couldn’t make up their minds. I felt so helpless because, of course, I couldn’t help them.

In my opinion and the opinion of many others, this test is only designed to humiliate. I HATE IT, HATE IT, HATE IT!!

And that my dear sir or madam is my rant for the day!!

Who’s In The Classroom?

In the immortal words of David Alan Grier of In Living Color fame: I got a little story to tell you. Like to hear it; here it goes.

This is the cutest little anecdote.

Like any mom on the run, trying to get ready for work, I did one of my usual numbers of getting out the bath tub and forgot to properly lotion up my feet. Now, y’all know that without lotion, my people, we can get a little ashy.

When I get to work and take another look at my feet, I know that drastic measures are in order. I rush to the classroom so that no one will see those ‘ole ashy feet of mine to put on some lotion. Talk about a walk of shame (lol) .

Thankfully I get to the classroom before the kids get there and lotion up. However, there is a slight problem. Because of the shoes I’m wearing, I know that my feet are going to start slipping and sliding all over the place. So, I walk on the polished concrete floor to get to the carpet to wipe some of the lotion off my feet.

However, unbeknownst to me, I left little footprints all over the place.

Fast forward 5 minutes later to when the students are in the classroom. Everyone is working except for two little boys. I want to know why they are not working and why they have a confused look on their face, so I ask them what’s wrong.

One of them says hey! (very secretively), Do you see those footprints? “Yeah, I do. I made them,” I say. I show them my feet and explain the story to them.

Ooooh!! he says while slapping his head, I thought there was an invisible person in the classroom!!!!

You just never know what they’re thinking. Who would have thunk it? I would never have even thought that. I am so glad that I took the time to explain. At least now he knows that there is no invisible person in the classroom! (lol). That’s too bad. Maybe they could’ve helped me get ready to teach!

(Uh-huh!!!)

An A.P.L.E. A Day!!

Well folks, this post is kind of long, but here is the information about the A.P.L.E. grant. It is the Assumption Program of Loans for Education. It is our government’s way of giving back to those who labor so hard in a sometimes thankless job where the only rewards are the progress of the students. The website to find out more information about this excellent program is http://www.csac.ca.gov/doc.asp?id=111.

For Future Teachers K through 12

The APLE is a competitive teacher incentive program designed to encourage outstanding students, district interns, and out-of-state teachers to become California teachers in subject areas where a critical teacher shortage has been identified or in designated schools meeting specific criteria established by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

APLE applicants must agree to teach in one of the following teacher shortage areas:

- Mathematics (Grades 7 – 12)
- Science (Life/Physical)(Grades 7 – 12)
- Foreign Language
- Education Specialist Instruction (formerly Special Education)
- Reading and Language Arts
- English(Grades 7 – 12)
- Low-Income Area School
- School Serving Rural Area
- State Special School
- School with a High Percentage of Emergency Permit Teachers
- Low-Performing School

ELIGIBLE SCHOOLS

The 2005-2006 APLE eligible schools have been identified by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. This list may vary from prior year school listings. To locate an eligible school, you may click here.

Low-Performing –
Must be pursuing a muliple subject or single subject credential and agree to teach at a school ranked in the bottom 50th percentile of the Academic Performance Index (API) grades K-12.

APLE participants who agree to, and provide, the designated teaching service in the area of math, science, or education specialist instruction are eligible to receive an additional $1,000 per year in loan assumption benefits. Particpants meeting this requirement who provide teaching service in a California public school that is ranked in the lowest 20th percentile of the API are eligible to receive an additional $1,000 per year, making the total amount of loan assumption $19,000.

Designated Low Income –
Must be pursuing a multiple subject or single subject credential and agree to teach at a designated low-income school in grades K-12.

Schools with a High Percentage of Emergency Permit Teachers –
Must be pursuing a multiple subject or single subject credential and agree to teach at a school with a high percentage of emergency permit teachers in grades K-12.

Rural Schools –
Must be pursuing a multiple subject or single subject credential and agree to teach at a school serving rural areas in grades K-12.

DISBURSEMENT PAYMENTS TO LENDERS

The Commission may assume up to $19,000 in outstanding educational loan balances in return for four consecutive years teaching service.

* Up to $2,000 after completion of first full school year of eligible full-time teaching

* Up to $3,000 after completion of second full year of eligible full-time teaching

* Up to $3,000 after completion of third full school year of eligible full-time teaching

* Up to $3,000 after completion of fourth full school year of eligible full-time teaching

ELIGIBILITY

- Approved to receive or have received an educational loan(s)

- Not in default on any educational loans

- Agree to teach in a CA public school in one of the areas listed above for at least four years

The following are additional eligibility requirements for APLE only:

- Legal resident of CA

- Completed 60 semester units (90 quarter units)

- In a program leading to BA or in teacher prep program