The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[MySmallWorldof4]

I'm so interested in @MySmallWorldof4 's online students.
I have a vague recollection of her teaching English to students in Asia.
Please jog my memory @MinnieM123 or @MySmallWorldof4

What @MinnieM123 said. I teach ESL online to children in China. The summer was slow, but September came in with a bang. I may be tired, but I love it. I saw a child this morning I hadn’t seen since June. She may have had another teacher after and wasn’t expecting to see me so she seemed sad. I got out my Minnie Mouse plush and had Minnie start teaching the class. She loved it! Then there are these “sticker” like things like they have on snapchat(I don’t have snap chat) that put cartoon like things in the picture. I ised it on her and me. I put cool looking sunglasses on me, and a heart encrusted hair band on her. She loved it and was totally into the class for the full 25 minutes.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Well... graduating class of 70... 40% go to Ivy League and about 5 to Harvard every year. It’s impressive. These kids are very bright.

If they don't have rich parents, which obviously they do have, they also are stuck with massive debt.

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

Commonly done in places that have no official sidewalks that allow non-highway walking to get to a designated bus pickup location. Around here they all have group neighborhood bus stops. Sidewalks everywhere.

Yep, like where I live.

 

[SteveBrickNJ]

What @MinnieM123 said. I teach ESL online to children in China. The summer was slow, but September came in with a bang. I may be tired, but I love it. I saw a child this morning I hadn’t seen since June. She may have had another teacher after and wasn’t expecting to see me so she seemed sad. I got out my Minnie Mouse plush and had Minnie start teaching the class. She loved it! Then there are these “sticker” like things like they have on snapchat(I don’t have snap chat) that put cartoon like things in the picture. I ised it on her and me. I put cool looking sunglasses on me, and a heart encrusted hair band on her. She loved it and was totally into the class for the full 25 minutes.

What an amazingly great job you are doing! Wow!

 

[donaldtoo]

4:10 is brutal.

I remember them adjusting to it all very well over the years, actually...every new phase brought with it some extra sleep-in time...!!!
We lived (and still do) close enough to each school to never have needed bus service, although each school was progressively further away.
I drove all 3 of them (DWifey had to be into work earlier than I) to elementary school and most of middle school. As they got into middle school, I would drop off whichever kiddo(s) needed to be at the elementary school first and then at my folks house just across the street from the middle school so they could wait to walk across the street to start classes, and then I’d head into the office. For the first few years in elementary school I always waited at the door with them, so when they unlocked them I could walk our kiddos to class...ahhhhh, such good memories...!!!!!

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

If they don't have rich parents, which obviously the do have, they also are stuck with massive debt.

Those schools are the “in” to many Ivy Leagues. Nonetheless Michael Eisner and Bob Iger just went to ordinary run of the mill colleges. You don’t need to go Ivy League to be successful but it does give you an advantage in many circles and helps with securing a really lucrative career path. You know all this though. I must be over-tired as I have been up since 3:30am. Time to hit the hay.

 

[MySmallWorldof4]

What an amazingly great job you are doing! Wow!

You are really kind. Have a good night.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

@ajrwdwgirl , so far, how are you enjoying your new students for this fall? They're lucky to have you as a teacher! (And so is @SteveBrickNJ 's music students. ) And so is @MySmallWorldof4 's online students!

So far so good. It is still in the first few days. I already know my 9th and 8th graders but this year's 7th graders seem okay. Although their teacher's last year didn't have good things to say. Thanks though.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

One of my former students went to Harvard a couple years ago and with all the scholarships he got it was basically free. We've had a few of our former students go to Ivy League & other impressive Universities the last few years. Not too bad for a rural school in the Midwest.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Well... graduating class of 70... 40% go to Ivy League and about 5 to Harvard every year. It’s impressive. These kids are very bright.

At my alma mater, a public school, a bunch of kids in my graduating class went to Ivy League schools. Yale, Harvard, and Columbia were all of the list of schools. Many of them were first generation Americans whose parents struggled to bring them to this country. Many more went to other great colleges and universities, some of full scholarships. Some went international. Our three valedictorians were all women, all first-generation Americans. My graduating class was about 495 kids, and 97% went to college or entered the military. My parents were probably in the wealthier strata of parents; they were the minority, though no way could they send us to school for $55K a year. Most of these kids did not have as many advantages growing up.

To me, they are the ones who are truly impressive.

 

[donaldtoo]

It's a whole (new) separate process over the past 2 years or so. Each state determined when they could comply with the new regulations (again, just for those people who want to fly). Some, like MA and a few others, were given some extention of time. I think the entire country has to be compliant by 2020. In MA, it's January, 2020.

Oct. 1, 2020 here...but, I think I already posted this wayyyyy back there somewhere...?!

 

[Rista1313]

I'm out! Sweet Dreams!

 

[donaldtoo]

View attachment 404373

I just screenshot this to remind me to try it next month...!!!

 

[ddbowdoin]

At my alma mater, a public school, a bunch of kids in my graduating class went to Ivy League schools. Yale, Harvard, and Columbia were all of the list of schools. Many of them were first generation Americans whose parents struggled to bring them to this country. Many more went to other great colleges and universities, some of full scholarships. Some went international. Our three valedictorians were all women, all first-generation Americans. My graduating class was about 495 kids, and 97% went to college or entered the military. My parents were probably in the wealthier strata of parents; they were the minority, though no way could they send us to school for $55K a year. Most of these kids did not have as many advantages growing up.

To me, they are the ones who are truly impressive.

It’s a complicated conversation and is never as simple as people try and make it out to be. A lot of factors are at play... regional diversity, socioeconomic diversity, cultural diversity etc. To me I’m more impressed by these kids because they have the least advantages from an admissions perspective... our curriculum is at a very high level of rigor so an A is not the same as an A in their local public school. Many (but not all) come from educated households so they can’t use the first generation card (the way I did) to gain entry into this somewhat exclusive world. I was lucky and have personal experience here, first gen American from a so-so school where a top college “took a chance” on me. Sure, I graduated... but the kids from these top prep schools were far more prepared for the rigor of a top school than I was. I couldn’t ask my parents how to write or approach research etc.

 

[Gabe1]

On one of the new Character Buses. Nice inside and out.

 

[ddbowdoin]

If they don't have rich parents, which obviously the do have, they also are stuck with massive debt.

Actually... no

There is no bargain in education. It’s not like Harvard is 70K and some other lesser prestigious private college is 20. Even state schools have “low” tuition then slam kids with fees that double and triple the tuition. The issue is that top schools don’t award merit based aid, if that were the case 99% of the school would be getting something.

The debt issue lies with kids who shouldn’t be in college... attending small private schools that don’t really make you a competitive candidate in a cut throat economy. Better schools mean better alumni networks that open more doors... of course, much of this has to be combined with your drive and level of ambition.

 

[donaldtoo]

Forgot to post this. There is a poster outside the ET ride. Can anyone spot the mistake? If you can, think about how long this poster has been hanging there. I am thinking of contacting Uni about this.
View attachment 404640

And, I looked again...
Not even the correct anniversary...!!!!!

 

[ddbowdoin]

Those schools are the “in” to many Ivy Leagues. Nonetheless Michael Eisner and Bob Iger just went to ordinary run of the mill colleges. You don’t need to go Ivy League to be successful but it does give you an advantage in many circles and helps with securing a really lucrative career path. You know all this though. I must be over-tired as I have been up since 3:30am. Time to hit the hay.

Of course nothing is 100%... but I’m a betting man and if I had to place a wager on percentages related to income earning potential etc I’d be putting my chips on the kids who are coming out of Dartmouth vs (insert giant football school).

 

[donaldtoo]

I can’t believe this error was not spotted all these years. Think I will try and find a contact number and question this. I was 12 when ET came out. I would love to shave 10 years off my life.

At almost 57, I hear that...!!!!!
Maybe that’s why it’s actually there, though...as a joke to see if anyone actually notices...?!
Either way, good catch...!!!!!

 

[21stamps]

Went to T’s school for a curriculum meeting tonight. Foreign language is not the only thing that will change for T.. and a lot of it sounds quite positive!

They have a new STEM lab.. it’s AMAZING. Complete with 4 3D printers as well!

The 4th grade teachers are now on the ‘minimal homework’ wagon. Math facts and reading are required every night, but the rest of it will be confined to reports or studying for a test.

For LA- Apparently ‘silent reading’ during class time is “better” than reading aloud, so, they’ll be doing that more often during class.. and then discuss what they read, with a quiz to follow.
Also, the class will vote on one of 3 books per week, that way they have a say in what they’re reading.
Will have 8 writing assignments per semester.

Math- No common core. Instead, the teacher will go around the room and let the kids explain how they solved the problem. Allowing them to each find what best fits each individual.
They will be divided into groups by math skills.. and groups can change.. i.e if someone is having more trouble with fractions/decimals, but excelling at division, they can regroup at appropriate times.

One weird thing- They have removed the requirement to have all state capitals memorized. I don’t know how I feel about that. Instead, they’re concentrating on the different regions of the US, going into more detail on the States and major cities within each region.
Right now they’re on the Great Lakes and surrounding states.
I think it’s a bit strange to not test on/require memorization of the capitals, has anyone else heard of this?

They will focus on economics and entrepreneurship a lot this year, culminating in a fair where they have to conceptualize, design, and make a product, then create a booth to present and sell said product.

All in all it’s not as scary as I was anticipating! Sounds like it’s going to be a great year. I’m excited, T is excited, we’re both impressed with his teachers.. so maybe this won’t be as stressful as everyone made it sound!