The Life That Chose Me

My updates as far as the Georgia alternate Assessment (GAA) have been few and far between. I spent a huge amount of time bitching about it last year and went on to contact my various congressional representatives about it and the general atrociousness of NCLB. I did what I could on every level that I could. I blogged it and had some email conversations with the state DOE. I also had some conversations with Harry and Carey our local testing/Sp. Ed. AP’s about some things that could be done differently. I had mixed results all around. This year, Harry and Carey have let me go about my business with little hassle. In return I haven’t tried any snarkiness in my packet and have gotten the thing finished in good form and in record time.

Yes, I am FINISHED! What an ordeal. At times it was kind of fun but at other times it was simply annoying and bothersome. By 3 weeks ago, there was no longer any joy, I simply wanted to be finished. And I did exactly what I needed to do in order to do just that. There are many routes to failure on the GAA but none of them have to do with actual student achievement. Actual student achievement counts less on the assessment than whether or not the paperwork is done properly. Some might make the case that this is an accountability measure for teachers. Again, accountability towards what? If it isn’t student achievement, what are we supposed to be doing, again? For kids with an I.Q. of less than 25, the regular education process clearly is not able to handle the task. And the fact is, no one has even bothered to define what that task is. Of what possible use is algebra or literature to someone who can not feed themselves, talk, wipe their own butt or show any aptitude towards learning these skills? I’ll entertain ideas as to how to align butt-wiping with the general curriculum, especially from anyone who continues to think NCLB is such a grand idea. Senator Chambliss?

BTW, I’ll say a word about the primary election. I’m a social conservative, and am glad I had someone to vote for in the primary, despite some Yankee conservatives who were chafing at the idea of this concept of letting actual voters decide who they want to elect. I’m also planning on splitting my ticket in November at the very least, or perhaps bending the opposite way I normally lean politically. When it comes to educations, NONE of the politicians seem to be getting it. Sen. Chambliss said he couldn’t wait to vote for NCLB again. I can’t wait to vote his ass out before he gets a chance to cast that vote.

D.