Monday, October 20, 2008

Data Day

Our kids took school made standardized tests in both reading and math last week and we spent all of today (7:15 - 6) analyzing the data in grades and as a school. We made data driven plans, formed intervention groups, and talked about trends we were noticing and how to continue the great ones and stop the not so great ones.
Tomorrow is data day 2 - more planning and looking at numbers and standards and tests and discussing these tests that we now all have memorized.
And this is reason #131 why I came to this school. This is great instruction.
My old school has most of this stuff on file, too - the only difference is that most of it is contrived for the purpose of the quality review and then never used - by anyone. Here, it's used - breathed.
I am part of a great school.
A passionate school.
A nurturing school.
And I work 15 hour days at least 4 days a week, plus take work home on the weekends.
I don't remember the last time I got 8 hours of sleep.
It's challenging for the right reasons. We fight the right battles....but sometimes the exhaustion gets the best of me and I can't help but want to just come home, make dinner, and lay on the couch with the Boy.

From Long Ago

I’m exhausted. The kind of exhausted where your head pounds, your throat hurts, and the thought of food makes you nauseas. The worst part about it is….it’s Monday.
I feel like I’m teaching better…working smarter….than I ever have.
But at what price?
Yesterday the boy joked, “What did I do to be so lucky to have you around to watch you work, sleep, and eat?”
It was a joke…kind of.
Except for there was truth behind it.
And I can’t count how many times in the last week a bowl of Lucky Charms was dinner.
But my kids are learning. And I feel effective. And valued. And this is what urban education should be…at least inside school walls.
But my average days are 6:45 – 6:45, plus a 1 hour commute both ways, and I’m struggling to find balance, peace, time to play with the dogs….and sleep.

I wrote this almost a month ago but never had time or made it a priority to post it....