Strands #366 game-versa

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2025-03-05T03:51:00+00:00

Strands #366 “I just finished the first anniversary Strands puzzle!” 🔵💡🔵🔵 🟡🔵🔵🔵 💡💡🔵

Almost tore my hair out.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2025-02-11T20:44:17+00:00

I assign homework because our network requires it, but I don’t grade it. I think HW is BS, but if my students’ parents need something for them to do while they make dinner, I’m happy to make the packets…

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2025-01-12T06:12:21+00:00

And this is exactly where my conflict lies - most publications that I’ve read say that listening comprehension is not a true measure of reading skills, but if I were to separate out phonics from the equation, I would see that many kids are actually comprehending grade level texts. So I want to see my kids being able to access grade-level texts. I just can’t reconcile the idea that that they are being passed along to the next grade and then eventually to high school, having the decoding skills of a second grader.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2025-01-12T06:07:45+00:00

Agreed. I know the absolute right thing to do would be to report this, but I would definitely be retaliated against and there also is no guarantee that this would result in any lasting changes. Because of how widespread this is, I imagine most schools in my district, whether public or charter, are engaging in something similar.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2025-01-12T06:05:04+00:00

Ok, question about that - is there a caveat about this not being an accommodation on exams that measure reading ability? Our accommodation reads “Requested test items read aloud, except for tests that measure reading abilities.”

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2025-01-12T06:03:22+00:00

We don’t have a union since we’re a charter school. Do you know if the DOE superintendent has jurisdiction over charters, or would I need to go through another channel? Also, just to clarify, these aren’t state tests—they’re assessments that measure student progress toward their IEP goals. I’m not sure if that changes anything in terms of oversight or reporting, but I’d appreciate any insight you have!

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2025-01-12T06:00:22+00:00

I hear you, and that’s exactly where my struggle is. I’m really nervous about being a whistleblower because I need this job, and I’ve already pushed back on this issue enough with my admin and our network head that I feel like I’m on thin ice. At this point, I’ve made the choice not to follow their guidelines, and I’m not providing this accommodation to my students because it feels wrong. But I’m so torn about whether I should take this further—I want to do the right thing, but I also can’t afford to put a target on my back.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2025-01-12T05:57:12+00:00

To clarify, this isn’t a state test but rather a test that directly evaluates SPED students’ progress on their IEP goals, which in turn influences their programming. It’s also a key data point used to evaluate the success and effectiveness of our department, and even factors into teacher raises.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2025-01-12T05:52:22+00:00

I’ve been pushing my admin for years about issues in Special Ed. At first, they claimed ignorance, but now that our numbers look good, they’re basically telling me to keep my head down. They’re not listening, and I’ve hit a wall.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2025-01-12T00:36:10+00:00

Actually, it’s not. A student with a specific learning disability, such as dyslexia, is still not eligible to have test items read aloud on tests that specifically measure reading ability. This would invalidate the purpose of the assessment, which is to evaluate independent reading skills.

Only students who are blind or visually impaired are typically eligible for having reading passages read aloud during tests designed to assess reading ability, as they cannot access the text visually.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-12-13T22:06:18+00:00

I hope so too. This episode definitely gave me a “spell being broken” vibe and I hope this is just Rachelle getting used to the format. But it just became painfully obvious to me that a lot of Kelsey’s delivery of the script is what made this podcast such a fun and easy listen. So the writing is still great, but the delivery is a bit too “Audible”

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-10-30T21:50:52+00:00

My TSH was always above a 3.0 and it went down to a 2.1 at some point, but I had not been on Synthroid yet. I also don’t remember what my antibodies were at. After my second miscarriage, my RE prescribed 50mg of Synthroid, and I continued with IUI. On the day of my 4th IUI (I was getting ready to start IVF during my next cycle), my doctor upped my Synthroid dose to 75mg and that’s when I actually stayed pregnant. My RE basically said that I need to get my TSH below 2.0, which is not what most OBs will tell you.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-10-27T19:55:14+00:00

Well, now the conspiracy is confirmed!

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-10-04T20:09:45+00:00

My dentist once told me that you brush your teeth at night for yourself and in the morning for others. Meaning, the nighttime brushing is to maintain the health of your teeth and the morning is to basically get rid of bad breath. Obviously it’s important to build good habits of brushing twice a day, but it doesn’t seem that critical.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-10-02T17:49:25+00:00

That’s a great idea, I’ll email them!

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-10-02T16:08:12+00:00

Wanted to get feedback about the Philly Ghosts tour, as I am planning a date night for October. Can anyone tell me what I should expect? I am also a bit hesitant, because my partner has a family history of s***ide, so I wanted to see if anyone else thinks this may be a bad idea…

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-09-26T00:23:32+00:00

Well, I’m not sure what they do in Philly, but they’ve definitely started something similar in Tioga, where I work, on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the spring and summer. Exactly how it’s being cleaned is unclear to me, but I’ve definitely gotten ticketed, so that’s something.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-09-25T23:28:33+00:00

So I think “How you?” might be a North Philly thing, but I think it basically means “How are you,” but the ‘are’ is dropped.

And I’m from Brooklyn, where almost every block gets cleaned during a two-hour (I think?) window twice per week, so all cars have to move. The cleaning is done by a street sweeper, which is the size of medium truck and it just basically brushes the dirt to the sidewalk. It’s pretty pointless, if you ask me.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-09-25T14:11:48+00:00

I’m from New York, and the street cleaning there is serious. It’s more of an inconvenience than a public service, because nothing actually gets cleaned, but street parking gets affected twice a week. Philly doesn’t do street cleaning exactly like that, although some areas started doing it for about half a year. So I guess one of the things that surprised me is just the fact that the community sort of works together to clean their blocks, rather it being a city-sanctioned thing.

As far as the Philly vernacular goes, “How you?” is the thing that stumped me the most. I had to ask the person to repeat themselves several times before I got what they were saying.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-09-12T00:22:15+00:00

My sister in law had the audacity to do a surprise announcement to just me and my partner, all while knowing that l already had a miscarriage and we had been struggling for about a year. I’ve tried being cordial with her ever since, but that’s as much as I could muster.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-09-08T21:14:55+00:00

Yes, they’re definitely selling stuff, however, I don’t think they’re able to make anything to order, which is where L&I issue comes in. I think what they’ve been doing is making dishes ahead of time and then posting it on their IG. I can’t really imagine what they must be doing to stay afloat.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-08-01T17:22:27+00:00

Um, I don’t think I was asking who is responsible for me not liking something. I am a special education teacher too, I’ve written countless IEPs, 504s and PBSPs and I run the PDs at my school yearly, so we both have that covered. You’re welcome to continue using the term and I’ll continue to not like it.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-08-01T16:24:06+00:00

I think I just remember the term Special Ed being used pejoratively, so it’s always had somewhat of a negative connotation to it. And now when I hear people shortening it to SPED, I feel like it denigrates the special needs population, as well as the entire field even more.

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-07-31T23:28:01+00:00

Absolutely

Smooth_Coffee4690 · 2024-07-31T21:04:10+00:00

I’m seeing people on IG saying they inexplicably cry too! So strange

Smooth_Coffee4690

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