Teacher Do You Care- The Pete Chronicles

When a staff member who is assigned to my room cannot show up it creates a big hole. I am often told sorry I cannot come to your class someone else needs me more. When there is not enough staff I can usually handle it. Is it optimal no?

I did not have enough staff to cover the students that needed more assistance yesterday. In addition the administration had given me mandatory extra work to do which included hours of testing students. This meant I could not spend time with Pete. It was heartbreaking!



Pete did not understand why he was moved to a office with more supervision. He said he would be good. This was the heartbreak. I told him he was good; he was great. I tried to explain that I had so much work that I could not spend time with him.

I protested and stated the students would suffer with no avail.

This is how the system looses the good ones. The system wants the paper work done and unfortunately it is at the expense of student learning. This system is broke.

“UP” was a Downer

Oscar nominations are out! Two times this past year I was dumbfounded by a movie I thought would be entertaining. One of my movie bloopers got several Oscar nominations!

Am I so off the beaten path that I cannot see greatness? Or could it be our society is making adult themed movies in animation form. The movie “UP” was supposed to a delightful ride when I rented it a few weeks ago. What did I have to loose, it was animated, the commercials were so cute and it looked so fun? I knew I was going to have an evening of laughs. Thank God my children are older teens. What was the writer thinking? The movie was emotionally devastating and I hope no one took their children but I know people did.

This animation film had the themes of miscarriage, grief of losing a child, lost dreams, death of a spouse, assault and developers over taking neighborhoods.

What is it with adult themes in animated films? Do the big kids need a new playground? I don’t want to see it and neither do young children. I’m tired of being highjacked after I’m in a movie. This is a manipulative ploy to trick people into the theater to suck more money out the middle class pocketbooks. Writers, animators and advertisers let consumers know on the front end about the adult themes so we can make the decision.

By the nomination of Best Picture, I wonder what Hollywood is saying to young people and parents about the future of animation. Is it for the big kid that wants to work out their childhood issues instead of therapy? Is it now a free for all for Quentin Tarantino types?

Well, I’m not game and many other parents would not be either. I use to trust Hollywood when it came to children’s movies yet, the system has made it very clear by the Best Picture Nominations that bloody war dramas, child abusive, adult themed animation, scary aliens, evil humans and alienated businessman are what makes a good film.

HEY HOLLYWOOD, LEAVE THOSE KIDS ALONE!
(Pink Floyd, Another Brick in the Wall)