Featured in the NY Times

Our concerns were featured in the NY Times today.  Thank you Rep. James White for giving me the opportunity to visit with this reporter.  It's the perfect time to receive nationwide attention about our concerns with the implementation of the new math TEKS because the legislature will be back in session in a few weeks.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/12/us/new-math-standards-a-hurdle-for-some-texas-students-and-teachers.html?_r=0

School Board Resolution

Dr. Michael Seabolt, Superintendent of Louise ISD is encouraging School Boards across the state to respond to Texas' crisis in math with Board Resolutions directed to legislative representatives. His attorney's have drawn up a sample resolution, and they are sharing it with you! You can download the sample resolution on my website and ask your school board to submit it to your SBOE member and State Representative.

http://www.promisedministries.com/education.html#/news/

A Small Victory Today

Small victory with math today - the STAAR math test for grades 5 and 8 is being pushed back from March 30 to April 20. Since the test will not determine promotion or retention this year, there is no reason to test early, and this will give them more time to prepare. We are still working on getting the Commissioner to provide some relief to all grades in 3-8 with regard to accountability too.

Texas Edition and Common Core = 1

Below are one picture of a worksheet from Pearson Envision Math 2.0 for grade 4 Texas edition and one from Pearson Envision Math 2.0 for grade 4 Common Core edition. Mr. David Bradley would like to place the blame for the problems our children are having on district's adopting Common Core curriculum. My district adopted the TEXAS version, at least they thought. Take a look at this Mr. Bradley. I don't think my district is to blame!

Holding on to Hope

I wanted to update you on what's been happening in the world of Texas math. 

I spoke to Tom Maynard today, Chair of the SBOE Committee on Instruction. Many of you sent e-mails encouraging him to ask Commissioner Williams to suspend district and teacher accountability for the STAAR Math test in grades 3-8 this year. Thank you. He said he got a lot of e-mails. 

As a result of your efforts, he understands the high level of concern, and he has contacted Commissioner Williams to request the Commissioner provide TEA staff and resources to organize a group of stakeholders made up of one teacher and one parent from each of the 15 SBOE districts. 

He is waiting on Commissioner Williams to get back with him to let him know if he will agree to this. The slight hiccup to this progress is that Greg Abbott has recently been named Governor-elect. As Governor, Mr. Abbott appoints the Commissioner of Education, which means that come January 1st, Commissioner Williams may or may not have a job. The outcome of that decision may affect progress with the stakeholders group. 

The good news is some State Representatives have also heard your concerns and are working toward possible solutions as well. One possible solution suggested is to go directly to the Commissioner's boss, and ask Greg Abbott to suspend the assessment accountability. 

Last Friday, I was given the special opportunity to provide one of our State Reps with a two page narrative describing this need. The representative had gotten one of Abbott's policy advisors to agree to present the narrative to Governor-elect Abbott. I prepared the narrative and sent it to the proper person. I was told I should hear something next week regarding how Abbott reacts when he lays eyes on it. 

I feel like we are holding our breath right now, but really we are holding on to something better - hope.

New Website & Update Coming

Check out my new website!

www.promisedministries.com

I have a section on the website called Education, which is dedicated to efforts to advocate for our children and their teachers.  I spoke to several representatives today and am hoping to have a meaningful update to share with you tomorrow regarding the Math TEKS.

You can also check out my website for devotionals. 

Blessings,

Alison

Teaching Your Children Compassion

My husband and I have taught third graders in Sunday School for over twelve years.  In many ways, my love for children began in that small room filled with curious kids who weren't afraid to ask questions and never left before hugging my neck.  More than a decade later, I still look forward to teaching them every Sunday.  And over the years, they have taught me as much as I hope that I have taught them.

Over the last few weeks, we have been learning about Joseph.  We watched as God anointed him for a special purpose, we mourned as his brothers jealously mistreated him, we sighed with relief as God provided for him in Egypt, we held our breath as he was falsely accused and suffered in prison, we rejoiced as God redeemed him to a place of high esteem, and this week we marveled as he chose to show compassion to those who hurt him.

We talked a little bit about what compassion meant at the beginning of class.  No one was quite sure.  Mostly the kids described compassion as feeling sorry for someone.  Then we read how Joseph chose to share what he had to feed his brothers when they were hungry, the same ones who threw him in a pit, sold him into slavery, and celebrated in his misery.

After the story, a nine-year old little boy raised his hand with a smile in his eyes, and he said, "Oh, Mrs. Alison, now I see what compassion is…It's doing something that someone needs to show them you love them."

I'm pretty sure a doctorate in theology couldn't have come up with a better answer than that.

Compassion isn't about feeling sorry for someone.  It's about recognizing a need and doing something to meet that need, not because the person deserves it, but because you desire to show them love, God's love.

This Thanksgiving as you gratefully reflect on all your blessings, take this opportunity to also teach your children about compassion.  Talk about it, demonstrate it and pray God will build compassion in them as they grow so their lives are characterized by seeing needs and responding in love.

Here are some activities you can do with your children to help demonstrate compassion…

1. When you shop for groceries, ask for paper instead of plastic.  Then have your kids decorate the paper bags with colorful artwork or encouraging messages and donate the bags to your local food bank.
2. Collect last year's coats that are already too small and donate them to your local Salvation Army.  But before you do, have your children draw a picture or write a sweet note.  Fold it up and place it in a pocket of the coat so that someone finds it on a cold day.
3. When you bake your Thanksgiving pies or cookies, whip up an extra batch and deliver it to a local hotel, where employees often spend holidays working alone.
4. Gather all those little soaps, lotions and shampoos you've collected at hotels and deliver them to your local women's shelter or homeless shelter.
5. Take your children shopping to fill a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child (http://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/)  And when you go, don't buy anything for your children.  Encourage them to pick out things they would like then let them find joy in giving.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  And find me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Promised/1558060764426036