This week is spirit week at Riley's school. Monday was crazy hair day - he wore a mohawk. Tuesday was backwards shirt day - he wore his skeleton shirt backwards. Today was the "literacy parade" - he wore his pirate costume and carried his book called "How I Became A Pirate." He then had a party in his classroom until it was time to go home...He loved marching around the school with his classmates, visiting every classroom and wrapping it up in the gym where all the anxious parents, siblings and extended family were waiting.
But calling it a literacy parade? The note home told parents what books to bring if their kid wanted to dress as a witch or a knight, etc. It also said that if they couldn't find a book, just to come dressed anyway...so why are we bothering to repackage the traditional halloween parade as a literacy parade? Let's just call it what it is...Heck, I haven't seen a place that loves halloween more than Utah!
This is also a short week for Riley...He has off Friday for "Evidence Based Learning." From what I understand this is a day that teachers use to plan, grade, evaluate curriculum, etc. Great if you are a teacher...heck, in the 3 districts back east, I NEVER had one day a month for something like that. But the part that gets me, is that every Friday is a short day for "teacher planning." But since Friday is no school for the kids, their "planning" time is now on Thursday...Our kids need more time in the classroom, not less. It kills me that Utah considers kindergarten "optional." I could choose to keep Riley home this year and no one would do anything.
And the WORST part of it is that there isn't any physical education in elementary or middle school! What is up with that? Thank goodness my kids will never have to worry about learning how to stay fit or healthy, but there is so much to be said for organized large group physical activity. Kids need to learn to cooperate, wait their turn, develop physical skills & coordination as well as be physically fit. Physical education is a PERFECT way to help do all of that. Recess doesn't do anything for their heart rates, body composition or fitness levels. Those kids who aren't fit, will be the ones standing around or sitting on their behinds watching the rest of the kids play. I am grateful that Riley does get chased by the girls at recess...he's getting his exercise and doesn't even realize it! Hope they keep chasing him, but that they never catch him!
Okay, enough of my rant...the teacher in me came out...now back to mom mode.
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