Maria will be disappointed I’m not blogging about Survivor today. I just don’t have it in me. Go read her blog–she said all there is to say. Except for the part about Stephenie…I actually feel sorry for her. Plus, I think they are editing the show to make her look like a whiney baby. I don’t think she’s whining nearly as much as they are making us think. (Of course, I don’t see how Maria likes Jack on Lost. He’s a bigger whiner than Steph. I guess maybe it’s because he’s easier for her to look at.)

I have been in a mood for a couple of weeks now. It’s really hard to deal with because it’s affecting my writing. It’s hard to even open the MS much less get anything down.

I’m downright depressed over my son’s academia issues. We’re going to have him tested, though we’re pretty sure if he’s suffering from any learning disability it’s very mild and can only be dealt with through retraining the kid as well as ourselves. We’re up for that, though I’ll tell ya, it’s going to be hard.

My friend, Jennifer, recommended a book by Mel Levine, A MIND AT A TIME. I’ve ordered it and can’t wait to read it. She says it will really help me see things differently and it gives examples of how to tackle each issue. I need examples.

One thing that I’m discovering is the absurd grading scale our school district has. What ever happened to the 4.0 scale? You know, the one we had in college? Doesn’t it seem strange that Cs are supposed to represent the average grade and yet they only allow for a 8 point range? And Ds are a 5 point range.

93-100 A
85-92 B
76-84 C
70-75 D
69 and below F

I know this isn’t “standard” grading. Mississippi doesn’t have a standard, across the state, grading scale. Some school districts are on the 4.0 scale. (90-100, 80-89, 70-79, 60-69, 59 below) Some are slightly different from our district…

Some states do have a standard grading scale across the state…so if a kid moves from one district to another, then they know what to expect grade wise. Maybe there should be a standard grading scale across the nation. That would at least help the kids know what to expect…and it certainly wouldn’t change the testing scores, since those are completely different from the school grades.

Either way, when a 75 is considered a D, that is a problem. At least in my opinion.

I’m not trying to make it easier on my son. (maybe easier on me!) but I am trying to make it at least fair. In college, if he had a 75, he’d be a strong C student. No, it’s not great. Yes, if I had ever brought home a C I’d have been killed–but we’re not talking about me…we’re talking about a kid who is struggling to pass some of his classes for the first time ever.

Okay, this is turning into a long, rambling blog. Sorry. But it’s my little spot in cyberspace and I’ll be long and rambly if I want. I try to be happy and there for everybody when they need me. I do a pretty damn good job of it too, most of the time. But now, it’s my turn. So, if you don’t like it, don’t read. LOL

So, we’re going to have Ian tested, but the more and more feedback we get from the teachers, the more we wonder if he isn’t slightly ADD. (Attention Defecit Disorder) Yes, there is an easy fix to that, but I’m not one of those who likes to run out and get a pill for every problem that exists. However, at this point, I’m just about ready to try anything.

And, frankly, I’m tired of worrying myself sick about it.