Venting the Anger: The Gas Company part 2

I mentioned last week about my new gas meter and the bill that was going to be coming from it. Today I got it online...$187.

I obviously called right away. I won't go into the detail like the last post, but I will say the supervisor was very smug in her manner. I told her all the things that they screwed up on and dropped the ball with and the total lack of communication. She said that there could have been more communication on their part...more? How about some? I was never told anything!

Then she said that they have every right to get payment for those lost months using a formula to determine the amount. Their formula? Yeah it's just "charge them for what they used last year" because that's exactly what they did. So I guess since I wasn't home most of December, changed my thermostat, and the weather was warmer...all that doesn't matter. They can just charge what they feel is right?

I was pissed and told her they were pulling numbers from their ass and there wasn't any formula. So I contacted the Public Utilities Commission to file a complaint. So we will see where we go from here.

I don't understand how I can be responsible for their mistakes. If they knew in December, why did they wait until February to try and fix it? And then, since the gate was locked, why didn't they call and tell me then? Why not fix it in December or January? Or call and set up a time? This is their fault and they should have to be held responsible for their short comings, not put it on me.

Music Non Stop: Month of Metallica

About 3 years ago I started playing nothing but Metallica when state testing was approaching. This year is no different. I started with Death Magnetic, then to St. Anger. I will hit the two new songs from S&M & I Disappear, then finish it off with disc one of Garage Inc.

It is kind of fun to hear the difference in the albums. To hear a band sort of de-evolve, since I go backwards in the discography. I have stated before that I didn't think I could rank the Metallica albums when I ranked their opening tracks awhile back. But as I have listened to the albums this week, I am thinking I am going to try it.

One thing for sure is that St. Anger isn't going to be on the bottom of the list. I have a new respect for that album after putting it back on after a couple of years. It has some classic Metallica songs on there; Frantic, My World (heck I named my blog after this song), Sweet Amber, Shoot Me Again, The Unnamed Feeling, and All Within My Hands are great songs. Listening to them now I don't miss the guitar solos at all. The drums? Yeah that still bugs, but it doesn't take away from the music. Anyway, I will try and rank the albums before the month is over.

And to start it off, a video. Not a Metallica video...well not a music video. On the Megadeth forums there was this guy on there who won a contest to jam with Metallica backstage. Anyway, he decided to play One with them. When the solo comes on, he starts to harmonize over Kirk. It's freakin' awesome. I love the expression James has around the one minute mark...heck he stops playing to watch! Great moment.

Thoughts Without Words: Final look at Wonder Woman

If you didn't know better you might think this is a Wonder Woman blog. I mean I did a post on her new comic costume, one on her new tv costume, and then for good measure another one on her tv costume with some fan photoshops to make some obvious corrections....I'm looking at you red boots.

So here is the fan photoshopped corrections;
Of course, the middle is the original press release one. I think we all agreed that the blue boots had to go. And I didn't think the darker blue pants were that bad. So today we got the first look at WW on the set;
And it looks like we got our wish. RED BOOTS!!! The darker pants are...whatever. They aren't as shiny as before I guess that's a plus. One final difference would be the dark hooker red lipstick is gone too. You know how those Amazons love their red lipstick.

The one thing that jumps out now are the stars down the leg. They were on the original picture, but not noticeable. They remind me a bit of the original TV WW, Cathy Lee Crosby, the way the stars were down the sleeves. By the way after looking at Cathy Lee's version, I know where the blue boots come from. It's a stretch, but overall I am happy now. I doubt I will watch it, but at least it feels like Wonder Woman.

The Last Laugh: High scoring D.C. school probably cheated

When I say probably, I mean most definitely. As one statistician put it;

“The odds are better for winning the Powerball grand prize than having that many erasures by chance,”

It seems that this school which had such high gains also had high erasure marks. When the average erasure mark is less than one per test and this school has over 12 per test...yeah something's not right.

Best part, besides the praise they got, is the bonuses all the teachers and principal received.

Unfortunately, as politicians move to tie a teacher's pay and evaluations to test scores, I think we will be seeing more of these types of incidents.

Inside Four Walls: A Glimpse into my class

I have talked about the struggles with my Algebra B class this year. I have had some bright spots, but mainly it has been a challenging year for me. Usually I average about 60% or higher advanced/proficient on the standards test, but this year I will be lucky if I get 20%.

I have had a ton of complaints as to how I run my class. One such complaint was that I collect homework at the end of a chapter, not everyday. I had a bunch of students say, "If you collected the homework daily I would do it, but since you wait til the end of the chapter I don't do it." So that whole being responsible didn't work. So I decided to start collecting the homework daily. I have copied my gradebook and took a picture of it. Now before anyone freaks out, the order is random, the names & grades are chopped off. And you can't even see the assignment points. And it isn't even the entire gradebook, just the last couple of weeks.I told one teacher it looked like a battlefield with all that red. And yet...it's my fault they aren't passing? I don't get it. I had a parent ask for the class average. It is low, but I felt like they were trying to justify their child's grade. I felt like just showing them this picture and saying "this is why the average is low." I think it says a lot that there are only 4 students on there that haven't missed an assignment.

This isn't the norm for me. This is definitely one of those weird years. I can't explain it, but the lack of motivation is staggering to me. I got nothing.

The Last Laugh: Bonus pay not getting the best teachers

At least in Washington state. According to the report, via Joanne Jacobs;

• Even with an additional $5,000 “challenging schools” bonus, fewer than 1% of Washington’s NBCTs move from low-poverty to high-poverty schools each year
• The proportion of NBCTs teaching in challenging schools is increasing, but only because teachers already in those schools are gaining certification and because the state’s challenging schools list has grown each year
• Washington’s NBCTs appear no more likely than other teachers to stay in challenging school assignments

File this one under no duh as well. Seriously, who would want to go teach at a low poverty school? I can only imagine the struggles that teachers must deal with on a daily basis. I have read a few blogs about it and it definitely isn't worth $5000.

And let's add in a classic "Catch-22" scenario. With more and more states wanting to tie a teacher's salary to state testing results, who would want to go and teach in an area that won't produce high results? And if the state says "you know, those low income schools, they don't need to have high results." Then how can you justify giving those teachers bonuses when they don't need to show results? Ahh education, don't you just love it?

Right Now: 500th post?

already?

I guess it has been 5 years...almost. I feel like I have "found my groove" when it comes to this blog. I like the variety of topics, the labels, the responses (when they come), and just having the ability to share my thoughts and stories. I have a nice steady stream of about 1,000 to 1,200 visitors a month. Now I know that's not huge, but to me it is still humbling to think someone would want to know what I think.

I doubt it will take another 5 years to hit 1000, but who knows. I mean I look back at my previous years and in 06 & 09 I didn't even get to 30 posts for the year.

Thanks for reading and here's to another 500 posts.

Venting the Anger: The Gas Company

So earlier this week I was bringing in the trash cans and happen to notice I had a whole new gas meter. So I called to find out;

1. when did this happen
2. why it was replaced
3. why wasn't I called to be told about it

So I called them up and here is what happened;

Me: Hi I was wondering why I have a new gas meter and why I wasn't told about it.
Operator: Well when we did the meter reading on December 15th we saw there was no gas consumption. So the meter was broke and not working.
Me: Ok...so it's March...
Operator: well, we came out in February and the gate was locked. So we had to reschedule.
Me: ok
Operator: so we came out earlier in the week to replace it.
Me: Ok so what is my bill going to look like since you're saying I haven't paid for gas in 4 months.
Operator: Well we are working on it to have you pay for those missing months.
Me (a little upset): So let me get this straight. You knew in December that my meter was broke right?
Operator: yes
Me: And you don't bother to send someone out to fix it until February or even call me to let me know?
Operator: that is correct
Me: And then after waiting 3 months to fix it, the one day you come out the gate is locked. And you don't bother to call me and say "Mr. Wendland, your meter is broke and we need to get into the backyard to replace it, can you leave your gate unlocked?"
Operator: yes sir that is correct
Me: So then you wait another month before you fix it. And you still never called me to tell me that my meter was broke or that you needed to get into my backyard. And you want to charge me now for 4 months. Is that what you are saying?
Operator (sounding very upset): yes
Me: ok cause I'm writing this all down and I just want to make sure I am getting it right.
Operator: Well sir, if you would have looked at your bill you would have seen that the bill had zero gas consumption.
{I was getting a bill, but I found out you get charged a daily rate no matter what you use.}
Me: I pay my bill online and look at the bottom line. I don't try to figure out the whole BTU formulas you guys use. But if that's going to be the excuse you use, that it is my fault that I didn't check my gas consumption, when clearly this is your fault. Then fine, if it makes you feel better then go ahead and blame me, but we both know you guys dropped the ball here not me.
Operator: ok sir thank you (click)

So now I am waiting for my gas bill. I expect it to be around $150 - $200. I am not going to pay it though. They have no way of knowing how much gas I used...if any. We were gone a lot in December. How can you charge someone for a guess? I will keep you posted.

Venting the Anger: Florida ending tenure

In 2014.

I have talked about teacher tenure and merit pay before, so I won't rehash anything, but this is a joke. When are people going to stop blaming teachers for the failure of students? How about looking in the mirror? How about the old story about how "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't force him to drink"?

Am I a bad teacher because I assigned 6 problems of homework and less than 30% of my students did it? Is that my fault? Is it my fault when a student goes to Disneyland the night before a big test and doesn't get home before 11 PM? Is it my fault when a student would rather bubble in a penis on a final exam than try and take it?

When will politicians learn that we teachers don't have any real control over the students. And how smart is Florida? Who in their right mind would want to teach there now? Seriously, you are going to put your career in the hands of teenagers? And that's what you are doing. These state tests have ZERO repercussions for the students and yet you want to base teacher pay and job security over them? I have had my smartest kids just half ass it because "it doesn't count for anything, and I have a test today in another class." Once again, is that my fault?

If you say "yes", then shouldn't a doctor be held accountable if he has patients that smoke or are obese? Sounds ridiculous, but it is the same argument. If a student wants to fail, they will fail. If they want to pass, they will work hard and pass.

Back to Florida, annual contracts now? Once again, every year is now a "what if". So when that principal needs someone to help run the clock at a basketball game for free because he can't pay anyone due to cuts, do you think he will be able to find someone to volunteer now? How is that principal going to view the teacher who gets average test scores, but does nothing for free? Think they will get a good evaluation? I highly doubt that they will.

Who will want special ed students? It is difficult to get them to be proficient or advanced, no matter how much time you put in. Is this fair for the teachers who get the average students versus those who get the AP or honors level students? How about those students with bad home lives? There was a story about a mom who allowed her son to fight another boy on her front yard. And she encouraged him to "f@ck him up" the whole time. Yeah how important is education to her and her family? And yet, a teacher will be judged good or bad based on his score on a test that doesn't determine anything for him.

Politicians want to run education like a business. I have said it many times, but you can't. Simply stated, because you can't pick and choose your students. As a supervisor at UPS, I had 60 days to determine if an employee would help my area out. If they were late once, I could fire them. How does that work in education? I get 170+ students and I can't do anything if they are late, but send them to the office. If an employee didn't work hard, I could fire them. If a student doesn't work hard, they fail the test and probably the state test. But their inaction will now affect that teacher's pay. Whereas at UPS I could fire that bad employee, the teacher is "stuck" with the student for the year.

I want to go to a politician's office and give him a special ed student or an unmotivated student and say "here is your new secretary. You have to find a way to get them to be the best secretary you have ever had." How long do you think that politician would wait until he fired them? And yet, we can't "fire" our students.

Thoughts Without Words: Teacher suing student...

It's about time. That's all I can say.

Seems as though a senior that didn't get the grade she wanted started talking about the teacher, he had enough and threatened to sue her for slander and to stop. Of course someone told her to keep fighting and go further to the school board, a former principal (just another reason why teachers don't trust administrators).

She is complaining because she said he graded the class on group projects which she says is unfair. To me this is an open and shut case. According to Ed Code 49066;

49066. (a) When grades are given for any course of instruction taught in a school district, the grade given to each pupil shall be the grade determined by the teacher of the course and the determination of the pupil's grade by the teacher, in the absence of clerical or mechanical mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetency, shall be final.

Read the bold...yeah sums that up. So much for her complaint. He has to justify the grade, from what I have heard about things like this, but other than that he is good to go.

Back to the more important issue at hand, the potential lawsuit. Every time a student rips a teacher on Facebook, Myspace, or anywhere it's a 1st amendment freedom of speech thing. Yet, when a teacher says something about their students outside of school they are suspended or worse yet, they are fired.

I am sure nothing will happen here. The girl can complain all she want, but the chances of her getting her grade changed are slim to none. The teacher's potential lawsuit won't go anywhere because they will hide behind the 1st amendment. I love education...don't you?