Sick today; we went up to Edmonton on Saturday. I managed to hit the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store off of 106th. Not there for me, I was looking for stuff with a friend. They did have a kind of neat, 1920's waterfall style cabinet. It had 3 drawers and once had two side doors with shelves inside. The condition was about a 6/10. Missing side doors, ink from a fountain type pen had spilled inside the top and stained the felt in the dividers. It had all the original brass and bakelite handles. Overall, if I lived in Edmonton and wanted a conversation piece for a room, I might have spent the $100 they were asking.

Anyway, I am getting the feelings that start to come when report card marks are going to be due. I don't know about my philosophy on grades or no grades, but I do know that spending nearly a month perfecting and polishing up a document that 95% of kids will take home and most parents look for numbers on - and only doing this twice a year - really doesn't do what we do in the classroom justice. If the mentioned 95% take this home, why do I see about 12% of parents at best, and then only when interviews are held. And, there is no interview at year end. That would be a pointless exit interview anyway.

Maybe a weekly email sendout with "Here are the outcomes we have in play this week, your son / daughter has shown full understanding of x, y and only a partial grasp of z." " By the way, could you please stop giving them money to bring energy drinks to school." This might be more valid and engaging for all.