Unexpected Wednesday Hodgepodge

If you're looking for my "U" post, click here.
I've been so busy with my A to Z posts, that I completely forgot about the Hodgepodge today!  So, I'm answering these questions completely of the top of my head!

1. April showers bring May flowers...what have you been showered with this month?
Busy-ness!  It seems this month has been so incredibly busy!  We had my in-laws' 50th Anniversary Party last weekend, so the week of I was making & decorating 150 cookies to put in the thank you bags.

2. What is the nature of compassion?  Is it learned or innate?  Can compassion be learned?  If you're a parent is this something you've purposely sought to instill in your children, and if so how?
I think compassion can be learned.  I don't think anyone starts out as being uncompassionate. (That's obviously not a real word because the spell check came up!)  I think I'm a pretty compassionate person, and have tried to instill that in my boys through my actions.

3. Do you prefer to watch romantic comedy or romantic drama...or are you rolling your eyes saying bring on the action flicks?
It depends on my mood.  Either one will work for me.   I've been known to sit through quite a few action flicks...being in a house with 4 boys (including CH) should be a big clue!

4.  It's April which means baseball season is officially upon us here in the US of A. Humphrey Bogart is quoted as saying "A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz." Agree or Disagree?
I've never had roast beef at the Ritz.  I'll answer after I cross that one off my list!

5. What's something in your community or city that needs fixing or improving?
I can't think of anything off the top of my head.  The Small Town does an excellent job of keeping things nice and orderly.

6. Share a song you enjoy that mentions flowers or a specific flower in its title.
This song immediately came to my mind:  I Love the Flower Girl by The Cowsills.   If you don't know who The Cowsills are:  they're the family band that The Partridge Family was based on.
7. April 22nd is Earth Day...do you believe there's life on other planets?  That wasn't the question you were expecting was it? 
No, it definitely isn't the question I was expecting!  I don't know...I guess it's possible, but not likely.  I can't imagine God would do something like that!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
We are in the middle of TCAPs...state testing.  I'll be so glad when this is over!  It's not so bad when you have to read to the students; at least you're doing something!  But, it gets pretty boring when the students just need to be in a quieter setting to take the test.  All you're allowed to do is sit.  And stare at the student.  It doesn't matter if the student gets finished before the time is up, they have to sit there until the time expires.
It would be nice if teachers could get back to teaching and not testing. 

20 comments:

  1. I love that song too...there were so many to choose from it was hard to pick a favorite. I agree with your last thought-less testing, more teaching!

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  2. All that testing cuts into time for teaching, and that just doesn't make any sense to me. I think so much of that testing is some high-level bureaucrat's way of looking like he/she is actually accomplishing something. Too bad educators cannot make educational policy/decisions.

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  3. I am not, at all, familiar with that song. I'll definitely have to take a listen! I definitely feel your pain on #8...I know the end can't come soon enough for you!

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  4. We are MAP testing... we're in the third and final week. Then one week of no testing before the state testing begins. I am NOT a fan of testing. I couldn't get on youtube from school either. LOL

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  5. You should issue out some awesome staring contests in the silence of a class room :)

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  6. I so agree with you on that testing thing. Our school systems spend more time preparing the students for testing than they do actually teaching!!
    I am not familiar with the song or the group, but will have to check them out.

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  7. Oh oh...I'm gonna be humming that song all day now. Great choice.

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  8. I so agree with you on all that testing. Teachers here teach to the test and so there is no real teaching or learning going on, just getting ready for the next test. Hate it.

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  9. I was not too familiar with that song. I know the struggles my granddaughter has with taking the tests and my daughter-in-law has with supervising them.

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  10. Oh, I think all my teacher friends are involved in testing and all feel just as you.

    I am also watching Mr. Selfridge as well. And, there are even some others that I'm thinking of watching. I never knew that PBS had so many wonderful shows and I do love that they are series.

    Happy week!

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  11. I had to google the song because i couldn't think of one. Anyway i came across Build me up Buttercup & remembered it from that comedy "There's Something about Mary"

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  12. Love your background ;)
    Oh, testing vs. teaching- it is everywhere. It is crazy!

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  13. Okay, I had to go look up the song...but it's good...I'm glad I did! Thanks!! Happy Hodgepodge!

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  14. All the S4-S6 (Sophomore to Senior equivalent) here are about to go on exam leave. A lot of them very nervous, as it decides what universities they can apply for and so on. My friend is doing lots of marking at the moment!

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  15. I almost listed the same flower song you did!

    I totally agree with your random thought about getting back to teaching instead of testing.

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  16. Good luck to you, getting through the testing - I understand why they do it, but it does seem excessive at times, and rather misses the point as well. One of the greatest courses I took in college was on testing, and it made me SUCH a stickler for the bias in testing and the importance of the appropriate testing environment! Oh dear... getting off my soap box before I get on now! :-)

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  17. Mary, I love that song by the Cowsils. Thanks for the reminder, will have to get it on my phone! I do believe children will learn compassion from our actions. I still teach compassion to them when I get the chance.

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  18. Love your ans to No.3 - with 4 boys, that sure must be a whole lot of action flicks LOL.

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  19. Great song! I hadn't heard it before. And I can imagine with 4 boys around that romantic movies don't stand much of a chance. :D

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  20. The kids here in PA are just wrapping up their statewide assessment testing, too, and they are so happy to be done!

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