Yes, I have been off the grid again. Want to know why? Well it seems that some kind of Karma train came through and whatever I did wrong in grade four is now coming back to rear its ugly head. Instead of punishing you with all the details of my last couple of weeks, I instead send you the rant/draft letter that has been hammering around in the Neuron Holder.
Dear Ministry of Education,
Thank you so much for the opportunity to complete a grade four science project again. What a thrilling learning experience! I am not sure, however if the intended result is turning out to be as you expected. You see, when the brilliant genius in your office somewhere decided that grade four was a good year to do a science project/experiment, I am just guessing that the idiot did not have kids. Last time I checked nine and ten year olds do not have jobs with which to buy the supplies, cars to get them to the six different stores required to obtain these supplies and in most cases access to the various sites needed to do the required research for said science project - like the library or the internet, therefore nullifying the “independent learning” that you wish to instill. I would also like to thank the window licker whose idea this was to have no class time allotted for this project work. What a fabulous idea if I have ever heard one! Let’s see what todays parents are really made of because I am sure they only have one child and sit around all day wondering how they can supplement their child’s education anxiously awaiting the arrival of the school age child with their homework teeming with enthusiasm and time. I am sure the majority of parents don’t have jobs they need to attend, other children (some of who may have activities outside school hours - what? You mean like sports?), meals to prepare etc. They must surely have hired help if they do work full time, right? Well, I have been struggling to find time to complete this science project in the time the kid has been given and I am not sure my boss would appreciate me bringing it to work. I would gladly welcome the Asshat who made this decision into my home so he can see how much of a wonderful learning experience this is for the nine year old and let him make the decision as to which is more important: the homework that was assigned for the day or the science project? Maybe he (yes, he, I said it) needs to live in an average house today to see how busy we are now as compared to the sixties when this project decision was obviously made. How about waiting until they are a bit older and can actually do a project like this independently? Essentially, you just assigned the entire population of grade four parents a project to do and here I thought I had put grade four behind me! I am pretty sure it is time for the Ministry to have a look at the world today and the curriculum and outcomes we are using. This generation of young people may know how to tell the world where they are having lunch and who they are currently dating, but seriously – get one of them to string a few sentences together that make sense and don’t have any spelling errors, that is the true indication of how current education is today. Let me tell ya they ain't gettin any smarta.
Yours truly,
Mother Who Already Passed Grade Four, Thank you very much.
