Ok, long story, but I think this is one that absolutely needs to be told. There are a couple of things we need to look at here, educationally speaking.
First Issue:
On Tuesday this week, I realized a student that I suggested start with Epic and specifically be in my class because i had his brother too, could actually NOT be placed under me because he had an IEP. Due to intense bullying and medical issues that kept him from attending, therefore making him truant two years in a row, he needed a break from the world of traditional schooling. Most of you, my friends in the brick and mortar world, do not understand why this would be an issue at all. A student within the special education system who are on IEPs are placed in Reg Ed classes all the time. It is considered the least restrictive environment. However, in the virtual world, which are the laws I must abide by, this is not allowed. I was informed it was a logistics thing. That if there is "Direct Instruction" it MUST come from a special ed certified teacher. Long and short, if I wanted to get paid to teach this student, I needed to take a SPED certification test. So I signed up and took it yesterday...Saturday.
That was the first issue I wanted to bring up - Sheesh - I am willing to see this student 4 days per week, but in our model that is a difficult feat. The wordplay, like semantics versus pragmatics, keeps this one kiddo and me from being within compliance according to the state and the way virtual laws play out here. I get it, but it seems ridiculous in this instance.
Second Issue:
Taking a certification test is a little on the overkill side these days. I had to be there at 7:45 AM, but I had a full day planned. I mean my schedule was packed. So when I got dressed, I got dressed for the day.
Sidebar - Dressed for the day vs dressed to take a 2-hour test and return home. Dress for a two-hour test looks like jeans, t-shirt, ball cap, maybe mascara. Dressed for the day, means if jeans then maybe a blouse, jewelry, def some mascara, and NOT a hat. Those are my rules.
Ok, so I am dressed for the day. I read the instructions and already knew that no food or beverages would be allowed in the testing room and no electronics devices. No worries, I had already put my cell and Apple watch in my purse and then threw them in the lockers provided by the venue. My number was called and the old lady (who I swear was the same exact old lady from when I did this 8 years ago) kindly informed me that I also needed to take off my bracelets...oh and my necklaces..."Oh, and you're wearing earrings too? Those have to go in the basket as well". I wasn't sure I heard her correctly. My stud earrings? Do you think I've written some answers on my lobes that I might be able to share with others? I cannot see my lobes without looking in the mirror, so it must be because I want to help out the stranger sitting next to me who may be taking the same test as me, but likely not because they were offering something like 15 different versions of tests that day.
Nope, I heard her correctly. I needed to take those earrings off as well. That was the first round of search. She moved me on to a separate waiting area where a man explained all of the rules of surveillance and I totally believed him because there were 15 monitors where he was sitting as well as a giant glass window where he could look in and see us. After his thorough explanation that I totally heard him give to the gal he sat before me, he asked I pull out my pockets. I then needed to push my finger around my leg cuffs as well as my arm cuffs. I needed to pull up the sleeves my half-sleeved shirt, run my fingers through my hair, get my palm scanned a second time because from where the lady did it the first time to where I was led behind her desk to wait for this round of search I might have changed identities? And then I was led back to the testing room. I was not to look around the room. I was not to talk and I was to raise my hand so that I could be escorted out of the room with all of the cameras.
Again I say SHEESH. Listen I am very grateful that the integrity of the tests is held up. I am proud that our well-trained teachers must take a proctored/monitored test to ensure that they are competent to speak to and lead the next generation of citizens, but is this overkill? I told the guy that I wasn't trying to knock all the things he was asked to do in his job description, but what did he think I was going to do?
First Issue:
On Tuesday this week, I realized a student that I suggested start with Epic and specifically be in my class because i had his brother too, could actually NOT be placed under me because he had an IEP. Due to intense bullying and medical issues that kept him from attending, therefore making him truant two years in a row, he needed a break from the world of traditional schooling. Most of you, my friends in the brick and mortar world, do not understand why this would be an issue at all. A student within the special education system who are on IEPs are placed in Reg Ed classes all the time. It is considered the least restrictive environment. However, in the virtual world, which are the laws I must abide by, this is not allowed. I was informed it was a logistics thing. That if there is "Direct Instruction" it MUST come from a special ed certified teacher. Long and short, if I wanted to get paid to teach this student, I needed to take a SPED certification test. So I signed up and took it yesterday...Saturday.
That was the first issue I wanted to bring up - Sheesh - I am willing to see this student 4 days per week, but in our model that is a difficult feat. The wordplay, like semantics versus pragmatics, keeps this one kiddo and me from being within compliance according to the state and the way virtual laws play out here. I get it, but it seems ridiculous in this instance.
Second Issue:
Taking a certification test is a little on the overkill side these days. I had to be there at 7:45 AM, but I had a full day planned. I mean my schedule was packed. So when I got dressed, I got dressed for the day.
Sidebar - Dressed for the day vs dressed to take a 2-hour test and return home. Dress for a two-hour test looks like jeans, t-shirt, ball cap, maybe mascara. Dressed for the day, means if jeans then maybe a blouse, jewelry, def some mascara, and NOT a hat. Those are my rules.
Ok, so I am dressed for the day. I read the instructions and already knew that no food or beverages would be allowed in the testing room and no electronics devices. No worries, I had already put my cell and Apple watch in my purse and then threw them in the lockers provided by the venue. My number was called and the old lady (who I swear was the same exact old lady from when I did this 8 years ago) kindly informed me that I also needed to take off my bracelets...oh and my necklaces..."Oh, and you're wearing earrings too? Those have to go in the basket as well". I wasn't sure I heard her correctly. My stud earrings? Do you think I've written some answers on my lobes that I might be able to share with others? I cannot see my lobes without looking in the mirror, so it must be because I want to help out the stranger sitting next to me who may be taking the same test as me, but likely not because they were offering something like 15 different versions of tests that day.
Nope, I heard her correctly. I needed to take those earrings off as well. That was the first round of search. She moved me on to a separate waiting area where a man explained all of the rules of surveillance and I totally believed him because there were 15 monitors where he was sitting as well as a giant glass window where he could look in and see us. After his thorough explanation that I totally heard him give to the gal he sat before me, he asked I pull out my pockets. I then needed to push my finger around my leg cuffs as well as my arm cuffs. I needed to pull up the sleeves my half-sleeved shirt, run my fingers through my hair, get my palm scanned a second time because from where the lady did it the first time to where I was led behind her desk to wait for this round of search I might have changed identities? And then I was led back to the testing room. I was not to look around the room. I was not to talk and I was to raise my hand so that I could be escorted out of the room with all of the cameras.
Again I say SHEESH. Listen I am very grateful that the integrity of the tests is held up. I am proud that our well-trained teachers must take a proctored/monitored test to ensure that they are competent to speak to and lead the next generation of citizens, but is this overkill? I told the guy that I wasn't trying to knock all the things he was asked to do in his job description, but what did he think I was going to do?
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