More $$$ for testing...yippee

Just over a year ago we were promised change, instead we are getting even more of what made NCLB so detestable.

From edweek and the AP:

"The U.S. Department of Education has given the green light to the $350 million Race to the Top assessment competition, which will award grants to groups of states to create rigorous common tests to complement the common standards effort already underway.

We have spent eight years testing our students to death to meet ridiculous NCLB standards and now, Sec of Ed Arne Duncan wants to give states even more money, millions in fact, to develop more rigorous tests. Thanks Mr. Secretary, the exact thing I was hoping for, more ways to spend my time hearing about how we HAVE to do better on "the test". Where is the change? Where is the new way of educating?

I expect that Duncan or one of his entourage who have toured many public schools. I woiuld hope in their travels that maybe they've noticed our schools are falling apart, or maybe they've picked up a New York Times you've seen that districts have had to let thousands of teachers go because of falling revenue. Yet, this administration is awarding millions for more testing.

WTF???!!!

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2010/04/350_million_race_to_the_common.html

Too much snow in NashVegas=longer school day

We have missed 8 days because of snow in Nashville, including one professional development day. To rectify this our school board has decided, without one bit of teacher input, to extend the school day by 30 minutes.

Thanks.

And another huge thank you to our school board and administration who released the news to the local media BEFORE to the employees most effected, teachers. It is so much more fun and interesting to hear half-truths and innuendo from people wh only heard part of the story than to get the info firsthand. I'mnot suggesting that parents aren't good listeners, I'm saying that may have been driving or some other more important task.

Back to the implementation of this obviously well-thought out plan.
The extra 30 minutes isn't much of a problem elementary but what about high school? Do high schools and middle schools extend each period by 5 minutes or do the kids go back to homeroom for an additional 30 minutes at the end of the day. No possible management problems there.
What they expect us to do for an extra 30 minutes is anyone's guess, but I'm pretty sure that administrators are going to expect us to do some kind of scripted intervention, or other kind of skill & drill that 2nd graders love soooo much.


The official press release

School Days Extended to Make Up for Snow Days
MNPS prepares for snow days every school year by building extra days into the schedule. This year's unusual amount of snow resulted in seven snow days, two more than were built into the school calendar. The two extra days must now be made up. To this end, the School Board has voted to extend the school day for all schools during a 28-day period this spring. Beginning on March 8, 2010, all schools in MNPS will stay 30 minutes past their normal dismissal times. The extended school day will run until April 16, 2010. During TCAP testing the week of April 19, 2010, normal schedules will resume. The extended day will resume the following Monday, April, 26, 2010, and run until that Wednesday, April 28, 2010. A full explanation follows:

March 8, 2010 - April 16, 2010 30 Minutes Later
April 19, 2010 - April 23, 2010 TCAP Testing - Normal Schedules
April 26, 2010 - April 28, 2010 30 Minutes Later
April 29, 2010 - End of the Year Normal Schedules

Example Schedules
Elementary Schools 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Enhanced Option Schools 8:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Middle Schools 8:55 a.m. - 4:25 p.m.
High Schools 7:05 a.m. - 2:35 p.m.
Magnet Schools 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

This extended schedule applies to ALL SCHOOLS (except for Charter Schools), STUDENTS & FACULTY

Test score trouble in Georgia

There is a huge push from the federal government to tie teacher evaluations, tenure decisions and even merit pay to high-stakes test scores. Whenever I hear this and how good an idea is supposedly is I want to know where the research is to support such a plan. If any politician or editor or blogger would show some research that shows test scores are raised when teachers receive more pay I might change my mind. Might. But I won't have to because everytime it's been tried situations like the following in Georgia arise.

Remember, there is no merit pay tied to test scores in Georgia, yet it appears that there are significant testing errors and irregularities.

"More than a dozen school districts are expected to launch investigations after a state review showed possible cheating on standardized tests at about 20 percent of Georgia elementary and middle schools last year.

At least one district - Atlanta Public Schools - announced shortly after Mathers' presentation that it will investigate the data. The 50,000-student district has 43 schools on the list with the most erasures. That's more than any other district.
The other districts where schools had unusually high numbers of erasures were: DeKalb, Dougherty, Clayton, Muscogee, Richmond, Fulton, Quitman, Bibb, Carroll and Spalding counties; the Gainesville city schools; and the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Atlanta was one of four districts in which a handful of fifth-grade math test results were thrown out last year because an audit by Mathers' agency found that someone had tampered with answer sheets once students turned them in to teachers. The audit - which uncovered cheating in four schools - came out about two months after the tests covered in the new report were administered."

Yup, this is a fine idea

Link:

http://www.macon.com/220/story/1017529.html

Sad but true

If you haven't read Yong Zhao's blog you're missing out. He writes abotu the American public education from the perspective of an outsider. Zhao was educated in China and has few good things to say about how we are trying to change our education system into a test-driven sweatshop. In his latest entry he has six suggestions on how states can get a piece of the Race to the Top billions being dangled by the feds.
Zhao has 6 suggestions:

1. Stop paying teachers and principals a salary. Instead, pay them on a per-standardized-test-point basis each day.
2. Remove all “non-core” academic activities and courses and reduce all teaching to math and reading.
3. Make sure every child takes courses in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), the more the merrier.
4. This suggestion is only for the states of Alaska and Texas, because the others have already committed themselves to doing it: Develop and adopt “a common set of K-12 standards … that are supported by evidence that they are internationally benchmarked and build toward college and career readiness by the time of high school graduation.” He points out that the countries that US students are supposed to be competing against don't have national standards, including China.
5. Write in lots of money for testing companies and assessment consultants in the application, because you will be rewarded for “developing and implementing common, high-quality assessments.”
6. Oh, and while you’re at it, include a proposal to bar all children under the age of 18 from entering museums, public libraries, and music events; lock up all musical instruments in schools, and fire all music, art, and physical education teachers; close sports facilities; disconnect all Internet connections; and cut down on lunch time, because the Race to the Top initiative wants to lengthen the school year and school day, and all these are distracting kids from studying for the tests.

As great as these reasons are it's his conclusion that struck me and made me feel much better about my own theory of education;

"But that requires you to discard the notion that creativity, talent, and technology are important for the future. You must also not think that a healthy society needs musicians, artists, and athletes. Nor can you assume that a well-rounded human being is essential for a democracy. Of course, you should also deny the fact that creativity, art, design, and music play significant roles in the world of science and technology today."

Thank you Mr. Zhao for a wonderful article.

Full article:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/12/16/15zhao_ep.h29.html?r=422744356

Zhao's blog:
http://zhao.educ.msu.edu/

Santa is alive and well in 2nd grade

We were discussing family traditions today and one of my 2nd graders said his favorite tradiont was Santa bringing gifts to his house.
It was a small thing but it still made my day.

$20 = a better grade

This article hit the Drudge Report this morning and is undoubtedly going to get much more ink as a result.

Here's a quick summary from the Charlotte News Observer:

"A $20 donation to Rosewood Middle School will get a student 20 test points - 10 extra points on two tests of the student's choosing. That could raise a B to an A, or a failing grade to a D.

Susie Shepherd, the principal, said a parent advisory council came up with the idea, and she endorsed it. She said the council was looking for a new way to raise money.

Shepherd rejected the suggestion that the school is selling grades. Extra points on two tests won't make a difference in a student's final grade, she said.
It's wrong to think that "one particular grade could change the entire focus of nine weeks," Shepherd said.

This is the kind of wrong-headed decisions that our "educational leaders" make that make my job, actually teaching much harder to do. Thanks.

Link: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/education/story/185460.html

Why I love George & Martha

Every year that I have taught ELL, I have used the book George and Martha.

I have used it with 3rd graders, 4th graders and now with 2nd graders.

Each year I get a little different reaction from the students, the 4th grade thinks it's an easy book until they have to read it aloud. To their credit they always tackled the book and practiced the book until they could read it fluently to their kindergarten reading buddy. As much as the kindergartner liked being read to, it was the 4th graders who really got into the stories. They enjoyed using voice intonations to show emotions in the book. Martha's anger when George peeks in on her during her bath, using their highest voice to convey Martha's vanity when she continually looks at herself in the mirror.
It also helped that I made them write at least 5 questions that they will ask their kindergarten reading buddy.

And now with 2nd graders an new experience; they identify with the relationship George and Martha have. Are George and Martha always nice to each other? No, but they always make up by being honest with each other. Do they always get along, no but they always put their friendship above whatever problem they are facing. Most of all, George and Martha reflect the relationship most 2nd graders have with each other; caring, honest and forgiving.
In other words, the relationship we all wish we had with each other.

Summer's over and 2nd grade has begun

Actually it began on 14 August but the first two weeks are mostly routine-building and setting expectations, not rules. I wasn't sure what to expect but I looked forward to seeing just what these little people were all about. They came in with smiles and happy, but I just thought it was because it was the start of the school year. Every grade/age group starts out that way but things change after a few weeks and 2nd graders are no exception. What I have discovered in the first 2+ weeks is they are similar to the older students I have taught and wonderfully different.

First, I have to understand that just cannot do as much work as the 3rd and 4th and 6th graders can do. This has been a great discovery because I felt at times that all I was doing with older students was assigning work that I was going to have to begrudgingly grade, probably at home.

This leads to my second observation; with less to assign I am able to get everything graded at school by Friday and sent home. I always wondered how K-2 teachers were always able to send work home so often, viola mystery solved.

Finally, they are still learning to read and they still love to do it. They are not reluctant readers and will try to read any book that I have in the room. If they can't read it, they pick something else, the same thing adults do. They recommend books to each other, again, the same thing adults do.

The most interesting thing so far is that they love to wash their hands, they aren't scared about H1N1, the administration is taking care of that thank you. I think they just seem to like to sight, sound and feel of the soap and water on their hands, but I don't really care why they like to, I'm just happy they are washing them.

A Nashville high school has lost $40,000

A NashVegas high school has misplaced almost $40,000 from concessions stands sales.

Huh?

According to our local paper, a former principal is being blamed for bad bookkeeping that allowed about $40,000 to go missing from the school's concession stands.

The principal reportedly asked school employees not to count cash at the end of basketball and football games and didn't require them to fill out the proper paperwork and inventory, according to a state audit. What?
The audit stops short of accusing the principal of stealing, but it does say he instructed staff to give him the cash after games and that his lax controls increased the risk of abuse and was a violation of state and local policies.

The former principal said Monday that the cash was turned in to him, then he stored it in an on-campus safe before giving it to the bookkeeper.

The audit, conducted by the state comptroller, estimated that $37,000 went missing from July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2008, and $4,550 was unaccounted for during a six-week summer school session in 2008. The audit was initiated at Metro Schools' request after the district received a complaint in November 2008.

This is the kind of story that sticks in the public's mind about MNPS schools. No amount of raised test scores or increased graduation rates erase this kind of publicity. Not because money is missing, that happens all the time in the government, it's not right but it is common, but because it's a school employee that in involved and probably responsible, a principal. He's blaming the bookkeeper, for any problems, the bookkeeper is accusing him of blaming her to cover his own tail. We'll probably never know the truth, but it's a story that people will remember.

I've said it before to colleagues over and over, if we as educators want to be treated like the trained professionals we are, we must act like it.

Two weeks and not one thought about school

We have been out on summer break for two weeks now and I have not had one thought about teaching or school. I haven't reflected on how the year went, what I need to improve to be a better teacher, or what trainings I am going to in July. I haven't worried about how I am going to start the year in 2nd grade and I haven't checked work e-mail until today.

BTW; it is great to see an e-mail in box without one message about an assembly, a meeting or an assessment.

I know it won't last, I have almost three solid weeks of in-service and training starting July 13th.

MNPS is changing staffs at 5 schools

As the students are beginning their summer vacation today, our two local papers gave very different headlines to the same story.

From the CityPaper: "All employees must reapply for jobs at five Metro schools"

From the Tennessean: " 5 schools to get 'fresh start'
Metro acts quickly to put new teachers in struggling schools

The teachers at these schools were told the last week of school, possibly the last day that they would be finding another teaching job at a Metro school. They can apply for their job back but the statement from the district is not encouraging that option.

Said the official statement:

"Five Metro Nashville Public Schools will be “fresh started” for
the 2009-2010 school year with employees in each school being asked to reapply for their positions in that school or request placement to other open positions within the district. MNPS has been working this week to notify staffs in the affected schools and explain the fresh start process to them prior to the start of summer break.

Each was selected by the district to receive a fresh start based
on the academic needs of students and because they have struggled for a number of years to show significant progress in student achievement. With the fresh start, administrative, teaching and support staff positions at the schools will be reopened for application. All employees have been notified through staff meetings at the schools, where they received information on the fresh start process and received the paperwork needed to reapply for their positions.
“We have visited these schools, analyzed the data and reviewed their history of progress,” said Dr. Jesse Register, Director of Schools, “and we have concerns their students are not making the progress that is needed.
These fresh starts are a proactive effort to put in place a strong, transformational leadership team at these schools, supported by highly-qualified, fully-certified staff.”
“Our first priority is to build highly-effective instructional teams that can meet the needs of students. In some cases, that means looking at a school that has been struggling and giving it a new focus that only a change like this can bring. I’ve fresh started schools in other districts and it works.”

Back in 2001, I went through something like this, I was teaching 6th grade and our school was losing both the 5th and 6th grades and we were told the same things, we could apply for a job in the building if there were any, there weren't; we could follow the students to the middle school, not an option I wanted any part of; or we could go find something else in the system, my choice.

I didn't choose the easiest choice, I had no idea where I wanted to go or what grade I wanted to teach, luckily, I had a great relationship with my principal who let me know what schools were looking for teachers and what schools she thought I would be a good fit. I was able to find a job at the first school I applied and have been there ever since. I have changed grade levels, principals and co-workers but I haven't had to face what the staffs at those 5 schools do, I wish them the best.

It could be a great summer break for them, they can embrace the chance to start over at a new school or they can stress about having to find a new job and be angry that they were seen as the problem at the school and not part of the solution. I hope they choose the former.

Changing rooms is a real drag

I was told by my principal on Friday afternoon that instead of teaching 4th grade ESL next year, I'll instead be teaching 2nd.

No big deal I thought, 2nd has fewer standards, no state testing and a more narrow range of reading levels. On initial examination it seemed like a really good deal.

Then she hit me with the 2nd part of the deal, I have to change classrooms...damn it.

Luckily, I have been given permission to move anything I want into my new room and I am using every able-bodied student I have to move stuff. It's amazing what kids will do to help you;they are packing boxes, a nightmare for any Type A which thankfully I am not, taking papers and old boxes to the campus recycling center whatever I need.

There will be no pictures of the present carnage in room 307.

Now I see why the boys in my class LOVE recess

The past three days this week, the boys in m y 4th grade class have been doing everything I asked to go to recess. Before this week, they liked going to recess but they weren't going to do anything extra. This week I asked them to do things that 10 year-old boys just do not like to do and they did each one without the usual resistance.

Finish the poems about our favorite family memory? No problem.

Use a ruler and a map scale to find out how far we went on vacation last summer? Sure, we'd love to.

Write an alternate ending to Strega Nona? Love to.
(BTW-most involved Big Anthony and the rest of Calabria being swallowed up by killer pasta before Strega Nona can save them.)

We went outside again today and one of my girls told me, in Spanish, just what was so great about going outside; the strip club.

My 4th grade boys have turned an innocent piece of playground equipment, a firetruck, into their own gentlemen's club. They sit or lay under it and maybe see what kind of underwear the girls are wearing. They haven't yet but not because they haven't been trying. The best part, according to the boys is the pole on the end. They are convinced that a 4th grade girl is going to wrap herself around it and slide up and down it like Rayne at Deja Vu.

Now the question is how to deal with this; to the office? No.

Instead, they don't get to help the kindergarteners during fun day, they get to help me clean up the room. When it's time for the 4th grade to go out they go and play, no need to make this a world crisis with 4 days left in the school year.

I wish they could help me with all my paperwork, now that would be a punishment.

TCAP questions

Now that I have finally finished TCAP testing, I have compiled the "least likely to be answered correctly question" from each section of the test. Go ahead and give them a try, remember you have to get at least 3 of them right to be considered proficient.

Most ridiculous TCAP test questions of 2009

Math:
Which number sentence can be used to check:
(2+5)+3=2+8?

(2+5)+3 = 2+(5+3)
(2+5)+3 = (2+8)+5
(2+5)+3 = (2x5)+3
(2+5)+3 = (3x8)+2

Reading:
Read these two sentences.
To make bread, you mix yeast and water and then add sugar. You stir in several cups of flour.

Which is the best way to write the second sentence?
F. First, you stir in several cups of flour
G. However, you stir in several cups of flour
H. Finally, you stir in several cups of flour
J. Therefore you stir in several cups of flour

Science:
Look at the picture of the train.


Most of the train is located

A. in the forest
B. over the water
C. next to the bridge

D. in a cloud of smoke

Social Studies:

What does the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantee?
F the right to a trial by jury
G the right to petition the government
H protection from cruel and unusual punishment
J protection from testifying against oneself in court

These are actual questions from this year's test, they are available on the state's website now that the test is over.

I don't mind preparing my kids for any test, it's part of the job, but I do have a problem with asking children seemingly random questions that are taken from the some of the least imporatant standards we are to teach.

I am not the one who has labeled them the least important the state has, the standards covered by these questions are not in the "core" standards we are to teach.

In math we are to focus on problem-solving skills, in reading on comprehension and identifying types of literature, science life cycles, solar system, cell structure, energy, states of matter, Social Studies, Tennessee history.

The questions above do not reflect these skills, SS is the one which is closest to the "focus" standard. After spending months teaching the skills we are told by the powers that be are the tested items we get the above mess.

Your employee health centers

Because the weather in NashVegas can't decide if it wants to be spring or winter, teachers and students are getting sick in droves. Thankfully MNPS has found a way to help their employees; Employee & Family Healthcare Centers.

It's a great idea, have a place close to schools, they are all at schools across the district, where employees and their families can go and see a nurse practionisher and hopefully get in and out in less time.

That all sounds fine until you find where they are: old portables.

Seriously, you can't make this sh-- up.

Yes, the very thing that has made more than one teacher and student sick in the first place is where MNPS is choosing to put these centers. Located in the distinctive yellow and gray portables at key locations across Metro, the MNPS Employee & Family Healthcare Centers are now open in their permanent locations.

I think I'll take my chances at a clinic.

Here are the services they provide:

Quick same day appointments
Same day appointments are available for acute illnesses or injuries.

High Quality Care
Highly qualified, Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioners affiliated with Vanderbilt School of Nursing. Physician available for consultation with Nurse Practitioners at all times.

High Value—low cost
Since the Centers are funded by the Teachers Health plan—certificated (teaching) employees and dependents covered by the plan will have no out-of-pocket expense (copays, deductibles).

Support staff and other Metro employees will have to pay their regular copays, coinsurance and deductibles

I think the sign says it all

Not much else to add, the school is valiantly trying to give students, faculty and parents all the important info. Good Job.

Math testing is really just more reading testing

Here are some examples of the math questions my ELL students will face the week of April 20th:

Instructions: Read each question carefully and circle the correct answer.

4. The Smith family was on vacation. They had 2 months to complete their journey. They drove 50 miles on the first day. By the end of the first month, they had driven 1,500 miles. They wanted to drive 3,250 total miles by the end of their journey. How many miles do they need to travel in the last month?
A. 50 miles
B. 1,500 miles
C. 3,250 miles
D. 1,750 miles


5. The family baked cookies for the school fundraiser. They baked 2 dozen oatmeal, 3 dozen chocolate chip and 1 dozen peanut butter. They plan on selling each cookie for $1.00 and they want to raise $75.
How many chocolate chip cookies did the family need to bake?
A. 24 cookies
B. 12 cookies
C. 36 cookies
D. 72 cookies


6. Helen bought 6 green notebooks, 5 orange notebooks, 2 pink notebooks, 9 pencils, and 14 pens. How many notebooks did Helen buy?
A. 36 notebooks
B. 22 notebooks
C. 11 notebooks
D. 13 notebooks

7. Fill in the blank.
If N + 17 = 39, then N is _______.
A. 56
B. 663
C. 22
D. 2


8. Fill in the blank.
If N ÷ 24 = 6, then N is _____.
A. 134
B. 144
C. 1,444
D. 14


9. Fill in the blank.
If N x 4 = 112, then N is _______.
A. 28
B. 448
C. 108
D. 116


10. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor went to the movies. They took their three children with them. Adult tickets cost $5.50 and child tickets cost $2.75. How much did the movie cost the family?
A. $8.25
B. $19.25
C. $22.00
D. $27.50


11. Mr. Mila owns two restaurants in the middle of town. A total of 23 people work for Mr. Mila. There are 19 people that work at his Italian restaurant and 7 people that work at his Greek restaurant. How many people work at both restaurants?
A. 26 people
B. 23 people
C. 3 people
D. 19 people



12. Shantal bought 6 doughnuts for $0.45 each and an orange juice for $0.95. How much money did she spend?
A. $3.65
B. $1.40
C. $8.40
D. $6.15


13. Which of these numbers comes between
5.32, ___, 5.40?
A. 5.42
B. 5.28
C. 5.31
D. 5.34


14. Which of these numbers comes between
600.005, _____, 600.1?
A. 600.004
B. 600.11
C. 600.01
D. 600.2


15. What number comes between
48.56, ____, 53.56?
A. 58.76
B. 48.55
C. 51.10
D. 53.66


This is only 15 of 12o questions that take up 36 pages in the test booklet. Let that sink in for a second, 36 pages with 120 questions on one section of the test. There are three other sections that every 3rd and 4th grader has to take. ELL, autistic, special needs, life skills all get to sit through 4 days and almost 8 hours of testing. If they have a reading disability they can get the math test read to them but only if it's in their Education Plan, if not they are on their own. They are expected to read questions that are on grade level, answer them and achieve as well as a native English speaker.

How will my students do?
Better than any adult I work with who had to take the same test in Spanish or Arabic or Kurdish or French.

(Just 4 of the native languages of my students.)

The devious nature of test prep

We received the following e-mail from our principal today:

"Congratulations! According to our ThinkLink results, our scores on the third test showed:

Third Grade – 90% Advanced and proficient in Reading/Language and 91% Advanced and proficient in Math

Fourth grade – 90% Advanced and proficient in Reading/Language and 86% Advanced and proficient in Math

Thanks for your hard work. Now we just need to get those scores the week of April 20th."

Yeah, just the encouragement I need to do even more test prep exercises. It's also easy to see how easy it is for teachers to feel their jobs are tied to test scores.

We rarely get e-mails or recognized for how great our kids learned how to write about what chores they hate doing around the house, or what they plan to do on rainy days. How about the fact that my 4th grade ELL students came up 100 different dresses to draw and describe after we read The Hundred Dresses?

Nope, we get positive affirmation for our test scores. Yipeeee

A classic case of too much time on their hands

Al Gore is one of two things to most people, he's either the great messiah for climate change awareness to the masses or he an arrogant, preachy, fear-mongering, fact-twisting has-been. (Full disclosure, I'm not a fan of his methods, he's using the same methods used in the 1920s Red Scare, we'll frighten people into doing something, facts be damned)

But one thing Al Gore is; commited to his message that global warming is occuring and that we need to do something about it. Because he has accepted all the good with his role, namely millions and millions of dollars and a Nobel Prize he has also left himself open for some deserved and much undeserved criticism.
The latest in the undeserved categoty is this posting from Drew Johnson head of The Tennessee Center for Policy Resaerch. Tha article if from The Nashville City Paper.

"I pulled up to Al’s house, located in the posh Belle Meade section of Nashville, at 8:48pm – right in the middle of Earth Hour. I found that the main spotlights that usually illuminate his 9,000 square foot mansion were dark, but several of the lights inside the house were on.
In fact, most of the windows were lit by the familiar blue-ish hue indicating that floor lamps and ceiling fixtures were off, but TV screens and computer monitors were hard at work. (In other words, his house looked the way most houses look about 1:45am when their inhabitants are distractedly watching “Cheaters” or “Chelsea Lately” reruns.)
The kicker, though, were the dozen or so floodlights grandly highlighting several trees and illuminating the driveway entrance of Gore’s mansion.
I [kid] you not, my friends, the savior of the environment couldn’t be bothered to turn off the gaudy lights that show off his goofy trees."

Johnson also pointed out Al Gore's excessive use of energy in 2007.

But like any good politician, Gore responds; (rather his spokewoman does)
"The Gores honored Earth Hour by shutting off the lights at their residence. The heating and air conditioning were turned off as well. But more importantly, the Gores live in a Gold LEED certified home, powered by geothermal power. They have undergone renovations to put solar panels on the roof and participate in all of the renewable power programs offered by their local utility. They aren’t perfect, no family is, but they do their best, year-round to try to make a difference at home and across the country to make a difference on the climate crisis."

First, who cares if he left a few lights on or not?
Second, there are much easier things to criticize Al Gore about than this, this is the definition of petty.

Free flip-flops

Soles4Souls, started right here inMusic City, is giving away flip-flops to many kids in MNPS and today they are at my fair educational facility. They aren't fancy pink ones with hearts on them or black ones with IronMan but they are free and it's hard to find a kid who doesn't love flip-flops.

If you don't know about Soles4Souls here is a quick summary of what they do;
"Soles4Souls has a simple mission: To impact as many lives as possible with the gift of shoes.
Soles4Souls facilitates the donations of shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Shoe companies, retailers, and individuals can donate footwear (both new and used). Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS, and donating parties are eligible for tax advantages.
The idea behind gifts of shoes is nothing new to the Soles4Souls team, as they coordinated relief efforts for the Asian Tsunami and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, netting over 1 Million pairs donated for these disasters. The team originally operated as www.katrinashoes.org with several churches partnering in the collection and distribution of footwear.

Official press release from Soles4Souls:

"Soles4Souls will be delivering much needed summer shoes to Nashville area schools through April. On March 27th, we will be visiting ---------- Elementary and distributing shoes to the entire school after lunch! Summer fun!"