I don't hate school as much as I could. That's not to say that I'm skipping to school every morning, but most of the time I have mostly positive feelings toward it. Of course, that changes when I have a huge project coming or something. I tend to get stressed out easily.
And there is one thing that I really hate about school. For most of my life, I've had standards based grading. If you don't know, that's a grading system some schools use instead of the traditional ABC grades. A one is the lowest grade, and a four the highest. But four is "above and beyond," while a three is grade level. For all of my schooling years, except fifth grade, I've had standards based grading.
Now when I say I hate standards based grading, I mean that one hundred percent.
Everyone acts like it's some magic remedy or something, but it's insane. I have grown up with it, so I'm not just saying this because I'm ignorant or I don't like the change. I simply find the system ridiculous and counterproductive. For one thing, it's so subjective. A four to one teacher is a three to another. Most of the students get mixed messages as to what a three even means. Is it supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing? And in the system my school uses, they translate our number grades into a percentage letter grade. So a three (which is supposed to be grade level) is a 75%, or a B. Are you telling us that grade level is 75%?? That we can only get full credit if we do more than you told us to do? It's ridiculous.
Once I got a 3.5 on a test, which is technically above grade level. One would think I'd get at least 100% for that. But no, I got an 88%, which actually brought my grade down. What?
I honestly don't understand why people think this method is so important. How is it helping? It makes me more stressed about school, rather than the other way around.
Okay, so maybe I've ranted more than strictly necessary. If you know me well at all, you know I'm a big person for rants. I rant over text, in person, and now, apparently, on a blog.
I think that's part of the reason I like writing so much. It's like a ranting canvas. Even if I'm not the one saying the words, a character I've made is. I've noticed over the years that things that annoy me tend to become themes in my stories.
The thing I'm realizing as I write this blog, is that I have very few hobbies (well, at least it's an eye opener, right?). I read and write, but what about when I'm really stressed out? I play with my dog, Rugby. Or try to get my family to play a board game or something. I talk to my friends. I listen to music, maybe go for a run.
I think maybe the thing I really take refuge in is writing after all. It's not like my stories are going anywhere, and very few people have ever read them. But it's kind of a great feeling, having a world in your head. I get to make up events, characters, whatever. I know I talk about writing a lot, but I guess that's because it's pretty much my only hobby. Whenever someone gives me an opportunity to talk about them I launch in, talking non-stop. I suppose I take pride in them after all. There's satisfaction in pulling everything together, weaving storylines and finishing a story or series. When I'm not in a very good mood, I'll admit that I pull one of my stories up on my phone and start to read.
Is that silly? Maybe. Probably. I don't know. But I like it. Even though sometimes a poorly written line makes me groan, there's always pride in knowing that I typed every word. I crafted every person and line of dialogue.
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