Friday, December 20, 2013

White Christmas

The “Hilbrich” side of our family has a tradition at Christmas of having a contest of movie trivia.  Uncle Tim has been the designated quiz maker for many years.  The team that wins gets the honor of picking the Christmas movie from which the questions will be generated for the following Christmas gathering as well as earning some highly expensive prizes that I pick up from Dollar General or another fine retailer that incorporates $1.00 in its name.  Over the years, I have asked questions from It’s A Wonderful Life, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Elf, Home Alone, The Santa Clause, Jingle All The Way, and last year , A Christmas Story.  Last year’s winners (Aunt Barb, Annie, and Hayley) chose White Christmas as their movie selection.  Mind you, I have to watch each of these movies to generate questions from the relatively easy to beyond belief difficult.  If you have never seen White Christmas and are low on estrogen, this movie should boost production of that hormone.  The stars of the movie are Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera- Ellen, and Rosemary Clooney.  Crosby and Kaye play a successful song and dance team after their discharge from WWII and fall for the sister team of Ellen and Clooney. Wow, didn’t see that coming. Whatever.  As they perform around the country and gain notoriety, they end up at an inn in New England where their former military leader is struggling financially to keep the establishment in the black.  You guessed it – the boys round up the troops, host a show, and all is good once again.  They even throw in a little snowfall to romanticize the ending.  The idea to save the General from financial ruin was from Bing Crosby.  To this idea, Danny Kaye said, “I think it’s impossible, ridiculous, and insane!”  He then added, “And I wish I would have thought of it first!”    
When was the last time someone told you that an idea you had was straight off the stable floor?  If the answer is never, then you may be a “stay in the box” teacher.  Think about your own education for a moment.  What were your favorite lessons along the way?  I bet they weren’t a 50 minute lecture about the mating habits of horse flies or doing a stack of worksheets that were as tall as Sears Tower…or Willis Tower…or whatever they are currently calling that building on Wacker Drive with 110 stories.  No, your favorite lessons most likely involved actually connecting something to the curriculum.  Perhaps you actually got out of your seat and did something that was “hands-on”.  Maybe you actually had fun (God forbid) during the lesson.  Your teacher may have gone so far as to tell you to put your textbooks away because what you were about to learn wasn’t in the book.  If none of those ring a bell, well, then…never mind.  Here’s the bottom line – it’s okay to think outside the box and to color outside of the lines.  Yes, we all have standards that we have to reach and common summative tests to measure the achievement and growth of our students, but how you get them there is what makes a teacher a teacher.  Throw your boxes away and long for the moment that someone tells you your idea is impossible, ridiculous, or insane. Then let your buttons pop when they tell you that they wished they thought of it first. It worked for Bing Crosby.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Dead Ends

There are many names for those things we drive on.  There are roads.  There are streets.  There are boulevards.  There are avenues.  There arelanes.  There are expressways. There are parkways (interesting that we drive on a “park”way, but park in a “drive”way). There are state highways.  There are interstate highways.  There are roundabouts. There are gravel roads.  There are dirt roads.  Recently, I was driving on a thoroughfare(there’s another name) and for quite a stretch there were signs posted at each intersection that read “Dead End.”  Hmmm. Each of these lead to cul-de-sacs that provided no way through; just a simple in and out.  There was no means of passing through unless you wanted to “four-wheel” it through someone’s property and enjoy time in a concrete cell with bars. Then, as I retraced my route, I noticed that I had missed the intended way out; probably because I wasn’t paying attention to the way out as I was concentrating on the road blocks and not the passage.  The way out was there all along. I missed it because all of my attention was on the road blocks. 

Far too often, we get on roads that lead to dead ends.  If that is a personal issue, I would suggest an updated GPS or consulting Rand McNally (map makers for our youthful readers).  It’s a little different in the classroom.  We are not just on the road, but we are leading others down the road.  That road should end in success.  It should never end with a “dead end.”  That’s a dead end in the mind of your students; not yours.  Yes, there perspective on where they are heading is extremely important to the enrollment of themselves in the whole process.  The teacher needs to provide a road map for students that ultimately leads to their success.  A direct correlation is that their success will be your success.  So, plan your route (lesson planning) toward alignment with the assessments to be given and make certain that the assessments given are aligned with the objectives – what you want them to get smarter about.  If there are no long-term goals, then essentially, there are no roads because there is no destination to reach.  If the goals and assessments do not align, then the road will lead to a dead end; heck, it might not even be paved!  If the instruction does not align with the assessments, they you are essentially on the autobahn without a steering wheel.  Be certain that you keep your kids off of dead end streets.

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Okay, I will print it – my Browns were robbed last Sunday against the Patriots.  This Sunday, it’s the game all of you Chicago fans have been waiting for as your opportunity to let me have it = it’s the Browns vs. Da Bears on the shores of frigid Lake Erie.  Sorry, no monetary bets…I don’t have that much money.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

How's Your Game?

Each August, I take time out to watch the Little League World Series which is held annually in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  Without exception, I am amazed at the baseball skills of these 11 and 12 year olds on the baseball diamond.  This tournament has a special place in my heart because 43 years ago, I played in the same tournament and on that same field.  My head floods with memories with each game – my teammates, my coaches, our group leaders, and trying to communicate with other kids that spoke in languages far different than my “Da Region” dialect.  Of course, there was a lot of competition between the lines as well.  It was a blessing to compete in this tournament, in several sports in junior high and high school, running on scholarship at Butler, and then decades of coaching kids in several sports.  A constant that you hear coaches talk about is the need to “Bring your A- GAME!”  I lived this as an athlete and preached it as a coach.  Anything short of giving your best effort was unacceptable.  Your goals could never be reached with a half-hearted effort.  Your team would be let down if even one slacked off.  Successful teams have each and every player bringing their best effort (A-GAME) every single time.

What kind of game to you bring to the classroom every day?  Do you bring your A- GAME or do you just bring a game?  There is a huge difference.  Could you imagine if your doctor did not bring his or her A-GAME to the examination room or worse yet, to the operating room?  Seriously, imagine that you are going in for a heart procedure (been there) and your cardiologist just wasn’t into it that day.  How would you feel about that?  Maybe your mechanic just didn’t feel like putting their best effort into fixing your car and did a half-butt job but still charged full price.  Would you go back and demand a refund?  Maybe the grain farmers in America collectively decided that they just didn’t feel like plowing and planting this year.  Would that affect you?  We all have days that we are not feeling up to it.  No one can deny that.  There are days when you are just worn out and your personal life is in tatters.  It happens.  As a teacher, there are hundreds of students that are counting on you to bring your best every single day.  That’s not an absurd expectation – it’s what we should be doing.  We expect the best from anyone who provides a service to us or for us.  Our kids should not expect anything differentlyBring your A-GAME EVERY DAY!


The Browns travel to Massachusetts this weekend to take on the Patriots with a starting quarterback who just joined the team…oh, my.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Myles Standish

Somewhere in your studies as a child, you were introduced to the sweet story of the Pilgrims…this group from England, dressed in funny hats and bonnets, came across the Big Pond on a beautiful ship called theMayflower, landed, met up with a really nice tribe of Indians, had a great feast, sang “Kumbaya”, roasted a few marshmallows, and lived happily ever after.  That’s the warm and fuzzy version.  The real story is that half of those new settlers died before Christmas, there wasn’t much to eat, and the people they met upon landing weren’t all that friendly.  Myles (also spelled Miles, but I use the “y” in my name so that’s what I am going with) Standish was among the Pilgrims that journeyed to New England in 1620.  He served as the military leader of the Plymouth Colony.  Not the Dodge or Chrysler Colonies.  For those of you too young to get that joke, please consult Mom or Dad.  The main duty of Myles Standish was to protect the Pilgrims from hostile tribes.  That would have been a full-time job in itself, but he also had another duty – he banished people from the colony who were considered “unpuritanical.”  He signed the “Mayflower Compact”, which, in a nutshell, required that the new arrivals didn’t act like the kids from Lord of the Flies.  He was instrumental in getting them through that first winter when so many died, and then teamed with an empathetic Squanto to establish some crops so that that first Thanksgiving did occur in 1621.  He led them well.  He established a team concept where all contributed for the greater good. 

I look at Myles Standish as someone who looked at the big picture.  He understood the concept that “A house divided cannot stand.”  Note:  reference to Lincoln, who proclaimed that an annual Thanksgiving Day be celebrated.  We have one fairly large school, but have chosen to utilize a concept where several “A school within a school” teams exist to maximize teaching, learning, and relationship building.  When done right, it works well.  Teams have their goals, their rules, their policies, and their procedures.  While this is vital to success, it is important to remember that everyone needs to correlate to the “Big Picture.”  How’s that? The big picture is simply this:  are your students moving forward?  Are they getting smarter?  Are they learning new things?  Are they responding to the challenges that you give them?  Are they becoming better people?  Do they see the value in working together for a common goal?  When we return from Christmas break, we will again have a school-wide goal to strive for on the state test.  Each team will have their team goals.  Each student should have their own individual goal to shoot for.  If every team reaches their goal and every student reaches his/her goal, then the overall goal will take care of itself.  Let’s all work together for the greater good.  By the way, tomorrow at your holiday table, remember that we should be thankful for the opportunity to make a difference – not everybody gets that chance.


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The Browns play this Sunday on the shores of Lake Erie against the Jacksonville Jaguarsexpected viewing audience = 17.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Famous Archers

In Swiss folklore, William Tell is ordered to shoot an apple off his son’s head with a crossbow from multiple paces.  Why?  Tell had refused to bow to the new bailiff.  If Tell succeeded, then both he and his son would be released.  If not, well, you figure that out.  Anyway, William Tell took aim, pulled back the bow and let it fly.  The arrow pierced the apple and his son was unscathed. At that point, the bailiff asked why he had a second arrow.  Tell responded that the second arrow was meant for the bailiff if his first arrow had missed.  Thus began a horrible relationship eventually ending in the death of the bailiff.  Robin Hood was a mythological character who chose to steal from the rich and give it to the poor.  This was the forerunner of the Obama Administration’s plan of redistribution of wealth.  But I digress.  Robin Hood was exiled to Sherwood Forest (not the subdivision in Schererville) by order of the king. While in the forest, he had plenty of time to practice his archery skills, which he used to defeat the king.  The tights?  I don’t know –maybe he did side work in the ballet.  Cupid , in classical mythology, is the son of the  love goddess, Venus (not the tennis pro).  In popular culture, he draws his arrow to inspire love which landed him a deal with Hallmark for the Valentine’s Day gig.

Did you ever use a bow and arrow?  Perhaps it was target practice.  Maybe you learned this in physical education class as a youth – yes, they gave us kids bows and arrows back then…and we launched them!  You may have used a bow and arrow to down an animal while on the hunt.  Maybe you used Cupid to hit the girl or boy of your dreams.  Whatever the case, the use of a bow and arrow has a common thread.  In order for an arrow to be shot, it must be pulled backwards.  There is no other way.  You have to build the resistance to potential energy which is converted to kinetic energy.  I studied.  Life sometimes can make you feel like it is pulling you back.  Teaching sometimes feels like you are pulling back.  That’s okay because if you are being pulled back, then something exciting is about to be launched in your life!  We have to pull kids back to cover their skill gaps but then after doing so, we launch them ahead.  Don’t lose heart when it feels like you are going backward.  Bringing an apple to a teacher has deep roots.  Don’t miss the mark. Keep aiming!

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The Browns play this Sunday on the shores of Lake Erie against the Pukesburgh …I mean Pittsburgh Steelers.  No love loss here…I like the Steelers as much as I like wet undergarments. ‘Nuff said…Go Browns!

Friday, November 15, 2013

Dad

I was fortunate to have a Dad who set a fine example to his kids and others about what being a servant and steward is all about. He saw the needs of people and he met them. There were so many people that related stories to me these past several days week how Dad touched their lives from providing food for them, teaching them about God, holding their hand in their times of struggle, finding them employment, coaching them, mentoring them,…One man told me, with tears running down his face, that my Dad ALWAYS took the time to listen to his troubles without judging him. To this man, the gift of time from my Dad was precious. He saw his need and he met it. He never waited to be asked to help. Rather, he saw a need and just did it.  He was a champion for kids; especially handicapped kids.  He was a driverof the movement for the inclusion of moderately and severely handicapped kids to be in their home schools and not in a centralized building.  He saw that need and he met it.  He spent so much time serving as a comforter to families whose loved one was undergoing heart surgery.  He explained the processes to them, he comforted them. He prayed with them. He saw a need and he met it.  He served in so many roles leading youth activities from Little League to Youth Commissions to Cub Scouts. Why? Because there was a need and he met it. He served as a school board member for 32 years with a working slogan of “Kids Come First.” He got it. He lived it. He loved it.  I was blessed to be his son.  I met over 2,000 people last Sunday who are the beneficiaries of his genuine love and care who now want to pass that on to others. He left a big imprint.  He saw needs and he met them.

There are many needs that kids come to us with.  There are cognitive issues that require a great skill set to remediate.  There are issues of emotion that come from kids on the cusp of being that young adult in a less than mature physicality.  There are physical needs of those who are hungry, cold, and  malnourished.  There are  love needs of those who never get tucked in at night by any parent; some here have never had the advantage of being properly “Fathered.”  The list of needs could go on forever.  Just remember this – take the time to get to know your students.  Take the time to listen to their heart.  You will hear it if you listen.  Find that need and meet it. There is so much more to this than reading, writing, and arithmetic. There is so much more than wasn’t in the book. Find the needs of those kids. In return, you will become exactly what you wanted to be all along –a difference maker. Thank you for what you do.


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The Browns play this Sunday in round two of “The Battle of Ohio” against the Cincinnati Bengals.  Moreover, we are playing for first place in the division!  Be still…

Friday, November 1, 2013

Halloween Traditions

Halloween is second only to Christmas in spending by consumers in the United States.  Last year, about 2.5 billion dollars were forked out for October 31st.  There are many traditions associated with Halloween. As I list a few, remember that I am only reporting, not recommending.  How about black cats?  They are symbols of bad luck.  Jack-O’-Lanterns?  Their light originally guided lost souls out of Hades…or Pittsburgh.  Bats?  They congregate to witches. What about witches? Well, they make the magic potions.  Apparently, they are chemistry majors or had a booth at Woodstock. Spiders? They are the evil companions of witches and can frighten every female in my home.  Cauldrons?  They are the pots in which the witches make their brew.  I wonder if is domestic or imported.  Broomsticks?  A method of transportation for witches.  Where do they put their luggage?  Costumes?  This was how the deceased disguised themselves in order to mingle with the living.  Why would anyone want to leave Heaven?  Orange and black? They represent the turning color of leaves and the death of summer as well as the colors of the Cincinnati Bengals.  Bobbing for apples?  The first child to pluck an apple between their teeth meant that they would be the first to marry.  That is why nuns do not bob for apples.  Candy Corn?  They represent an ear of corn…thank you Captain Obvious. 

Some traditions are fun. Not all traditions are good.  Not all traditions produce something positive.  I am a big traditionist on holidays; especially Christmas. My wife and I have a tradition of celebrating three anniversaries each year – our wedding, our engagement, and our first date.  Man, I love that girl. Did you ever try to make an adjustment to a time-honored tradition in your family? Not pretty is it?  As a teacher, I had traditions that my classes took part in each year.  Perhaps you have traditions that you hold near and dear in your family.  You have fond memories of these I am sure.  What about your classroom?  Do you have traditions?  What do they involve?  How long have you done these activities? Do the kids enjoy them?  Do you enjoy them?  What is their purpose?  How’s that?  What is their purpose?  Is the tradition just an activity or is it pointed at an objective?  Is the tradition tied to the academic standards or common core standards without stretching your answer?   Take a hard look at any tradition that you have.  Does it tie in the long and short term goals?  Does it have relevance for the kids?  Does it engage them in ways to increase their learning toward that big idea?  Has it been successful in these areas?  If so, you should probably keep in it your toolbox.  If not, get rid of it!  That will be hard to do, but it must be done.  There is too little time to invest in activities that do not mesh with learning objectives.   Break with tradition if necessary.



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The Browns play on the shores of Lake Erie this coming Sunday against the Baltimore Ratbirds, I mean Ravens. I will be heading out to Cleveland to meet up with the boys for the annual Big Jack Tailgate.  Yes, there are actually more Browns’ fans than me!

Friday, October 25, 2013

Donut Holes


Do you enjoy donuts? Or is it “doughnut”?  Anyway, what kind do you choose?    Ring, square, or some other shape?  Cream or jelly filled?  Sprinkles or plain?  Chain store or “Mom and Pop” store?  Glazed?  Bismarck (a blast from the past)?  Chocolate on chocolate with chocolate inside?  Crullers or Fritters?  Cake or yeast?  Long Johns (not what you wear in the winter)?  Boston Crème?  Are there other “crèmes” from different cities?  Powdered or frosted?  Bear Claws?  Maple ?  The list goes on and on.  If you have not sampled the Apple Cider donuts from County Line Orchard, you may want to make the trip.  Now I realize that most of these…okay, all of these are not good for various body organs including the ticker, but they are hard to pass up.  Did you ever think about your eyesight when munching down a donut?  Probably not.  Neither did I until my brother-in-law reminded me to always “Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.”  We were not eating donuts at the time, and his advice was not centered on eating, but rather on looking at the positives in life.  Good advice. 

Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.  What does that mean to us in education?  It’s pretty simple – look for the positives and quit staring at the negatives.  Let’s think about the kids you teach.  Are all of them spot on 100% of the time?  No way. If they are, let’s just name anoint them Messiah now and get on with it.  There will be skill gaps (holes) in the learning of your kids.  Some will be able to do things that you marvel at.  That’s great; now take them to an even higher level.  What about the kids in your classes that rarely; if ever, knock it out of the park?  What do we concentrate on with these guys?  We can identify the gaps from assessments such as Acuity and Star and those are fine.  Those gaps need to be identified.  However, look at all the things that student can do and accentuate that.  Pricking that success will give them confidence and with confidence comes willingness to tackle more difficult skills; perhaps the very ones they struggle with.  Don’t the majority of us do things that way?  Very few people are highly skilled in multiple areas.  I did write “highly”.  We tend to rely on and compensate for weaknesses by using our strong skill sets.  Not until we build our confidence does our confidence increase.  That is profound.  Think about that. Remember to keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.


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The Browns play on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. I am going to miss the game as we travel back from Missouri…hope the Tivo works.

Friday, October 18, 2013

George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver was born into slavery during the Civil War in the state of Missouri, a location that I am heading to next weekend.  The state famous for its compromise on slavery.  George’s parents were Mary and Giles, a couple without a last name of their own because slaves took the name of their owner.  A week after George was born, he, along with his mother and sister, were kidnapped by a band of raiders and sold as slaves in Arkansas.  Moses Carver, the owner of Mary and Giles, went after the trio and brought George back to Missouri where he and his wife, Susan, decided to raise him as their own.  Susan taught George how to read and write and encouraged himto always thirst for knowledge – a trait that would serve him, and us, well.  He later went to a school for blacks because the white educational institutions would not accept non-white students.  He was initially denied admittance to college because, you guessed it, he was black.   However, a teacher encouraged him to keep studying because his hard work would pay off.  It did.  He was accepted to Simpson College in 1890 at age 26 where a professor encouraged him to enroll in the Botany program at Iowa State.  He did just that and while there another professor encouraged him to stay for a master’s degree where his knowledge base could pay dividends. It did. For him and for us.  The next time you eat peanut butter, think of George Washington Carver.  He invented 30 uses for peanuts, leather dyes, cosmetics, hen food, breakfast food, buttermilk, sauces, dry coffee, linoleum, and hundreds more including nitroglycerine; the latter that I personally thankful for. Many people encouraged him to become the man he became.

Encouragement is the common thread in the life of George Washington Carver. Personal care would be 1-B.  The Carvers made the commitment to raise George as a son at a time where this was unheard of.  They encouraged him to always find something more than was his so-called lot in life.  He had a teacher at an all-black school encourage him to have a vision past those four walls of restraint.  He had college professors who encouraged him to keep pushing, keep reading, keep researching, and to keep dreaming because they all saw something in this black boy without a last name.  Look what happened.  We are all beneficiaries of his work in some way and it all started with a little encouragement.  Take a look around at your students tomorrow, take a good long look.  Imagine what they can become.  Perhaps you are now teaching a future teacher, engineer, doctor, minister, inventor of a cure for cancer.  Who knows?  What we need to do is to provide encouragement to our kids even though they may not see it that way.  Make it a point to encourage at least one kid today and keep doubling that until you have encouraged them all.  Make it a point to call home at least once a week to tell parent that their kid is doing a good job.  The dividends back to you cannot be measured. Maybe the next George Washington Carver is sitting right there in your classroom.


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The Browns play this Sunday against the Green Bay Packers…a lot of history here from two of the oldest franchises.  We plan to move the cheese!

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Gumby and Pokey


Did you ever play with Gumby and Pokey as a kid?  My baby brother did and was ridiculed by us older boys for not selecting a play toy with a little more of a testosterone edge. Dad caught wind of this and showed us where the woodshed was located. Regardless, after several years and a twelve step program, he is off of his Gumby addiction and now runs a town government.  Gumby and Pokey were created by Art Clokey in the 1950’s after his graduation from USC.  Gumby, over the years, has been quite thegregarious fellow and probably should have been a Boy Scout because he always left things better than he found them. He (I can only assume he is a male, but then again, he is not wearing clothes and the evidence of the proper chromosome pairing is not evident).  Gumby is an optimist and saw the glass way past half full. He is an idealist.  Gumby takes chances.  Pokey, on the other hand is a grumblebutt.  Pokey is skeptical.  He (there goes that gender thing again) is a pessimist.  He is sarcastic and somewhat of an “intelligent gluteus”.  Gumby takes him places that he doesn’t want to go, but, in the end, Pokey is thankful for the trip and understands the journey had a purpose

Are you a Gumby or a Pokey?  There are a lot of personality traits from Pokey that will not serve you well as a teacher.  First, kids do not typically understand sarcasm.  Research will tell you that the use of sarcasm will not serve you well as a teacher.  Pokey is a party-killer.  Pokey would not enjoy inventing relevant examples for his students if he were a teacher.  Pokey, as an educator, would fail miserably.  Even though he is physically flexible, his mindset is not flexible at all.  He would never try anything new and would probably use the same lesson plans that he used 60 years ago in his less than stellar career.  Consequently, he would never take his students to the next level because he would be satisfied with the status quo.  Gumby, on the other hand, would always make his classroom interesting. He would take his students to new levelsand encourage them along the way. He would be creative. He would try new things. He would make concepts relevant.  Yes, he is physically flexible.  More importantly, Gumby is mentally flexible.  He would find a way to get things done and would do whatever it takes to advance his students.  The next time you bend down to touch your toes, remember than mental and professional flexibility is an asset to good teaching.  Your students need to understand that the journey has a purpose.  This can be expressed by your daily and long-term goals.

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The AFC first place Cleveland Browns play this Sunday on the shores of Lake Erie against the Detroit Lions. I hope that that Lions have lost their roar!  Calvin Johnson is requested to stay at home.

Friday, October 4, 2013

Starbucks Orders


Did you ever go to Starbucks?  Okay, way stupid question.  Here’s a better question – what did you order?  There are “Starbucks Junkies” with typical orders that sound  something like this: “To go, Grande, non-fat skim milk, 176 degrees, Chai Tea Latte espresso with nutmeg, cinnamon sprinkles, non-oil-based cream” and other additions that I can neither pronounce nor spell. The price includes an optional installment plan.  Quick math would tell that just one of these each day will cost just under $1800 for the year, which is exactly 9 times what I paid for my first car – a 1969 Opel Kadet…no gas gauge, 4 speed, FM converter...but I digress.  Is it possible to order just a cup of black coffee, no cream, no sugar, no fancy add-ons…just a dang burn cup of coffee…no frills…no fancy toppings…nothing else? Just a cup of coffee!  Just hot and bitter, straight up, no extras. And, by the way, a cup of coffee that I do not have to finance for 36 months at 18.9% APR.  I am the only one left who feels this way?  If so, tell me.  If not, enjoy your over-priced diversion from real coffee and thank you for contributing so much to private enterprise.  Howard Schultz sends his regards.

Education can be seen as a trip to Starbucks if we take our eyes off of what is really important.  Every year, there is a new book written by someone with a lot of alphabet behind their name that has some new idea that will revolutionize education. I have shelves full of these. They are all marketed as a “new way” to teach kids. However, as Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, “There is nothing new under the sun.”  You have read the same stuff.  You have listened to the sales pitch. You have the t-shirt.  Don’t get me wrong, these things are good. They cause you to look at things from a different angle, but you are still looking at the same thing – kids! We learn new strategies, but the bottom line is the same – it takes talented people to produce talented students. Perhaps they provide affirmation that what you are currently doing is right on the money. That always feels good…just don’t charge $149.99 plus shipping to provide me with that emotional backrub. I get daily e-mails from multiple companies that deal in educational products. Every single one of them touts their product like it is the second coming of Jesus.  They aren’t.  There are many programs for sale; some of them are very good and some are made with spit and ceiling wax.  I have said it 7,635 times before and I will say it until He takes me home that programs do not make the difference, people make the difference.  No matter how far we travel into the technology realm, we will always have the necessity of the development of positive and appropriate student-teacher relationships. It’s about people; plain and simple.  Education is about making a connection; electronic programs can become disconnected – just ask CTB.  We can add all of the “frills” to education that we want, but it will always come down to the skills of talented educators working with great parents for a common goal = helping the child succeed. Anyone who tells you differently is probably dictating a lengthy order at Starbucks. 


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The Browns play tonight against the Buffalo Bills on the shores of Lake Erie. They are off on Sunday. 

Mary and I are heading to Wisconsin this weekend for our nephew’s wedding…place your cheese orders.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Your Last Letter


Next to the mural of Col. John Wheeler is a painting of the last letter that The Colonel wrote.  The date of the letter is July 2, 1863 and this letter, addressed to his wife and children, was written in a tent just outside of Gettysburgh at 4:00 a.m.  Take a moment to read this letter today.  It will move you.  If it does not, I suggest that you check your pulse.  The letter details how difficult the battle in Pennsylvania will be and the struggles that will occur based on early reconnisance. There are two lines that have been highlighted by the artist, Marion Kellum, that will tug at your heart strings.  The Colonel writes:  “It may be the last letter to you. If so, believe that my last prayer for you is that God may help you all.”  Col. John Wheeler, the namesake of our school, was killed that very day on the battlefield.  The uniform that he wore that day is displayed in our display case.  His words were prophetic. 

Here’s my question for you to ponder – if this was going to be your last day, would it change the way you did things or, for that matter, what you did?  I don’t mean your last day on earth.  I mean your last day of teaching.  Think about that.  What would your last day look like?  Over time, you hear people talk that on their last day, they will show up in flip flops and beach wear and tell their boss to plant one on their gluteus and then show them exactly where that is located.  If you have those thoughts, let me say no thanks.  But, as you look at those faces in your classroom, what would be your parting words?  Would you spend the day teaching the most essential things about your subject area?  Would you prioritize just what was most important?  Would you put together a plan that would have a lasting effect?  Would you bring your absolute A-Game?  Would you teach like your hair was on fire?  Would you firmly implant that student-teacher relationship?  Would you create a great memory for your students?  Those may be your thoughts on your “planned last day.”  Here’s the truth – largely, we don’t know when that day will be.  No of us are guaranteed the next five minutes.  I know this from a personal experience on September 8, 2009.  Here’s the deal – work hard each day to do all of the above in your classrooms.  Teach the essential understandings in your classroom. Prioritize what those are.  Use the data you receive to better inform your instruction and what needs to be adjusted.  Create memories each day for kids that have create both academic retention and transfer.  Teach your rear off.  Make the most of every opportunity because you never know when that opportunity is your last one. 

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The Browns play in “The Battle of Ohio” this weekend on the shores of Lake Erie against the Cincinnati Bengals.  Either way, a team with orange in their team colors is going to win…let that be the team up North!

Friday, September 20, 2013

Earth, Wind, and Fire


Tomorrow night, Mary and I are going to see Earth, Wind, and Fire at the Chicago Theater.  For you younger folks, this is not a date to observe planets, measure temperature variances in the atmosphere, or to learn about combustion.  Earth, Wind, and Fire, sometimes referred to as “The Mighty Elements” by some die-hard fans is a music group that began in 1969 with an interesting mix of pop, jazz, funk, disco, R & B, soul, and rock. They play a little something for everybody.  This is not going to be a dull show.  Their combination of music is a rarity and sure beats the lounge singer at the Holiday Inn. (For those of you not getting that reference, please refer to a character that Bill Murray played on Saturday Night Live)  Earth, Wind, and Fire have won six Grammy Awards with hits such as September, Shining Star (Mary’s favorite), Getaway, After the Love is Gone, and yes, Boogie Wonderland.  My beautiful Mrs. is a big fan of Earth, Wind, and Fire.  I am going because I am a big fan of her. This group plays so many different genres of music that everyone finds some relevance. Everyone’s musical needs are met.  Earth, Wind, and Fire is a group that truly differentiates their music.

How about you?  What do you do about differentiating instruction in your room to meet the needs of your students?  Do all of the kids find relevance in your lessons?  Find those high-yield strategies that you have been exposed to on Wednesday mornings. Stay away from strategies that do not provide a high yield.  Use methods that havehigh effect sizes.  Present several learning optionsMatch tasks with interests and learning preferences.  Get to know your kids.  Get to know your kids. Get to know your kids.  Make developing a rapport with your students a high priority.  Plan to make this happen.  Use a variety of assessment strategies.  Balance teacher-assigned and student-selected projects.  Remember that kids learn best when they make connections between the curriculum and their own interests and experiences. If there is no connection, that’s on us as educators. Be a teacher that differentiates their instruction. Have an interesting mix.  Be an “Earth, Wind, and Fire Teacher”.  Perhaps you will produce several shining stars.

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The Browns play the Minnesota Vikings up North this Sunday.  We’re 0-2, they were just beaten in the last 10 seconds by the Bears and are fired up, they are at home, Adrian Peterson is a beast…looks like the perfect storm…then, we trade perhaps our best player yesterday for future draft picks and decide to start our 3rd strong quarterback – we are perhaps at the threshold of Hades… nonetheless, I will watch, hope, and do it again the next week.

Friday, September 13, 2013

From Your Pet's Perception


Both of our daughters have brought cats home to live with us without speaking to Dad first. Their theory is that it is easier to ask forgiveness than to ask for permission.  “BB” (named after BB King) was in our house a week before I even knew it; demonstrating my attention to detail in our home.  Uzi showed up as a team effort between Amanda andMary.  He is not named after a weapon, but rather a character from the Bible meaning a “strong and brave leader”.  Funny, he is neither strong, a leader, and is perhaps the biggest wuss I have ever seen.  Ellie made it up to Da Region from Terre Haute where Annie rescued her on a cold and rainy night at her apartment door.  All of my girls, including the one I married, are totally in love with their felines. I enjoy them as much as I do hair loss.   I am sure that from the perspective of the cats, that the girls walk on water and they love them unconditionally.  They do not feel the same about me…let’s just say that we tolerate each other…sort of.  Anyway, think about your own pet for a moment.  Does your pet greet you at the door when you get home with their tail wagging?  Do they love you unconditionally?  Do they slobber all over you?  Do they forgive you quickly after they have been disciplined for various transgressions in your home? That’s their perception… go deeper – are you the person your pet thinks you are? 

We can fool our pets.  We can’t fool our kids.  They have perceptions about all of us.  Some are way off, others are spot on. Think, for a moment, about the teachers you had when you were a student.  Did any of them fool you?  Were your perceptions about them right on the money?  A few weeks ago, we all had a chance to make a first impression on the kids in our classrooms.  How did that go for you?  Also, a few weeks back, we all had the chance to make a first impression on the parents of these same kids during our “Meet the Teachers Night”.  How did that go for you?  If both of these went well, I want to encourage you to continue to build that relationship.  Understand the interests and backgrounds of your students.  That will take an investment of time.  Exhibit behaviors that indicate your interest in the success of your students.  Stay in regular contact with parents.  Call them to praise their child.  Get them on your team.  If the first impression didn’t go well, do not lose hope. You can turn that around, BUT, it will take a sustained daily effort to change that perception.  Someone once said that perception is reality.  I’m not sure if I totally agree with that, but I do know that perceptions can be changed over time with our ACTIONS.  Words just won’t do it. 

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The Browns play on Sunday was the Baltimore Ratbirds…I mean Ravens.  As much love here as I have for the cats!


Friday, September 6, 2013

State Nicknames



Some state nicknames are interesting to say the least.  Minnesota is the “Land of 10,000 lakes.”  Does that include large ponds?  New Hampshire is called “The Granite State”.  It may be changed to “The Countertop State” soon.  New Jersey is “The Garden State”.  Vegetable, flower, or octopus? (You will not get that unless you are a Beatles’ fan).  Arizona is often called the “Italy of America State” although it is not shaped like a boot.  Connecticut is “The Constitution State” even though the document was signed in Pennsylvania.  Hawaii is “The Aloha State” – just don’t know if that is a greeting or a farewell. Oklahoma is the “Sooner State”.  Apparently, the “Later” state is just west of it.  Utah is “The Beehive State”.  I am unclear if this refers to womens’ hairdos of the 60’s or honey-making insects. New York is “The Empire State” – didn’t know they sold carpet.   Arkansas is “The Natural State”….clothing optional?  Illinois is “The Prairie State”. I thought they may be “The State with the Most Incarcerated Governors State”. Florida is “The Sunshine State” – like they have a monopoly on this.  Missouri has arguably the best nickname – “The Show Me State” and that is what I want to work from in this message.

One of my Dad’s favorite words of wisdom to tell his four kids was, “Don’t tell me what you have done, SHOW me what you can do!” He never let any of us rest on ourlaurels; boasting was unacceptable and complacency was not allowed. My sister and two brothers have done some remarkable things in their lives, but you’ll never hear about it from their mouths.   In this time of increased accountability in education, the bottom line is results.  Our school has been named a Four Star School two out of the last three years.  That is great and needed to be celebrated, but it is time to move on.  We have to continually SHOW the results.  You have established the essential understands; those "Big Ideas" that you want your students to accomplish. Much like a finish line in a race, you can only do the measurement once they arrive. Sort of.  What you do leading up to this summative date really will determine the results. So, when you post your daily goals for your classes, make sure that you have a purpose for that goal. It should tie directly to the long-term goals. If not, then why would it be a goal along the way? Use the informal and formative data to plan your instruction. Will you have to make adjustments along the way?...yep! Good teaching requires that teachers use the formative data to "form" their instruction so that the kids are on the right path to achieving the long- term goals. If not, you are just shooting in the dark and any chance of desired achievement would be coincidental. Work smart so that when it comes time to show, there will not be any doubt that your teaching was pretty darn effective.  “Show Me” is not just a state nickname; it is the bottom line in what we do.  However, and this is a big however – not everything that is counted counts and not everything that counts is counted. While there are no bubbles, charts, or graphs for things like words of encouragement, pats on the back, positive comments, the giving of time and talents, and countless other acts of doing the right thing -  these things are major contributors to the bubbles, charts, and graphs.  Strive each day to make a difference as you SHOW others the way.

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The Browns play this Sunday on the shores of Lake Erie vs. the Miami Dolphins.   Could this be the year? I have been waiting for decades!

Friday, August 30, 2013

Zits and Old Spice


Remember when you were in middle school?  Or junior high? Or whatever your school was called when you were 11-14?  Anyway, do you remember being a “tweener”?  Did you have any awkward moments?  Yep, bad question.  Of course you had awkward moments.  Unless, of course, you were the kid with perfect skin, perfect clothes, perfect eyesight, perfect teeth, and perfect parents.  For me, junior high school was a time of Old Spice and zits.  The Old Spice was “borrowed” from my Dad’s dresser in hopes of luring girls with the same luck that the sailor had in the commercials.  Didn’t work.  The zits?  Let me tell you, my acne was so bad that one time I fell asleep in the library and was awakened by a blind guy trying to read my face. Our kids have many of the same issues that all of us had when we were their age.  They struggle with identity and their self-image and may wonder just where they fit in.  They struggle with competition in and out of the classroom and may want to keep up with the Joneses…or Smiths…or anyone who is conceived as popular.  They worry about their looks. Boys and girls no longer have coodies. Throw in the constant battle with “The Big P” and you have the perfect storm.  I have this observational theory that all 6th grade girls receive a make-up kit from Santa because they return in January and I cannot recognize many due to the new paint and powder.  They have anxiety over just about anything.  There is sometimes drama.  Sometimes?  There is peer pressure, worries about making the team, and the fear of social rejection.  Oh by the way, we also want you to grow academically and be in that 95% group that Mr. Vassar talks about and to rock the state test even though you’re momentarily more concerned with holding hands with Miss Wonderful between classes or popping that snowcap of a zit on your forehead…

Does any of this ring a bell?  Take a look back in time.  Pull out your middle school pictures. If you have the nerve, show them to your students.  Recall your middle school thoughts.  For a moment, grab what really worried you when you were 11, 12, 13, or 14.  Do you remember how your voice went from Lou Rawls to Mickey Mouse within the same sentence?   Did you lie awake at night wondering if that dreamy guy in your Math class would ever notice you?  Remember the “dances” with the girls on one side and the boys on the other while everyone pretended to like the music?  This is an awkward time for kids!  One of the best character traits that we can employ at this time is empathy. We have to be empathetic to be truly effective.  Kids make mistakes; probably the same ones that we made at their age. We have to be able to put ourselves in the shoes of our students and look at things from a perspective much different than we have as adults while at the same time preparing them for what we know lies ahead.  That is no easy task, but one that is essential.  Talk with our students. Get to know them. Build a relationship with them.  They need someone to count on and perhaps you are the one.  Assign tasks with relevance to their lives- you will get more out of them.  Greet your students daily.  Call them by their first names. Smile at them.  Be a role model that they aspire to.  Remember your tweener years and then work that history into the issues your kids face today.  In the meantime, I have a few dozen tubes of Clearasil and a 55 gallon drum of Old Spice to share.

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The Browns are preparing next week for game 1 vs the Miami Dolphins on the shores of Lake Erie.  Of course, they play Da Bears tonight in the last exhibition game in that stadium that looks like a spaceship landed in a toilet bowl…just saying.