Here are a couple of things swirling in my head this Saturday as I watch as much football as I can:
**Go Michigan!**
Yes, I said it and meant it. Those of you who love the crazy Buckeye fan reputation I have earned may think "What the?!" But think about this. As a fellow Big Ten school a true Buckeye fan WANTS Michigan to win these nonconference games. It was really fun watching them lose to App St. last year. I wouldn't trade that for the world. The look on the young UM fan's faces was pricelss. Those smug, arrogant kids had nothing to say. But that is not something we want to happen every year. Losing to Utah today hurts us. It is another blow to the Big Ten's reputation. A Big Ten conference in which our Buckeyes are a member. We need Michigan and every other Big Ten team to sweep all of their nonconference games.
In addition, they are our rival. It is so much better for the rivalry and in my opinion when both squads are dominating. Maybe I am from the old school. I like Michigan to win every game up to The Game. Then I want them to win their bowl game unless it's the National Championship. I draw the line there. I just can't handle that. But otherwise, Michigan needs to win. It means more. It adds more. It is just, plain better. This new generation of fans that take the bitterness for Michigan to the extreme is thinking backwards. I used to be that way too I guess, but with the App St game in our back pocket forever, I don't need to be. I dislike those Michigan fans. I hate those colors. I cringe at the memories of Charles Woodson, Desmond Howard and Tim Biakabutuka. I still hold alot of pain and hatred in my heart for the 90s. But revenge is best served when we beat them and it means something. It hurts them much more when their bid for an undefeated season goes down to us. It hurts even more when we are also undefeated. That is the true taste of sweet revenge. Even more than watching them lose to App St. or Utah.
**Beanie Wells**
So what's the deal? He was carted off the field. Then he walks back out onto the field. The X-rays were negative. He has done this before. Is he pulling a Loyacano? Does he have some toughness issues? Or is this serious? I'm just saying. There is a trend here. Regardless, he is a stud on the field and we need him there. But not against OU. I love Brandon Saine and I would love to see him play. So let's rest Wells against OU no matter what and hope he is ready to go against USC.
**GameDay**
I love going to games. I love the gameday atmosphere. Today was nothing like it is when the students are back and it is a conference game or a late season game, but the tradition, the memories in that place. I absolutely love it.
**Week One**
The Bucks looked good today. The defense was pretty much on lock down. At onoe point in the second half YSU only had 55 total yards of offense. The offense looked smooth and flowed well sans in the red zone. The kickers kicked well. A number of players got to play. The offense played a clean game with no turnovers and the defense forced a few. They scored 43 points and gave up zero. They controlled the clock and the game. Next up: OU Bobcats.
**Terrelle Pryor**
I was very pleased with Pryor's debut. He could have come out and looked overwhelmed. He could have come out and played mediocre. But he was very impressive. He showed he could drop back. He showed he could play from the shot gun. He showed a little option. He rushed. He passed. The passes looked accurate. He didn't seem flustered in the pocket. He demonstrated athleticism and poise. He was able to complete his first pass. He was able to score a touchdown. It was critical that he had some success in his first outing. He gained confidence and has plenty to look at in film to study and critique and get better. He will have to. Today's game has won me over.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
2008 Ohio State Buckeyes Season
I took a peek in my crystal ball and saw how the football Buckeyes of The Ohio State University will fair this season. So if you'd like to know what I saw, I am sharing it with the masses. But don't worry, you can still watch how it all pans out. My crystal ball isn't 100%.
Week One
Vs. Youngstown St.
Jim Tressel's former school of employment comes to Columbus in a glorified practice for the Buckeyes. While the Buckeyes outmatch the Penguins in talent and they are playing at home in front of over 100,000 fans (mostly Columbus residents and alumni since the students don't arrive until the end of September), Tressel with follow his standard practice of allowing the opponent to hang around for at least a half before he drops the hammer. In the end the score will be a convincing 38-13 victory but it won't feel that easy. Terrelle Pryor will get a number of snaps and give us a nice taste of what he has in store but the reigns will remain tight. Tressel never likes to show his hand and you know his hand includes some plays for Pryor against Michigan and the Bowl game I will report on later.
Buckeyes 38
YSU 13
Record 1-0
Week Two
Vs. Ohio University
Another cupcake game for the mighty Buckeyes that will not feel like it. Ohio will hang around into the second half as fans like myself allow the panic to set in. But in the end, the rushing of Beanie Wells is just too much for the Bobcats and the defensive struggle breaks open, once again ending with a score that makes the game appear easier than it was. A special teams mistake or turnover that leads to Ohio's only touchdown creates unneeded tension that finally dissipates by the beginning of the fourth quarter.
Buckeyes 34
Ohio 10
Record 2-0
Week Three
At USC
Oh yes baby! The big dawg. The premier game of the season to this point and maybe overall. It has been hyped all summer. Fans throughout the country that are not part of Trojan or Buckeye Nation are sick and tired of hearing about it. But they will all be glued to the set as they watch an instant classic. These two powerhouses, both loaded with talent and tradition and coaching, will go toe to toe for four quarters, maybe more. They will provide a thrilling battle of the ages. USC's defense will make scoring a premium for Beanie Wells and Boeckman. Pete Carroll will have his offense ready to go against the Buckeyes' defense which returns numerous starters from two straight National Title games. Herein lies the key to the Buckeye's season. This is where the crystal ball becomes more foggy. What I could make out from what I saw was this: If the defense and more importantly, Jim Heacock's game planning, can show it has improved from the last two BCS Title games in terms of in-game planning, the Buckeyes will roll. It will be a low scoring classic that ends in the 17-13 range. But if the same old defense comes out and lays and egg despite the abundance of talent and cannot seem to make the in-game adjustments that former coordinator Mark Dantonio would flourish with when he was here, the game will get out of hand and USC will pull away in the second half winning by 10 or more. This will determine the season. I am going to buck my normal pessimism and stare Huey Karma right in the eyes. I am going to trust in Jim Heacock's plan. I am going to say Buckeyes pull out a close 17-13 game.
Buckeyes 17
USC 13
Record 3-0
Week Four
Vs. Troy
Troy has been able to make some noise in the past several seasons as they continue to play powerhouse programs like Ohio State, LSU et al. They have opened some eyes playing well but haven't really gotten over the hump. I see that they will also give OSU a run for their money. The Buckeyes are unable to run away from Troy at any point and for the second week in a row win a hard fought game for 60 minutes or more pulling out a character building victory in the end.
Buckeyes 23
Troy 17
Record 4-0
Week Five
Vs. Minnesota
This Big Ten opener helps the Buckeyes get well. They are able to cruise to a relatively easy win at home and are able to rest some starters late in the game. They will need it after two difficult games against the Trojans and Troy. Pryor gets some more action and Wells pads his stats for the Heisman push.
Buckeyes 41
Minnesota 10
Record 5-0
Week Six
At Wisconsin
This game is NEVER easy regardless of records. Playing in Madison only makes it worse. This game will have the Buckeyes behind in the second half forcing Boeckman to draw upon his experience to lead the Bucks in two critical drives in the fourth quarter. The first leading to a field goal after the drive stalls. This will send me to an open area to begin my steady pacing back and forth in whatever location I will be watching the game. My heart rate will reach the point of hypertension, but Wells takes over following a crucial interception by Malcolm Jenkins after the Badgers march into Buckeye territory. This leads Ohio State to a game winning touchdown with under a minute to go. Unfortunately for my heart, the game will still be nerve racking as in a last ditch effort, the Badger advance to the fifty before running too low on time forcing them to resort to longer, lower percentage passes that go incomplete.
Buckeyes 27
Wisconsin 24
Record 6-0
Week Seven
Vs. Purdue
Purdue doesn't provide the easy walk over that Minnesota did after the Troy-USC combo, but the Bucks are able to get a victory in convincing fashion. They are really beginning to feel their rhythm now. The offense is clicking. The defense is coming together and their talent is really showing. Not only is Wells still a legitimate Heisman candidate, but numerous other Buckeyes are improving their draft status much like Vernon Gohlstein last season.
Buckeyes: 34
Purdue: 10
Record: 7-0
Week Eight
At Michigan St.
Every year Michigan St. gets lots of preseason love and rarely lives up to the expectations. Head Coach Dantonio, who led the Buckeyes' shutdown defense in the '02 championship season, will get this program back to a respectable status soon enough and they will give the Buckeyes a scare on the road. But the Bucks' superior talent will win out and Ohio St. will move on to another victory. The team will really be focused trying to shed the image around the nation of a choker in a weak conference and end the game with a solid win against a MSU team that has shown some improvement as they find themselves near the top of the middle of the Big Ten.
Buckeyes 27
Michigan St. 17
Record: 8-0
Week Nine
Vs. Penn St.
Night game against Penn St. again. But this time it is at home. Phew! Penn St. gives OSU a run but once again, the home crowd, the talent, the coaching and the mission these Buckeye seniors will be on lifts OSU to another victory. Not as easy as some of the others, but a legitimate, solid win.
Buckeyes 24
Penn St. 14
Record 9-0
Week Ten
At. Northwestern
I plan to attend this game adding another Big Ten stadium to my count. I plan to watch the Buckeyes absolutely destroy the Wildcats. This game will be a tune up for the rematch against Illinois who upset the Buckeyes last year in a disappointing, painful loss. They won't overlook the Wildcats, they will take it out on them as they cruise to an early lead and crunch the 'Cats with one thing on their mind.... Carnage and death on the way to another BCS Title shot. Because guess who is moving up in the polls? The Pac-10's leader, USC.
Buckeyes 48
Northwestern 6
Week Eleven
At Illinois
Revenge will be the name of this game. Illinois will try but fail to repeat last year's questionable victory. Referee's won't be able to help them this time. The Buckeyes will start off fast, fade for two quarters then drop the hammer in the fourth. Boeckman will remember his picks and make sure Wells gets plenty of touches leading the Buckeyes offense to several late game touchdowns.
Buckeyes 30
Illinois 17
Record 11-0
Week Twelve
Vs. Michigan
Hot Rod Rich Rodriquez will get the Wolverines back to Big Ten dominance but not this year. The lack of experience at the quarterback position will hurt them this year. The new system he tries to implement will have its growing pains. While a competitive team and middle of the pack in the Big Ten, U of M will make it interesting. Rivalry games usually are. But the Buckeyes will out muscle the Wolverines and earn another berth in the Title game.
Buckeyes 20
Michigan 9
BCS Title Game
Vs. USC
Yes, I see a rematch. USC will not drop far due to OSU's high ranking in September. They will win out and the SEC will beat up on itself keeping Georgia, Florida, Auburn and LSU from getting a shot. Without the high volume of upsets that allowed a 2 loss LSU team in the Championship (although they obviously deserved to be there as proven by their destruction of OSU) last year, none of the SEC powerhouses will be able to slip in despite arguments that they should be there over an undefeated Buckeye team. After all, who did OSU play?
This rematch will be even better than the regular season match up as it rivals only the '02 Fiesta Bowl with its double overtimes as the greatest game ever. A heavyweight battle that has Carroll smiling across the field with his headset on and play sheet in hand as his arms are crossed over his chest. Tressel returns his smile with a look of pure intensity immediately followed by a look to Boeckman mouthing "FOCUS" just like in '02. Boeckman play fakes to Wells tossing up a beautiful fade to Robiskie for a TD! The defense holds and WE WIN!!!!!!!!
Yes YOUR Ohio State Buckeyes win the BCS title game. The pessimist predicts it!
It is time I take on the Karma man on man. Ding!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Cleveland Browns Report Card
I take you back 20 years. It was the eve of the 1988 NFL football season. While some people chose to use journals as an outlet for their feelings, keeping it hidden from any wandering eyes, I chose a plain notebook and filled it with my writings about the Cleveland Browns. I used the News Herald, the local Lake County newspaper, as my template writing several paragraphs of anecdotal review and opinion, a position by position report card for each individual game, quarter by quarter scoring recap, important statistical categories and predictions for the following week that included who was stronger at each position, keys to the game for both sides and finally the final score.
Without going into that much detail, this is my preview of the 2008 Cleveland Browns. I plan to post my predictions of the upcoming year in the near future.
OFFENSE
Quarterback: Derek Anderson returns after a break out year. He cooled significantly in the second half leading to some concern for the upcoming year. With the first round draft pick, Brady Quinn, waiting in the wings, Anderson needs to play well to avoid a brimming QB controversy which can quickly divide a team and begin a downward spiral. What Anderson brings is a strong arm, year of experience, chemistry with the multiple weapons in Cleveland's offense and head coach who does not question his spot as the starting QB as they open the year. What Anderson needs to improve is his touch on the shorter passes and consistency through the entire regular season.
GRADE:B-
Running Back:Jamal Lewis returns after a solid year rushing for 1,304 yards for a 4.4 average per carry. He was a huge surprise and big reason why the offense had so much success last year. It is going to be critical that he repeats this performance this coming year as the depth at RB is not strong. Jason Wright and Jerome Harrison are nice change of pace backs but they cannot carry the load. Look for Harrison to open a few eyes this season coming out of the backfield and on third downs and make sure you say you read it here first when he does. I don't anticipate All Pro numbers, just some added firepower and highlight plays.
GRADE:B
Wide Receiver: 2007 was a breakout year for Braylon Edwards. He made some dazzling plays that belong on "Top Plays" with the ESPN Sportscenter chime playing in the background. But he also missed balls that I think I could catch. It will be important that he finds more consistency this year. The addition of Donte Stallworth by GM Phil Savage was key with the staff infection (where have we heard this before) to Joe Jurevicious. He should bring a deep threat and winning experience with him. Other wideouts battling for the last spots include Travis Wilson, Syndric Steptoe, Efrem Hill, Kevin Kasper and more. Joshua Cribbs has locked in a spot with is returning abilities but more on that later. Wilson has shown flashes and Steptoe has shown promise on special teams as well. Kasper can't avoid the injury bug and Hill may be the odd man out. The WR spot behind Stallworth and Edwards will be key to the depth of this offense.
GRADE: B
Tight Ends: Kellen Winslow has matured quite a bit since he was drafted by Butch Davis. He is a legit top three TE in this conference if not league. It is a luxury to have him as another legitimate threat in the passing game helping the WRs should the backups not live up to expectations. His backup Steve Heiden is good enough to start on numerous NFL teams in my mind and gives the Browns depth at this position.
GRADE: A-
Offensive Line: Coming into the preseason I was high on this unit. Finally, it seemed like my Cleveland Browns had a strong offensive line. Not since the days of Mike Baab, Cody Riesen and Paul Farren (although I called him Paul Flag-en since he was either holding or false starting) have we had a line that actually allowed a QB to throw the ball on time and opened holes for RBs to run threw. The drafting of Joe Thomas and signing of Eric Steinbach as well as the emergency trade for Hank Fraley put Phil Savage atop the ladder in Cleveland GMs. But thus far in the preseason, they have looked downright abysmal!! I am getting Tim Couch flashbacks with the pressure being put on Quinn and Anderson and Dorsey. No holes for the RBs. It is really discouraging. So which line will show up this season? The line from 2007 or the line from this preseason?
GRADE: D- (if the preseason line shows up) B+ (if the 2007 line appears)
Overall Offense: C
Due to the Offensive line and the fact that everything stems from this unit and they are not looking good.
DEFENSE
Safeties: Sean Jones and Brodney Pool will start at the safety positions this year. Both safeties are solid but they need a stronger pass rush to help alleviate some pressure put on them in the secondary. For example Sean Jones was second on the team in tackles with 96. In a 3-4 defense, the linebackers need to be leading the team in tackles.
GRADE: C+
Cornerbacks: Leigh Bodden was traded and Devan Holly is injured leaving Eric Wright in his second year and Brandon McDonald, also in his second year as our starting cornerbacks. I liked what I saw out of both of them last year but, like the O Line, worry after what I have witnessed this preseason. The Giants absolutely destroyed and exposed Wright making him look bad....real bad. Against the Lions, every time I looked up a Lions receiver was wide open. Once again, which version of this position will show up this year? The 2007 cornerbacks? Or will the preseason cornerbacks appear?
GRADE: C (2007 version) F (Preseason 2008 version)
Linebackers: In a 3-4 the LBs are supposed to rack up tackles while the DL plugs the gaps. Last year the DL did not plug many gaps putting a big burden on the LBs as they tackled runners 3-4 yards beyond the line of scrimmage setting up manageable 2nd and 3rd downs for the opposing offenses and putting more pressure on the LBs to make plays. At the same time I have a hard time evaluating this position using stats because they are a bit inflated due to this system. Overall this position looks decent with some age and veteran leadership in Willie McGinest and Andra Davis as well as youth and athleticism with D'Qwell Jackson and Kameron Wimbly. Leon Williams in specific packages and Antwan Peek also show some promise. I feel Davis is overrated because his numbers may be a result of playing on mediocre to bad teams over the span of his career. McGinest is getting old. So all in all, this is a year Wimbly and Jackson need to come out. Watch Jackson. I feel a big year for him and remember.....say you read it here first when you do.
GRADE: C-
Defensive Line: Maybe the weakest position on the team last year, this unit has been revamped by Savage over the offseason. Key additions include Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams. Both players bring some talent to a struggling squad. Shaun Smith and Robaire Smith are serviceable but this unit must improve if the Browns are going to have any measured success on defense or as a team this year. Some sort of pass rush needs to exist to take the pressure off the DBs. Gaps need to be filled so the LBs can get in and tackle runners for 3-4 yard losses instead of gains. Pressure needs to be put on the opposing offense to convert 3rd and longs instead of 3rd and shorts. The DL, in my mind, is the most critical facet of this team this year. So far in the preseason....I have not see anything encouraging. Because of this observation, I am very pessimistic about the upcoming season.
GRADE: F
Overall Defense: D+
Again, one position brings this whole unit down.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicking Teams: Phil Dawson is as steady as they come. Some of those kicks against Buffalo in that blizzard last year were downright remarkable. His one weakness though is strength. From what I have seen in preseason, more specifically warm ups when I was at the game against the Jets, he must have raided Paul Byrd's locker and found some HGH. He was hitting them from 60 yards out. Granted, it's different with no rush or line in front of you, but the leg may be better than I thought. Dave Zastudil is a good punter. Point blank, he is good and dependable.
GRADE: A-
Return Teams: Joshua Cribbs was exciting to watch last year in this position. I hope he gets used in some QB/RB packages as well this year but one thing we know is he brings a legitimate threat to the return game. If he is not scoring he is changing field position in our favor. Not only does he return kicks well but he covers well too. Syndric Steptoe has shown some promise in the preseason as well. I doubt Cribbs will repeat last year's numbers because that rarely happens, but I feel he can still be considered a legitimate weapon returning kicks and punts changing momentum and the score in our direction.
GRADE: A
Coverage Teams: I'll be honest. I have a hard time feeling valid in my assessment of this dimension of the team because I am not football savvy enough know what is good and bad. I know Cribbs hustles and tackles. I don't recall giving up a large amount of touchdowns on special teams last year. So I would say this unit is solid.
GRADE: B+
COACHING/FRONT OFFICE
Coaching: Despite a 10-6 record last year I am still not sold on Romeo Crenel. Apparently the players like him. They seem to respond to him. Winslow's maturity may be a credit to Crenel's mentorship. A defensive minded coach, he should field a strong defensive team but that hasn't happened. It is highly possible that is a sign of the lack of talent more than coaching though. This year will be a make or break year for Romeo in my mind. TO get me to buy in, he needs to get this team to 8-8 at worst. It needs to be a solid 8-8, not smoke and mirrors 8-8.
GRADE: C-
Front Office: Phil Savage has won me over. Drafting Joe Thomas alone with that 3rd pick was a big winner. Getting Steinbach and Fraley were key acquisitions. Let's not forget he also signed LeCharles Bentley who didn't pan out due to injuries and (here we go again) staff infections, but was an All Pro at the time. He was able to use the draft to get Quinn and Wright. He drafted McDonald in the late rounds. He spent this offseason shoring up the WRs with Stallworth and getting much needed help on defense in Rogers and Williams. He also signed Lewis before last season as well which turned out well. He is a reason Derek Anderson is here starting too. Savage has won me over. There have been mistakes and there will be but if he keeps moving in this direction, the Browns will be a winner soon.
GRADE: A
Overall Assessment:
I worry very much after what I have seen in the preseason. I understand it's only preseason and Romeo has done a good job of not playing key guys with nagging injuries to avoid any serious damage, but there are scary signs that the first team offensive and defensive lines are in trouble. You win games in the trenches and those are the two weakest spots outside the defensive secondary which has zero depth. These three weaknesses may be lead to an ugly season. I know I usually go the way of pessimism with my teams, but this is legitimate, objective commentary that can't be explained away. I just hope these players show up in the regular season for real. There have been no encouraging signs this preseason.
OVERALL: C
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Education and My Vote
(I step to the podium)
"Eh hem. Thank you. Thank you very much. I am honored to be here today. I would like to formerly announce my vote for the upcoming 2008 Presidential Election. After careful consideration and attempted unbiased reflection and observation, I have come to a conclusion for who will receive my vote for President of the United States of America. My vote goes to.........Barack Obama."
All attempts at humor aside, I would like to piggy back off my recent posts regarding my feelings as an educator in Ohio to discuss my opinions regarding my choice for our next president. It would be easy to blindly vote democrat since I am one. It would be easy to vote away from McCain since he is in the same party as Bush who I have not been comfortable with as our leader these past eight years. I didn't want to take the easy way. I didn't want to vote for Obama for what he is not but instead for what he is.
I recall a comment that was made to me recently. I was told it didn't make sense that I voted Democrat as a homeowner. Whaaa? Apparently there is only one factor I should take into account as I vote. But I don't vote this way. I could list a number different of reasons why I would like Obama in office. There are many sides to my life. But this post is going to remain focused on my reasons related to education, the profession in which I work. So remember there is more to my vote than just these reasons. I have particular views on the war and other foreign affairs, economy, gay marriage, taxes, etc.
I blogged recently about the importance of Fathers. The point was to put the spotlight on Dads, but it really is a parent thing as comoprozac so eloquently put in his comments. Obama has said, "The schools can't do it all by themselves. Parents have to parent." (OEA handout) What did he say? "Parents have to parent." THANK YOU!!! So how is this going to happen Mr. Obama? "Watch them do their homework. If they don't know how to do it, give them help. If you don't know how to do it, call the teacher." YES! How ingenious is that? Remember how I said my students who had their Father's (or mothers) come in or call me were usually performing better? Many times the calls were asking what the heck I wanted on their homework! Should I take that as an insult? Does that mean they are less smart? Heck no. This is how learning takes place. Discussion and teamwork. Looks like Barack Obama gets that.
No Child Left Behind is underfunded and failing. As I blogged about before, it attempts to hold teachers to a higher standard but doesn't do so. Instead it fosters distrust and animosity. Obama plans to overhaul this legislation by providing the money needed to fund it properly, reduce the emphasis on standardized testing and make sure that any tests that are given better measure the individualized growth and readiness. (OEA handout)
My wife is now learning the "teach to the test" process that has infected our schools. Since test scores dictate success and failure, administrators are forced to push test prep to the point of losing touch with our greater purpose. Book companies and tutoring services are raking in the cash as each year we order sets of prep books to feed our kids almost constantly from January to the test if not the whole school year. We focus on how to answer test questions and what test vocabulary means and tricks of the trade. I guess we figure the next generation will be working jobs where they answer questions all day.
Lastly, he plans to raise teacher pay. Of course I like this one right? I am a teacher. But seriously, people do not want to teach. Current teachers, especially younger ones, leave teaching within their first 5 years for other career entirely. It is becoming an epidemic in Ohio. Schools are also cutting teacher positions left and right as well making it harder on those of us still here. Our class sizes continue to increase. This makes us less effective and more stressed. I am not sure how he is going to be able to do this when we can't pass a levy in central ohio to save our lives and districts are running deficits like crazy, but here's an idea.....close the charter school and voucher experiment! You could stop that war as well. If we have money to fund that, we can divert it to the public schools. We can fix a ton of the problems. Then, our prisons won't fill up and the need for the money to fund those will diminish so we can pay for others things too like helping the homeless and so on.
I live in an ideal world I guess and I anticipate numerous comments cutting holes in this. But like it or not, Brack Obama's statements have earned my vote. I end this with one last quotation that sums up how I have felt about the education system, "I want to lead a new era of mutual responsibility in education, one where we all come together for the sake of our children's success, an era where each of us does our part to make that success a reality-parents and teachers." (OEA handout)
"Eh hem. Thank you. Thank you very much. I am honored to be here today. I would like to formerly announce my vote for the upcoming 2008 Presidential Election. After careful consideration and attempted unbiased reflection and observation, I have come to a conclusion for who will receive my vote for President of the United States of America. My vote goes to.........Barack Obama."
All attempts at humor aside, I would like to piggy back off my recent posts regarding my feelings as an educator in Ohio to discuss my opinions regarding my choice for our next president. It would be easy to blindly vote democrat since I am one. It would be easy to vote away from McCain since he is in the same party as Bush who I have not been comfortable with as our leader these past eight years. I didn't want to take the easy way. I didn't want to vote for Obama for what he is not but instead for what he is.
I recall a comment that was made to me recently. I was told it didn't make sense that I voted Democrat as a homeowner. Whaaa? Apparently there is only one factor I should take into account as I vote. But I don't vote this way. I could list a number different of reasons why I would like Obama in office. There are many sides to my life. But this post is going to remain focused on my reasons related to education, the profession in which I work. So remember there is more to my vote than just these reasons. I have particular views on the war and other foreign affairs, economy, gay marriage, taxes, etc.
I blogged recently about the importance of Fathers. The point was to put the spotlight on Dads, but it really is a parent thing as comoprozac so eloquently put in his comments. Obama has said, "The schools can't do it all by themselves. Parents have to parent." (OEA handout) What did he say? "Parents have to parent." THANK YOU!!! So how is this going to happen Mr. Obama? "Watch them do their homework. If they don't know how to do it, give them help. If you don't know how to do it, call the teacher." YES! How ingenious is that? Remember how I said my students who had their Father's (or mothers) come in or call me were usually performing better? Many times the calls were asking what the heck I wanted on their homework! Should I take that as an insult? Does that mean they are less smart? Heck no. This is how learning takes place. Discussion and teamwork. Looks like Barack Obama gets that.
No Child Left Behind is underfunded and failing. As I blogged about before, it attempts to hold teachers to a higher standard but doesn't do so. Instead it fosters distrust and animosity. Obama plans to overhaul this legislation by providing the money needed to fund it properly, reduce the emphasis on standardized testing and make sure that any tests that are given better measure the individualized growth and readiness. (OEA handout)
My wife is now learning the "teach to the test" process that has infected our schools. Since test scores dictate success and failure, administrators are forced to push test prep to the point of losing touch with our greater purpose. Book companies and tutoring services are raking in the cash as each year we order sets of prep books to feed our kids almost constantly from January to the test if not the whole school year. We focus on how to answer test questions and what test vocabulary means and tricks of the trade. I guess we figure the next generation will be working jobs where they answer questions all day.
Lastly, he plans to raise teacher pay. Of course I like this one right? I am a teacher. But seriously, people do not want to teach. Current teachers, especially younger ones, leave teaching within their first 5 years for other career entirely. It is becoming an epidemic in Ohio. Schools are also cutting teacher positions left and right as well making it harder on those of us still here. Our class sizes continue to increase. This makes us less effective and more stressed. I am not sure how he is going to be able to do this when we can't pass a levy in central ohio to save our lives and districts are running deficits like crazy, but here's an idea.....close the charter school and voucher experiment! You could stop that war as well. If we have money to fund that, we can divert it to the public schools. We can fix a ton of the problems. Then, our prisons won't fill up and the need for the money to fund those will diminish so we can pay for others things too like helping the homeless and so on.
I live in an ideal world I guess and I anticipate numerous comments cutting holes in this. But like it or not, Brack Obama's statements have earned my vote. I end this with one last quotation that sums up how I have felt about the education system, "I want to lead a new era of mutual responsibility in education, one where we all come together for the sake of our children's success, an era where each of us does our part to make that success a reality-parents and teachers." (OEA handout)
Friday, August 22, 2008
Professional Inventory
You can tell it is that time of year again. The beginning of the school has officially taken place as I blog about education over and over.
Today, in an effort to strengthen myself emotionally and mentally and I suppose to prep myself for the upcoming school year even though my bitter, apathetic attitude sometimes takes me elsewhere, I repeat an exercise I did in an earlier post listing my proud "achievements." You may call these affirmations if you so choose. I do. This time I focus on education. The following are things I am proud to say I do. Teacher friends of mine, you can take pride in the fact that some of these are taken from you. Like that old commercial in the 80s with the kid whose Dad found his drug stash, "You! I learned it from watching you!"
First and foremost, I have made it through a decade of urban schools. I keep hearing myself say I have taught a decade or ten years because I am proud of that. I feel like that is a long time. Enough to have its own word: decade.
I choose to take this as a positive: I have taught the same grade at the same school for 9 of those years. This is a good thing because I have wanted to bolt many times and have not. I have continued to fight the good fight. It may be a testament to my good luck more than ability but I have avoided cuts and layoffs throughout the decade. Many have taken place.
I know my curriculum. Having taught the same grade in the same district means I have taught the curriculum enough to "know it cold" as my dad would say. So I can anticipate what to present to the students and I can spend more time focusing on how instead of what.
I have a good relationship with fellow teachers and staff. Through the years at my school I have worked with numerous people who have come and gone. I'd like to think I have had positive relationships with the majority of them. I like 90% of them and can get along with the other 10%. The proof is in the pudding as I maintain close friendships to numerous teachers who have not only left the school, but left the state as well. Comoprozac, a frequent flyer of this blog, is a prime example. He is also an example of a teacher who I have learned a good bit from. I have tried to copy his effort to introduce diverse groups of influential people to his students that they would not read about in their textbooks.
I have been able to develop effective strategies of classroom management and academic instruction on my own to solve problems in my classroom that no one taught me how to deal with in graduate school. Despite being shot down in my graduate classes, my idea of implementing a behavior wall to chart good days for individual students publicly, this strategy has been effective for me and copied by fellow teachers and complimented by parents of my students numerous times. It may not be "theoretically" kosher but it works.
In addition to this management tool, I have developed methods to figure out math problems beyond the tradition algorithms that have worked for numerous students. Again, they have not been by the book, but more than one student have taken it and used it well.
I also have created different chants and slogans on my own that have stuck with former students in later grades (or so they say when they come back to visit). J.E.L to remember the branches of government. SYW to stand for Show Your Work. Those are just two of my standbys.
I teach with passion. My frustration may make it look like I don't care. At times I don't. But in my heart I have a passion for this. You can see it when I become Pastor Huey. The students (and more so the teachers) come alive when I start singing to the mountaintops John 3:16 (that's my room number) and giving my students the power!!! It's a rounding strategy I came up with. A long winded explanation that I will pass on since typed words don't do it justice, but trust me 3-5 fellow teachers and my former principal almost lost their minds when I whipped it out one Saturday morning as we tutored our kids for the test.
I can relate to the kids. I am not 10 anymore. I don't listen to hip hop. I never grew up in the inner city. But I can talk to the kids on the kids' level. I can thank another friend of mine that I teach with for reinforcing this. I blogged before about the football games at recess. He and I have used this and other opportunities to build good relationships with our students and other kids in our school. We have built trust. This goes a LONG way when we are enforcing discipline.
I go the extra mile. I stay after school, I come in early, I come in on Saturdays to do the extra things to help our kids pass the tests. I have done it without getting paid, I have done it with compensation. The bottom line is: I have done more than the basic line of duty.
I created and run a Math tournament at the end of every year. It helps keep the last day meaningful and motivates kids to learn their math facts. It also provides a structure in which to teach fairness and sportsmanship as well as class and dignity in defeat or success.
I am open to changes and I am not afraid to use other people's ideas or share my own. I always peak in my neighbor's window to see what she is teaching and how she teaches it because I think this woman is the greatest teacher that ever walked the planet. I "steal" ideas from her all the time and she loves to copy me. She still holds my "Less is More" motto as a guiding light to this day.
For the record, when I entered my school our percentage of passing scores on the 4th grade Ohio Reading Proficiency Test were in the 10%-25% range. Now they are in the 40%-50% range. I have taught 4th grade this whole time. That means I have played a major role as the scores have doubled.
I believe I could go on. I am still proud that I was invited to a graduation this year. That means a former student progressed through high school successfully. For my ego, it means he had 8 more years of teachers after me and I was the one he invited back to his graduation. ME. That feels damn good.
Today, in an effort to strengthen myself emotionally and mentally and I suppose to prep myself for the upcoming school year even though my bitter, apathetic attitude sometimes takes me elsewhere, I repeat an exercise I did in an earlier post listing my proud "achievements." You may call these affirmations if you so choose. I do. This time I focus on education. The following are things I am proud to say I do. Teacher friends of mine, you can take pride in the fact that some of these are taken from you. Like that old commercial in the 80s with the kid whose Dad found his drug stash, "You! I learned it from watching you!"
First and foremost, I have made it through a decade of urban schools. I keep hearing myself say I have taught a decade or ten years because I am proud of that. I feel like that is a long time. Enough to have its own word: decade.
I choose to take this as a positive: I have taught the same grade at the same school for 9 of those years. This is a good thing because I have wanted to bolt many times and have not. I have continued to fight the good fight. It may be a testament to my good luck more than ability but I have avoided cuts and layoffs throughout the decade. Many have taken place.
I know my curriculum. Having taught the same grade in the same district means I have taught the curriculum enough to "know it cold" as my dad would say. So I can anticipate what to present to the students and I can spend more time focusing on how instead of what.
I have a good relationship with fellow teachers and staff. Through the years at my school I have worked with numerous people who have come and gone. I'd like to think I have had positive relationships with the majority of them. I like 90% of them and can get along with the other 10%. The proof is in the pudding as I maintain close friendships to numerous teachers who have not only left the school, but left the state as well. Comoprozac, a frequent flyer of this blog, is a prime example. He is also an example of a teacher who I have learned a good bit from. I have tried to copy his effort to introduce diverse groups of influential people to his students that they would not read about in their textbooks.
I have been able to develop effective strategies of classroom management and academic instruction on my own to solve problems in my classroom that no one taught me how to deal with in graduate school. Despite being shot down in my graduate classes, my idea of implementing a behavior wall to chart good days for individual students publicly, this strategy has been effective for me and copied by fellow teachers and complimented by parents of my students numerous times. It may not be "theoretically" kosher but it works.
In addition to this management tool, I have developed methods to figure out math problems beyond the tradition algorithms that have worked for numerous students. Again, they have not been by the book, but more than one student have taken it and used it well.
I also have created different chants and slogans on my own that have stuck with former students in later grades (or so they say when they come back to visit). J.E.L to remember the branches of government. SYW to stand for Show Your Work. Those are just two of my standbys.
I teach with passion. My frustration may make it look like I don't care. At times I don't. But in my heart I have a passion for this. You can see it when I become Pastor Huey. The students (and more so the teachers) come alive when I start singing to the mountaintops John 3:16 (that's my room number) and giving my students the power!!! It's a rounding strategy I came up with. A long winded explanation that I will pass on since typed words don't do it justice, but trust me 3-5 fellow teachers and my former principal almost lost their minds when I whipped it out one Saturday morning as we tutored our kids for the test.
I can relate to the kids. I am not 10 anymore. I don't listen to hip hop. I never grew up in the inner city. But I can talk to the kids on the kids' level. I can thank another friend of mine that I teach with for reinforcing this. I blogged before about the football games at recess. He and I have used this and other opportunities to build good relationships with our students and other kids in our school. We have built trust. This goes a LONG way when we are enforcing discipline.
I go the extra mile. I stay after school, I come in early, I come in on Saturdays to do the extra things to help our kids pass the tests. I have done it without getting paid, I have done it with compensation. The bottom line is: I have done more than the basic line of duty.
I created and run a Math tournament at the end of every year. It helps keep the last day meaningful and motivates kids to learn their math facts. It also provides a structure in which to teach fairness and sportsmanship as well as class and dignity in defeat or success.
I am open to changes and I am not afraid to use other people's ideas or share my own. I always peak in my neighbor's window to see what she is teaching and how she teaches it because I think this woman is the greatest teacher that ever walked the planet. I "steal" ideas from her all the time and she loves to copy me. She still holds my "Less is More" motto as a guiding light to this day.
For the record, when I entered my school our percentage of passing scores on the 4th grade Ohio Reading Proficiency Test were in the 10%-25% range. Now they are in the 40%-50% range. I have taught 4th grade this whole time. That means I have played a major role as the scores have doubled.
I believe I could go on. I am still proud that I was invited to a graduation this year. That means a former student progressed through high school successfully. For my ego, it means he had 8 more years of teachers after me and I was the one he invited back to his graduation. ME. That feels damn good.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Blame the Teacher!
I am now entering my 11th year of teaching. Every minute of my experience (including student teaching) has been in an urban setting. Therefore, keep this in mind as you think about my opinion. My school is a low performing school. According to George W. Bush and the rest of the government officials supporting No Child Left Behind, we are in Academic Emergency. The parents of our student body receive letters outlining how bad we are. There are some teachers who have been good, caring teachers, following the guidelines of the district that are labeled as not highly qualified. Fortunately for me, entered graduate school immediately after I graduated and earned my Master's Degree. This means I am "highly qualified."
I describe all of this but avoid going into more boring detail to help paint the picture of what I deal with on a yearly basis. My success is based on the test scores of 25-30 students who may not have slept the night before, may not be living in the same place they did last week, come from a home filled with anger, desperation, violence or drugs. They are probably wearing the clothes their sibling wore the day before without getting washed. Their walk to school and walk home later in day could be like a minefield of bullies, scary, drunk, drug addicted or homeless adults and teenagers let alone garbage and unkempt yards or streets smelling of cheap malt liquor or urine. My point is, it is highly likely their mind is not 100% on the test.
So each summer we receive the scores and that sinking heart feeling of, "Man, we failed again. Now what do we do?" We begin the next school year with an attempt at a positive attitude, more data analysis and brainstorming of what works and doesn't work and how to improve scores. Then we enter the school year and implement these ideas or district wide implementations. But we inevitably stumble to similar results. Granted, some years really are better than others. Last year we climbed out of Academic Emergency into Academic Watch through a method called safe harbor. But I anticipate a decline backwards this year.
Naturally, I try to analyze what I am doing wrong. I try to personally examine what I, myself need to improve as an individual teacher to make things better. I have done this a number of times now. I have sat through meetings with fellow teachers and administration trying to accomplish the same goal as a group many times over as well. Most times I walk out with a horrible feeling of failure and defeat.
My wife has just completed her first year teaching and is now experiencing this whole routine firsthand. She is realizing how the blame keeps getting pointed in our direction despite all the work, effort and time she has put in it. As I listen and observe, I hear her talk like a first year teacher. I hear her say all the things that make complete sense...to someone who hasn't dealt with admin for a decade. At times I want to chime in, not because I think she is wrong but because things don't make sense in our line of work and someone will tell her she is wrong. She seems to be noticing this now.
She has officially been given the, "Test scores are bad and its your fault. What are you going to do about it" speech. My poor wife busted her rear end last year and did everything by the book. She went the extra mile and documented each step. She checked every move she made to make sure it was professional and ethical when she did it. And I can attest that it was all professional and ethical. She maintained high expectations for her students but was fair and understanding of each individual situation. I mean her year was air tight.
But the low scores are her fault.
One interesting dilemma for teacher nowadays is the lack of natural consequences. One would think a failing grade would mean something to a student. If not the student than the parents or guardians of that students. But this is not happening. Instead of the student being held accountable for a failing grade, the teacher is the one held accountable. It is not, "what did the student do wrong?" it is "What did the teacher do wrong?" I understand we need to hold teachers accountable. I understand we play a major role in the learning process, but when did we suddenly forget it is the student's job to learn to? Where is the idea of student accountability go?
The administration is blaming the teachers. The parents are blaming the teachers. The government is blaming the teachers. There is now a confrontational relationship between parent and teacher. The students are aware of this and manipulate it. The common citizens in central Ohio don't trust teachers either voting down levy after levy.
Meanwhile, money is taken from our schools for charter schools. Resources are dwindling. We used to have a student advocate in our school to work with the counselor and nurse and community to help our kids with all those things I mentioned in the first two paragraphs. They are now gone. Most schools in our district do not have a full time nurse. Our counselor is only part time. Our principal has to deal with disciplinary matters so much that she rarely gets to address the academic needs of our staff.
As teachers, teaching arithmetic and reading skills comes after you work to get the kids to show up to school, eat breakfast and avoid getting into a fight. All of this is done with all kinds of resistance and defiance and rude attitudes. I don't mean every once and a while, I mean this happens almost daily. I am not exaggerating.
We have completely lost trust in our teachers in an effort to hold us accountable and to a higher standard. It has officially gone too far. We are fighting a losing battle and each year it gets harder. We need help. I just pray to God it isn't this way in other districts.
I describe all of this but avoid going into more boring detail to help paint the picture of what I deal with on a yearly basis. My success is based on the test scores of 25-30 students who may not have slept the night before, may not be living in the same place they did last week, come from a home filled with anger, desperation, violence or drugs. They are probably wearing the clothes their sibling wore the day before without getting washed. Their walk to school and walk home later in day could be like a minefield of bullies, scary, drunk, drug addicted or homeless adults and teenagers let alone garbage and unkempt yards or streets smelling of cheap malt liquor or urine. My point is, it is highly likely their mind is not 100% on the test.
So each summer we receive the scores and that sinking heart feeling of, "Man, we failed again. Now what do we do?" We begin the next school year with an attempt at a positive attitude, more data analysis and brainstorming of what works and doesn't work and how to improve scores. Then we enter the school year and implement these ideas or district wide implementations. But we inevitably stumble to similar results. Granted, some years really are better than others. Last year we climbed out of Academic Emergency into Academic Watch through a method called safe harbor. But I anticipate a decline backwards this year.
Naturally, I try to analyze what I am doing wrong. I try to personally examine what I, myself need to improve as an individual teacher to make things better. I have done this a number of times now. I have sat through meetings with fellow teachers and administration trying to accomplish the same goal as a group many times over as well. Most times I walk out with a horrible feeling of failure and defeat.
My wife has just completed her first year teaching and is now experiencing this whole routine firsthand. She is realizing how the blame keeps getting pointed in our direction despite all the work, effort and time she has put in it. As I listen and observe, I hear her talk like a first year teacher. I hear her say all the things that make complete sense...to someone who hasn't dealt with admin for a decade. At times I want to chime in, not because I think she is wrong but because things don't make sense in our line of work and someone will tell her she is wrong. She seems to be noticing this now.
She has officially been given the, "Test scores are bad and its your fault. What are you going to do about it" speech. My poor wife busted her rear end last year and did everything by the book. She went the extra mile and documented each step. She checked every move she made to make sure it was professional and ethical when she did it. And I can attest that it was all professional and ethical. She maintained high expectations for her students but was fair and understanding of each individual situation. I mean her year was air tight.
But the low scores are her fault.
One interesting dilemma for teacher nowadays is the lack of natural consequences. One would think a failing grade would mean something to a student. If not the student than the parents or guardians of that students. But this is not happening. Instead of the student being held accountable for a failing grade, the teacher is the one held accountable. It is not, "what did the student do wrong?" it is "What did the teacher do wrong?" I understand we need to hold teachers accountable. I understand we play a major role in the learning process, but when did we suddenly forget it is the student's job to learn to? Where is the idea of student accountability go?
The administration is blaming the teachers. The parents are blaming the teachers. The government is blaming the teachers. There is now a confrontational relationship between parent and teacher. The students are aware of this and manipulate it. The common citizens in central Ohio don't trust teachers either voting down levy after levy.
Meanwhile, money is taken from our schools for charter schools. Resources are dwindling. We used to have a student advocate in our school to work with the counselor and nurse and community to help our kids with all those things I mentioned in the first two paragraphs. They are now gone. Most schools in our district do not have a full time nurse. Our counselor is only part time. Our principal has to deal with disciplinary matters so much that she rarely gets to address the academic needs of our staff.
As teachers, teaching arithmetic and reading skills comes after you work to get the kids to show up to school, eat breakfast and avoid getting into a fight. All of this is done with all kinds of resistance and defiance and rude attitudes. I don't mean every once and a while, I mean this happens almost daily. I am not exaggerating.
We have completely lost trust in our teachers in an effort to hold us accountable and to a higher standard. It has officially gone too far. We are fighting a losing battle and each year it gets harder. We need help. I just pray to God it isn't this way in other districts.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Importance of Fathers
With each new school year I look ahead to what themes and personal goals I have for a new crop of students. Obviously, I become curious about how the group will mesh and how well they will buy into my methodology and style of teaching. Each group takes on a personality of its own. There are the usual individuals that fall into the usual stereotypes and there are always the wildcards. The key to any class as a whole is whether I can get the wildcards to buy what I'm selling. They usually represent the critical mass that determines whether the group is a "good" crew or "difficult" crew. I quote those terms because sometimes good doesn't necessarily translate to fun or enjoyable and many times difficult classes can be the most fun or rewarding. Teaching is never a black and white thing.
Regardless of any of these factors, questions and observations, one thing continues to hold steadfast. The stress I endure, the quality of life I live for the period of each individual school year can be correlated to the presence of Fathers in the lives of my students. I have become a firm believer in the importance of Dads.
I am not the only one in this school of thought. According to Fatherhood Institute, "A recent systematic review of studies....found ‘positive’ father involvement associated with a range of desirable outcomes for children and young people." (http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org) This is from an article describing studies that have proven my point. Here they list the findings of a Father's presence.
By no means do I mean to diminish the importance of Mothers. I would like to think it goes without saying that Mothers are the most important factor in a person's life. Women in general are the foundation of our civilization and well being as well as the success of our society as a whole in my mind.
While in some cases Dads are playing more influential roles in their children's lives these days, it's not happening everywhere. In the area where I teach there are often absentee fathers. I won't hold any punches here, there are just flat out, 100% irresponsible boys making babies and hauling out of dodge leaving the woman in a precarious position.
Having spent a decade teaching in an urban setting, I would like to draw upon my personal experience here. I assume there are the same types of Fathers in suburban and rural areas as well. Also, there are other ways Fathers can be absentee to their children. Coming home from work and heading straight to the couch as they crack open their beer and watch the game every night doesn't make you much better. Yes, you may provide for your family, but these days call for more. Picking your kids up on your visitation weekends and taking them to Gameworks, filling their pockets with tokens while you sit at the bar doesn't count either. Sending in a child support check each week isn't enough either.
I can't sit here and judge every Dad out there. I understand some men can only do so much with what they have. There is usually more to a story than what you see on the surface. So let me return to my original objective here and focus on my classroom and my students from my experience.
Last year's crop of fourth graders may have been one of my better classes. My growing bitterness towards teaching wasn't indicative on how I enjoyed 95% of those kids. Overall, this group had more confidence, displayed more positive social skills, had better attitudes and behaved better than other classes in the past. This class also had more Fathers attend parent teacher conferences, call me with questions, show up to pick up their children, follow up on concerns I mentioned, and were referred to by their children or Mothers as a source or option in case I needed one. I highly doubt this is a coincidence.
Not every Father who came in was wearing a suit. Most did not. Not every Father spoke articulately and came in with a college degree. Some of the Fathers worked second shift and could not answer the phone right after school or come in to talk to me easily. But every single one of those Dads made it a point that I heard from them. Each one, in my mind, was making a HUGE, important, positive difference in their child's life. Shoot, they made a big difference in my life making it much easier and less stressful. Seriously, there was plenty of stress to go around with the other students who had no Father around to find.
In past years I have not had this many Fathers present or at least as vocal. Many of those classes were not as "good." The trend I am noticing continues to hold true year in and year out. Present Fathers lead to better lives for their kids (from the point of view of their teacher anyway). I have another post coming soon about the devaluing of teachers, but I think one way to help us and value us as professionals is to vigilantly campaign for Fathers to play major roles in their kids lives and educations. Those of us who are Fathers need to be vigilant in the job we do with our children every minute of every day and our role in their education. According to Fatherhood Institute, "One high quality study demonstrated that a father’s interest in his child’s education is one of the most important factors governing the qualifications he or she will grow up to have in adult life – more important than family background, the child’s individual personality, or poverty." (http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/index.php?id=12&cID=583) There are so many factors that play a role in students' success, but Fathers are at the top of the list.
My principal has a quote posted in the mail room that says the single most important factor in student achievement is the teacher. I can't disagree with this and I know she is coming from a good place, but the more I think about it, the more I think that the Father may be just as critical.
Regardless of any of these factors, questions and observations, one thing continues to hold steadfast. The stress I endure, the quality of life I live for the period of each individual school year can be correlated to the presence of Fathers in the lives of my students. I have become a firm believer in the importance of Dads.
I am not the only one in this school of thought. According to Fatherhood Institute, "A recent systematic review of studies....found ‘positive’ father involvement associated with a range of desirable outcomes for children and young people." (http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org) This is from an article describing studies that have proven my point. Here they list the findings of a Father's presence.
By no means do I mean to diminish the importance of Mothers. I would like to think it goes without saying that Mothers are the most important factor in a person's life. Women in general are the foundation of our civilization and well being as well as the success of our society as a whole in my mind.
While in some cases Dads are playing more influential roles in their children's lives these days, it's not happening everywhere. In the area where I teach there are often absentee fathers. I won't hold any punches here, there are just flat out, 100% irresponsible boys making babies and hauling out of dodge leaving the woman in a precarious position.
Having spent a decade teaching in an urban setting, I would like to draw upon my personal experience here. I assume there are the same types of Fathers in suburban and rural areas as well. Also, there are other ways Fathers can be absentee to their children. Coming home from work and heading straight to the couch as they crack open their beer and watch the game every night doesn't make you much better. Yes, you may provide for your family, but these days call for more. Picking your kids up on your visitation weekends and taking them to Gameworks, filling their pockets with tokens while you sit at the bar doesn't count either. Sending in a child support check each week isn't enough either.
I can't sit here and judge every Dad out there. I understand some men can only do so much with what they have. There is usually more to a story than what you see on the surface. So let me return to my original objective here and focus on my classroom and my students from my experience.
Last year's crop of fourth graders may have been one of my better classes. My growing bitterness towards teaching wasn't indicative on how I enjoyed 95% of those kids. Overall, this group had more confidence, displayed more positive social skills, had better attitudes and behaved better than other classes in the past. This class also had more Fathers attend parent teacher conferences, call me with questions, show up to pick up their children, follow up on concerns I mentioned, and were referred to by their children or Mothers as a source or option in case I needed one. I highly doubt this is a coincidence.
Not every Father who came in was wearing a suit. Most did not. Not every Father spoke articulately and came in with a college degree. Some of the Fathers worked second shift and could not answer the phone right after school or come in to talk to me easily. But every single one of those Dads made it a point that I heard from them. Each one, in my mind, was making a HUGE, important, positive difference in their child's life. Shoot, they made a big difference in my life making it much easier and less stressful. Seriously, there was plenty of stress to go around with the other students who had no Father around to find.
In past years I have not had this many Fathers present or at least as vocal. Many of those classes were not as "good." The trend I am noticing continues to hold true year in and year out. Present Fathers lead to better lives for their kids (from the point of view of their teacher anyway). I have another post coming soon about the devaluing of teachers, but I think one way to help us and value us as professionals is to vigilantly campaign for Fathers to play major roles in their kids lives and educations. Those of us who are Fathers need to be vigilant in the job we do with our children every minute of every day and our role in their education. According to Fatherhood Institute, "One high quality study demonstrated that a father’s interest in his child’s education is one of the most important factors governing the qualifications he or she will grow up to have in adult life – more important than family background, the child’s individual personality, or poverty." (http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/index.php?id=12&cID=583) There are so many factors that play a role in students' success, but Fathers are at the top of the list.
My principal has a quote posted in the mail room that says the single most important factor in student achievement is the teacher. I can't disagree with this and I know she is coming from a good place, but the more I think about it, the more I think that the Father may be just as critical.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
When Is It Enough?
Today I observed a tendency in my daughter's handwriting. As we practiced writing letters at the kitchen table, she would change her hand. I am not a father that prefers her use of one hand over the other. I want her to use the hand that is best. So I have not pushed her to use one over the other to allow her to develop her own preference. But I now wonder if she needs to commit to one. She already deals with a significant cognitive impairment and I want to help her do what is best to compensate for it as much as she will be able to.
So I just sat back and observed her writing. I soon picked up on a pattern. It seemed that she consistently made the same errors with one hand but not the other. For instance, when using her right hand she would draw the letter C backwards. When she used her left hand, she would draw the same letter C correctly. She was consistent with this as she repeated the same mistake with her right and repeatedly wrote it correctly with her left. Also, with other letters that required the same direction as C like the letter G, she made the same errors....EXACTLY.
When it came to a letter with the OPPOSITE motion like a D, B, P or R she would be able to write correctly with the OPPOSITE hand. And consistent with the first letters mentioned, she made the same backwards errors, with the other hand. So with D, B, P and R she would write correctly with her RIGHT hand and backwards with her left hand. The opposite of the opposite letters.
Clear as mud? Or do you get my pattern here?
What does this mean? Anything? Honestly, I feel it means something. It may be something we already know, but it may be a clue. I was quite excited that I discovered this. So excited my head was spinning and I couldn't think straight to reflect on what it meant.
Unfortunately, I was soon brought back down to earth as I realized it probably doesn't mean anything. And I found myself back in the old discussion about when is enough enough with my battle to find "answers" for my daughter's condition. At what point do I just accept her for who she is and quit trying to find out how or why things are the way they are. There is probably no cure. I may never know exactly why it has happened. I am draining the pond dry to find these answers and some point I have to realize it is out of my hands. So these "clues" mean very little other than the fact that she has a neurological condition and her brain is not developed the way it needs to be. This is stuff I already know.
So what should I do? Do I continue my M.O. and seek answers or information about this pattern? If so, where do I look and who do I ask and what do I ask? This is what I want to do. I was told when my precious daughter was only hours old that I was her advocate. I was and am her voice and I need to look out for what is in her best interest until she can do so on her own. I clearly recall standing in the hallway with my dad looking through the window of the nursery at her feeling like I had know her all my life. I remember the feeling of helplessness and how fragile she was. It was very apparent to me how important my role was to this little, beautiful person. At that time I had no idea exactly how I was going advocate for her. I had no idea the "battle" I was in for. I didn't realize how alone I would feel in this "fight" sometimes. But I did know I had to look out for her and I have never let go of that.
This is why I have taken her to see geneticists, developmental disorder experts, MRDD services, neurologists and other specialists. She has taken what seems like every test known to man. I have read articles and asked people questions. I have joined website forums and tapped the special education expertise of my wife. I have brainstormed numerous possible causes and asked doctors. I have changed neurologists so I could understand the language they speak. I have asked friends who are doctors themselves and pharmacists about other possibilities and the drugs we have had to use. And I feel like all of this is not enough.
Am I not accepting my daughter for my daughter? Am I trying to make her something she is not? Am I unable to handle that she is not as normal as her peers and therefore, trying to make up for it in this way?
In my heart I know I love her and do this because I want what is best for her. I know I would not love her more if she was on the same level as her peers. I don't love her any less. I worry she won't be able to live a normal life. I fear she will be called retarded and made fun of. Honestly, it would not be bad if she gets made fun of because every kid needs to deal with that but I don't like the idea of her being sad. That kills me.
So when am I crossing the line of advocating for my girl and trying to make up for some sort of feeling of inadequacy?
So I just sat back and observed her writing. I soon picked up on a pattern. It seemed that she consistently made the same errors with one hand but not the other. For instance, when using her right hand she would draw the letter C backwards. When she used her left hand, she would draw the same letter C correctly. She was consistent with this as she repeated the same mistake with her right and repeatedly wrote it correctly with her left. Also, with other letters that required the same direction as C like the letter G, she made the same errors....EXACTLY.
When it came to a letter with the OPPOSITE motion like a D, B, P or R she would be able to write correctly with the OPPOSITE hand. And consistent with the first letters mentioned, she made the same backwards errors, with the other hand. So with D, B, P and R she would write correctly with her RIGHT hand and backwards with her left hand. The opposite of the opposite letters.
Clear as mud? Or do you get my pattern here?
What does this mean? Anything? Honestly, I feel it means something. It may be something we already know, but it may be a clue. I was quite excited that I discovered this. So excited my head was spinning and I couldn't think straight to reflect on what it meant.
Unfortunately, I was soon brought back down to earth as I realized it probably doesn't mean anything. And I found myself back in the old discussion about when is enough enough with my battle to find "answers" for my daughter's condition. At what point do I just accept her for who she is and quit trying to find out how or why things are the way they are. There is probably no cure. I may never know exactly why it has happened. I am draining the pond dry to find these answers and some point I have to realize it is out of my hands. So these "clues" mean very little other than the fact that she has a neurological condition and her brain is not developed the way it needs to be. This is stuff I already know.
So what should I do? Do I continue my M.O. and seek answers or information about this pattern? If so, where do I look and who do I ask and what do I ask? This is what I want to do. I was told when my precious daughter was only hours old that I was her advocate. I was and am her voice and I need to look out for what is in her best interest until she can do so on her own. I clearly recall standing in the hallway with my dad looking through the window of the nursery at her feeling like I had know her all my life. I remember the feeling of helplessness and how fragile she was. It was very apparent to me how important my role was to this little, beautiful person. At that time I had no idea exactly how I was going advocate for her. I had no idea the "battle" I was in for. I didn't realize how alone I would feel in this "fight" sometimes. But I did know I had to look out for her and I have never let go of that.
This is why I have taken her to see geneticists, developmental disorder experts, MRDD services, neurologists and other specialists. She has taken what seems like every test known to man. I have read articles and asked people questions. I have joined website forums and tapped the special education expertise of my wife. I have brainstormed numerous possible causes and asked doctors. I have changed neurologists so I could understand the language they speak. I have asked friends who are doctors themselves and pharmacists about other possibilities and the drugs we have had to use. And I feel like all of this is not enough.
Am I not accepting my daughter for my daughter? Am I trying to make her something she is not? Am I unable to handle that she is not as normal as her peers and therefore, trying to make up for it in this way?
In my heart I know I love her and do this because I want what is best for her. I know I would not love her more if she was on the same level as her peers. I don't love her any less. I worry she won't be able to live a normal life. I fear she will be called retarded and made fun of. Honestly, it would not be bad if she gets made fun of because every kid needs to deal with that but I don't like the idea of her being sad. That kills me.
So when am I crossing the line of advocating for my girl and trying to make up for some sort of feeling of inadequacy?
Friday, August 8, 2008
Life After LeBron
I love LeBron James. I think and know he is the one chance our Cavs have at getting a NBA championship in Cleveland. I really want him in Cleveland for his whole career. I do NOT want him to leave for Europe, New Jersey or Manhattan. I will be devastated when he does.
With that said I now want to talk myself and the rest of Cavs nation off the ledge. We are being held hostage by one man. Our team, our owner, our GM, our fan base, our city are being held hostage by this King. We will continue to be hostages to him and his wishes for two more seasons. This one guy who is holding us hostage hasn't won an NBA championship. (I know, I know bear with me) Several teams have won NBA championships since he has been in the NBA without him. It can be done.
Yes, Cleveland....NBA championships CAN be won without LeBron James.
Now, don't take me for an idiot. It took a Dwayne Wade. Shaquille O'Neal. Tim Duncan. Kobe Bryant. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. So you need a or two superstars to do it and Cleveland has none beyond Mr. James. I get that.
But I am getting sick of allowing this man (a man who I truly enjoy watching and do not have any other problem with) hold me hostage like this! Gilbert has a big pocket. Contrary top popular belief Ferry knows what he is doing (see drafting Gibson. Trading nothing for Flip Murray. Getting Gooden and Andy for garbage when Boozer screwed us over. And he can't be blamed that a top tier FA Larry Hughes didn't live up to his billing). They may need to go out and get Wade or Bosh or both when James leaves. They are FAs that year too. In order to win the finals, it would take both with the roster we are looking at now, but why not?
James will leave. But we will still have basketball. Most importantly and my point of this post: Once the Browns are relevant again, who gives a damn about LeBron freaking James?! Shoot, the fumes of a playoff Cleveland Browns season alone can carry me to the draft in April and then training camp in the summer.
My first and most passionate love is the Browns. The Cavs and Indians are just filler until football starts. I mean really. I am not alone in this. So I am done letting LeBron hold me hostage. I will root to the bottom of my deepest basin for him and my Cavs, but I am not going to allow myself to care about his future here anymore. Whatever happens, happens now. I will still root for the Cavs 2011 and on with or without Mr. James.
I just need those men in orange helmets playing a bit north on E. 9th Ave to remain competitive and I'm good. A Tribe run in the steamy summer is icing on the cake!
(If Braylon could just figure out how to consistently catch the balls that hit him in the numbers...but I guess he is a Wolverine. We can only expect so much)
With that said I now want to talk myself and the rest of Cavs nation off the ledge. We are being held hostage by one man. Our team, our owner, our GM, our fan base, our city are being held hostage by this King. We will continue to be hostages to him and his wishes for two more seasons. This one guy who is holding us hostage hasn't won an NBA championship. (I know, I know bear with me) Several teams have won NBA championships since he has been in the NBA without him. It can be done.
Yes, Cleveland....NBA championships CAN be won without LeBron James.
Now, don't take me for an idiot. It took a Dwayne Wade. Shaquille O'Neal. Tim Duncan. Kobe Bryant. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. So you need a or two superstars to do it and Cleveland has none beyond Mr. James. I get that.
But I am getting sick of allowing this man (a man who I truly enjoy watching and do not have any other problem with) hold me hostage like this! Gilbert has a big pocket. Contrary top popular belief Ferry knows what he is doing (see drafting Gibson. Trading nothing for Flip Murray. Getting Gooden and Andy for garbage when Boozer screwed us over. And he can't be blamed that a top tier FA Larry Hughes didn't live up to his billing). They may need to go out and get Wade or Bosh or both when James leaves. They are FAs that year too. In order to win the finals, it would take both with the roster we are looking at now, but why not?
James will leave. But we will still have basketball. Most importantly and my point of this post: Once the Browns are relevant again, who gives a damn about LeBron freaking James?! Shoot, the fumes of a playoff Cleveland Browns season alone can carry me to the draft in April and then training camp in the summer.
My first and most passionate love is the Browns. The Cavs and Indians are just filler until football starts. I mean really. I am not alone in this. So I am done letting LeBron hold me hostage. I will root to the bottom of my deepest basin for him and my Cavs, but I am not going to allow myself to care about his future here anymore. Whatever happens, happens now. I will still root for the Cavs 2011 and on with or without Mr. James.
I just need those men in orange helmets playing a bit north on E. 9th Ave to remain competitive and I'm good. A Tribe run in the steamy summer is icing on the cake!
(If Braylon could just figure out how to consistently catch the balls that hit him in the numbers...but I guess he is a Wolverine. We can only expect so much)
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Long Overdue
For Father's Day back in June, I wrote a blogpost dedicated to my Father. A month before that, Mother's Day came and went with no fanfare on my blog. Then, as if an intentional slap in the face, her birthday came and went at the end of the month of June with, again, no fanfare. So today I write a belated post dedicated to my mom.
First off, I should make it public that my mother is the most intelligent woman I know. She is very schooled in religious theology (two degrees and an ordained minister) and never pushes her religious views on anyone in the way so many other theological scholars who I have crossed paths with have in the past. Nine years of Catholic schools impose a good bit of Christian, Biblical propaganda on a child. So I have a lot of respect for what she says even as I drift away from Christianity.
I am not the only one who has such high regard for her knowledge. Every time I would visit her church I would be inundated with people showering her with praise. Her effect on the parishioners (is that a Catholic word or does it fit here?) was positive, impacting and broad. That was always very obvious. Just the other day I heard she has quite a following on the Internet with her writings. It is to the point that she is overwhelmed by the response.
This leads me to the next point. I have to give her credit for leading me into education as a profession. To be more specific, education in the city. I never intended to teach because I felt it was an easy job. I didn't pick the career to have summers off, although I am a huge fan of that aspect. I never planned to teach in the suburbs, although now they look awfully enticing. My original intention to go into teaching as opposed to business or journalism or broadcasting was because I wanted to make a true, important, positive difference. My mother was the one who suggested teaching as the most effective way to do this. Then she left it at that.
There is a lot of my mom in me. The urge to "save the world" is just one trait. Even my passionate, intense allegiance to my teams and overreacting to the games come from her. One of my earliest memories of spectating sports is hearing my mom lose her mind over the Browns losing. She was terribly upset and ripped a poster to pieces over it. It may have been the Ahmad Rashad catch when he was with the Vikings in the early 80s. But I have this faint memory that it was against the Eagles so I am not sure. Maybe those were two separate events. But regardless, this same event was replicated several years later as my dad, brother and I returned home from John Carroll University where she was earning her Master's degree at the time, after hearing Micheal Jordan hit "The Shot" to begin a nightmarish string of playoff knockouts from the Bulls. My knee jerk response? Rip the Micheal Jordan poster my "girlfriend" gave to me into tiny pieces!?? Like mother, like son I suppose.
I find myself following in her footsteps with her passionate idealism as well. She has numerous causes she believes in like human rights regardless of color, ethnicity, social economic status, sexual preference, gender, religion and more. Although I may not go as far in her direction, I respect her stance on the use of Chief Wahoo on Cleveland Indian merchandise. That is one example of many. She will stand up for what she believes in and I admire her for that.
My mother is also very cognisant of her children's feelings and needs. She is quick to help almost to a fault. She has bailed me out of potential financial problems, she has come down to Columbus to support in times of need, she has put aside her own plans to help with her granddaughter, she has bent over backwards to create or provide enjoyable experiences in numerous different ways by donating dollars, time, references, babysitting, advice or ideas. She is a very giving, generous person. A perfect example is how she spent her birthday this year....with my family helping us through a time of need. She put us before herself.
My mom has had to deal with her own challenges in life and has been able to do so with such grace. Just like this blog, people pass her over by in favor of someone or something else. But she keeps on trucking. She provides a great example of how one proceeds through their life trying to do things the right way. I find myself trying very hard to do the next right thing and this comes from my mother.
She is very supportive of my endeavors and ideas like this blog for example. A dedicated reader, she is always so positive about everything I write and how I write it. This is consistent with how she is towards almost everything I do or say. Many times I feel as though it is over the top and I wonder when reality is going to kick in and I get her true point of view, but I suppose this is what makes her so good. If you are going to err on the side of something with your kids, why not err on the side of being too positive instead of too negative. Or not positive enough.
So mom......here's to you! Happy Mother's Day and Happy Birthday!
First off, I should make it public that my mother is the most intelligent woman I know. She is very schooled in religious theology (two degrees and an ordained minister) and never pushes her religious views on anyone in the way so many other theological scholars who I have crossed paths with have in the past. Nine years of Catholic schools impose a good bit of Christian, Biblical propaganda on a child. So I have a lot of respect for what she says even as I drift away from Christianity.
I am not the only one who has such high regard for her knowledge. Every time I would visit her church I would be inundated with people showering her with praise. Her effect on the parishioners (is that a Catholic word or does it fit here?) was positive, impacting and broad. That was always very obvious. Just the other day I heard she has quite a following on the Internet with her writings. It is to the point that she is overwhelmed by the response.
This leads me to the next point. I have to give her credit for leading me into education as a profession. To be more specific, education in the city. I never intended to teach because I felt it was an easy job. I didn't pick the career to have summers off, although I am a huge fan of that aspect. I never planned to teach in the suburbs, although now they look awfully enticing. My original intention to go into teaching as opposed to business or journalism or broadcasting was because I wanted to make a true, important, positive difference. My mother was the one who suggested teaching as the most effective way to do this. Then she left it at that.
There is a lot of my mom in me. The urge to "save the world" is just one trait. Even my passionate, intense allegiance to my teams and overreacting to the games come from her. One of my earliest memories of spectating sports is hearing my mom lose her mind over the Browns losing. She was terribly upset and ripped a poster to pieces over it. It may have been the Ahmad Rashad catch when he was with the Vikings in the early 80s. But I have this faint memory that it was against the Eagles so I am not sure. Maybe those were two separate events. But regardless, this same event was replicated several years later as my dad, brother and I returned home from John Carroll University where she was earning her Master's degree at the time, after hearing Micheal Jordan hit "The Shot" to begin a nightmarish string of playoff knockouts from the Bulls. My knee jerk response? Rip the Micheal Jordan poster my "girlfriend" gave to me into tiny pieces!?? Like mother, like son I suppose.
I find myself following in her footsteps with her passionate idealism as well. She has numerous causes she believes in like human rights regardless of color, ethnicity, social economic status, sexual preference, gender, religion and more. Although I may not go as far in her direction, I respect her stance on the use of Chief Wahoo on Cleveland Indian merchandise. That is one example of many. She will stand up for what she believes in and I admire her for that.
My mother is also very cognisant of her children's feelings and needs. She is quick to help almost to a fault. She has bailed me out of potential financial problems, she has come down to Columbus to support in times of need, she has put aside her own plans to help with her granddaughter, she has bent over backwards to create or provide enjoyable experiences in numerous different ways by donating dollars, time, references, babysitting, advice or ideas. She is a very giving, generous person. A perfect example is how she spent her birthday this year....with my family helping us through a time of need. She put us before herself.
My mom has had to deal with her own challenges in life and has been able to do so with such grace. Just like this blog, people pass her over by in favor of someone or something else. But she keeps on trucking. She provides a great example of how one proceeds through their life trying to do things the right way. I find myself trying very hard to do the next right thing and this comes from my mother.
She is very supportive of my endeavors and ideas like this blog for example. A dedicated reader, she is always so positive about everything I write and how I write it. This is consistent with how she is towards almost everything I do or say. Many times I feel as though it is over the top and I wonder when reality is going to kick in and I get her true point of view, but I suppose this is what makes her so good. If you are going to err on the side of something with your kids, why not err on the side of being too positive instead of too negative. Or not positive enough.
So mom......here's to you! Happy Mother's Day and Happy Birthday!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Another Posiblog
In honor of positive affirmations and some song I just heard on the radio by some group, here is a list of things I can do:
I can blog about stuff that has at least 5-10 people coming back to read more..,
I can maintain friendships for many years with numerous different people from numerous different backgrounds and numerous points of view often different than my own....
I can finally learn when to use lie and lay (and sometimes avoid saying it wrong too!).....
I can work in a high stress work environment for a decade....
I can break up fights and make enemies friends...
I can do the "hard" level of Sudoku....
I can solve logic puzzles...
I can get unmotivated children to learn...
I can develop a strategy to find equivalent fractions for adding and subtracting that works for my students on my own....
I can figure out how to find E.R.A for a pitcher without looking up an equation for it...
I can play two Christmas songs on the piano....
I can give you the starting shortstops for the Cleveland Indians dating back 23 seasons....
I can also do that with starting QBs for the Cleveland Browns....
I can give you the starting lineups for every pro Cleveland sports team (except the Gladiators but I could give you two of the starters)....
I can raise a happy daughter despite a health disorder and learning disability...
I can amaze a woman so much that she can't resist proposing to me....
I can grow grass where there once was an obsessed gardener's garden.....
I can help fix up a house in one summer....
I can apologize....
I can see two sides to a story or problem...
I can figure out how many miles my car got from the last tank of gas....
I can do math in my head...
I can honor my grandmother at her funeral....
I can stand by my wife after a horrible tragedy....
I can get a room full of unruly children to be "ruly".....
I can raise test scores....
I can impress parents enough to invite me to their son's high school graduation...
I can feel the pride that goes with seeing a former student get their diploma...
I can earn a Master's Degree....
I can back up people's claims that I am smart...
I can relate to people....
I can learn to say "Heck No!" to that 10th shot (or so) of Jim Beam....and then never do another one again....
I can be an advisor to friends and colleagues....
I can be patient....
I can change a diaper....
I can fix boo boo's with a kiss....
I can potty train a kid....
I can get a kid to take nasty medicine easily twice a day...
I can change for a woman who makes me better....
I can learn from my mistakes....
I can keep book at my softball games...
I can start a softball team....
I can play shortstop for a team that wins a championship (maybe could would fit better there)....
Believe it or not, I can hit inside the park home runs....yes with an s......
I can swallow my pride and hit singles even though "chicks dig the long ball."....
I can act like I know what a 42 cork ball is (That one's for you Chris).....
I can make it to the championship in fantasy football....
I can help make a couch that is too big fit through a hallway that is too skinny and then in an elevator that is too small in order to get it to the 7th floor of my brother's family's apartment.....
I can start and run several football and basketball pools of varying types and levels of seriousness....
I can hang out with the nerds and jocks....
I can organize weekly tackle football games for those of us not athletic enough to make the team.....
I can compete in intra-murals or city league sports....
I can make people laugh....
I can text message with the best of them....
I can maintain a discussion on existentialism and ethics with a graduate philosophy student...
I can impress two of the most intelligent people I know...(Charles and Kathryn- FIVE college degrees between them)
I can hit a three to the roar of a middle school crowd even though the over-competitive security guards never passed me the ball...
I can earn my nickname: Silent Storm. I may not say alot on the court but when I shoot: I make it rain....
I can earn my "Ghetto Card" (Thanks Joiner)....
I can hustle my way through a Spades game....
I can look good in certain pants my wife picks out...
I can score over 9000 points in "pop pies"...
I can appreciate numerous genres of music and entertainment...
I can read numerous topics with sincere interest...
I can keep 10 year olds on the edge of their seat in suspense by just reading them a book....
I can begin a line of 5 or more people who make a pilgrimage to Columbus to attend The Ohio State University....
I can initiate at least one year of Phantom Band....
I can coordinate a trip to Las Vegas with 13 guys from all across the country for a mutual friend.....
I can draft a fantasy football team....
I can write a 20 page paper on my philosophy of education in one night and ace it...
I can teach my child to say her "please" and "thanks yous" as well as her "sorrys"....
I can carry on a tradition of tire throwing to a new generation of 85...
I can contribute to the common good...
I can do much more....
(For the Record: The song I referred to is called "Handlebars" by a group called Flobots.)
I can blog about stuff that has at least 5-10 people coming back to read more..,
I can maintain friendships for many years with numerous different people from numerous different backgrounds and numerous points of view often different than my own....
I can finally learn when to use lie and lay (and sometimes avoid saying it wrong too!).....
I can work in a high stress work environment for a decade....
I can break up fights and make enemies friends...
I can do the "hard" level of Sudoku....
I can solve logic puzzles...
I can get unmotivated children to learn...
I can develop a strategy to find equivalent fractions for adding and subtracting that works for my students on my own....
I can figure out how to find E.R.A for a pitcher without looking up an equation for it...
I can play two Christmas songs on the piano....
I can give you the starting shortstops for the Cleveland Indians dating back 23 seasons....
I can also do that with starting QBs for the Cleveland Browns....
I can give you the starting lineups for every pro Cleveland sports team (except the Gladiators but I could give you two of the starters)....
I can raise a happy daughter despite a health disorder and learning disability...
I can amaze a woman so much that she can't resist proposing to me....
I can grow grass where there once was an obsessed gardener's garden.....
I can help fix up a house in one summer....
I can apologize....
I can see two sides to a story or problem...
I can figure out how many miles my car got from the last tank of gas....
I can do math in my head...
I can honor my grandmother at her funeral....
I can stand by my wife after a horrible tragedy....
I can get a room full of unruly children to be "ruly".....
I can raise test scores....
I can impress parents enough to invite me to their son's high school graduation...
I can feel the pride that goes with seeing a former student get their diploma...
I can earn a Master's Degree....
I can back up people's claims that I am smart...
I can relate to people....
I can learn to say "Heck No!" to that 10th shot (or so) of Jim Beam....and then never do another one again....
I can be an advisor to friends and colleagues....
I can be patient....
I can change a diaper....
I can fix boo boo's with a kiss....
I can potty train a kid....
I can get a kid to take nasty medicine easily twice a day...
I can change for a woman who makes me better....
I can learn from my mistakes....
I can keep book at my softball games...
I can start a softball team....
I can play shortstop for a team that wins a championship (maybe could would fit better there)....
Believe it or not, I can hit inside the park home runs....yes with an s......
I can swallow my pride and hit singles even though "chicks dig the long ball."....
I can act like I know what a 42 cork ball is (That one's for you Chris).....
I can make it to the championship in fantasy football....
I can help make a couch that is too big fit through a hallway that is too skinny and then in an elevator that is too small in order to get it to the 7th floor of my brother's family's apartment.....
I can start and run several football and basketball pools of varying types and levels of seriousness....
I can hang out with the nerds and jocks....
I can organize weekly tackle football games for those of us not athletic enough to make the team.....
I can compete in intra-murals or city league sports....
I can make people laugh....
I can text message with the best of them....
I can maintain a discussion on existentialism and ethics with a graduate philosophy student...
I can impress two of the most intelligent people I know...(Charles and Kathryn- FIVE college degrees between them)
I can hit a three to the roar of a middle school crowd even though the over-competitive security guards never passed me the ball...
I can earn my nickname: Silent Storm. I may not say alot on the court but when I shoot: I make it rain....
I can earn my "Ghetto Card" (Thanks Joiner)....
I can hustle my way through a Spades game....
I can look good in certain pants my wife picks out...
I can score over 9000 points in "pop pies"...
I can appreciate numerous genres of music and entertainment...
I can read numerous topics with sincere interest...
I can keep 10 year olds on the edge of their seat in suspense by just reading them a book....
I can begin a line of 5 or more people who make a pilgrimage to Columbus to attend The Ohio State University....
I can initiate at least one year of Phantom Band....
I can coordinate a trip to Las Vegas with 13 guys from all across the country for a mutual friend.....
I can draft a fantasy football team....
I can write a 20 page paper on my philosophy of education in one night and ace it...
I can teach my child to say her "please" and "thanks yous" as well as her "sorrys"....
I can carry on a tradition of tire throwing to a new generation of 85...
I can contribute to the common good...
I can do much more....
(For the Record: The song I referred to is called "Handlebars" by a group called Flobots.)
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