Welcome To Browns Nation Mads

I dressed my youngest in her Cleveland Browns onezie today since it is game day. This is a tradition she will become a part of as a member of my bloodline and lineage. While my oldest remains in a "tug-o-war" between me and her Bungle loyalist on her mother's side, my youngest will be pure.

They both will end up Steeler fans when they hit adolescence and feel the need to rebel against me realizing what will hit home the hardest. But that is another blog post for another day.

Today I get to enjoy the fresh indoctrination of the baby into Brownshood. It is not a joy. There is nothing pleasurable about it really. It is a burden and a job that requires much stamina, patience and intestinal fortitude.

Some call it tough love.

But she will not need to prove her loyalty to anybody. No one will question it when they realize she is a life member of the Cleveland Sports Fan club.

My child, there will be much heartache in your future. You will learn to enter every new season with much anticipation and excitement only to have it stolen from you within minutes of its genesis. Maybe it will be three penalties on the kickoff. Maybe it will be an ugly turnover on the first play from scrimmage after said kickoff. Maybe it will be injuries to several critical starters before the season begins. Maybe it will be a loss despite leading the game when the clock struck 0:00.

Sometimes you will experience moments of seemingly pleasurable excitement only to quickly vanish like a chair pulled from underneath you while you hit the ground to the laughter of everyone.

You will always be ridiculed and out casted by fans of other teams for everything and anything. When the trend is to put down fans for being too obnoxious or over-the-top, you and your fellow fans will be top of the list even though our behavior is no different than most other legions.

When the trend is to make fun of fans that follow teams that lose, once again, you, I and our fellow fans will be at the top of the list despite teams like the Bengals, Lions and Rams that are just as bad or worse.

When it becomes trendy to be loud and crazy for your team, you will be no where near the top of the list.

When it becomes trendy to list all of the dynasties that have existed, your Browns' dynasty in the 50s will be conveniently "irrelevant" and outdated while the Packers in the first two Super Bowls soon after will still be legit.

And when the one thing you and I can stake claim to, heartbreak, is the trend.....again, we will be somewhere on the bottom of the list behind the "lovable losers," Chicago Cubs and the Seattles and Arizonas of the world.

You won't be able to win for losing.

Your sister, cousins, uncle and I are used to it.

Come. Join us in our misery.

(or at least mine)

2009 Ohio State Buckeye Football Preview

I don't have a clue.

I guess many of the players I feel were overrated are gone. This new crop is highly touted but so was that former group.

I have nothing for you.

Should be a fun year with no expectations.

Political Thinking

"It is generally known that people tend to believe what they want to believe- even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary." ("What You Don't Know" LaBossiere, p. 18)

You don't agree?

Take an objective listen to just about any political conversation around you. It is dreadfully redundant. The liberals take their point of view disregarding anything to the right and the conservatives take their point of view disregarding anything to the left.

The current health care reform discussion, for lack of a better, more condescending term, is a specific example. The pro reformers will ignore the significance of the economic factors, while the anti-reformers will overlook the need to ethically change the current system.

"People even go so far as to downplay and ignore evidence against what they believe while modifying and even fabricating evidence to support their own view." (LaBossiere, p.18-19)

Take a listen to AM conservative talk radio and you'll see this point in less than ten minutes. The "birther" issue comes to mind.

I will not sit here and act like I am any different. I have been a culprit of this practice countless times. I won't act like I am above this or better than this. But there is a reason why I and even you are this way.

Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia made a discovery regarding the physiology behind this process which they revealed in 2006.

During the 2004 Presidential election between Democrat, John Kerry and Republican and incumbent, George W. Bush, they gathered 15 die hard Republicans and 15 die hard Democrats. They used a functional magnetic resonance imaging device to scan the brains of their voters while they were asked to assess statements made by both candidates. The statements provided were ones in which both candidates contradicted themselves. Each group was forgiving of their candidate of choice while being critical of their own. ("What Don't You Know?" LaBossiere, p. 19)

No surprise there, right?

They were using the same reasoning we expected from them, didn't they?

Well, the interesting part lies in the results of the brain scan. The results showed that the part of the brain associated with reasoning was inactive as they made their claims about the contradictions.

Instead, the part of the brain that was most active during their assessments of the candidates contradictions was the parts associated with emotional processing, conflict resolution and moral judgements.

In addition, "when a subject rendered the judgement they found emotionally comfortable (their candidate did not contradict themselves), the part of the brain associated with pleasure became active. ("What Don't You Know?" LaBossiere, p. 19)

In other words, nobody in the test examined the claims rationally. They instead "went through a mental process that rewarded them for believing the conclusion they wanted to believe." ("What Don't You Know?" LaBossiere, p. 19)

This practice breaks one of the basic elements of critical thinking. In order to think critically, you need to be objective, not subjective. Your emotions cannot play a role in your thinking. Claims need to be assessed on their own merit and not on the basis of one's feelings towards them or the source they come from.

Micheal LaBoissere goes on in his book, "What Don't You Know?" with more examples of this mental breakdown. Objectivity is critical in philosophy but it is also crucial in other aspects of life too. Objectivity is a requirement in fairness.

And right about now, many of you who don't like what this study shows are looking for holes to poke through it, reasons to deny it and refuse to accept while others who like these findings are ready to shout it from the rooftops.

Also, you are all probably thinking, "I knew it! Those damned (fill in the opposite side of the political spectrum from you) are a bunch of hypocrites." And you are right.

But stop for a second and realize they are saying that about you....and they are right too!



(Quotes taken from: "What Don't You Know" by Micheal LaBoissere. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2008)

Letter To Those Against Healthcare Reform

This was written to a healthcare opponent in an effort to explain the argument for reform. I found it to be moving and well written. Since I know both parties involved, I thought I should share it with those who read my blog.

These are not necessarily the views held by me, but......well, screw it! This is pretty much in line with my thinking. I do have several questions regarding details of the proposed plans but I refuse to let these healthcare companies and the Republican politicians who they have in their pockets scare me away with their propaganda.

Here is the piece:

How do we protect and respect the right to life if we let the sickest and most vulnerable (the poor) among us die or receive lesser care or put them (and middle class people as well) into more debt or into the emergency room in the middle of the night for non-emergency care?

Those of us who were privileged enough to grow up with food, shelter, safety and health care (long before we could "earn" it ourselves) should hesitate before we make sweeping statements about the constitutional rights - let alone the human rights - of others. Such rights should never be denied to those in need by those in a place of comfort. (Those of us who claim to follow Jesus should be ESPECIALLY hesitant to do so.)

Human rights aren't spelled out in the constitution, but our understanding of them has grown since a bunch of white propertied men decided that a slave wasn't a person (okay, maybe 3/5 of a person) and women did not have a right to vote.

The people who want to reform health care truly want to make sure it's accessible to all (who are you going to turn down?). Many have family members who can't get the tests they need because they have a serious pre-existing condition that makes them uninsurable. Think of that.

I guess I have a right to those tests and they don't? I don't think so.

Do old people have a right to be supported? it's not in the constitution, but we have Social Security, thank goodness - a government-run program about which ignorant Americans are saying, "Keep the government's hands off my Social Security!" (read Medicare, etc.)

If the government is so bad at doing things, let's get it out of the business of declaring war and supporting an obscene bloated arms industry. Where's the human rights in that? (and what would Jesus say?)

I bring up Jesus even though I believe in the separation of church and state, because so many people who are yelling against health care reform (which is indeed degenerating into health insurance reform) - and they are indeed yelling, in an ugly and cold-hearted way - claim to be Christians. My, my.

I know you're in a field where you want to help people have better mental health. I hope you are moved to such depths of compassion that you will seek the good of all of God's children, not just the ones who can afford the services available in our supposedly advanced country, but ALL of God's children.

And I hope you will want to share out of the great abundance in which you have always lived so that others will have what they need.

I hope the resources will be allocated so that those who need your services will be able to get them, and that you won't have to work for nothing. That wouldn't be fair.

I was very conservative at your age and have moved to the left as I've witnessed the kind of suffering I was shielded against as I grew up.

What's that thing that someone said - when you're young, if you're liberal, you need to grow your mind, but if you're conservative, you need to grow your heart. I wish conservatives - both young and old -had as much sympathy and compassion for sick children, adults, elderly, etc., as they do for zygotes.

By the way, as much as I am in awe of conception and birth, I'm appalled at the way right-wingers go immediately to the abortion question (demonizing everyone who doesn't agree with them, just as the opposite side demonizes them) in every conversation.

Finally, I wish all conservatives would have spent the first year of Obama's valiant effort to salvage our economy, our morals, our stature in the world, and our integrity (not to mention our safety) by cooperating with these efforts.

Conservatives LOVE to talk about patriotism, for example, in a sentimental or militaristic way. How about getting down to basics, and considering taxes an exercise in responsible citizenship? Greed has grasped the Republicans, and they (my former party) stir up irrational opposition to things like health care reform - because they're in the pockets of the insurance industry, which is spending a million dollars a day to disrupt our national discourse.

Should we trust the party that took us into an immoral, unnecessary, poorly executed (to the point of criminality), and expensive war? I don't think so. I wish we could have a bipartisan, cooperative effort here. But I don't think the party of Gingrich/Palin (shame on them) will let that happen.

Just a few thoughts from one who is sick and tired of this debate.

For the record, I am not keen on diminishing our arms. I would like to have them just in case (hands and fingers too for that matter). Even though we are the only country to actually drop a nuclear bomb...

Fake QB Controversey

When can we just name Brady Quinn the starting QB and be done with this foolishness?

I have no idea what Quinn has done wrong in his life to deserve this unwarranted disrespect. He got his butt beat down at Notre Dame and still managed to lead them to decent performances. Although I would question the validity of their appearances in BCS Bowl games, he managed to get them there unlike the QBs after him. He was stuck behind a mediocre at best offensive line and sorry defense.

But you never heard him complain.

He showed up at New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony as the "over hyped, undeserving" candidate that everyone who wasn't Catholic (unless they were a Buckeye fan too) rooted against and not only lost to Troy Smith but came in third.

But he didn't complain.

He showed up to the NFL Draft with much pomp and circumstance only to be the 2007version of Aaron Rodgers. He even left the view of cameras to avoid the embarrassment of dropping so far in the draft.

When he was finally picked, he never complained.

Then, as the 2007 season unfolded Derek Anderson took the stage as the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback and dazzled fans leading them to a 10-5 record under his helm despite numerous weaknesses that were covered by amazing catches by Braylon Edwards and defenses still trying to adjust to his scouting report.

But from the bench, Brady Quinn still didn't complain.

Anderson showed some glaring issues through the second half of 2007 and all of 2008 until he was injured. He could throw the deep ball and had plenty of strength for the out patterns but his touch was nonexistent underneath.

With minimal opportunities to contribute and demonstrate his skill, Quinn couldn't establish himself.

But, still, he never complained.

He has said all the right things. He has worked his butt off. When he has had chances, he has shown he can perform. In his first start against Denver in 2008, he went 23-35 for 239 yards and 2 TDs. He threw 0 interceptions. He then led the Browns to a victory over Buffalo the next week before getting hurt in Week 12 against Houston.

A new coaching regime has entered Cleveland, and still, Brady Quinn finds himself in a position in which he has to prove himself. It is like Groundhog Day for this guy.

So we watch him throw accurate pass after accurate pass. He demonstrates composure in the pocket. He leads the team in numerous drives. He takes control of the offense. He watches Derek Anderson throw bad pass after bad pass in scrimmages and preseason games. There is no improvement or learning curve in Derek Anderson's game whatsoever.

Yet, he still can't hear his coach just say, "You are the QB. Go get 'em."

But he doesn't complain.

So what is it going to take, Coach Mangini? How long are you going to play this Bill Belichick game of hide and seek with him and us fans? We've seen it before with Romeo Crennel and let me say, it didn't work. You aren't fooling anyone but yourself and your team.

I'm getting tired of this run around. I am tired of watching Anderson stink and still hear there is some sort of "battle" for the the number one spot. Just name the starting QB and move on.

It is Brady Quinn. Quit dragging this guy around like this. Even if he crashes and burns, he won't be any worse than DA.

If we are going to lose, at least lose with the guy we drafted for this position so I, and many other fans in his camp can shut up and turn the page, ready to start all over......again.

Quick Thinking

I have mentioned this before but I thought I would quickly repeat it before I go to bed tonight.

When I think of smart people I know, I realize there is something they have in common. This thing is the admission of their ignorance. They realize how little they know despite the obvious fact that they are really intelligent.

So one could hypothesize that intelligence is the realization of one's ignorance. Or that being smart demonstrates to one's self how "unsmart" they are.

When you realize how little you really know, you finally begin to become truthfully smart or intelligent. People who think they know everything or close to everything, really are the dumb, ignorant ones.

These are thoughts in my head and I am curious what others think about it.

This Is Why I'm Awesome

I began last school year with a challenging group of students. The testing I administered in the beginning of the year showed that 0 students were reading at or above proficiency. Zero as in none. Nobody.

Our grade level ended the previous school year with 46% of the students reading at or above proficiency. That number is abysmal but it looks awfully large when compared to 0.

The government, through No Child Left Behind, has set particular standards for schools and their districts to meet in order to be deemed successful. As I have written a number of times in this blog, my school is one of the low performing schools. We need to make significant increases every year or risk a number of changes.

It is a long, complicated set of standards and criteria that I am not looking to detail right now. But it is important to understand the general idea that I have certain numbers I need to reach each year to contribute to this gain as a grade level, school and district.

0 students reading proficiently is a low, discouraging starting point. I walked out of numerous grade level meetings dragging my heart and soul behind me on the ground. Each meeting I stared at a score sheet drowning in red ink. My roster had circled names, question marks and arrows pointing in the wrong direction littered through the list. My colleagues were there looking at it too.

"Mr. Huey, what are you going to do to fix this?" I would hear on the verge of panic. Then I had to look to my colleagues for help. It was humiliating to sit there and depend on the services and assistance of others to do my job.

"What is my plan?"

"What research based strategies do I plan to implement in order to improve my scores?"

"What's my relevance and rigor?"

"Problem of practice."

"Differentiated learning"

"Small group...blah blah blah BLAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Meanwhile, the kids looked as though they could have cared less. I was busy putting out fire after fire hoping some of them were paying enough attention to get something out of the lessons.

Today I met with the staff to prepare for the upcoming school year. We received raw test results from the Ohio Achievement Test. My colleague put his spreadsheet fetish to work and graphed the scores of each of our classes from the past school year.

My grade level improved our percentage of students who passed the Reading OAT from 46% in 2008 to 59% in 2009. When you look at the same classes scores from 3rd grade, we improved that group's percentage of passers from 42% in 2008 to 59% in 2009.

What about my class with the ZERO proficient readers?

More than 55% of my class ended the year reading proficiently or above. I caught up with the other classes. My class had the most students improve more than a whole grade level in our reading program. This means one could say they grew academically more than a years worth in a school year.

How did I do this you might ask? I put on my hard hat, grabbed my lunch pail and went to work.

Believe it or not, it was not with any more assistance than we normally give each other. After we left the meetings, the three of us would meet together and discuss what we were planning and how things were working and agreed to keep doing what we were doing.

The three of us have worked together in the same grade level for 8 years now. We all know how we tick. We know our strengths and weaknesses, comfort zones and anxious areas. We have consistently shown increases in test scores. When I arrived less than 20% of our students were passing the reading standardized tests at that time. We are the only grade level that can say that.

So when it came down to it, it was me in that classroom with those students making it happen.

I tore up the plan so to speak and I pulled out what mattered most and did it my way. I picked out all the components that actually involved the students reading texts. The more varied the texts, the better. We didn't just do fiction everyday.

Their fluency was horrible. So we worked on fluency directly.

Their comprehension was awful. So I pounded them over the head with extended response questions which required them to write out answers. Everyday they had to answer these questions until they were blue in the face. They had to think the right way and then write the right way.

So I also modeled everything everyday. I modeled how to think when they read. I showed them how to do it over and over again. I read out loud to them so they had an example to follow and we discussed the book the way I think about books when I read. Then I showed them how I applied this thinking to the questions. Then they did it the same way.

I did much more, but these were the big things.

Bottom line...I kicked some ass last year. I'm much better at this than most people or tests scores may think.

Death Of The Game

So with the school year fast approaching and little action on my sports blog, I have officially ended it tonight. I will continue to write about sports topics since that is an area of interest for me on this blog. I will continue to export these posts to bleacherreport.com since I have a much larger audience through that site.

In the end, it is much easier for me to just simplify things and stay focused. If I have a sports related topic on my mind, I can still share it with everybody here and with interested sports fan over there.

Thank you.

R.I.P. Game Within The Game 2009-2009

Thoughts On A News Special About OCD

Tonight I watched a special on children with obsessive compulsive disorder. These poor children were battling paralyzing anxiety that lead to the disorder. One girl could not live at home and refused to allow her parents to touch her. Another teenage female couldn't attend school out of fear of her fellow students and how "dirty" they were.

A third young boy reminded me of my own daughter. He repeatedly asked his mother questions about how the day would be much like my daughter. She is obsesses with what we will eat each meal or where we are to go or what we are to do that day. This young man was desperately seeking comfort and security that he would be ok. It resembled my daughter's constant need to know what is going to happen or what we are going to eat. She seems to be seeking some sort of security or comfort. But even if you answer their questions, both my daughter and this boy would ask again.....and again and again. It doesn't seem to matter if it is an answer they like or not. They will need to hear it again later.

Many times we will return the question to my daughter testing if it is a memory issue, but she correctly recalls the answer. She inevitably asks again within 10 minutes. It can be very frustrating and wearing on our patience. I was able to relate the the parents of the boy featured on this show. They were brought to tears during the interview. Fortunately, I haven't been brought to that point with this particular issue, but I know it is not easy.

This brings me to two other thoughts as I reflect on this show. First, my own anxiety is only getting worse. My nightly ritual of checking the perimeter of the house is getting more elaborate. Not only do I need to check the locks, but I check every window and both my daughter's chests to make sure they are breathing. Many times I even poke my wife to make sure her heart is still beating. Parenthood has greatly increased my anxiety and worry.

Secondly, I think about my students and how I should handle things when they behave in these erratic ways. After watching this special I know I need to show much more compassion. I try to be strict and maintain high expectations and usually chalk up weird behavior as attention getting behavior more than a serious disorder. But what if the eccentric behavior is a sign of budding OCD?

I have been lucky to be surrounded by knowledgeable support staff throughout most of my career to ask these questions when I have run into it in the past, but if levies keep failing, I won't for long.