The Principal and Interest

Where should the Obama girls go to school?  Public or private?  As a proponent of public school education for children, the answer should be obvious to me. But, considering they are currently enrolled in a private school, maybe that is the better choice for the First Kids. 

 

I asked this question in a previous post, but instead of trying to answer it, I direct you to a post written on the Washingtonpost.com site.  Check out "A Crucial Decision" written by Jay Matthews.  It is a well-written study of the options for the President-elect's children. 

 

What would you do if you were Barack and Michelle?

 

Technorati Tags: Washingtonpost.com, Public Schools, Private Schools, Obama, Washington D.C. Schools

The day after the presidential election I wrote a post about the role education played in the campaign (actually, it really did not play a role.)  I wondered who will bring education back to its rightful place in the list of important topics that need to be dealt with by the new Obama Administration.  I wrote this final paragraph:

 

I ask these questions as an educator who passionately believes that education is the cornerstone of our democratic society.  We educators must be the force that moves teaching and learning back into its rightful place among the important issues of the day.  I hope President-elect Obama realizes this as well, and I hope he has what it takes to implement the changes he has promised.  I know I will be supporting him.

 

Maybe I found the person to help us organize our thoughts and the issues for the next administration to work with.  That person just might be David Warlick.  On his "2 Cents Worth" blog, David is asking for people to join his Big Ideas 4 Education project.  He proposes a 4-step process for listing, organizing, and prioritizing the most important education issues of the day. 

 

I encourage everyone who is reading this (all six or you) to add your "2 Cents" to this very  important discussion.  In the next few days, David will list, organize,and link all of our thoughts, and cull them down to twenty statements.  As David writes, this is...

 

...a chance for us to cast about ideas for priority actions that might be made by a newly forward-facing U.S. Education Department.

 

Click Here:  Big Ideas 4 Education

 

Technorati Tags: David Warlick, 2 Cents Worth, Big Ideas 4 Education

I came across a photo in the Chicago Tribune yesterday.  It shows Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, leaving their daughters' parent-teacher conference.  Wow, imagine being the classroom teacher for those girls! 

 

Speaking of the Obama daughters, I am looking forward to watching these two girls grow up in the White House.  I can think of two different "first kids" who lived in the White House.  They were Amy Carter and Chelsea Clinton.  For the most part, however, I don't have much memory of either of these two girls growing up in Washington, D.C..  Maybe it's because their parents did a good job protecting them or maybe I just wasn't paying attention at those points in my life (probably the latter).

So now I am paying attention.  The first question that comes to mind is whether these kids will attend public or private school.  Currently, they are attending The University of Chicago Lab Schools.  This is a private school.  Is the President of the United States obligated to show support for public education by sending his children to the local public schools?

Then I was wondering - How does one go about setting up a play date with an Obama girl? Imagine the following phone conversation:

Friend's Mom:  "Hi Michelle, should the girls play at our house or yours on Saturday?  Hmmm.  They may be a little safer by you, and you've got that bowling alley..." 

Mrs. Obama:  "You know, we are in the middle of redecorating, and Barack has a meeting with the Prime Minister of Portugal (do they have a PM?) that afternoon, so I am not sure if our house works on Saturday."

Friend's Mom:  "Oh, our house is fine if that is better for you.  Why don't you bring Sasha over around 11:00.  Oh, by the way, do the Secret Service guys eat macaroni and cheese?"

 

What about birthday parties?  Soccer car pools?  Will the President's bullet proof limo have one of those soccer magnets on the back and a fake ball-in the-cracked-glass thing stuck on the back window?

I hope the press will keep its distance so the first daughters will have the opportunity to continue leading a relatively normal childhood.  Barack and Michelle chose this way of life; the girls did not. 

Would you buy lemonade from their stand in front of the White House?  I sure would.

 

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Sasha Obama, Malia Obama, White House, First Family, Secret Service, macaroni and cheese, soccer, lemonade stands

 

(Cross posted on LeaderTalk)

 

In the 1972 movie "The Candidate," Robert Redford plays Bill McKay, a thirty-something Californian who couldn’t be further removed from politics. Despite being the son of former governor John J. McKay ( Played by Melvyn Douglas), Bill was never interested in politics and instead acts as a lawyer for liberal causes.  Yet, he is convinced by Marvin Lucas (played by Peter Boyle) and others to run for the U.S. Senate in a seemingly unwinnable race against a powerful incumbent senator.  Knowing full well that he will lose, McKay decides he can use this opportunity to speak to groups of people and spread his liberal values.  Well, he ends up winning the race. 

 

As the film nears the ending, McKay leaves the victory party, grabs Lucas, and pulls him aside.  In one of my very favorite movie lines of all time McKay looks at his campaign manager and asks: “Marvin ... What do we do now?”   He never receives an answer, and the movie ends.

Flash forward.  It is Wednesday, November 5, 2008. The day after what is arguably the most important election in United States history.  I sure hope that somewhere in Chicago, President-elect Obama is not looking at his people and asking the same question Bill McKay asked. Instead, I hope that he is saying, "Let's get started.  We have a l lot to do!"

 

The entire world is looking at Barack Obama. How can he possibly live up to the tremendous expectations that will be piled on him?  He is taking over a failed presidency.  The economy is spiraling downward, we are fighting two wars, too many people do not have adequate (if any) health care, banks are foreclosing on houses all over the country, Roe v. Wade is an emotional time bomb waiting to explode, and on and on.  Why would anyone want this job?

 

Interestingly, I did not include education in the above list.  I do not recall print, television or radio campaign ads that focused on education-related topics because education was not a major issue in this campaign. Yet, the new president will be faced with the reauthorization of NCLB. Will this issue, which is so important to the future of American education, stay buried underneath the issues du jour?  Who will push education to the front burner of American politics? 

 

I ask these questions as an educator who passionately believes that education is the cornerstone of our democratic society.  We educators must be the force that moves teaching and learning back into to its rightful place among the important issues of the day.  I hope President-elect Obama realizes this as well, and I hope he has what it takes to implement the changes he has promised.  I know I will be supporting him.

 

Technorati Tags: Barach Obama

The students took the voting very seriously, and I hope they are beginning to understand the voting process and why it is important to vote.  Here are the results of the primary election.  The top two charities will be on the ballot on Tuesday, November 4.

 

 

I have always believed that we should take advantage of the "teachable moments" that real life scenarios present to us, and the upcoming presidential election provides a perfect opportunity for us to teach about the importance of voting. We are very fortunate as Americans to live in a free, democratic society where every adult is allowed to vote.  Our responsibility is to teach that message to our children. Thus, the South Park staff agreed to conduct a school wide election this fall. 

 

Actually, deciding to hold a mock election with the students was a no-brainer.  The harder decision was to figure out what kind of election experience we wanted to provide for our students.  Did we want our students to vote for Obama or McCain?  Well, no.  They just aren't informed enough about the difficult issues facing America, and some of the issues are not appropriate for young children.  Plus, they would basically just vote the way their parents will be voting, and what kind of lesson is that?

 

Once we decided that we would not make our election political in nature, we needed to agree on the "candidates."  We had two choices.  For both choices, we wanted to create an authentic experience for the students.  Option one would be to have a very simple election where the students would vote for their favorite color, sports team, food, or animal.  That might be interesting, but there would not be any critical thinking, problem solving, or meaningful decision making involved.

 

Option two was to take advantage of the wonderful philanthropic culture we have developed over the years at South Park.  Each year, we develop a "Helping Hands" project to assist others in need.  Last year, for example, we raised money for the Make-A-Wish foundation.    What if the students helped choose this year's recipient of the Helping Hands funds? 

 

The choice was obvious - Option two!

 

Of course, we could not give students a list of charities and ask them to make a wise choice without first presenting all of the facts.  That is where our fifth graders stepped in.  Each fifth grade class researched two different charities that benefit children.  Then, the fifth graders presented their findings to each of the classes in the school. 

 

Our goal was to make this election experience as authentic as possible.  To accomplish this, we included the following components.  First, each student completed a voter registration form which asked for specific information such as full name, address, and birth date.  Then, the fifth graders presented the eight charities to the students.  Today, we held the primary election.  The students voted for one charity they would like to see us support this spring during Helping Hands Day.  We used an electronic voting system which was way cool (See below), and our Student Council members worked the polling place!  We will take the top two charities, and they will become the finalists during the general election on November 4.

 

On Tuesday, November 4, we will hold the general election to choose this year's Helping Hands Charity.  Hopefully, the South Park students will be totally invested in the Helping Hands project because they played an important role in choosing the beneficiary of our philanthropic work.  Isn't that what elections should be about?  Having a voice; Making a difference?

 

One thing we are teaching the students is that the chosen charity is not the winner or the best charity, leaving the other seven as losers.  On the contrary, all eight charities are winners because they do so much good for children.  We will spend a lot of time talking about this with the students.  All eight of the charities do exceptional work for children, and we wanted to use this forum as a way to highlight them all.  Below, you will find a link to each of the eight charities, along with pictures from today's primary. 

 

The primary results will be posted Wednesday, October 29.

 

Here are the eight worthy charities we studied (the links are active):

 

The Ryan York Foundation - This foundation was created in honor of Ryan Wesley York who suffered from cancer. The money that is raised helps families pay for medical bills and travel expenses.

 

The Hole in the Wall Camps - Hole in the Wall is a camp for children with medical problems and physical disabilities.

 

PJs for Kids - The Pajama Program provides new, warm pajamas and books to children in need in the United States and around the world.

 

Save the Children - Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in need in the United States and around the world - helping children and families help themselves.

 

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation – The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research.

 

 

 Children’s Miracle Network -  Dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children¹s hospitals across North America.  

 

 

Asthma and Allergy Foundation - AAFA is the only asthma and allergy patient organization that offers educational programs and tools for patients, caregivers, and health professionals.

 

 

Ronald McDonald House - Helps the healing process by keeping families together while their child receives treatment at nearby hospitals.

 

 

 

This is the electronic ballot each voter completed (only once!).

 

Here are some of our Student Council Election Judges.

 

The voters are checking in with the judges.  They each needed to show their official voter card.

 

         

Students voting.  They are sitting in individual voting booths for privacy.

 

 

The South Park staff members were encouraged to vote, too.

(Cross-posted on LeaderTalk.)

 

A few days ago, Scott McLeod, on his Dangerously Irrelevant blog, asked his readers to share what they think are the best designs for a computer lab.  As I was thinking about this and formulating a comment to write on this post, I received the Sept/Oct 2008 edition of Scholastic's "Administrator" Magazine.  Have you seen it yet?  The cover story is titled "One Laptop, One Child." After reading this article, I realized why I was having so much trouble formulating a new, better design for a computer lab.  I have come to believe that the best design is no design at all.  I would argue that we should be scrapping the traditional computer lab with 25 or 30 desktop machines that are networked to a couple of printers housed in one room in a school.  This has become an outdated use of our schools' very tight technology budgets. 

 

Why?  Because if our goal is to integrate technology into all aspects of the curriculum (well, that's my goal, anyway), then a computer lab that is shared by all of the classes in a school is not sufficient to accomplish that goal.  The typical use of a school's lab is for the teachers to sign up for a weekly time to bring their classes in to work on the computers. I am talking about elementary school teachers.  However, middle and high schools schedule students into computer classes in labs, and the same dicsonnect takes place.  When it is "computer time" the teachers will end a reading or math lesson, march the students to the lab, and assign some type of word processing or PowerPoint activity to accomplish during the 40 minute period.  Then, it's back to class to continue working on other lessons.  Effective, meaningful technology integration is much more difficult in this type of system.

 

Instead, we need to equip each classroom with a bank of six, eight, even ten or more laptop computers.  These machines would be available for students all day, every day, and teachers could plan lessons to include technology throughout the day.  Additionally, classrooms should be equipped with document cameras, LCD projectors, and interactive white boards.  This classroom-based technology will open up the classroom to the entire world, and instead of the standard teacher demonstration station, students will have much more hands-on experiences with technology.  They will be doing, not just watching how technology can be utilized for learning.

 

With a bank of laptops in a classroom, students can work independently or in groups on projects that connect them to others.  For example, imagine a literature circle discussion taking place among students in New York and San Diego via Skype.  Or, imagine a science experiment conducted with students in Chicago and Seattle.  How about a debate between students in Boston and London? Should they have thrown the tea overboard, or not?  Debate!  The students will learn more from each other than they would from their own classmates (and maybe from their teachers).  Sure, this can be accomplished in a computer lab on the other side of the school, but time would be the enemy, and the ability to extend the learning past 40 minutes would not exist.

 

Taking this a step further, imagine if every student had a laptop computer on his or her desk.  As Wayne D'orio argues in his Administrator article, a well-run 1:1 computing program is one where many more students have the "access to technology and use the tools in meaningful ways." This should be a goal for every school.

 

It is instilling the idea that teachers will no longer be the dominant information delivery for each class.  If a school goes 1:1 but the students use the computers only as a better way of taking notes, the whole experiment will fail.

D'orio goes on to explain that "If used correctly, computers in more hands can help speed schools along the path to 21st century learning."  Students need to collaborate with others throughout the day and week, similar to what their parents are doing in the world of work.

 

The first and most obvious criticism of 1:1 computing in schools is cost, and I would agree.  However, there are computers now on the market that cost less than $500 and would serve the needs of most elementary and middle school students.  HP has one.  So does ASUS.  So does MPC (this looks like a cool one for kids).  And more are coming on to the market.  There also is Thin Client software and products like the X300 Terminal from NComputing that create access terminals without bulky computers in classrooms.

 

One final point is that we need to allow students to bring in their own laptops for use in classrooms.  I can hear the school district IT people screaming at me for this one!  "There is no way we will let kids connect to our network.  It's not safe for the network or for them." To that, I say "let it go!"  Let the educators teach the students the correct way to use the network, go ahead and scan their machines for viruses, and purchase classroom management software that allows teachers control of the machines if necessary to push out lessons or block inappropriate material.

 

Of course, this may become a moot point when the next generation of smart cell phones takes over the computing world.  One cell phone, one child?  Picture that in your classrooms.

Technorati Tags: Asus, Hewlett Packard, MPCComputing, NComputing, One laptop one child, One to one computing, Scott McLeod, thin client

One of the bloggers I often read is Dr. Frank Buck.  Dr. Buck writes an outstanding blog called Get Organized! Time Management for School Leaders.  On this blog, Frank shares all kinds of advice and assistance for school administrators, and I have used the information from his posts numerous times.

Today, Dr. Buck listed what he believes are the Top Ten Web-Based Tools for educators.  I have used seven out of the 10 tools on this list, and I would agree that these are essential tools for any educator wanting to use the Web 2.0 in his or her classroom or school.  Interestingly, two out of the three remaining tools on the list (PhotoBucket & Animato) have parallel tools out there that are just as effective.  The last one (Jott) is new to me, so I will need to give it a look-see.

I would like to add to Frank's list with the following web tools that I just love to use (in no particular order).

• Google Notebook - This is another free Google product that is very handy.  Google notebook is a word processor that is online so you have access to it any whenever and wherever you have internet access.  I usually draft my blog posts here and then post the final copies into the blog.  Often, I will start a post on Google Notebook, and then let it percolate in my brain for a while.  I can go back to the post anytime and from any computer which eliminates the need for USB drives or disks (remember those little guys?).  This also has an automatic save feature which has saved me a number of times.
  
• Technorati.com - Technorati is a site that tracks blogs (over 118 milion to date).  If you need to find a blog on any topic, check this site.  I also suggest joining for free, and using Technorati tags for your blog posts.  This way, your posts will be linked to other posts with the same tags.
• BubbleShare - This is a very easy-to-use photo sharing site that you can use to embed pictures into your blog or web site.
• VoiceThread - This is a great site for creating slide shows and digital stories.  Add you pictures, write and record text, and throw in some graphics, and you will have a really neat little show.  Then, embed it in your blog or email it to a friend or relative. 
  
• Ustream - This is the next frontier for me.  On Ustream, you can stream your own videos, either live or previously recorded.  I am especially interested in streaming live video in the near future.  I would love to be able to stream school events like concerts and assemblies on my blog.  That way, those who are out of town or who can't make it to school can watch the show live over the Internet. I think this has huge potential.

I am sure there are more great sites out there for educators (or parents) that take advantage of the Web 2.0.  If you use others,please share!


Technorati Tags:  Frank Buck, Web 2.0. Google Notebook, Technorati, BubbleShare, VoiceThread, Ustream

I was "tagged" by Chris Lehmann, principal of the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia.  In his July 3 post on his Practical Theory blog, Chris wrote about his summer reading list.  I must admit, it is quite an impressive and ambitious list of books for one person to read in the course of a short summer.  Chris is asking me and seven other edubloggers to share our lists of summer reads. 

My list is much shorter than Chris's list.  It's not that I don't want to spend the entire summer reading, but I have been given quite an extensive "Honey-do" list of projects to complete over the summer!  A guy needs to put his priorities in order, right?  My goal is to read three professional books this summer and at least two novels.  Hey Chris, you have to give a little time for some quick reading, fun or suspenseful fiction this summer, don't you?

Professional Reads:

Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works by Howard Pitler, et al.  If you are a fan of Robert Marzano's incredibly powerful book Classroom Instruction that Works, then you should like this book as well.  The authors take Marzano's list of the nine most important instructional strategies that affect student achievement, and explain how technology can support and integrate these strategies.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck.  Dr. Dweck explains how our mindset shapes our goals, our attitudes toward work and relationships, and how we raise our kids.  Everyone has one of two basic mindsets:  a fixed or a growth mindset.  I am interested to learn more about my own mindset.

Schooling By Design by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. There is a good chance you have read Understanding By Design, the authors' acclaimed framework for curriculum, instruction, and assessment.  In this book, they present a compelling argument for using the same approach to effective school improvement.

Fiction:

Once Upon a Fastball by Bob Mitchell.  I am a huge baseball fan, and I enjoy reading history, so this is a perfect fit for me.  Mitchell incorporates baseball, history, poetry, family traditions, and noble values into his latest book.

Prince of Fire by Daniel Silva.  This will be my fifth book by Silva, all of which have centered around a character named Gabriel Allon who makes his living as an art restorer in Europe, but who also is a secret agent for the Israeli government.  He is tough and smart, and he is quite the man's man (if you know what I mean!).

Well, we're off to Michigan for the family vacation.  The books are packed, along with the sunscreen, beach towels, and a carload of other stuff, most of which we really don't need.  I just hope the weather cooperates.

 

Technorati Tags:   Chris Lehmann, Practical Theory, SLA, Marzano, Wiggins, McTigue, Dweck, Bob Mitchell, Daniel Silva

George Carlin is dead, and I am saddened by this news.  Not because he was some great humanitarian, or because he was an award winning actor.  No,  it's because George Carlin was one of the greatest commentators on life I have ever heard.  George Carlin was a genius.  His use of the English language was brilliant, and his wit and cynicism could not be matched.   Carlin commented on every topic imaginable.  Whether it was politics, religion, sex, war, race, the environment, sports, popular culture, or "dirty words," George Carlin made you think.  You may not agree with his viewpoints, but you certainly had to think about them. 

My first exposure to Carlin was when I heard his Class Clown album.  This was back in the mid-1970s, and I was just starting to form opinions about the world.  Maybe this was not the best way for a teenager to be introduced to the important and pressing topics of the day, but that was the era.  I must have listened to that album 1000 times, and each and every time I listened to it, I picked up something new, and I laughed anew.  Then, a few years later, I was lucky enough to see him live.  Whenever he was on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, I would tune in.  The same with Saturday Night Live (they are replaying his work on June 28) and other classic shows. 

I spent some time on YouTube yesterday night, watching Carlin in action.  I still laugh at his humor, and I still revel in his sarcasm.  I have posted a video that is one of his most clever bits below (it's also the only one I could find without any cursing - I do have some students reading this blog!)

 

Thanks for the laughs, George.

R.I.P.

Enjoy Carlin at his best!

 

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: George Carlin, Class Clown, Tonight Show, Johnny Carson, Comedians, SNL  

... I am not.  However, when the toilet breaks, it needs to be fixed, and fast.  Have you ever checked out the guts of a toilet tank?  It's pretty cool; simple engineering, yet so effective and efficient.  Until it stops working.  Then, you have three choices: 

 

1.  Call a plumber ($150 to walk in the door, $100 an hour to assess and fix the problem); 

 

2.  Call a good buddy who knows how to fix stuff (if you know one, and if he is available, and if you can deal with the shame of it); or

 

3.  Fix it yourself ($14.99 for the parts from True Value Hardware, an hour of your time - well, for me, three hours, a few "choice" words when the  wrench slips and you smash your knuckles on the ceramic tank, and the pride of accomplishing such an important task for the entire family).

 

Today, I chose door #3.

The guy at True Value made it sound so simple.  Do this, do that, loosen here, tighten there, and  flush  away.  I got home and jumped right in to the first project of the summer.  I unfolded the direction page, and to my surprise, there were many more steps than the guy at the store explained.  OK, I can do this.

At this point, you are probably thinking, "Here he goes, explaining what a mess he made of the bathroom until he finally gave up and called the plumber."  Well, if that was what you were thinking, you were WRONG!  I actually fixed the darn potty all by myself!  How?  One slow step at a time, that's how.

And after the tools were dried and put away, and after I wasted about 100 gallons of water testing it out (Sorry Mr. Gore, I didn't mean to be so wasteful), I sat down (on the couch, not on "the throne") and reflected on the whole experience .

I believe that I had unknowingly prepared myself for these kinds of projects back when I was a young boy of 9, 10, and 11 years old.  How?  By building toy models.  There was a span of about three years where I did a lot of model building with the kid next door.  He liked to build model cars, and I liked to build planes, ships, and tanks.


The point I am trying to make is that to successfully build a model, you need to learn how to read and follow directions very carefully.  You also need to force yourself to re-read portions over and over again until it makes sense before you put one drop of glue on a turret or a rudder.  These are extremely important reading skills that we teach to kids all year long.  The ability to read and follow explicit directions is a life-long skill that we all need to master.  I am proud to say that my days of building toy models have paid off every time I open a box and take out the written directions for assembling or installing some item.

So, when your kid's next birthday comes around, or maybe you don't need a reason, check out the nearest hobby store, or look online (Revell-Monogram is still making great model kits for kids) and buy your son or daughter a model plane, train, automobile, doll house, or dinosaur.  Get a little X-acto knife, some of that super-strong glue (I think they make it non-toxic these days), and some little jars of model paint, and build something together.  The key is to stick to the directions, take your time, and persevere.

In the long run, it is cheaper than calling the plumber, and less embarrassing than calling your buddy to fix it for you. 

It was the end of May, 1980.  It was our senior year of high school.  It was a day that will live in infamy (well not really) but it was a day that I will always remember.  On that memorable day in May, my best buddy, Ed, threw up all over the boys' bathroom - and he did it more than once. More about that later in this post, however.

This week, we are ending another school year, and the time has come for most schools to hold their annual Recognition Assemblies (aka Awards Assemblies).  This is the time when the entire school gathers in a stifling hot gym to celebrate the accomplishments of many, if not all, of the students over the course of the concluding school year.  This is no different at my school.  Tomorrow, we will assemble in our gym as I preside over the presentation of the award certificates for activities such as student council, instrumental music, 5th grade helpers, first grade readers (all of them get this!), Library helpers, art fair committee, and so on. 

I have always liked these yearly assemblies.  They signal the passing of the torch from one grade to another.  We end with the entire school applauding the out-going fifth graders as they march out of the gym, and then we recognize the fourth graders as the new leaders of the school.  This is a goose-bump raising moment for everyone, and the third graders will be chomping at the bit for their turn one year from now.

There is one award, however, that I refuse to recognize.  That is the "Perfect Attendance Award."  It sounds like a great way to encourage children to come to school, right?  It presumes that those students who attend school every day will learn more than those students who miss a few days throughout the year.  It makes all children want to come to school regardless of the teacher, the principal, the curriculum and instruction, the lunch menu, or the bus ride.  Well, I must disagree.

Today, I watched my daughter "graduate" from fifth grade.  As part of the official commencement ceremony, the principal used this opportunity to hand out some awards.  As I watched students stand and be honored for their outstanding academics and citizenship, for their musicianship, and for their athletic prowess, I had a sinking feeling that the big one was coming.  Then, with minutes to go, she did it.  The principal announced how proud she was of a select group of students who have not missed a day of school in the last year and in the last two years.  She even went so far as to praise them for coming to school when they were not feeling well.

Well that explains it.  That's why my daughter missed four days of school this year.  She got sick because she was exposed to the germs brought to school by the "perfect attendees."  Why?  Because the principal and the staff encouraged kids to come to school sick.  By handing out perfect attendance awards at the end of each school year, that is exactly what they are doing.  Then another thought struck me.  What about the poor child whose grandma died back in February?  He missed a couple days of school.  He did not receive the perfect attendance award.  I wonder how he felt when the PAs stood up to be recognized in front of the whole school, and he did not.

This brings me back to my buddy, Ed (yes, that is his real name.).  Ed NEVER missed a day of high school.  Throughout all four years, no matter what, Ed made it to school.  So when he started feeling a little bit queasy on that fateful day in May, there was no way he was going to be absent.  He went to school that day.  He threw up at least five times in the bathroom (thanks for making it to the bathroom, Ed!).  But Ed did not go home that day, and Ed did receive his perfect attendance award.  Of course, he infected 15 other students who missed school that week, but I am sure the award is still proudly hanging in his house somewhere.

The morale of the story:  Principals, please eliminate the Perfect Attendance Award in your schools.  Don't encourage your students to come to school sick, and don't punish those who miss school for sad and unfortunate reasons.  Plus, your custodians will thank you for it.

Baseball was like a religion in my house when I was growing up.  My dad and my grandfather made baseball the most important aspect of life (aside from modeling for me the importance of putting in an honest day's work).  My dad would tell wonderful stories of the great ballplayers of his day.  Men like Sandy Koufax, Hank Greenberg, Nellie Fox, Luke Appling, and Minnie Minoso - these men played the game like it was supposed to be played (according to my dad), and they were his true heroes.

But the man he most admired as a ballplayer was Ted Williams.  To this day, Dad still gushes about the kind of hitter Ted Williams was.  "You know, Dave, Ted could actually see the rotation of the seams on the baseball as it was pitched to him."  I think I have heard that story at least 50 times.  Ted Williams is arguably the best hitter in the history of baseball.  He was the last player to hit 400 for the season, he hit over 500 home runs (one of only 17 players to accomplish that), he was the 1939 rookie of the year, he was a two-time most valuable player, and he won the American League Triple Crown twice.  Enough said.

Ted Williams should be remembered as a true hero.  Not because of his incredible athletic accomplishments on the baseball diamond, but because of what he did off the field of play.  Right in the middle of his remarkable career, Ted left baseball to fight in World War II, and then a few years later, he left baseball again to fight in the Korean War.  For both tours of duty Ted flew fighter aircraft for the U.S. Marines.  Ted was not drafted.  He enlisted in May of 1942.

Today, the sports headlines are full of stories about players signing multi-million dollar contracts, athletes taking steroids to gain an unfair advantage, coaches cheating, and players and referees gambling on their sports.  I have been thinking all day about Ted Williams.  Here is a man who, in the prime of his career, put his country first.  He lost lost salary and endorsement deals when he entered the service, but he did it any way.  Aside from Pat Tillman, can you think of any player today who would give it all up for the love of country? 

Ted Williams is one shining example of the importance of Memorial Day.  Imagine what his career statistics would have been had he not chosen to fight for his country.  Yet, today I will remember Ted for his bravery flying aircraft as a proud U.S. Marine.

                                    

                                    

 

Technorati Tags: Memorial Day, Ted Williams, Baseball,   Pat Tillman, Marines

I have spent the last few days speaking to the parents of pre-schoolers who will be starting kindergarten next year.  My goals were to explain how children develop at different rates, and to share some thoughts about what parents can do to prepare their children for kindergarten.

First, we know that all children develop differently and at their own speed.  They were born when they were ready, they cut their first teeth when they were ready, they crawled and then walked when they were ready, and they were potty trained when they were ready.  So following that logic, I want to assure parents that their children will learn to read when they are ready.  Children being able to read upon entering kindergarten is NOT an expectation.  That being said, I hope parents will reduce, or eliminate, the self-imposed stress to make sure their children are reading before even starting kindergarten.

Most kindergarten programs are designed to teach the pre-reading skills and strategies students will need when entering first grade.  If a child "cracks the code" in kindergarten, great.  If not, then it will happen in first grade. My own two children are perfect examples of how children develop at different rates.  My older daughter did not start reading until February of first grade, and now she constantly has her nose in a book.  My younger daughter taught herself to read early in kindergarten, yet getting her to read is like pulling teeth.  Same family, two completely different stories.

Second, there are many things parents can do to prepare their children for kindergarten.  Here is a list I have compiled over the years:

• Read to and with your child - fiction, non-fiction, poetry, nursery rhymes, folk and fairy tales, etc.Turn off the TV (or at least set daily limits)
• Teach them to be self-sufficient, particularly when it comes to the bathroom and getting dressed.
• Provide opportunities to use crayons and scissors.
• Get them outside to develop gross motor skills.
• Teach them to write their own names.
• Teach them the letters of the alphabet.  The State of Illinois standard for children entering kindergarten is to know at least 35 letters (any combination of lower and upper case letters).  Recognition of the letters is the goal.
• Teach them colors, shapes and to count to at least 10.
• Provide opportunities to play cooperatively with other children and to learn to take turns and share.
• Teach them to accept rules and limits, and to follow directions.
• Talk to them.  Correctly model the use of language and vocabulary.
• Give them opportunities for imaginative play.  Try to reduce adult-directed or passive play, and help kids use their imaginations.
• Enrich their lives to build background knowledge.

As I was driving back to school today after speaking with some soon-to-be kindergarten parents, I was struck by a thought.  I realized that sharing these ideas with parents of five year olds may be too late.  I should be talking with parents of newborns through three years old.  This is when parents need to take an active role in teaching their children before they are about to start kindergarten.

Reading and reciting nursery rhymes, modeling the correct use of language and speaking in complete sentences, reading to children and encouraging them to "read" the illustrations, and taking them places such as museums, parks, and zoos in order to build a strong knowledge base, all help prepare children for kindergarten.  If you know any brand new parents, please pass these thoughts on to them.

 

 

Technorati Tags:   Kindergarten Readiness, Kindergarten

Last Saturday night I did something I have not done in years.  I attended a rock concert at a major-arena venue.  Back in the day, one of my favorite activities was going to concerts, but since the advent of children, I have not been to one for a very long time.

 

Well, Sting and The Police put on quite a show, as did Elvis Costello who opened for them.  I was flooded with memories of some of the incredible shows I saw so many years ago - bands like U2, Peter Gabriel, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Kinks, Supertramp, and Dire Straits are just the beginning of a lengthy list.  Although the crowd at last night's concert was most definitely middle-aged (probably averaging 35 -40 years old), the place certainly was rockin'.  Good for them! 

There we all were, singing and dancing to 25 year old songs as if they had just come out on vinyl yesterday.  I loved the feeling I had as the band roared through such great songs as Roxanne, Message in a Bottle, Don't Stand So Close To Me, and Every Little Thing She Does is Magic (and about 15 other great Police tunes).  For 90 very fast minutes I was back in college without a care in the world and no real responsibilities.  There is nothing like a good case of "reminisce-itis."

The only problem - Wow, was it loud!!

 

Technorati Tags: Sting, The Police, U2, Peter Gabriel, Tom Petty, The Kinks, Supertramp, Dire Straits