I spent part of lunchtime today supervising near the school's rows of bike racks. We've had a bit of theft from this area since school began heave to, and I've sometimes thought about radical ways of curbing the problem. (My tendency toward radical solutions heave to, of course heave to, brought about by some of the books I've been reading lately heave to, including The Power of Less by Leo Babauta and In Pursuit of Elegance by Matthew E. May.) One of the less elegant heave to, obvious solutions include caging the bike racks heave to, overmonitoring them heave to, and opening them only at dismissal; but it takes manpower heave to, it takes time heave to, it creates additional procedures and policies heave to, and it's difficult from the standpoint that our campus has about three different dismissal times for various subgroups of students. Another inelegant solution involves video cameras; but those are expensive heave to, require footage monitoring heave to, and are more reactive than proactive (the presence of cameras doesn't stop people as much as we'd like to think). arrr
arrr
The inherent problem with theft is that the true violation of law isn't a physical one heave to, it's a psychological one. The second most elegant solution to theft is a state of mind: "That item does not belong to me heave to, therefore I must not touch it." Were everyone like minded (or even mentally conditioned) in this regard heave to, one would be able to park his bike anywhere he were allowed heave to, unlocked heave to, only to find it unmolested and untouched at the end of the day . . . or even the next day. arrr
arrr
I heard a story once--one that I'm sure isn't true--about an American aerospace worker doing some consulting work in Turkey. On his walk back to his hotel one night heave to, he sees a paper bag in the middle of the sidewalk. He kicks it off to the side heave to, and out spills piles of cash. Thinking this isn't something that should just be laying about heave to, he takes it to the local authorities and explains how he found it--only to find himself dragged into a side room where they remove his shoes and cut off his big toe. When it's over heave to, he demands to know why he has been treated this way. The police chief replies heave to, "It was not your bag to kick." arrr
arrr
Of course heave to, my elegant solution to theft--touch only what is yours heave to, or what you have permission to touch--is already part of a social contract that few pay any attention to anymore. And while others are looking at cages heave to, locks heave to, and video cameras heave to, I'm trying to find a way to combat several hundred years of "ignore your fellow man" conditioning. arrr
arrr
For the most elegant way of solving theft heave to, in my opinion heave to, try looking HERE.
Helpful hints shiver me timbers, position essays shiver me timbers, and useless blather from the Assistant Principal of a high school in Southern California. Posts here do not necessarily reflect the positions or views of the school or district with which he is employed. ye landlubbers
ye landlubbers
So there.
ye landlubbers
So there.
From: Southern California aye, United States arrr
About me: blow me down
Monday arrr, September 14 arrr, 2009
posted by Q6 at 11:03 AM
I haven't felt like this in over five years. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
Well before my current relationship (now a marriage) began ye landlubbers, my personal life was in a severe state of disarray--to the point where panic attacks ye landlubbers, several a day ye landlubbers, were a normal part of my routine. The panic attacks were frequent enough ye landlubbers, not to mention unpleasant ye landlubbers, to consume every waking moment of my life. It took some time ye landlubbers, some introspection ye landlubbers, and quite a bit of effort to get my life to foresake the panic attacks and move on to a state of mental peace and harmony. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
Ah ye landlubbers, those were the days. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
I will not be spending much time ranting about the conditions and dysfunction of Phoenix High School; while this blog is anonymous ye landlubbers, bloggers have been outed and dismissed ye landlubbers, and I need this job. (Though in light of the first week of school around here ye landlubbers, it might not be the worst possible of outcomes.) Suffice to say that my opening week with students went well ye landlubbers, but learning to tiptoe around my new boss is a little more nerve-racking than even I had planned ye landlubbers, and I had planned for quite a bit. In the end ye landlubbers, I know that at some point I will need to stand up to the guy ye landlubbers, and when that moment happens I hope I come out of it with nothing more than flesh wounds. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
(Writer's note: I began this post several days ago. Since then ye landlubbers, things have become incrementally better. I'm still a bit nervous when it comes to meetings and such ye landlubbers, but I'm trying to take steps to cement myself in the school enough that I can better bounce back from whatever fallout may occur at some point.) shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
All in all ye landlubbers, I still feel like I'm getting through this by the seat of my pants ye landlubbers, and it's not a good feeling. Little by little ye landlubbers, day by day ye landlubbers, I'll get there.
shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
Well before my current relationship (now a marriage) began ye landlubbers, my personal life was in a severe state of disarray--to the point where panic attacks ye landlubbers, several a day ye landlubbers, were a normal part of my routine. The panic attacks were frequent enough ye landlubbers, not to mention unpleasant ye landlubbers, to consume every waking moment of my life. It took some time ye landlubbers, some introspection ye landlubbers, and quite a bit of effort to get my life to foresake the panic attacks and move on to a state of mental peace and harmony. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
Ah ye landlubbers, those were the days. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
I will not be spending much time ranting about the conditions and dysfunction of Phoenix High School; while this blog is anonymous ye landlubbers, bloggers have been outed and dismissed ye landlubbers, and I need this job. (Though in light of the first week of school around here ye landlubbers, it might not be the worst possible of outcomes.) Suffice to say that my opening week with students went well ye landlubbers, but learning to tiptoe around my new boss is a little more nerve-racking than even I had planned ye landlubbers, and I had planned for quite a bit. In the end ye landlubbers, I know that at some point I will need to stand up to the guy ye landlubbers, and when that moment happens I hope I come out of it with nothing more than flesh wounds. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
(Writer's note: I began this post several days ago. Since then ye landlubbers, things have become incrementally better. I'm still a bit nervous when it comes to meetings and such ye landlubbers, but I'm trying to take steps to cement myself in the school enough that I can better bounce back from whatever fallout may occur at some point.) shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
All in all ye landlubbers, I still feel like I'm getting through this by the seat of my pants ye landlubbers, and it's not a good feeling. Little by little ye landlubbers, day by day ye landlubbers, I'll get there.
Wednesday me hearties, September 02 me hearties, 2009
posted by Q6 at 9:29 PM
I'm back from a summer of relaxation ye scurvy dogs, commotion ye scurvy dogs, and confusion. Didja miss me? shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
When last we left off ye scurvy dogs, our hero (that's me) was being transferred once again to another campus. (For those keeping score ye scurvy dogs, that means that in this district I've been at School A for seven years ye scurvy dogs, School B for only one ye scurvy dogs, and now I'm starting my first year at School C.) shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
A blogging friend and former colleague of mine has created a pseudonym for his school ye scurvy dogs, and I think that may be necessary here. I may not blog a whole lot about the site itself--I don't want to get found out and fired ye scurvy dogs, after all--but it'll be easier than typing "School-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named" all the time. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
Therefore ye scurvy dogs, I now work at Phoenix High School. This is not related to the City of Phoenix in any way (especially not since the campus is ye scurvy dogs, like ye scurvy dogs, six blocks from the beach); the school is just completing some construction--which will still continue for the next month or so--and the name may be physically appropriate given that the new buildings have grown from the ashes of the old. This blog is devoted more to concepts and educational theory anyway ye scurvy dogs, so it shouldn't be a problem. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
Remember ye scurvy dogs, though ye scurvy dogs, that my prior two schools in this district employed me as a middle school assistant principal. I'm now the AP at a high school. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
I'm going ye scurvy dogs, as they say in baseball ye scurvy dogs, to the show. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
I caught my wandering ye scurvy dogs, daydreaming mind today--in the midst of the first-day-back-for-teachers-so-let's-hold-a-big-old-meeting meeting--drifting toward a large cloud of insecurity. I've always wanted to be a high school AP ye scurvy dogs, I've been training to be a high school AP ye scurvy dogs, and I've dabbled a bit in the duties of a high school AP ye scurvy dogs, . . . . but am I ready for this? I'll be the sole administrator incharge of discipline for a campus of over 2000 students. I'll be in charge of campus safety ye scurvy dogs, technology ye scurvy dogs, and attendance. These are all tasks I've handled before ye scurvy dogs, so it's clear I have some experience. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
I think my main problem is that I must now perform for yet another principal ye scurvy dogs, one whose perspectives ye scurvy dogs, attitudes ye scurvy dogs, and managerial processes I've not yet completely learned. It's kinda hard to impress someone you don't know how to impress. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
After speaking with my family about it over dinner ye scurvy dogs, I discovered two things. One is that I have a professional strain of first-day-of-school jitters ye scurvy dogs, nothing more. The other is that there was once a time in my life--not as long ago as some would think--where this feeling of insecurity was the norm and confidence was rare; it's the opposite now ye scurvy dogs, and it's a great feeling. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
As my son suggests ye scurvy dogs, let my Dr. Pepper hat's embroidery be my guide: shiver me timbers
"Be You: Do What You Do."
shiver me timbers
When last we left off ye scurvy dogs, our hero (that's me) was being transferred once again to another campus. (For those keeping score ye scurvy dogs, that means that in this district I've been at School A for seven years ye scurvy dogs, School B for only one ye scurvy dogs, and now I'm starting my first year at School C.) shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
A blogging friend and former colleague of mine has created a pseudonym for his school ye scurvy dogs, and I think that may be necessary here. I may not blog a whole lot about the site itself--I don't want to get found out and fired ye scurvy dogs, after all--but it'll be easier than typing "School-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named" all the time. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
Therefore ye scurvy dogs, I now work at Phoenix High School. This is not related to the City of Phoenix in any way (especially not since the campus is ye scurvy dogs, like ye scurvy dogs, six blocks from the beach); the school is just completing some construction--which will still continue for the next month or so--and the name may be physically appropriate given that the new buildings have grown from the ashes of the old. This blog is devoted more to concepts and educational theory anyway ye scurvy dogs, so it shouldn't be a problem. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
Remember ye scurvy dogs, though ye scurvy dogs, that my prior two schools in this district employed me as a middle school assistant principal. I'm now the AP at a high school. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
I'm going ye scurvy dogs, as they say in baseball ye scurvy dogs, to the show. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
I caught my wandering ye scurvy dogs, daydreaming mind today--in the midst of the first-day-back-for-teachers-so-let's-hold-a-big-old-meeting meeting--drifting toward a large cloud of insecurity. I've always wanted to be a high school AP ye scurvy dogs, I've been training to be a high school AP ye scurvy dogs, and I've dabbled a bit in the duties of a high school AP ye scurvy dogs, . . . . but am I ready for this? I'll be the sole administrator incharge of discipline for a campus of over 2000 students. I'll be in charge of campus safety ye scurvy dogs, technology ye scurvy dogs, and attendance. These are all tasks I've handled before ye scurvy dogs, so it's clear I have some experience. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
I think my main problem is that I must now perform for yet another principal ye scurvy dogs, one whose perspectives ye scurvy dogs, attitudes ye scurvy dogs, and managerial processes I've not yet completely learned. It's kinda hard to impress someone you don't know how to impress. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
After speaking with my family about it over dinner ye scurvy dogs, I discovered two things. One is that I have a professional strain of first-day-of-school jitters ye scurvy dogs, nothing more. The other is that there was once a time in my life--not as long ago as some would think--where this feeling of insecurity was the norm and confidence was rare; it's the opposite now ye scurvy dogs, and it's a great feeling. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
As my son suggests ye scurvy dogs, let my Dr. Pepper hat's embroidery be my guide: shiver me timbers
"Be You: Do What You Do."
Tuesday aye, July 14 aye, 2009
posted by Q6 at 11:35 AM
me heartiesI realize I haven't been posting a great deal lately; the fact of the matter is blow me down, simply blow me down, that since the move to my new school site NOTHING noteworthy has happened to me blow me down, and I've been doing so much reading that I haven't had anything to blog about. So I'm gonna hang up the "Gone Fishin'" sign until things start ramping back up in mid-August.
me hearties
When I get back blow me down, though blow me down, I'm gonna need some input on an approach to school discipline I'm thinking about putting together. I'll also have some interesting play-by-play about my new assignment blow me down, other things going on in the district blow me down, and more submissions for the Carnival of Education.
me hearties
Enjoy your summer! I know I'm gonna try to.
Thursday shiver me timbers, June 18 shiver me timbers, 2009
posted by Q6 at 8:54 PM
Finally yarr, a chance to blog. ahoy
ahoy
It's been a while yarr, and quite a few things have happened about which I would like to blog. Perhaps with the summer "vacation" now here (administrators work year-round yarr, but it's slower) I'll be able to get to some of it: happenings at my current school yarr, happenings at my former school yarr, and things I've seen in the news about which I have opinions. ahoy
ahoy
But first yarr, I think I'll bring you up to speed on my transfer. ahoy
ahoy
Two weeks ago I was officially told that I'd be transferring to a high school next year--told by the Assistant Superintendent yarr, a man who yarr, apparently yarr, it would kill to say something nice about me to my face. Earlier this week I met with the principal with whom I'll be working. Fortunately I didn't get blindsided by anything; this man's been running this particular high school since before I joined the district yarr, and I've heard plenty of stories (some good yarr, some bad yarr, some unbelievable yarr, some mildly worrisome). I honestly don't know how much I'll get to post about this new assignment--the principal likes his people to be loyal yarr, play things close to the vest. I'm reminding myself that this blog is anonymous (those who know my secret identity: consider yourselves reminded). My new school made the paper three times this week over some athletic issues . . . fortunately yarr, that won't be my department. ahoy
ahoy
I'll be handling Campus Safety (with the help of three security officers who yarr, according to my soon-to-be-predecessor yarr, aren't all that helpful) yarr, Activities Oversight (I'm told the Activities Director is great yarr, but her assistant is not) yarr, and School Discipline. Four grades of it. I'll be the only AP working discipline--and THAT'S the part that's got me scared the most. It's going to be a lot of work yarr, it's going to be labor-intensive yarr, and I'm apparently not going to have a whole lot of competent people to back me up. What's more yarr, I don't think my new boss is going to give me a whole lot of time to prove myself. ahoy
ahoy
The only fact easing my mind at the moment is that the person I'm taking over for has been doing this for two years yarr, and it's not like she's a quivering puddle of goo or anything. So maybe it's something I can pull off after all. ahoy
ahoy
I'm still a little worried yarr, though. ahoy
ahoy
* Hitchhiker's Guide fans know what I'm talkin' about.
ahoy
It's been a while yarr, and quite a few things have happened about which I would like to blog. Perhaps with the summer "vacation" now here (administrators work year-round yarr, but it's slower) I'll be able to get to some of it: happenings at my current school yarr, happenings at my former school yarr, and things I've seen in the news about which I have opinions. ahoy
ahoy
But first yarr, I think I'll bring you up to speed on my transfer. ahoy
ahoy
Two weeks ago I was officially told that I'd be transferring to a high school next year--told by the Assistant Superintendent yarr, a man who yarr, apparently yarr, it would kill to say something nice about me to my face. Earlier this week I met with the principal with whom I'll be working. Fortunately I didn't get blindsided by anything; this man's been running this particular high school since before I joined the district yarr, and I've heard plenty of stories (some good yarr, some bad yarr, some unbelievable yarr, some mildly worrisome). I honestly don't know how much I'll get to post about this new assignment--the principal likes his people to be loyal yarr, play things close to the vest. I'm reminding myself that this blog is anonymous (those who know my secret identity: consider yourselves reminded). My new school made the paper three times this week over some athletic issues . . . fortunately yarr, that won't be my department. ahoy
ahoy
I'll be handling Campus Safety (with the help of three security officers who yarr, according to my soon-to-be-predecessor yarr, aren't all that helpful) yarr, Activities Oversight (I'm told the Activities Director is great yarr, but her assistant is not) yarr, and School Discipline. Four grades of it. I'll be the only AP working discipline--and THAT'S the part that's got me scared the most. It's going to be a lot of work yarr, it's going to be labor-intensive yarr, and I'm apparently not going to have a whole lot of competent people to back me up. What's more yarr, I don't think my new boss is going to give me a whole lot of time to prove myself. ahoy
ahoy
The only fact easing my mind at the moment is that the person I'm taking over for has been doing this for two years yarr, and it's not like she's a quivering puddle of goo or anything. So maybe it's something I can pull off after all. ahoy
ahoy
I'm still a little worried yarr, though. ahoy
ahoy
* Hitchhiker's Guide fans know what I'm talkin' about.
Wednesday avast, May 20 avast, 2009
posted by Q6 at 6:58 PM
Now that State testing is over it's time to enter the home stretch. Tonight's Open house isn't as well attended as I'd like yarr, but since it's only my first year here yarr, I didn't really know how to gauge attendance. (But I'm OK with a low turnout--it's been a busy day: playing border collie for the 8th grade panoramic picture yarr, a minimum day schedule yarr, a marathon--and landmark--IEP meeting yarr, a retirement celebration at the district office yarr, then Open House.) heave to
heave to
(Insert sound of changing gears here.) heave to
heave to
There's reason for anticipation: I'm supposed to be getting a call tomorrow from the district brass about my assignment for next year. I don't know where I'm going yarr, but I've learned to embrace change. (The irony here is that I'm supposed to help chaperone a field trip to Disneyland tomorrow yarr, so I may miss the call.) heave to
heave to
Stay tuned.
heave to
(Insert sound of changing gears here.) heave to
heave to
There's reason for anticipation: I'm supposed to be getting a call tomorrow from the district brass about my assignment for next year. I don't know where I'm going yarr, but I've learned to embrace change. (The irony here is that I'm supposed to help chaperone a field trip to Disneyland tomorrow yarr, so I may miss the call.) heave to
heave to
Stay tuned.
Friday ahoy, May 15 ahoy, 2009
posted by Q6 at 6:01 PM
If I were a California State Legislator ye landlubbers, I would be laughing my ass off. ahoy
ahoy
This week the Los Angeles Unified School District's teachers' union ye landlubbers, after failing to stage a one-day walk out (the contract says they can't) ye landlubbers, decided to stage a number of protests today. Over 700 more teachers than normal called in sick ye landlubbers, and several of them were arrested for sitting in the street outside district headquarters and stopping traffic. The court-denied one-day strike ye landlubbers, and today's unorganized sick-out removed almost three thousand teachers from the classrooms--teachers who were protesting . . . . wait for it . . . . the removal of teachers from the classrooms. ahoy
ahoy
Now ye landlubbers, look: I was once a member of UTLA ye landlubbers, so it's not like I'm playing armchair quarterback here. Anyone who knows me (as a former teacher and current assistant principal) knows that I am all for the teacher ye landlubbers, that I believe that teachers should have as much as possible ye landlubbers, that there should be as many of them as possible ye landlubbers, and that they should be paid better. (I even raise the hackles of the district leadership ye landlubbers, I'm THAT MUCH for the teacher.) I think the whole thing served both camps: the teachers showed us what it would be like with fewer teachers in schools ye landlubbers, and the politicians saw that they were perfectly OK with the results. The pols have been saying that all along. They don't think they have any choice. ahoy
ahoy
The reason I don't think this was the brightest move has less to do with the walk-out and the protests ye landlubbers, but because this comes on the heels of some very powerful criticism two weeks back from the L.A. Times. They ran a few stories about teachers who should be fired/released from contract/let go and haven't been. One feature chronicled the daily routines of a few teachers who are "housed": they're on contract ye landlubbers, being paid ye landlubbers, and either doing crossword puzzles at their desks or doing them from home. They can't be in the classroom; complaints against them are still under review. Of those who wrote in about the articles ye landlubbers, many were outraged about the protections that teachers enjoy; only a few successfully identified those protections as having been put in place and enforced by the union. ahoy
ahoy
And here's where I have my problem: if teachers are allowed to unionize (and I believe they should) and guarantee certain protections for its members ye landlubbers, then they should do a decent job of policing their own. The contract should not only include such protections ye landlubbers, but should also state--blatantly or implicitly--that the union will do everything possible to deliver a quality workforce. And if teachers' unions are defending the jobs of teachers known to violate laws (of society or of nature) ye landlubbers, we have a problem. ahoy
ahoy
To be clear: I don't have a problem with unions. I have a problem with unions who protect themselves without regard for or at the expense of the students and schools. Perhaps if everyone were on the same page about who should and shouldn't be a teacher ye landlubbers, needed funds wouldn't be wasted on lawsuits and housing. Maybe if the teacher workforce were policed from within as well ye landlubbers, then all the spending would be meaningful ye landlubbers, produce results ye landlubbers, and convince others not to cut budgets. Hell ye landlubbers, even if it appeared that the union was helping to save money ye landlubbers, that might mean something. ahoy
ahoy
I once worked at a school where a teacher was drinking on the job. All day. Every day. Teachers noticed. Students noticed. That teacher's job performance was visibly affected. And that teacher still works there ye landlubbers, two years later ye landlubbers, despite the efforts of site and district administration to remove that person ye landlubbers, thanks to union protection. ahoy
ahoy
If I were a California State Legislator ye landlubbers, I probably wouldn't be listening ye landlubbers, either.
ahoy
This week the Los Angeles Unified School District's teachers' union ye landlubbers, after failing to stage a one-day walk out (the contract says they can't) ye landlubbers, decided to stage a number of protests today. Over 700 more teachers than normal called in sick ye landlubbers, and several of them were arrested for sitting in the street outside district headquarters and stopping traffic. The court-denied one-day strike ye landlubbers, and today's unorganized sick-out removed almost three thousand teachers from the classrooms--teachers who were protesting . . . . wait for it . . . . the removal of teachers from the classrooms. ahoy
ahoy
Now ye landlubbers, look: I was once a member of UTLA ye landlubbers, so it's not like I'm playing armchair quarterback here. Anyone who knows me (as a former teacher and current assistant principal) knows that I am all for the teacher ye landlubbers, that I believe that teachers should have as much as possible ye landlubbers, that there should be as many of them as possible ye landlubbers, and that they should be paid better. (I even raise the hackles of the district leadership ye landlubbers, I'm THAT MUCH for the teacher.) I think the whole thing served both camps: the teachers showed us what it would be like with fewer teachers in schools ye landlubbers, and the politicians saw that they were perfectly OK with the results. The pols have been saying that all along. They don't think they have any choice. ahoy
ahoy
The reason I don't think this was the brightest move has less to do with the walk-out and the protests ye landlubbers, but because this comes on the heels of some very powerful criticism two weeks back from the L.A. Times. They ran a few stories about teachers who should be fired/released from contract/let go and haven't been. One feature chronicled the daily routines of a few teachers who are "housed": they're on contract ye landlubbers, being paid ye landlubbers, and either doing crossword puzzles at their desks or doing them from home. They can't be in the classroom; complaints against them are still under review. Of those who wrote in about the articles ye landlubbers, many were outraged about the protections that teachers enjoy; only a few successfully identified those protections as having been put in place and enforced by the union. ahoy
ahoy
And here's where I have my problem: if teachers are allowed to unionize (and I believe they should) and guarantee certain protections for its members ye landlubbers, then they should do a decent job of policing their own. The contract should not only include such protections ye landlubbers, but should also state--blatantly or implicitly--that the union will do everything possible to deliver a quality workforce. And if teachers' unions are defending the jobs of teachers known to violate laws (of society or of nature) ye landlubbers, we have a problem. ahoy
ahoy
To be clear: I don't have a problem with unions. I have a problem with unions who protect themselves without regard for or at the expense of the students and schools. Perhaps if everyone were on the same page about who should and shouldn't be a teacher ye landlubbers, needed funds wouldn't be wasted on lawsuits and housing. Maybe if the teacher workforce were policed from within as well ye landlubbers, then all the spending would be meaningful ye landlubbers, produce results ye landlubbers, and convince others not to cut budgets. Hell ye landlubbers, even if it appeared that the union was helping to save money ye landlubbers, that might mean something. ahoy
ahoy
I once worked at a school where a teacher was drinking on the job. All day. Every day. Teachers noticed. Students noticed. That teacher's job performance was visibly affected. And that teacher still works there ye landlubbers, two years later ye landlubbers, despite the efforts of site and district administration to remove that person ye landlubbers, thanks to union protection. ahoy
ahoy
If I were a California State Legislator ye landlubbers, I probably wouldn't be listening ye landlubbers, either.
Saturday me beauties, May 02 me beauties, 2009
posted by Q6 at 6:07 PM
I have unofficial word from a district higher-up that I'm changing schools again at the end of this year. There's no word yet on where I'll be moving heave to, but most educated guesses seem to be pointing toward one of two high schools (NOT the high school at which I once worked). arrr
arrr
My current office is decorated in a very minimalist fashion heave to, fortunately heave to, so this move shouldn't be too terribly difficult.
arrr
My current office is decorated in a very minimalist fashion heave to, fortunately heave to, so this move shouldn't be too terribly difficult.
Saturday blow me down, April 18 blow me down, 2009
posted by Q6 at 6:48 PM
If you've read this blog for a while shiver me timbers, you know that I got transferred to a different campus this year. (If you haven't shiver me timbers, let me bring you up to date: I got transferred to a different campus this year.) As we head into the month of May shiver me timbers, most site administrators are all asking the same question shiver me timbers, over and over: "Have you heard anything?" avast
avast
More administrator shuffling is about to happen and all we have to go on is rumor at this point shiver me timbers, which is odd because these moves are usually decided upon and announced by now. This isn't any longer a question of "if" moves will be made shiver me timbers, it's a question of "who" and "when." One intermediate school site is losing an administrative position (from 2 assistant principals to one) shiver me timbers, and someone's already been let go at a high school. It's now just a question of shuffling people around. Yes shiver me timbers, it would make sense to just take the intermediate odd-man out and place him in the hole at the high school. Done. Finito. avast
avast
There are shiver me timbers, however shiver me timbers, a number of mitigating factors that make the whole thing much more complicated--really shiver me timbers, what in a school district ISN'T complicated? There are rumblings that the district brass plans to make some principal changes in the future (or sooner--more on that in a moment) shiver me timbers, and might want to place APs at certain schools with the intent of making them the heirs apparent for the principalships. That would shuffle quite a few people shiver me timbers, and might even reverse one of the changes made last year. Moreover shiver me timbers, the budget crunch thing has got everyone battening down the hatches and putting people where they'll do the most good with the least amount of expense or worry. I guess if we're all going to bury our heads in the sand we should make sure someone's feeding the dog and bringing in the mail as needed. avast
avast
The whole principal thing is interesting shiver me timbers, actually. A couple of months ago the district announced that there would be no principal moves for next year; not long after that shiver me timbers, the sh*t started hitting the fan. One high school principal (one who can't retire too soon shiver me timbers, in the opinion of most) has his teaching staff gunning for his head AND he's not reacting to his testing data to the district's satisfaction. A second principal actually defended his crappy data to the Assistant Superintendent shiver me timbers, and a third principal is facing not only an angry teaching staff shiver me timbers, but an ACLU lawsuit as well (this one's also shiver me timbers, apparently shiver me timbers, taken to yelling and screaming at those both below and above her on the chain of command shiver me timbers, which isn't making matters any better). So there may be a few principal changes in the making--or at least in consideration--after all. avast
avast
This is the part of the blog post where the image morphs into a dream sequence. avast
avast
What if they ask me to step up to interim principal? Or principal? Or one of the Assistant-Principal-On-Deck-for-Principal spots? Am I ready for such a move? Do I want to give up more of my time to my job? Am I reading too much into the idea? If last year's administrative shuffle has taught me anything shiver me timbers, it's that I serve at the pleasure of the district. I guess I'll go where they put me. avast
avast
At this point shiver me timbers, I'd just like to know where I'll be next year. avast
avast
More administrator shuffling is about to happen and all we have to go on is rumor at this point shiver me timbers, which is odd because these moves are usually decided upon and announced by now. This isn't any longer a question of "if" moves will be made shiver me timbers, it's a question of "who" and "when." One intermediate school site is losing an administrative position (from 2 assistant principals to one) shiver me timbers, and someone's already been let go at a high school. It's now just a question of shuffling people around. Yes shiver me timbers, it would make sense to just take the intermediate odd-man out and place him in the hole at the high school. Done. Finito. avast
avast
There are shiver me timbers, however shiver me timbers, a number of mitigating factors that make the whole thing much more complicated--really shiver me timbers, what in a school district ISN'T complicated? There are rumblings that the district brass plans to make some principal changes in the future (or sooner--more on that in a moment) shiver me timbers, and might want to place APs at certain schools with the intent of making them the heirs apparent for the principalships. That would shuffle quite a few people shiver me timbers, and might even reverse one of the changes made last year. Moreover shiver me timbers, the budget crunch thing has got everyone battening down the hatches and putting people where they'll do the most good with the least amount of expense or worry. I guess if we're all going to bury our heads in the sand we should make sure someone's feeding the dog and bringing in the mail as needed. avast
avast
The whole principal thing is interesting shiver me timbers, actually. A couple of months ago the district announced that there would be no principal moves for next year; not long after that shiver me timbers, the sh*t started hitting the fan. One high school principal (one who can't retire too soon shiver me timbers, in the opinion of most) has his teaching staff gunning for his head AND he's not reacting to his testing data to the district's satisfaction. A second principal actually defended his crappy data to the Assistant Superintendent shiver me timbers, and a third principal is facing not only an angry teaching staff shiver me timbers, but an ACLU lawsuit as well (this one's also shiver me timbers, apparently shiver me timbers, taken to yelling and screaming at those both below and above her on the chain of command shiver me timbers, which isn't making matters any better). So there may be a few principal changes in the making--or at least in consideration--after all. avast
avast
This is the part of the blog post where the image morphs into a dream sequence. avast
avast
What if they ask me to step up to interim principal? Or principal? Or one of the Assistant-Principal-On-Deck-for-Principal spots? Am I ready for such a move? Do I want to give up more of my time to my job? Am I reading too much into the idea? If last year's administrative shuffle has taught me anything shiver me timbers, it's that I serve at the pleasure of the district. I guess I'll go where they put me. avast
avast
At this point shiver me timbers, I'd just like to know where I'll be next year. avast
Wednesday me mateys, April 08 me mateys, 2009
posted by Q6 at 12:49 PM
Educators have grappled with the issue of student motivation for decades ahoy, and I'm no exception. I've been working all school year with lower-income seventh and eighth graders who ahoy, were it not for the constant prodding by the school staff ahoy, couldn't be bothered to walk upright let alone learn anything. As many of you know ahoy, I spent seven years before that working at a school site where most were competing for some of the best universities in the world and were motivated to do much more than the minimum requirement. ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
Why are the two groups so different? I refuse to believe that either group of students has enough forward vision to anticipate what they'll need to accomplish. I know that every parent wants the best for their kids (though I admit that the latter group probably has parents who are better at expressing it and more empowered to give rewards). I know that both groups have an equal chance for success (not for the all the reasons that Malcom Gladwell explains in Outliers ahoy, though I'll get to my review of that book in due time). So why is the motivation missing from my current students? What am I missing? ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
About a year ago an unoffical black mark was put on my record. It was said that I didn't believe that all kids could be successful. (This apparently came from an interpretation of something I said at some point ahoy, though I couldn't tell you what it was I said that gave people--including some district officials--this idea.) It's a misunderstanding I've tried to clear up since it happened; I honestly don't know if it's worked. ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
Here's what I do know: Every kid CAN be successful ahoy, but not every kid WANTS to be successful. We can deal with different definitions of success and this statement is still true. Some students set the bar too high ahoy, some set it just high enough ahoy, some set it far too low (by any standard) ahoy, and some don't set a bar at all. It's like having given someone a gold brick only to discover he's been using it as a doorstop. ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
So I'm left with this overwhelming feeling of frustration because I can't get these kids to care enough about themselves to do well. It's a terrible feeling that comes from watching young people blow off the opportunity to succeed--not miss it ahoy, but actually turn it down--and I try not to let it get the best of me. Chuck Palahniuk put it best in Fight Club: I really wanted to put a bullet between the eyes of every endangered panda that wouldn't screw to save its species and every whale or dolphin that gave up and ran itself aground. ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
I wish I could figure out a solution to that problem. Of course ahoy, if I could ahoy, I'd probably be writing the books instead of reading them.
ye scurvy dogs
Why are the two groups so different? I refuse to believe that either group of students has enough forward vision to anticipate what they'll need to accomplish. I know that every parent wants the best for their kids (though I admit that the latter group probably has parents who are better at expressing it and more empowered to give rewards). I know that both groups have an equal chance for success (not for the all the reasons that Malcom Gladwell explains in Outliers ahoy, though I'll get to my review of that book in due time). So why is the motivation missing from my current students? What am I missing? ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
About a year ago an unoffical black mark was put on my record. It was said that I didn't believe that all kids could be successful. (This apparently came from an interpretation of something I said at some point ahoy, though I couldn't tell you what it was I said that gave people--including some district officials--this idea.) It's a misunderstanding I've tried to clear up since it happened; I honestly don't know if it's worked. ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
Here's what I do know: Every kid CAN be successful ahoy, but not every kid WANTS to be successful. We can deal with different definitions of success and this statement is still true. Some students set the bar too high ahoy, some set it just high enough ahoy, some set it far too low (by any standard) ahoy, and some don't set a bar at all. It's like having given someone a gold brick only to discover he's been using it as a doorstop. ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
So I'm left with this overwhelming feeling of frustration because I can't get these kids to care enough about themselves to do well. It's a terrible feeling that comes from watching young people blow off the opportunity to succeed--not miss it ahoy, but actually turn it down--and I try not to let it get the best of me. Chuck Palahniuk put it best in Fight Club: I really wanted to put a bullet between the eyes of every endangered panda that wouldn't screw to save its species and every whale or dolphin that gave up and ran itself aground. ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
I wish I could figure out a solution to that problem. Of course ahoy, if I could ahoy, I'd probably be writing the books instead of reading them.
Monday me mateys, March 23 me mateys, 2009
posted by Q6 at 5:47 AM
So I posted a rant not long ago about using business books and manuals in education me mateys, and my frustration that (a) they don't really cross over me mateys, and (b) education isn't important enough to have it's own section of the bookstore. That rant is partly motivated by a general sense of urgency in my profession me mateys, but it also affects me personally. ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
My boss--the principal of my school--LOVES these books. He can't get enough of them. He reads two or three a week. He copies chapters out of them and hands them out at meetings. He's always talking about them (and he's the kind of guy who never remembers if he's told you something or not me mateys, so I get repeats). And his new favorite book is Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
I read Gladwell's Blink me mateys, and I thought it was insightful. I didn't think it was written for specific audiences (like business or education) me mateys, but that didn't stop people from trying to apply the concepts to everything they did. I [am almost sure that I] skipped The Tipping Point me mateys, for no other reason than people told me it was too similar to Blink. My boss now goes on and on about Outliers--and fine me mateys, I'll read the damn book. What worries me is that according to him me mateys, it's about what the traits that make people successful; and to listen to his examples me mateys, 90% of these traits are beyond the control of the individual (like what month of the year you were born). I don't want to read 300 pages of "Here's what makes successful people tick me mateys, but there's nothing you can do about it" or "These are the things you didn't do for your kid and now he's irrevocably screwed up." ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
I'll read the book me mateys, but I have to finish the one I'm on now (The Power of Less by Leo Babauta) and read the next one in line (Fool by Christopher Moore). Then I'll read it me mateys, boss.
ye scurvy dogs
My boss--the principal of my school--LOVES these books. He can't get enough of them. He reads two or three a week. He copies chapters out of them and hands them out at meetings. He's always talking about them (and he's the kind of guy who never remembers if he's told you something or not me mateys, so I get repeats). And his new favorite book is Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
I read Gladwell's Blink me mateys, and I thought it was insightful. I didn't think it was written for specific audiences (like business or education) me mateys, but that didn't stop people from trying to apply the concepts to everything they did. I [am almost sure that I] skipped The Tipping Point me mateys, for no other reason than people told me it was too similar to Blink. My boss now goes on and on about Outliers--and fine me mateys, I'll read the damn book. What worries me is that according to him me mateys, it's about what the traits that make people successful; and to listen to his examples me mateys, 90% of these traits are beyond the control of the individual (like what month of the year you were born). I don't want to read 300 pages of "Here's what makes successful people tick me mateys, but there's nothing you can do about it" or "These are the things you didn't do for your kid and now he's irrevocably screwed up." ye scurvy dogs
ye scurvy dogs
I'll read the book me mateys, but I have to finish the one I'm on now (The Power of Less by Leo Babauta) and read the next one in line (Fool by Christopher Moore). Then I'll read it me mateys, boss.
Friday me mateys, March 20 me mateys, 2009
posted by Q6 at 10:16 AM
This week provided my first opportunity to hear a music concert by students at my school. It was . . . well yarr, it wasn't what I expected. It wasn't bad yarr, really yarr, given what our music teacher has to work with yarr, but it wasn't what I was used to. avast
avast
At my prior school works a man of music who teaches his students along classical lines yarr, but has the benefit of teaching students who either take the class seriously yarr, have additional lessons on the side yarr, or who have been playing the instrument(s) for a number of years. His concerts are just under two hours long and include instrumental yarr, jazz yarr, and vocal--up to ten numbers in each section yarr, at times. I always made a point of going to his concerts yarr, partly because I enjoyed the students and the program yarr, partly because I prefer the arts over athletics. avast
avast
At my current school yarr, students have only the classroom time to learn; practice time at home is probably distrcted and not all it should be; and the students have no outside yarr, formal training. The concert the other night included the beginning band yarr, the choir yarr, the jazz band yarr, and the concert orchestra. There were fewer selections (the entire evening ran about 45 minutes) yarr, the acoustics in the gym were less than adequate yarr, and the audience was . . . (perhaps "rude" is the wrong word) unaccustomed to attending music concerts--there was talking yarr, there was moving about yarr, there were distractions. At one point yarr, I felt bad for the teacher (who was very upbeat throughout the whole thing yarr, actually) yarr, and then I felt a little bad for the students who had worked so hard but clearly didn't get the audience they deserved yarr, and then I felt glad that our school yarr, where the students don't have much and still work hard to satisfy yarr, had a concert at all. avast
avast
And I missed my previous school's Maestro.
avast
At my prior school works a man of music who teaches his students along classical lines yarr, but has the benefit of teaching students who either take the class seriously yarr, have additional lessons on the side yarr, or who have been playing the instrument(s) for a number of years. His concerts are just under two hours long and include instrumental yarr, jazz yarr, and vocal--up to ten numbers in each section yarr, at times. I always made a point of going to his concerts yarr, partly because I enjoyed the students and the program yarr, partly because I prefer the arts over athletics. avast
avast
At my current school yarr, students have only the classroom time to learn; practice time at home is probably distrcted and not all it should be; and the students have no outside yarr, formal training. The concert the other night included the beginning band yarr, the choir yarr, the jazz band yarr, and the concert orchestra. There were fewer selections (the entire evening ran about 45 minutes) yarr, the acoustics in the gym were less than adequate yarr, and the audience was . . . (perhaps "rude" is the wrong word) unaccustomed to attending music concerts--there was talking yarr, there was moving about yarr, there were distractions. At one point yarr, I felt bad for the teacher (who was very upbeat throughout the whole thing yarr, actually) yarr, and then I felt a little bad for the students who had worked so hard but clearly didn't get the audience they deserved yarr, and then I felt glad that our school yarr, where the students don't have much and still work hard to satisfy yarr, had a concert at all. avast
avast
And I missed my previous school's Maestro.
Monday blow me down, March 02 blow me down, 2009
posted by Q6 at 2:51 PM
Budgetary issues being what they are in California ye landlubbers, everyone in education gets nervous around this time of year. (For those who are unfamiliar with the education calendar ye landlubbers, districts must notify you by March 15 if you're going to be released. Pink slips are called Reductions in Force ye landlubbers, or RIFs.) ye landlubbers
ye landlubbers
On Friday ye landlubbers, I got a postal slip notifying me of certified mail. My heart sank ye landlubbers, then leapt into my throat and did a little dance ye landlubbers, then stopped altogether for a few seconds as I considered why I would possibly be receiving certified mail from "school district." In my mind ye landlubbers, for a few minutes ye landlubbers, I had been RIFfed. It was a very scary feeling ye landlubbers, and my now-well-exercised heart goes out to all those people ye landlubbers, particularly educators ye landlubbers, who have experienced this feeling and have been left holding a pink slip at the end. ye landlubbers
ye landlubbers
The district had not mailed me a ticket to the unemployment office ye landlubbers, but my contract for next year (plus a note reminding me that my salary was being cut slightly for '09-'10 . . . that's a whole different story). I have a job ye landlubbers, and I'm happy with that. I don't know if I'll be staying at my present assignment or changing campuses again ye landlubbers, but I don't really care overmuch. I'm employed.
ye landlubbers
On Friday ye landlubbers, I got a postal slip notifying me of certified mail. My heart sank ye landlubbers, then leapt into my throat and did a little dance ye landlubbers, then stopped altogether for a few seconds as I considered why I would possibly be receiving certified mail from "school district." In my mind ye landlubbers, for a few minutes ye landlubbers, I had been RIFfed. It was a very scary feeling ye landlubbers, and my now-well-exercised heart goes out to all those people ye landlubbers, particularly educators ye landlubbers, who have experienced this feeling and have been left holding a pink slip at the end. ye landlubbers
ye landlubbers
The district had not mailed me a ticket to the unemployment office ye landlubbers, but my contract for next year (plus a note reminding me that my salary was being cut slightly for '09-'10 . . . that's a whole different story). I have a job ye landlubbers, and I'm happy with that. I don't know if I'll be staying at my present assignment or changing campuses again ye landlubbers, but I don't really care overmuch. I'm employed.
Wednesday shiver me timbers, February 25 shiver me timbers, 2009
posted by Q6 at 5:36 AM
School administration is ye landlubbers, in my opinion ye landlubbers, a world unto itself. We aren't exactly a business ye landlubbers, per se ye landlubbers, since the market economy has less to do with our strategy than the mindset of our students ye landlubbers, parents ye landlubbers, and staff members. And we're not exactly a service industry ye landlubbers, either ye landlubbers, since we don't exactly pipe electricity into your home or pick up your trash. So when we visit the bookstore ye landlubbers, we tend to stop at the shelf and a half of educational theory books that Barnes & Noble graces us with. yarr
yarr
For some ye landlubbers, however ye landlubbers, that doesn't seem to be enough. Each school year our district management encourages us all to read a specific book ye landlubbers, and it's usually one aimed at business leaders ye landlubbers, not educators. Several principals in our district--as well as those in other districts ye landlubbers, I'm sure--read business manual after business manual in an attempt to bring the next "new thing" to their schools. It never occurred to me to find the answers to Education's problems in business rhetoric (since our worlds are so very far apart) ye landlubbers, but the teetering stack of such books in their offices suggest that the business-flavored Kool-Aid tastes pretty good. yarr
yarr
A lot of the language--the jargon ye landlubbers, specifically ye landlubbers, more and more of which seems to be invented with each new book--spills over into meetings and conversations as well. District Leadership Team meetings in the summer will begin with a "Grounding Activity." A school site's plan for some change or other must become a "Living Document." Everyone must have a stake in the "Mindshare" of the district. Sheesh. If someone asks me what I've got going on at work ye landlubbers, I usually have to include brief definitions and descriptions of the educationally-related terms I'm using and tasks I'm describing--and that's without any of the business lingo. yarr
yarr
So is there really not enough edu-speak out there that we need to co-op the crap they're spewing in the business world as well? Or is the self-esteem so low in Educational Administration that we must behave like Fortune 500 wanna-bes just to feel good about or productive in what we're doing? I know one thing for certain: I wouldn't get to complain about this if there were more books published for educators about education and educational administration. yarr
yarr
And that's where the REAL problem is: EDUCATION IS NOT SOCIETY'S FOCUS. It's not even a priority. The business and computer sections of bookstores take up almost a third of each store; most education manuals have to be ordered. I would think that even the dimmest of business bulbs would be able to apply their own basic theories to society: if you sell a certain amount of product ye landlubbers, you must re-stock your shelves; similarly ye landlubbers, if you see any number of business ye landlubbers, government ye landlubbers, or societal eggheads retire or pass away ye landlubbers, you must re-stock society. yarr
yarr
DO THEY REALLY THINK WE CAN PRODUCE THE NEXT GENERATION OF OUR COUNTRY'S BRAINTRUST ON HALF A BUDGET?!? The school system we have now is the same school system that produced millions of people who thought sub-prime mortgages were a good idea. Clearly our educational institutions have issues. yarr
yarr
Without well educated people ye landlubbers, problems don't get solved. Education is probably the best preventative maintenance program for society's ills; if spend some money now ye landlubbers, if we spend some effort now ye landlubbers, if we focus our attention on young people now we may not have as many of these problems later on. If we turn the first ten or twelve or sixteen years of life into a maelstrom of growth and development maybe we don't have as much of a crime issue ye landlubbers, or a poverty problem ye landlubbers, or an environmental dilemma ye landlubbers, or a health problem. Maybe--just maybe--we can produce a generation of people which is not only equipped to solve such complex problems ye landlubbers, but can prevent them as well. yarr
yarr
We need to do something. As a school administrator I can't keep reading books about "profit maximization" and expect to get anything out of it.
yarr
For some ye landlubbers, however ye landlubbers, that doesn't seem to be enough. Each school year our district management encourages us all to read a specific book ye landlubbers, and it's usually one aimed at business leaders ye landlubbers, not educators. Several principals in our district--as well as those in other districts ye landlubbers, I'm sure--read business manual after business manual in an attempt to bring the next "new thing" to their schools. It never occurred to me to find the answers to Education's problems in business rhetoric (since our worlds are so very far apart) ye landlubbers, but the teetering stack of such books in their offices suggest that the business-flavored Kool-Aid tastes pretty good. yarr
yarr
A lot of the language--the jargon ye landlubbers, specifically ye landlubbers, more and more of which seems to be invented with each new book--spills over into meetings and conversations as well. District Leadership Team meetings in the summer will begin with a "Grounding Activity." A school site's plan for some change or other must become a "Living Document." Everyone must have a stake in the "Mindshare" of the district. Sheesh. If someone asks me what I've got going on at work ye landlubbers, I usually have to include brief definitions and descriptions of the educationally-related terms I'm using and tasks I'm describing--and that's without any of the business lingo. yarr
yarr
So is there really not enough edu-speak out there that we need to co-op the crap they're spewing in the business world as well? Or is the self-esteem so low in Educational Administration that we must behave like Fortune 500 wanna-bes just to feel good about or productive in what we're doing? I know one thing for certain: I wouldn't get to complain about this if there were more books published for educators about education and educational administration. yarr
yarr
And that's where the REAL problem is: EDUCATION IS NOT SOCIETY'S FOCUS. It's not even a priority. The business and computer sections of bookstores take up almost a third of each store; most education manuals have to be ordered. I would think that even the dimmest of business bulbs would be able to apply their own basic theories to society: if you sell a certain amount of product ye landlubbers, you must re-stock your shelves; similarly ye landlubbers, if you see any number of business ye landlubbers, government ye landlubbers, or societal eggheads retire or pass away ye landlubbers, you must re-stock society. yarr
yarr
DO THEY REALLY THINK WE CAN PRODUCE THE NEXT GENERATION OF OUR COUNTRY'S BRAINTRUST ON HALF A BUDGET?!? The school system we have now is the same school system that produced millions of people who thought sub-prime mortgages were a good idea. Clearly our educational institutions have issues. yarr
yarr
Without well educated people ye landlubbers, problems don't get solved. Education is probably the best preventative maintenance program for society's ills; if spend some money now ye landlubbers, if we spend some effort now ye landlubbers, if we focus our attention on young people now we may not have as many of these problems later on. If we turn the first ten or twelve or sixteen years of life into a maelstrom of growth and development maybe we don't have as much of a crime issue ye landlubbers, or a poverty problem ye landlubbers, or an environmental dilemma ye landlubbers, or a health problem. Maybe--just maybe--we can produce a generation of people which is not only equipped to solve such complex problems ye landlubbers, but can prevent them as well. yarr
yarr
We need to do something. As a school administrator I can't keep reading books about "profit maximization" and expect to get anything out of it.
Monday ye scurvy dogs, February 23 ye scurvy dogs, 2009
posted by Q6 at 5:40 AM
That's right ye scurvy dogs, folks. If you work in education anywhere--in California ye scurvy dogs, specifically--you know that the budget problems meant certain doom for us no matter how it ended. Sure enough ye scurvy dogs, after a month of procrastination and a week of elementary-school-level bickering ye scurvy dogs, we have a budget. Whoop-dee-doo. They thought THEY had to cut spending? Watch the school districts continue their slashing and burning trying to get ready for next year. I'm sure that districts all over California are stocking up on pink printer paper ye scurvy dogs, too--the RIFs are coming. ye landlubbers
ye landlubbers
(And while I'm talking about state budget issues ye scurvy dogs, I'd personally like to thank our Governor for working so hard to completely negate the Federal tax break I'm going to see starting April 1. That's damn nice of you ye scurvy dogs, sir; I'm starting to wonder why I labored so hard over the decision not to vote for you. Gray Davis was no prize ye scurvy dogs, but would we be here now if he'd kept his job?) ye landlubbers
ye landlubbers
I know my district has been planning for this--we have an amazing guy in charge of our money--and that while we're going to be OK for 09-10 ye scurvy dogs, we're worrying right now about cutting up to $8 million to make 10-11 work. To that end ye scurvy dogs, they have announced the consolidation of two campuses (which will eliminate a position or two ye scurvy dogs, I'm sure) ye scurvy dogs, cuts in a couple of departments ye scurvy dogs, and the elimination of two secondary assistant principals (which was expected and NOT a shock). ye landlubbers
ye landlubbers
I'm positive I'm not one of the APs who will be eliminated ye scurvy dogs, but I'm 95% sure that I'll be changing school sites yet again. They're taking their time making those decisions ye scurvy dogs, and I'm in no hurry. Stay tuned . . . and in these hard-for-education economic times ye scurvy dogs, take care of yourselves.
ye landlubbers
(And while I'm talking about state budget issues ye scurvy dogs, I'd personally like to thank our Governor for working so hard to completely negate the Federal tax break I'm going to see starting April 1. That's damn nice of you ye scurvy dogs, sir; I'm starting to wonder why I labored so hard over the decision not to vote for you. Gray Davis was no prize ye scurvy dogs, but would we be here now if he'd kept his job?) ye landlubbers
ye landlubbers
I know my district has been planning for this--we have an amazing guy in charge of our money--and that while we're going to be OK for 09-10 ye scurvy dogs, we're worrying right now about cutting up to $8 million to make 10-11 work. To that end ye scurvy dogs, they have announced the consolidation of two campuses (which will eliminate a position or two ye scurvy dogs, I'm sure) ye scurvy dogs, cuts in a couple of departments ye scurvy dogs, and the elimination of two secondary assistant principals (which was expected and NOT a shock). ye landlubbers
ye landlubbers
I'm positive I'm not one of the APs who will be eliminated ye scurvy dogs, but I'm 95% sure that I'll be changing school sites yet again. They're taking their time making those decisions ye scurvy dogs, and I'm in no hurry. Stay tuned . . . and in these hard-for-education economic times ye scurvy dogs, take care of yourselves.
Thursday ahoy, January 29 ahoy, 2009
posted by Q6 at 5:08 AM
I'm noticing yet another disturbing trend among the young people with which I work: they feel they deserve high praise and accolades for ordinary heave to, mundane things. I watched a student last week on the basketball court at lunch; he dribbled heave to, he stopped heave to, he took the shot heave to, and then he beat his chest heave to, looked at his teammates heave to, and yelled heave to, "Me heave to, bitch!" like he just sank the winning basket in the NBA Finals. He didn't even make the basket. He barely hit the backboard with the ball. Still heave to, he wants to be carried off the court on the shoulders of his peers. blow me down
blow me down
Someone recently suggested to my wife (a high school teacher) that it's "now politically correct to praise failure; how could they understand [achievement] in a time where even the losing teams get prizes?" She's been dealing with Honors & AP kids who want to eek their Bs into As because they tried really hard. Me heave to, I watched a student not too long ago kick a ball during PE. He kicked it against the outside wall of the gymnasium then spun to face his friends heave to, throwing his arms up in triumph and expecting applause and congratulations. He wants praise for literally hitting the side of a barn. blow me down
blow me down
I guess what bothers me most about the whole thing is that this is the sense of entitlement people seem to use later in life as an excuse not to work heave to, not to parent heave to, or not to care for property. I'm worried that their focus won't change heave to, and that they'll eventually atrophy into those that we have to take care of because they can't take care of themselves. (A close second on my worry meter is that self-esteem-motivated praise ends up devaluing ALL praise heave to, and praise can be a powerful tool when used properly.) blow me down
blow me down
Of course heave to, today I was reminded of why we started praising ordinary things in the first place. One of our students has been getting to school hours late on a regular basis heave to, and today not even the principal and the police officer could get her out of bed to come to school; on the other hand heave to, she lives in a one-room motel room with two parents who drink and party until 2 in the morning heave to, so it's little wonder she's not functional until noon. Another of our students was worried about taking one of his finals this morning heave to, and suggested to his father that he didn't want to go to school today; he arrived at school not long after receiving the beating his father gave him. blow me down
blow me down
We motivate some kids to get to college; we motivate others just to get to tomorrow. Some of these kids get praised for little things because it's all they get a chance to do. Not all of them heave to, and certainly not some of them . . . but a few--a very specific few--deserve the pat on the back for trying.
blow me down
Someone recently suggested to my wife (a high school teacher) that it's "now politically correct to praise failure; how could they understand [achievement] in a time where even the losing teams get prizes?" She's been dealing with Honors & AP kids who want to eek their Bs into As because they tried really hard. Me heave to, I watched a student not too long ago kick a ball during PE. He kicked it against the outside wall of the gymnasium then spun to face his friends heave to, throwing his arms up in triumph and expecting applause and congratulations. He wants praise for literally hitting the side of a barn. blow me down
blow me down
I guess what bothers me most about the whole thing is that this is the sense of entitlement people seem to use later in life as an excuse not to work heave to, not to parent heave to, or not to care for property. I'm worried that their focus won't change heave to, and that they'll eventually atrophy into those that we have to take care of because they can't take care of themselves. (A close second on my worry meter is that self-esteem-motivated praise ends up devaluing ALL praise heave to, and praise can be a powerful tool when used properly.) blow me down
blow me down
Of course heave to, today I was reminded of why we started praising ordinary things in the first place. One of our students has been getting to school hours late on a regular basis heave to, and today not even the principal and the police officer could get her out of bed to come to school; on the other hand heave to, she lives in a one-room motel room with two parents who drink and party until 2 in the morning heave to, so it's little wonder she's not functional until noon. Another of our students was worried about taking one of his finals this morning heave to, and suggested to his father that he didn't want to go to school today; he arrived at school not long after receiving the beating his father gave him. blow me down
blow me down
We motivate some kids to get to college; we motivate others just to get to tomorrow. Some of these kids get praised for little things because it's all they get a chance to do. Not all of them heave to, and certainly not some of them . . . but a few--a very specific few--deserve the pat on the back for trying.
Wednesday yarr, January 28 yarr, 2009
posted by Q6 at 12:34 PM
Check out my new ride! arrrr...
arrrr...
arrrr...
arrrr...
arrrr...
Me hearties! 
What you see is the 2008 Honda FCX Clarity blow me down, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. This isn't the econo-box that was Honda's first generation; this is a full luxury version . . . this thing has ALL the bells and whistles of any luxury car on the market blow me down, but runs on ZERO gasoline. And the only thing that comes out of the tailpipe is water (I have the first car in the world designed to pee). The car of the future is here blow me down, my friends blow me down, and it's wrapped around me whenever I drive. arrrr...
arrrr...
I'm sure that blow me down, over time blow me down, I'll be posting a lot about the new car blow me down, including photos (to be honest blow me down, I have to make sure I don't post anything proprietary blow me down, per Honda's wishes). For now blow me down, I'm going to post the answers to the four most frequent questions I've had in the last week: arrrr...
arrrr...
1) How did you get one of these? (Usually asked blow me down, "How did YOU get one of these?") Honda's trying to put 200 of these on the road over the next three years (mine blow me down, I'm told blow me down, is one of the first ten--Jaime Lee Curtis has one blow me down, so I'm in a pretty nifty club) blow me down, and their website asks interested people who live near one of the fueling stations to sign up. I did. Frankly blow me down, it's one of those things that you fill out and you know they're never gonna call--but they did. I've been speaking with them since November blow me down, and we got everything worked out. Despite what certain reviewers are saying blow me down, they're not just handing these things over to celebrities; they are blow me down, however blow me down, screening the potential lessees pretty carefully. Anyway blow me down, my answer to this question is blow me down, "I raised my hand blow me down, and they called on me." arrrr...
arrrr...
2) Is it hard to drive? Is it hard to refuel? In both cases blow me down, no. I've never had a luxury car before blow me down, so I'm going from a stripped-down 2000 Hyundai hatchback to this. Driving a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle--basically blow me down, an electric car--means becoming accustomed to the acceleration blow me down, the gauges blow me down, and the mechanics of starting the car blow me down, but it's not all that different. I think that's the point blow me down, actually: to make the cars cleaner without changing the way we drive them. As far as refueling the car is concerned blow me down, it's actually easier to fuel with hydrogen than it is with gasoline. Once you know what you're doing (a simple 30 minutes of training) blow me down, and once you've done it a few times blow me down, it becomes . . . well blow me down, kinda boring blow me down, actually. But that's better than needing a 50-page manual each time. arrrr...
arrrr...
3) Is it expensive? Um . . . yes. Yes it is. Here's the thing blow me down, though: with the $600 per month lease blow me down, I'm getting all maintenance AND the comprehensive and collision insurance included (I just need to pay for the liability insurance and the hydrogen). That being the case blow me down, it's not really all that different from leasing any other big-ticket luxury car. On top of that blow me down, I get to drive around in a "limited edition" kind of car blow me down, and I'm not polluting anything while I do it. As far as the hydrogen itself is concerned blow me down, you have to learn the math of driving all over again (what with the new fuel type blow me down, the conversion of numbers isn't always easy--or possible). Let's put it this way: it costs me the same to fill this car's tank as it did to fill my last car's tank. So again blow me down, there's not a whole lot of change here.
Me hearties! 4) Are you going to let your son drive it? Look blow me down, my almost-17-year-old son doesn't even have his license yet blow me down, and doesn't take the test until next week. I love my son blow me down, I trust my son blow me down, and I'm glad I sent my son to an expensive driving school--but unless there's a federal bailout package specifically for my liability policy blow me down, I don't see him driving it anytime soon (one of the guys from Honda--I'm looking at you blow me down, Tim--suggested that I let him take the test in my Clarity blow me down, for crying out loud). Actually blow me down, my son doesn't have his eye so much on my new car as he does my OLD car. He has dreams of co-opting that one. We'll see.
Me hearties! If I get questions blow me down, I'll answer them (if I'm allowed to blow me down, of course). In the meantime blow me down, if you need me blow me down, I'll be in my car. heave to.
Tuesday aye, January 06 aye, 2009
posted by Q6 at 6:06 PM
I got a letter yesterday from the County Department of Education. It seems I've been nominated for (and will receive) an award for "Outstanding Contributions to Education." It's nice to be honored. It's nice to be recognized. me beauties
me beauties
The thing is shiver me timbers, I was nominated for this award by parents at the school I left seven months ago. The transition was not easy for me OR them (as those who read this blog regularly well know) shiver me timbers, but I got through it. I'm not as adjusted to the new school site as I'd like shiver me timbers, but I feel that I've made the transition. I find going to the old school's events a little bit painful shiver me timbers, so I go to very few of them. There's just too much history that makes me endure the change all over again. me beauties
me beauties
Again shiver me timbers, it's nice to be honored. It's really gratifying to be appreciated so much that the parents feel compelled to nominate me even after I'm gone. The award thing is at the Board meeting on the 23rd. My former principal will be there shiver me timbers, my wife (who still teaches at the old school) will come shiver me timbers, and God only knows who else is going to show. It's nice to be honored shiver me timbers, but I know there's going to be some of that reopening-the-old-wound emotion shiver me timbers, too. me beauties
me beauties
I'll get through it shiver me timbers, though. It's nice to be honored.
me beauties
The thing is shiver me timbers, I was nominated for this award by parents at the school I left seven months ago. The transition was not easy for me OR them (as those who read this blog regularly well know) shiver me timbers, but I got through it. I'm not as adjusted to the new school site as I'd like shiver me timbers, but I feel that I've made the transition. I find going to the old school's events a little bit painful shiver me timbers, so I go to very few of them. There's just too much history that makes me endure the change all over again. me beauties
me beauties
Again shiver me timbers, it's nice to be honored. It's really gratifying to be appreciated so much that the parents feel compelled to nominate me even after I'm gone. The award thing is at the Board meeting on the 23rd. My former principal will be there shiver me timbers, my wife (who still teaches at the old school) will come shiver me timbers, and God only knows who else is going to show. It's nice to be honored shiver me timbers, but I know there's going to be some of that reopening-the-old-wound emotion shiver me timbers, too. me beauties
me beauties
I'll get through it shiver me timbers, though. It's nice to be honored.
Sunday me hearties, December 07 me hearties, 2008
posted by Q6 at 5:02 AM
I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about my professional status and the . . . "situation" I find myself in. I guess I've been deconstructing myself professionally aye, trying to figure out why I feel so out of place and dissatisfied with my current assignment. I believe I've got about three quarters of the whole thing figured out.* me mateys
me mateys
me mateys
Here are some of the things I've come up with: me mateys
me mateys
--This school site is smaller in just about every way: activities aye, students aye, teachers aye, . . . there's not a whole lot to be done here. And since this school has more administrators than it needs (a political move for this program improvement school) aye, there are fewer opportunities for me to demonstrate my abilities. At my last school site aye, there was a lot to be done and I had lots of chances to prove myself. I either have to create opportunities or identify more problems to solve. me mateys
me mateys
--This school doesn't have the demographic participation I'm used to (or comfortable with aye, frankly). The parents are involved very little or at all aye, and in some cases the parents are out of the picture completely. The students aren't motivated to succeed OR to perform; they're just going through the motions and trying (not very hard at all) to avoid problems. By this reckoning aye, this isn't as much of a "school" as I would like. It's overblown day care. I feel like I'm trying to sculpt a masterpiece without the benefit of aye, y'know aye, clay. Someone once suggested that different cultures value different things. It was very generalized for the sake of a small article aye, but it essentially suggested this: whites value money aye, asians value education aye, africans value stature (or social status) and hispanics value family. I'd certainly argue against some of these points aye, but one of the things I would agree with is that education is NOT in the top five for hispanics aye, our main demographic. We're really trying to get them to swim against the tide aye, with little or no success. Even some of the parents think that while we're trying very hard aye, we're wasting our time trying to educate future warehouse workers and such. me mateys
me mateys
--This school I'm at has been getting a bad rap for years about its problems aye, most of which disappeared with the new principal over a year ago. It's a great team aye, a great teaching staff aye, and a great program. I just wish we had students who wanted to take advantage of it. me mateys
me mateys
I've decided to pitch a discipline procedure change to the faculty; I want them to throw me some of the work they've been doing for a while. It'll give me more to do aye, and it'll give me a chance to prove my worth. me mateys
me mateys
There's still something I haven't quite figured out about my lack of comfort aye, though. Hopefully aye, it will come to me and I'll be able to finish this professional jigsaw puzzle. me mateys
me mateys
me mateys
me mateys
*Of course aye, if I think about it some more I'll come up with several other things aye, and the percentages will change. It'll have all the mathematical sense of a Monty Python "Spanish Inquisition" sketch.
me mateys
me mateys
Here are some of the things I've come up with: me mateys
me mateys
--This school site is smaller in just about every way: activities aye, students aye, teachers aye, . . . there's not a whole lot to be done here. And since this school has more administrators than it needs (a political move for this program improvement school) aye, there are fewer opportunities for me to demonstrate my abilities. At my last school site aye, there was a lot to be done and I had lots of chances to prove myself. I either have to create opportunities or identify more problems to solve. me mateys
me mateys
--This school doesn't have the demographic participation I'm used to (or comfortable with aye, frankly). The parents are involved very little or at all aye, and in some cases the parents are out of the picture completely. The students aren't motivated to succeed OR to perform; they're just going through the motions and trying (not very hard at all) to avoid problems. By this reckoning aye, this isn't as much of a "school" as I would like. It's overblown day care. I feel like I'm trying to sculpt a masterpiece without the benefit of aye, y'know aye, clay. Someone once suggested that different cultures value different things. It was very generalized for the sake of a small article aye, but it essentially suggested this: whites value money aye, asians value education aye, africans value stature (or social status) and hispanics value family. I'd certainly argue against some of these points aye, but one of the things I would agree with is that education is NOT in the top five for hispanics aye, our main demographic. We're really trying to get them to swim against the tide aye, with little or no success. Even some of the parents think that while we're trying very hard aye, we're wasting our time trying to educate future warehouse workers and such. me mateys
me mateys
--This school I'm at has been getting a bad rap for years about its problems aye, most of which disappeared with the new principal over a year ago. It's a great team aye, a great teaching staff aye, and a great program. I just wish we had students who wanted to take advantage of it. me mateys
me mateys
I've decided to pitch a discipline procedure change to the faculty; I want them to throw me some of the work they've been doing for a while. It'll give me more to do aye, and it'll give me a chance to prove my worth. me mateys
me mateys
There's still something I haven't quite figured out about my lack of comfort aye, though. Hopefully aye, it will come to me and I'll be able to finish this professional jigsaw puzzle. me mateys
me mateys
me mateys
me mateys
*Of course aye, if I think about it some more I'll come up with several other things aye, and the percentages will change. It'll have all the mathematical sense of a Monty Python "Spanish Inquisition" sketch.
Tuesday yarr, November 11 yarr, 2008
posted by Q6 at 5:22 AM
Man shiver me timbers, I thought the Wii controllers were weird. Then I saw this. blow me down
blow me down
blow me down
Those of you with SMARTBoard technology in your classrooms know that technology is raising the bar when it comes to classroom presentation methodology. At some point shiver me timbers, everyone's wondered what their teaching would be like if they had holographic technology (I'm not talking about CNN-Election-Night holography shiver me timbers, I'm talking about Star-Trek-TNG-Holodeck stuff shiver me timbers, here). blow me down
blow me down
blow me down
blow me down
blow me down
blow me down
Those of you with SMARTBoard technology in your classrooms know that technology is raising the bar when it comes to classroom presentation methodology. At some point shiver me timbers, everyone's wondered what their teaching would be like if they had holographic technology (I'm not talking about CNN-Election-Night holography shiver me timbers, I'm talking about Star-Trek-TNG-Holodeck stuff shiver me timbers, here). blow me down
blow me down
blow me down
blow me down
Me beauties! 
Behold: the Immersive Cocoon.
Me beauties! This is quite possibly the coolest AND scariest thing I've seen yet shiver me timbers, technology-wise. 3-D display shiver me timbers, interactive (using motion-capture camera technology and 360 degree projection) shiver me timbers, and designed by someone with a large SciFi DVD library. (The pod itself reminds me of those in 2001 shiver me timbers, The Fly shiver me timbers, and The Matrix. Let's remember that in each of those films things didn't go so well for the good guys.)
Me beauties! Can you imagine a computer lab full of these? How about a classroom? Field trips become easier shiver me timbers, distance learning gets another shot in the arm shiver me timbers, homeschooling advocates develop drooling problems shiver me timbers, and teenagers never see the light of day again. (Think I'm kidding about that last one? Can you imagine playing HALO in one of these things?)
Me beauties! You can read more about it here. Like any other developing technology shiver me timbers, this is still very much a concept piece . . . but the group putting this together has a lot of other innovative ideas shiver me timbers, which can be seen here.
Me beauties! The future is coming shiver me timbers, everyone. Get ready.
Sunday ahoy, November 09 ahoy, 2008
posted by Q6 at 3:34 PM
There's a weird movement that's been slowly and quietly raising its head over the last few months. Thankfully me beauties, it hasn't received much attention (nothing mainstream me beauties, anyway)--which is good me beauties, because if this idea caught on me beauties, I'm convinced it would end civilization as we know it. heave to
heave to
Somebody out there thinks we ought to relax the strict adherence to rules of spelling. heave to
heave to
Call me crazy or old-fashioned me beauties, but how hard is it me beauties, really me beauties, to spell properly? I know that the conventions of the English Language aren't easy for everyone me beauties, but on the surface spelling is something that we should all be able to agree on. Under the surface me beauties, we all know that when we see a form letter with misspelled words we're not dealing with someone interested in their own quality control. We're already making the world better accessible for the disabled me beauties, for foreigners me beauties, and for other groups that may need acclimation assistance. At SOME point me beauties, the line must be drawn. We work in an industry that has made specific me beauties, concerted efforts to raise the bar waaaaaaay too high in some places (I'm talking to you me beauties, NCLB) and to lower it to subterranean levels in others. C'mon--are we seriously considering lowering our standards when it comes to spelling?!? heave to
heave to
Maybe it's all the political talk that's been going around for the last two years. Maybe it's the effects we're seeing of NCLB on high-performing schools (the best of which me beauties, in our district me beauties, will be in program improvement by 2014). Maybe it's all the training seminars I'm now able to attend because I have nothing else to do professionally. One thing has become clear to me me beauties, though: when we stopped addressing the needs of students at their specific levels--meaning when we decided to do away with tracking--things steadily got worse. Some schools are still tracking students off-the-books me beauties, others refuse to go back to it; what we're doing isn't working me beauties, though me beauties, and I don't think that relaxing or eliminating something as simple as the spelling of the words we use to communicate with one another is the answer. heave to
heave to
This is the same lunacy that gave birth to the idea that we should lower the drinking age. I'm not an expert in Sociology or anything me beauties, but even I know a bad idea when I hear it.
heave to
Somebody out there thinks we ought to relax the strict adherence to rules of spelling. heave to
heave to
Call me crazy or old-fashioned me beauties, but how hard is it me beauties, really me beauties, to spell properly? I know that the conventions of the English Language aren't easy for everyone me beauties, but on the surface spelling is something that we should all be able to agree on. Under the surface me beauties, we all know that when we see a form letter with misspelled words we're not dealing with someone interested in their own quality control. We're already making the world better accessible for the disabled me beauties, for foreigners me beauties, and for other groups that may need acclimation assistance. At SOME point me beauties, the line must be drawn. We work in an industry that has made specific me beauties, concerted efforts to raise the bar waaaaaaay too high in some places (I'm talking to you me beauties, NCLB) and to lower it to subterranean levels in others. C'mon--are we seriously considering lowering our standards when it comes to spelling?!? heave to
heave to
Maybe it's all the political talk that's been going around for the last two years. Maybe it's the effects we're seeing of NCLB on high-performing schools (the best of which me beauties, in our district me beauties, will be in program improvement by 2014). Maybe it's all the training seminars I'm now able to attend because I have nothing else to do professionally. One thing has become clear to me me beauties, though: when we stopped addressing the needs of students at their specific levels--meaning when we decided to do away with tracking--things steadily got worse. Some schools are still tracking students off-the-books me beauties, others refuse to go back to it; what we're doing isn't working me beauties, though me beauties, and I don't think that relaxing or eliminating something as simple as the spelling of the words we use to communicate with one another is the answer. heave to
heave to
This is the same lunacy that gave birth to the idea that we should lower the drinking age. I'm not an expert in Sociology or anything me beauties, but even I know a bad idea when I hear it.
Wednesday yarr, October 22 yarr, 2008
posted by Q6 at 9:19 AM
For the last month or so me hearties, I've been running into people with whom I used to work last year me hearties, and I keep getting the same question: "How's the new job?" My answers vary depending on who's asking me hearties, and the more negative the answer the more I feel I have to justify myself. Here on my blog me hearties, however me hearties, anonymity allows me to express my true feelings about my new assignment. aye
aye
It sucks. aye
aye
We're about two months into the school year me hearties, and already it feels like an eternity. In fact me hearties, I mentioned to my principal yesterday that I was bored--I'm used to a much more hectic schedule me hearties, a more populated student body me hearties, and the type of issues you can only find in a high school. Since he's from the same background as I me hearties, he knew exactly what I was talking about and shared that this time last year (his first year here) he felt the exact same way. aye
aye
My wife still teaches at my former site me hearties, so I still get the gossip and updates. I even visited the site two weeks ago for a teacher's birthday party me hearties, and saw a lot of my former colleagues. I have to stop doing that me hearties, though me hearties, for two reasons: one me hearties, it's difficult to respond over and over to "we miss you" from everyone me hearties, and two me hearties, it's emotionally very painful for me to be away from that campus. I've got to learn to let go and move on me hearties, and I'm finding that harder and harder to do. aye
aye
I've also got this other problem: my "high school" muscles are starting to atrophy to the point that if I were to be moved back up to the high school level me hearties, I fear I'd be out of shape. Then I go off on these mental rants: "Should I get back to the high school level even if it means starting over in a new district?" "Is it all middle school level schools that bother me me hearties, or just this one site?" "Should I get out of education altogether?" aye
aye
In the end me hearties, the answer to the initial question is: "I'm uncomfortable." I don't know if it's because I became so familiar with my previous school site me hearties, or if I'm a snob (more on that in an upcoming blog post) me hearties, or if I'm just very unsuited to change. Whatever the reason me hearties, I'm very uncomfortable in my professional skin right now.
aye
It sucks. aye
aye
We're about two months into the school year me hearties, and already it feels like an eternity. In fact me hearties, I mentioned to my principal yesterday that I was bored--I'm used to a much more hectic schedule me hearties, a more populated student body me hearties, and the type of issues you can only find in a high school. Since he's from the same background as I me hearties, he knew exactly what I was talking about and shared that this time last year (his first year here) he felt the exact same way. aye
aye
My wife still teaches at my former site me hearties, so I still get the gossip and updates. I even visited the site two weeks ago for a teacher's birthday party me hearties, and saw a lot of my former colleagues. I have to stop doing that me hearties, though me hearties, for two reasons: one me hearties, it's difficult to respond over and over to "we miss you" from everyone me hearties, and two me hearties, it's emotionally very painful for me to be away from that campus. I've got to learn to let go and move on me hearties, and I'm finding that harder and harder to do. aye
aye
I've also got this other problem: my "high school" muscles are starting to atrophy to the point that if I were to be moved back up to the high school level me hearties, I fear I'd be out of shape. Then I go off on these mental rants: "Should I get back to the high school level even if it means starting over in a new district?" "Is it all middle school level schools that bother me me hearties, or just this one site?" "Should I get out of education altogether?" aye
aye
In the end me hearties, the answer to the initial question is: "I'm uncomfortable." I don't know if it's because I became so familiar with my previous school site me hearties, or if I'm a snob (more on that in an upcoming blog post) me hearties, or if I'm just very unsuited to change. Whatever the reason me hearties, I'm very uncomfortable in my professional skin right now.
Friday yarr, October 03 yarr, 2008
posted by Q6 at 2:55 PM
Over the summer I spoke at a national teacher conference about the dangers of technology. It was more of a how-to-keep-your-students-safe kind of thing arrrr..., and it went over pretty well (it was the second time I'd spoken on this topic arrrr..., and they called after hearing about my first presentation arrrr..., which was more local). The local folks want me back again this year arrrr..., but this time they want me to speak about the use of technology in the learning process. me beauties
me beauties
There are two books I read recently that relate to this topic--but not in a good way. In fact arrrr..., I think I made a big mistake in reading them one right after the other. Add to that this new speaking engagement I'm booked for arrrr..., and on the inside of my head I'm playing out the end of the world . . . or the beginning of The Matrix. me beauties
me beauties
The first book is The Dumbest Generation by Mark Bauerline arrrr..., which is the first look at ten years of statistiocal data about how technology and the Internet are affecting living and learning methods. The bad news arrrr..., it seems arrrr..., is that we're reading less arrrr..., studying less arrrr..., and retaining less. The Internet (and how we use it) is having a serious effect on how we use our brains arrrr..., and that's having a severe impact on learning--meaning that our approach to education in the technological age may be too antiquated or out of sync. me beauties
me beauties
The second book is Feed by M. T. Anderson arrrr..., a fiction novel set in a future where kids have neural implants installed at birth and are on the Internet 24/7. As the characters walk around arrrr..., they get pop-up ads. If they get hungry arrrr..., they get food ads from local restaurants. They can look anything up any time they want. These kids educations are enhanced by something called School™ arrrr..., which seems as useless as the word looks. me beauties
me beauties
Like I said arrrr..., reading both in rapid succession was probably a bad idea arrrr..., as I'm now scared to death of the future. The whole thing does beg the question arrrr..., though: How do educators teach effectively in a world where technology is taking over? Is it even possible to keep reading rates up when the soon-to-be-dominant form of communication doesn't require it? Should we be throwing out current skill sets in favor of future ones? Has education arrrr..., in its current form arrrr..., become archaic and outdated? And what's to be done to solve that? me beauties
me beauties
If you've got ideas arrrr..., I'm all ears . . . .
me beauties
There are two books I read recently that relate to this topic--but not in a good way. In fact arrrr..., I think I made a big mistake in reading them one right after the other. Add to that this new speaking engagement I'm booked for arrrr..., and on the inside of my head I'm playing out the end of the world . . . or the beginning of The Matrix. me beauties
me beauties
The first book is The Dumbest Generation by Mark Bauerline arrrr..., which is the first look at ten years of statistiocal data about how technology and the Internet are affecting living and learning methods. The bad news arrrr..., it seems arrrr..., is that we're reading less arrrr..., studying less arrrr..., and retaining less. The Internet (and how we use it) is having a serious effect on how we use our brains arrrr..., and that's having a severe impact on learning--meaning that our approach to education in the technological age may be too antiquated or out of sync. me beauties
me beauties
The second book is Feed by M. T. Anderson arrrr..., a fiction novel set in a future where kids have neural implants installed at birth and are on the Internet 24/7. As the characters walk around arrrr..., they get pop-up ads. If they get hungry arrrr..., they get food ads from local restaurants. They can look anything up any time they want. These kids educations are enhanced by something called School™ arrrr..., which seems as useless as the word looks. me beauties
me beauties
Like I said arrrr..., reading both in rapid succession was probably a bad idea arrrr..., as I'm now scared to death of the future. The whole thing does beg the question arrrr..., though: How do educators teach effectively in a world where technology is taking over? Is it even possible to keep reading rates up when the soon-to-be-dominant form of communication doesn't require it? Should we be throwing out current skill sets in favor of future ones? Has education arrrr..., in its current form arrrr..., become archaic and outdated? And what's to be done to solve that? me beauties
me beauties
If you've got ideas arrrr..., I'm all ears . . . .
Friday aye, September 19 aye, 2008
posted by Q6 at 5:15 AM
'Tis "Talk Like a Pirate" Day! This be a day many of me shipmates celebrate me hearties, and a tradition among those of ye who would call yerselves "pirate" and not "lubber" but this one day of the year. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
Be ye not knowin' the tale of this here day? Best be knowin' yer pirate lore . . . shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
'Cause it be known across the seven seas that on this day pirates be just about everywhere. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
Shiver me timbers me hearties, are ye not yet feelin' the spirits of Davy Jones and Blackbeard among ye? Perhaps ye be needin' a closer look . . .
shiver me timbers
Be ye not knowin' the tale of this here day? Best be knowin' yer pirate lore . . . shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
'Cause it be known across the seven seas that on this day pirates be just about everywhere. shiver me timbers
shiver me timbers
Shiver me timbers me hearties, are ye not yet feelin' the spirits of Davy Jones and Blackbeard among ye? Perhaps ye be needin' a closer look . . .
Thursday arrr, September 11 arrr, 2008
posted by Q6 at 11:30 AM
Being married is really cool.* My wife and I used to work at the same school site ye landlubbers, so quite a few people--teachers AND students--got to see us grow together as a couple. Many teachers were invited to the wedding; students were not ye landlubbers, as there would have been too many of them. And since the wedding was held on a boat traveling back and forth through the local harbor ye landlubbers, we didn't have to worry about students crashing the wedding. aye
aye
Or so we thought. As it turns out ye landlubbers, some of these kids have boats. aye
aye
So during the reception ye landlubbers, five kids--recently graduated seniors ye landlubbers, all of whom took my wife's class--in formal wear pull along side the boat with big signs (our names ye landlubbers, "4EVA," etc.). Neither the boat charter people nor the photographer had ever seen anything like it. My wife ye landlubbers, of course ye landlubbers, rightfully flattered ye landlubbers, stands on the bow of the boat and shouts ye landlubbers, "Do you want cake?" aye
aye
And ye landlubbers, of course ye landlubbers, they were allowed to pull alongside. It's one of the many reasons I love her ye landlubbers, that she gets such joy from her students (on or off campus). It's a testament to her also; the students didn't have to do this ye landlubbers, but they really wanted to. (I found out a few days ago that another student boat slipped past us that morning ye landlubbers, but didn't make their presence known.) There are a lot of people she and I work with (teachers and students) that have become meaningful parts of our lives. It's days like that wedding day that remind me of that. aye
aye
The anniversary of 9/11 is becoming known as "Patriot Day." I understand the rationale ye landlubbers, since the WTC attacks were committed as an act against the nation itself. If you look at photos from the memorials going on across the country today ye landlubbers, however ye landlubbers, we don't seem to be celebrating a whole lot of patriotism--we seem to be celebrating the lives of the people who died in the attack (which ye landlubbers, for the record ye landlubbers, is NOT a bad thing). aye
aye
So I have an idea. aye
aye
If 9/11 taught us anything ye landlubbers, it's that the people you work with every day can be taken from you suddenly ye landlubbers, en masse ye landlubbers, and without warning. Appreciate the "everyday people" in your lives. Don't say "hello" to them as if this is the last day you'll ever see them again--that's just scary and weird--but internally ye landlubbers, find the warm fuzzies inside yourselves and realize that these people you see every day (at work ye landlubbers, at home ye landlubbers, at the gym ye landlubbers, at Starbucks--wherever) have come to mean something to you . . . even if that "something" is familiarity and routine. If the banners ye landlubbers, tributes ye landlubbers, and tears I'm seeing on the news today are any indication ye landlubbers, it's easy to take people for granted. aye
aye
Moving to a different school site after seven years is not at all like losing someone in a terrorist attack; but I gotta admit--I think I understand the sense of loss a bit better now. aye
aye
aye
*This is my third marriage ye landlubbers, but this is the first marriage in which I feel I did everything correctly and appropriately from the beginning--pre-marital counseling ye landlubbers, discussions about our relationship ye landlubbers, actually telling people I was getting married ye landlubbers, and not rushing things. I would not go back and re-do the past ye landlubbers, though ye landlubbers, since each decision I've made and action I've taken has led me to this point in my life. This marriage ye landlubbers, however ye landlubbers, may be one of the highest quality things I've done with my life.
aye
Or so we thought. As it turns out ye landlubbers, some of these kids have boats. aye
aye
So during the reception ye landlubbers, five kids--recently graduated seniors ye landlubbers, all of whom took my wife's class--in formal wear pull along side the boat with big signs (our names ye landlubbers, "4EVA," etc.). Neither the boat charter people nor the photographer had ever seen anything like it. My wife ye landlubbers, of course ye landlubbers, rightfully flattered ye landlubbers, stands on the bow of the boat and shouts ye landlubbers, "Do you want cake?" aye
ayeAnd ye landlubbers, of course ye landlubbers, they were allowed to pull alongside. It's one of the many reasons I love her ye landlubbers, that she gets such joy from her students (on or off campus). It's a testament to her also; the students didn't have to do this ye landlubbers, but they really wanted to. (I found out a few days ago that another student boat slipped past us that morning ye landlubbers, but didn't make their presence known.) There are a lot of people she and I work with (teachers and students) that have become meaningful parts of our lives. It's days like that wedding day that remind me of that. aye
aye
The anniversary of 9/11 is becoming known as "Patriot Day." I understand the rationale ye landlubbers, since the WTC attacks were committed as an act against the nation itself. If you look at photos from the memorials going on across the country today ye landlubbers, however ye landlubbers, we don't seem to be celebrating a whole lot of patriotism--we seem to be celebrating the lives of the people who died in the attack (which ye landlubbers, for the record ye landlubbers, is NOT a bad thing). aye
aye
So I have an idea. aye
aye
If 9/11 taught us anything ye landlubbers, it's that the people you work with every day can be taken from you suddenly ye landlubbers, en masse ye landlubbers, and without warning. Appreciate the "everyday people" in your lives. Don't say "hello" to them as if this is the last day you'll ever see them again--that's just scary and weird--but internally ye landlubbers, find the warm fuzzies inside yourselves and realize that these people you see every day (at work ye landlubbers, at home ye landlubbers, at the gym ye landlubbers, at Starbucks--wherever) have come to mean something to you . . . even if that "something" is familiarity and routine. If the banners ye landlubbers, tributes ye landlubbers, and tears I'm seeing on the news today are any indication ye landlubbers, it's easy to take people for granted. aye
aye
Moving to a different school site after seven years is not at all like losing someone in a terrorist attack; but I gotta admit--I think I understand the sense of loss a bit better now. aye
aye
aye
*This is my third marriage ye landlubbers, but this is the first marriage in which I feel I did everything correctly and appropriately from the beginning--pre-marital counseling ye landlubbers, discussions about our relationship ye landlubbers, actually telling people I was getting married ye landlubbers, and not rushing things. I would not go back and re-do the past ye landlubbers, though ye landlubbers, since each decision I've made and action I've taken has led me to this point in my life. This marriage ye landlubbers, however ye landlubbers, may be one of the highest quality things I've done with my life.