World Issue

Being a sports guy, I can't think of any issue more pressing right now then the one going on in baseball. For those of you not familiar refer to the link below before reading. Last week the Mitchell report came out, identifying several high profile baseball players alledgedly involved in steroid or HGH usage. Steroids is a huge issue, not just in baseball, but in all sports in general. Steroids are a quick fix to get bigger, stronger, faster. If this was your job I think that most people would have a hard time refusing to try it, even though it is illegal. I myself have not seen anyone or known of anyone who is on steroids or HGH. I was informed of its side effects in some health class either in high school or college. I have even seen a documentary on MTV documenting people on steroids. What an eye opener. Some doctors even say that steroids taken in moderaction can have little or no side effects. That is just it though, MODERATION! If something is that good you can't just have a little bit. Bet you can't eat just one!
Mitchell Report

School Issue

The school I am interested in is the issue of dress codes. I believe that there is nothing wrong with school dress codes. In fact, my girlfriend was the one who got the dress code implimented at McGloughlin Middle School this year. Even teachers have to follow the dress code guidlines. Which got me thinking. Is that common practice for students to have a dress code and the teachers have a seperate one. I think that teachers in general have an unwritten dress code policy, as long as it looks semi professional then it is okay. I also think that teachers in general do a good job of maintaining thier professionalism. So I came across an artical that talked about a state government in Australia might require teachers to follow the dress code that they impliment for thier students. I think that this is only fair. Even though we are adults and free to make our own choices. Yet I think that teachers have to lead by example.
Dress Code

Ahhhh Haaaaaa!

There are so many ah ha moments that teachers get to see. But probably the best ah ha moments for me don't even happen until the year after. When I see the WASL results every year! I am proud to say that 20/25 students in my reading class passed the WASL last year. I know what you are thinking......that I had the high kids. This was not so! I had the kids that were right on the fence. The ones that just try to slide by and do the least posible to get by. I believe that these are some of the toughest kids to teach! They have all the ability but never chose to use it properly. But just when you think that they are learning nothing, they go and do something like this! Even the ones that I said didn't stand a chance passing the WASL did! I was so proud! Not of myself but of my kids. Okay okay, I was pretty proud of myself also! If you are reading this than will know that I will not be in class on Saturday due to a basketball game rescheduled because their is supposed to be snow in the gorge. Please try to have fun without me.

Worst Job

Hello there. I have had a lot of interesting jobs. I had to quit three sports and get a job when I was 14yrs old. The only place that hired youngins like myself was the fast food businesses. So I went straight to the top! I know what you're thinking, but the golden arches weren't in my sights. No no, it was the rival Burger King! I wanted it my way dammit! I had to do it all. For some reason they thought I was pretty personable so I put on my best smile and actually delivered the food in the restaraunt like a host would. I made and shelled out popcorn too! Then when they thought I had worn my welcome in the front, I got to go back and engulf myself in grease. I didn't mind smelling like a grease trap, it was just cleaning one that sucked! It was the worse thing any human being working in the fast food business would ever have to put up with. I don't know how many times I gagged or how many times I wanted to throw up but I made it through, and since they wouldn't give me employee of the month after all this, I quit after 2 years, to go work at Subway. Eat fresh people!

Vacation Time

Well. Let me think? I have never been the traveling type. But the relationship that I am in now, kind of forces me to. But that is not a bad thing. The biggest trip I had ever taken was a trip to Holland when I was a graduated senior, with an all-star basketball team. It was a great trip because I had never been out of the US, got to play ball, and meet people from all over the US and Holland. Then I took a big chance and moved out here because........well because I had nothing in good ole SoDak. holding me down there, plus I had never been to the west coast. But since I have lived here for 5 years, I have been on my first cruise to the western Carribiean, (Definately reccommend cruises! Good times had by all!), been to Canada more times than I can count (father in lawish), went to Vegas this summer (won $1000), and back and forth to Phoenix to visit some new friends (they're rich and spoil us everytime we go, plus they are the most genuine people you'd ever meet). I am going to Vegas this weekend for a buddy's 30th birthday. Good Times! Viva, viva!

Hobbies

I LOVE BASKETBALL! I am enjoying Krav Maga (martial art). Although both make me feel sometimes that my body hates me! I also lift weights when I am not so soar from the other two. Sounds like I am pretty busy. But they all take a back seat to my family of course. Although I don't think I can call them a hobby since they are an everyday kind of thing, and more of a fun responsibility than anything. I played 3 years of college basketball, and what makes this so interesting is that I was never recruited coming out of NOWHERE South Dakota. I attended a small private school that offered me a scholarship, and I actually played as a true freshman! All my dreams where coming true, right? The next year my school SHUT DOWN at Thanksgiving time (what a Christmas vacation that was). I had nowhere to go, no coach who believed in me as a player, nothing. I ended up transfering to another school, and hated every minute and then transfered that next year to where all my friends where and things never worked out basketball wise there. To this day I still have dreams that I go back to my first school. I see faces and hear voices that I haven't thought about in years, and every detail is just as it was when I left it. I don't know what all this has to do with anything, I am just now rambling. Oh yeah, I also coach at Skyview High School. I love coaching and being able to give back my knowledge of the game to other kids. See you all this weekend.

Reflection

I just finished up my conferences this morning, so I was thinking that now would be the best time to blog! I always tell myself that I can't wait to tell parents about their kids, and their behaviors so that maybe they will realize what it is like in my classroom. Yet, most parents just kind of shrug it off and say that they have the same problems with them at home and that they have a hard time getting them to do anything when they get home. I am going to step up on my soapbox right now so you have been warned. I think that the parents of today (not everyone though) are doing a crappy job! It seems that the children really run the parents instead of the other way around. I am all for giving kids choices, but sometime parents just need to lay down the law. Kids' lack of authority and respect for parents and/or adults is sickening! It seems as though kids just go home and as long as they don't bug the parents then everything is kosher. So kids just throw fits until they get what they want. Parents have gotten too soft, almost as if they would rather be the kids' friend first and parent second, instead of the other way around. Whew! I can step down now. Sorry about that. Well now that I said that I have nothing left on my mind. See ya all soon.

New Technology

Wow! Where to start huh! There is tons of stuff that is new and fun. So let's start with the stuff I would love to have at work! I just recently played around with a digital whiteboard! Wowzers! That was cool. So many things that you can do with that piece of technology. Also a document camera would sure save a lot of copying and making overheads. I know that this isn't new stuff, but it would be new stuff compared to what I have! And this stuff isn't even that NEW! There is so much new stuff that could benefit teachers that most teachers, like myself, don't even know about it. As far as other stuff, I have a Nintendo Wii. So much fun! I wouldn't mind a Lexus that could parallel park itself. (Wishful thinking). Iphones are crazy too! Again I know that this stuff isn't that new, because there are things that have already been developed or being developed that I probably couldn't even wrap my head around the concept.

War In Iraq

The war in Iraq. Well I don't know really what to say. Like most Americans when Sept. 11th happened I was very angry and felt like that maybe the war in Iraq was going to be a good thing. Yet the more I was informed about it, I really felt like we were waisting our time and military lives. I wear a black wristband with the names of the fallen soldiers from my hometown of Yankton, South Dakota. One of them was a classmate of mine. I feel compelled to wear it everyday. He married his high school sweatheart (a girl in my class also) and left 2 kids behind. I went to my 10 year reunion this summer and she didn't show up because she said that it would be to hard yet. I can't even imagine the pain that she has endured. And for what? For some oil and an execution of a foriegn leader. I truly hope that we get out of Iraq soon.

Picture

Here is my picture. Please enjoy! I was having a stressful day in the core classes last year and this is how I ended up!

This is ME!

This is my first time blogging!
ESPN