Tough Call

I have two children... going on three.  I coach football on the high school level and umpire baseball.  I was fortunate enough to play college baseball and have a father that was a  college football player and high school football coach.  Needless to say coaching and sports are a big part of my life. My dad was always happy that I played ball, and he truly enjoyed watching me and my siblings  play.  In high school I can probably count the number of  times on both hands that he or my mom missed a game.  Me, my brother and sister were just a blessed bunch of kids to have the support at home like that.  With this being said, we were never forced to play or yelled at for not doing well.  I took a scolding once or twice for not doing my best, but that was well warranted.  Because that was the only rule that my parents had if you are going to play, you will finish the season and do the best your ability will let you do.  Hey I can live with that. Seeing the great model that my parents showed to me, I vowed along time ago that I did not want to coach my own kids until they were high school age.  Well McKenzie is all girl:dresses, cheerleading, baton, and spending money.  Don't really think I will have to worry about coaching her.  Now Gage on the other hand is all boy.  If it can be thrown he is gonna throw it.  If it can be kicked, hes gonna kick it.  And if it can be broke, well he probably has already broken it. He loves any and all sports and I hope that he keeps that desire and I can coach him one day.  But not till High School, right?  I just don't want to be an overbearing dad that lives through their seven year old.  Trust me nothing is more saddening than to be umpiring a 10 year old travel ball game and see a dad yell at his son "your horrible".  It breaks my heart.  The fact that my competitiveness, over 10 year old's mind you, cause me to belittle my own son in front of everyone is just wrong. I just wanna tell him "hey man your coaching ain't nothing to write home about either", but that is unprofessional.  These dads that live through their sons, push them to far, cause them to hate the game.  I don't think I would be that way, but I am not gonna risk it.  High School and College age kids are a little more mentally tough, and coaches that are TRAINED in coaching may be harsh at times, but come back with a pat one the butt and "alright now lets go" and the kid knows he is loved.  They are older they can distinguish.  So again I am not gonna coach my kids till high school, right?  Then the other day I saw something that changed my whole perspective on this and almost forces me to think I am the only person I trust to coach my own boy.  A 12 year old game, coach steals the boy from third and does not tell hitter through a sign.  Runner runs, hitter swings, and as you can imagine the runner takes a full swing across the rids, and the young man has to go the hospital.  It was senseless.  This "coach" has no business coaching anyone's son, much less mine.  He endangered his own player to try to score a run.  Didn't even think, this might not be a good idea.  REAL coaches have plays and calls to alert the hitter.  Weekend Warrior daddy ball idiots want to win the trophy more than teach the game.  So many time I see terrible fundamentals and lack of game knowledge possessed by the players, but the coaches yell the loudest when they don't win. Well why don't you COACH them COACH.  Had that been Gage that got hit, me and that coach would have talked.  So I have had to go back on what I have always said.  I will coach my son whenever I can, and other young kids as well.  They need as much skill development as possible, but more importantly they need coaches that care for their safety.  I t might be a tough call, and I will  have to watch my competitive spirit, but safety and fundamentals will keep our young men and women in the game a lot longer. And with full enjoyment.

Gage with his Uncle Kaleb.  Look at that form :) LOL

 

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Helping Students Understand Responsible Social Media Use

Just about every person today has some sort of social media account.  Some for work and some for just personal enjoyment.  Regardless of the reason for which we have them, there is a certain etiquette that needs to be followed.  We as teachers tend to understand this a little more than our students do.  I think that the true challenge for us as teachers is to try and help our students understand what is and is not acceptable, without taking away their self expression and making it their own.  With cyber bullying being a major cause of concern these days, and social media being a big proponent of this, we need to educate even more vigorously responsible social media use.  Another major concern of mine with our young people and social media is the availability  of our children/students to sexual predators.  It is really important that we make sure that things they post are not offering up information that would allow them vulnerable to these people.  Encourage them to not share locations or times when they may be home alone, or times they leave work late.  I know all the time I accept friend requests on Facebook from people I don't know.  This is not a good practice by me, but a horrible practice for students and children.  Encourage them to be sure of all friend  requests that they accept.  I would even encourage teachers to have a classroom page, and ask all the parents to view if occasionally and give pointers on how to keep their children safe while using social media.  As a coach I would routinely check my players Facebook pages.  Kids will be kids I understand, and we all know that our students, players, and even our own children make decisions based in the now and don't think about the future consequences of these decisions.  As I would look over these pages of my players and inform them of things that I felt was inappropriate.  Be it language, pictures, or anything that could be misconstrued as negative.  I will not get into right or wrong aspects of it, but more just general character.  Many of my players had college coaches looking at them, and I have many friends of mine that coach at the college level.  I know that they follow their recruits Facebook and twitter accounts.  I just always wanted to make sure that they presented the best image of themselves on their page.  Just the way I am.  I myself have had things wind up on my Facebook that did not represent the best image of myself, so I assure them I am not trying to be holier-than-thou.  I just let them know they can learn from others mistakes, and let that coach know he is getting a quality player with good character. One last note.  I don't judge.  Just not something I do.  I think that what people do is there own business and they can choose to share it or not.  As teachers we have that right as well, but we are held to a higher standard in the court of public opinion.  It may not be fair, but it is the way it is.   So we need to be careful what we put on social media as well.  You can be the greatest educator or coach in the world.  But one misconstrued post or tweet can hurt your credibility, and in these days it is hard to recover.  A wise man once told me it only take 1 oh-crap to ruin 1000 ata-boys.  But he also told me if your gonna be stupid you better be tough.  Just a thought.  Follow @CoachKD34

Being Educated is not the Only Education

We are born, learn to drive, graduate high school, go to college, get married, have kids, then we die.  Yes I know that this not the way it always goes, but it is a very common sequence in the minds of many.  When many folks think education they think diplomas and degrees, graduate high school then go to college.  The fact is even in the profession of education, we push being career ready of, "can't get that good job without a solid college education".  Lost in all this is some students just were not built for college.  Just like some folks are built for sports, arts and music, or traditional education in general.  The fact is we in education I believe have gotten away from encouraging talent and skill development, for trying to put all in college.  Remember graduate high school go to college, American Dream.  Well what about the kids dream of being a diesel mechanic, or owning his own contracting business, or under water welding.  Why in American education does we push higher level learning , but don't support career ready technical programs like we should.  This country was built by carpenters, welders, masons, ship builders, pipe fitters, plumbers, and farmers.  I know that there technical colleges, but a lot of times students don't know of these because it is not the colleges that education looks at as "real college education".  Seems to me career tech education has become the red headed step child, instead of the back bone of this nation that it once was.  I agree technology has required less of some aspects and drives this nation today, but Mike Roe reported to the Senate Committee of Commerce, Science and Transportation that there are over 450,000 openings in jobs of trades, skills, transportation, and utilities.  And that 1/3 of all skilled laborers are over 55 and they are retiring fast with no one to replace them.  Soon skill jobs will pay top dollar because there will be only a few that can do them.  Then we will be paying out the wazoo to someone way more "under educated" than we are.  Ironic don't you think   So lets support all education.  Encourage all students to fulfill their talents. * I have enclosed the URL for the entire Mike Roe testimony:

http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/dirtyjobs/mike-rowe-senate-testimony-03.htm

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Using Social Media to Keep Parents Informed

The family has really evolved over the last fifty years.  Whether we believe for better of worse, the fact remains the same: it has evolved.  Many families keep very hectic schedules.  Both parents work, the kids are involved in all types of activities, and seems as if there is less and less time for communication.  Face to face communication has been replaced with texts, Facebook posts , and tweets.  Again I say that this is not necessarily a bad thing, just something that we have had to adjust to.  I do believe that families can still be close and know about each others lives, it is just that the media being used is different.  So with that being said, we as teachers need to adapt as well to help keep the parents of our students informed.  We need to establish Facebook and twitter accounts, create blogs, and use Google tools to a stronger capacity to keep our greatest stakeholders, the parents of our students, informed.  The information is readily available through theses media outlets, and allows the parents to get the knowledge at their convenience, around their schedule.  Not all parents can get off work for a conference, PTA/PTO, or open house.  But I would say most of not all have access to one if not all of these previously mentioned social media outlets.  Whether it be a school calendar, lunch menu, assignment due date, or who won homecoming queen; the parents can be informed.  Sure it may take a little more of your time, but keep the parents informed and feeling good about their child's education will save you time in the future.

My future. Gage and McKenzie

Hard to Stay in Bounds

I posted this picture on my Facebook page last night and asked a simple question: Do you Like?  As you could imagine I got numerous responses.  My previous school I taught at was 80% African American, so many of my players posted.  They know that I loved them and knew that I was doing nothing more that polling people.  And I was proving a point.  In politics it is hard for anyone to stay in bounds.  People will make negative comments about Romney being Mormon, and that offends the people of that religion.  Christians get offended when you say things about Santorum.  Obama's Muslim constituents get offended when people make negative comments about him being a Muslim(whether he is or not).  The fact is that when it comes to politics there are no out of bounds.  With this being said, it does not necessarily make it right, although it is America and we have the freedom to have our opinions.  One of my friends commented that the spelling was somewhat racist but the meaning, the rue meaning of the word was spot on(If you are not an Obama supporter).  Many people feel that the president went back on the "change" that was promised.  There are always going to be supporters of candidates out there who are going to shed negative light on there competition, and sometimes it is quite harsh.  We have to understand this, possibly even accept it even if we don't agree with it.  Every group in America could get offended by millions of this that are said or done during political campaigns.  And a lot of times politics brings out the worst in us.  I know that race problems seem to haunt our country a little more that other things.  But in reality offensive is offensive.  I don't think any racists comments are any less offensive than sexist comments.  They made a Porn Parody on Sarah Palin for crying out load, that had to be offensive.  No a big fuss over that, people thought that was witty funny.  Much like people think this bumper stick, folks think it is witty and funny.   I don't think that calling one race by a derogatory name is any less offensive than saying you are not going to vote for Romney because he is Mormon.  They are both forms of bigotry.  We as American's need to develop a little tougher skin instead of crying foul every time we find something offensive.  I am not saying that we don't acknowledge that things are offensive when presented.  But lets just acknowledge and move on.  Being angry only fuels the problem.  Black, white, Man, Woman, Mormon, Christian, Muslim and any other group we can list can choose to get offended or get offended and move on.  In the end we are all American's and we have to live with whoever is elected.  So when voting try to do what many can't, elect the best AMERICAN for the job.  Oh and try to stay in bounds!  Have a great weekend.

Teachers Should Get It

Short falls in educational funding definitely impacts all areas of our country.  In my county it is no different and we are coming up on losing more money due to a sales tax ending.  There will be a vote for a new sales tax or a property tax hike.  I am amazed how educators are some of the biggest opponents of the new tax amendment.  I have heard all kinds of comments from teachers that I just shake my head.  I understand that the word taxes if revered as more profane than four letter words to some people, but in this case it is a necessity.  Our system stands to loose considerable amounts of money.  If the tax does not pass, the 450 employees that that money is supporting are subject to job loss.  Teachers complain about larger class sizes, image the class size if even half of that personnel were teachers.  I understand also that accountability is another big problem with taxes.  People want to know where the money is going.  Our county has done a good job of operating under state average per student over the last few years, so I feel as if they has demonstrated good fiscal responsibility.  I also understand that people without school age children and people with children in private school don't feel like it is their responsibility.    What these people need to know is the better the school systems the better the property value, in turn makes their house worth more if the ever want to sale or need to get equity from it.  All these reasons I understand.  Teachers I don't.  This is your profession.  With less money the children receive less of an education, and no drop in standards.  Teachers will be asked to do more for the same pay, and on top of all that some of our fellow teachers will be out of jobs.  Our millage is one of the lowest in the state, and if we raised it by 10 mills property tax would go up a whoping $80 dollars per $100,000.  I believe our kids are worth that.  Teachers need to support education, even if it cost a little on the front end.  Quality education of students will pay larger dividends on the larger scale

Little Things

My daughter McKenzie lost her third tooth yesterday and could not wait to tell her mom.  She was so excited that the tooth fairy was going to come see her and bring her $10 dollars!  The economy must really be bad when inflation drive the price of a tooth up that much.  Don't worry I know the tooth fairy personally and she only got $4 dollars :).  Seeing this excitement that she displays got me to thinking about what happened to me, and where did the joy of the little things go.  I think growing older we lose perspective of these things that used to excite us immensely.  Now granted I don't think that losing teeth at my age would be something that I would get excited about, call a dentist probably, but there are little things that happen in our everyday life that should still excite us.  Everyone's life and circumstances are different, so I cant tell you about yours but I did take a little look at myself and I will share a few things that I came up with.  There are times that I don't get excited enough abut the word daddy.  I here it many times daily out of two yung uns that are wonderful and I need to do a better job of letting them know how excited I am to be their dad.  There are so many people out there who can't have kids and I am blessed with two (going on three ) and I need to remember that.  I don't get as excited about my truck as I should.  I know you think this is stupid, but really it is not.  That truck takes me to work to provide for my wife and kids.  That truck picks up my kids every day, and we have great conversations in that truck.  Conversations that we will remember for ever.  Some of the best conversations I remember with my dad were in truck rides. I bet yours were too.  That truck is more than a lot of people have, so I am going to get more excited about my truck.  I need to be more excited about my students.  In the everyday grind of teaching, it is easy to lose your excitement for your students.  There ain't a one of you out there that has not said "Thank you Jesus" when that certain little Johnny or Suzy did not come that day, I know I have.  I shouldn't be that way.  I tell every student that walks in my class good morning.  But it is like ritual, I need for it to be more heart felt.  Let them know that I am truly excited that they are in my class today.  I need to be more excited abut being an American.  Say what you want about gas prices, economy, housing market, Obama, but I would take it any day over so many other circumstances that I could be in.  We take it for granted.  And most people complain, which they can because we are America(another reason why you should be excited).  I have always been very patriotic, but just because that is the way I am.  Really though I should express my excitement and thankfulness with my patriotism, because this country is still the greatest.  So I am going to be more excited about that.  And lastly I am going to be more excited about time.  I can be so negative at times about many things.  But being negative is wasting TIME.  Precious time that we cant get back.  I am going to be more excited by the amount of time that I am being given.  Time to throw the ball with my son, time to read a book to my daughter, time to talk with my wife and kids.  Be excited about time to pay bills, yes pay bills.....after all I am  lucky to have them.  Be excited about time to work because I am not part of that unemployment rate.  Be excited about times that my kids scream and holler and cry..... I am told they grow up fast..... so I should be excited about even these times. These are a few things I came up with, I am sure I will think of more.  Take some time to reflect...... and then get excited about a few little things.

Called to Teach

I know that today's topic is old news for all the Alabama followers that I have.  However to some that may follow this blog from other parts of the country, this will be new and offensive.  Recently in DeKalb county Alabama, a state senator Shadrack McGill stated that teachers don't need rasies, but of course voted to uphold  a law passed to raise senate salaries. This is what he said at a prayer breakfast in Fort Payne:

McGill said that by paying legislators more, they’re less susceptible to taking bribes.

“He needs to make enough that he can say no, in regards to temptation. … Teachers need to make the money that they need to make. There needs to be a balance there. If you double what you’re paying education, you know what’s going to happen? I’ve heard the comment many times, ‘Well, the quality of education’s going to go up.’ That’s never proven to happen, guys.

“It’s a Biblical principle. If you double a teacher’s pay scale, you’ll attract people who aren’t called to teach.

“To go in and raise someone’s child for eight hours a day, or many people’s children for eight hours a day, requires a calling. It better be a calling in your life. I know I wouldn’t want to do it, OK?

“And these teachers that are called to teach, regardless of the pay scale, they would teach. It’s just in them to do. It’s the ability that God give ‘em. And there are also some teachers, it wouldn’t matter how much you would pay them, they would still perform to the same capacity.

“If you don’t keep that in balance, you’re going to attract people who are not called, who don’t need to be teaching our children. So, everything has a balance.”

Really!  I mean Really!  This to me is just a slap in the face to anyone with a 5th grade education.  To say that raising politicians salaries to counter act corruption is necessary, but to pay people more to educate children would bring "uncalled" people into the profession.  Obviously he has never been a teacher in a school where it is 80% poverty and free and reduced lunch.  Obviously he has not been in a school where the students are mom and dad at night and students during the day, and they don't handle that transition well. Obviously he has never taught in a situation where students are fearful of where they will eat that night.  You know why.... because I have and these students live and learn rough. If you  are not "called" trust me that $40,000 dollars you are making (with a master's that you had to pay $10,000 dollars to get)  wont be enough to keep them from getting the heck out of dodge.  At the school I am talking about we hired at least 25 new teachers a year for five years, and the faculty was only 40 teachers.  Being in that situation culled the "un-called" real quick.  And we that stayed loved those children, cared for them, educated them, but deserved a heck of a lot more for doing it.  No offense to anyone reading... But I have always said that every teacher needs to start in a rough situation.  I mean anybody can teach in a plush city school.  But this would sustain the real teachers, and get rid of the summers off folks.  But to not pay. Really!!  As mentioned previously to be a good teacher coasts money.  You spend your money on class room supplies, extra degrees, giving dollars here and there for lost lunch money and snack, I have even given my players money for power bills, water bills, helped with college books.  You name it I am sure we have done it.  What about the time away from family, is there a price for that.  McGill later goes on to say:


 Last year, McGill introduced a bill that would tie legislators' pay to the average teacher's pay, including benefits. He later claimed teachers in Alabama rank fourth in the nation in average pay and benefits of about $65,000.

"The AEA [Alabama Education Association] would have a tough time with that because they don't want people knowing that information," McGill told an audience in Fort Payne in November.

So there you have it.  Seems more like he thinks teachers are over paid.  And that state senators are under paid. And I can see why he feels that way since their job is a noble profession, and we are only training tomorrows America.  I am a conservative republican.  I am a Christian.  But super right wing ultra conservative is dangerous.  Hitler was Super Right.  The fact that he uses the Bible and God to give credibility to his claim is offensive at the least.  And then his constituents, So called Christians are praying for him to stand firm in his "convictions" on this.  Please, In my opinion another politician throwing God and the Bible around for personal gain. It gives real Christians with true convictions a bad rap.  The bottom line is this,  the fact that we allow people like this to stay in office only goes to show the ultra right using God to brainwash people into thinking they are whole and pure and their ideas are truly ordained by God.  Not much different than the puritans did with the Salem witch trials.  God gave us brains, to use and not just accept because things are said.  We as educators have to stand up for ourselves and exploit these people for what they really are, Money grubbing politicians who want to raise their claim,by making educators look like they don't deserve more for what they do.  Lets show their "true calling".

Life Long Learning a Responsibility of all Teachers

I become baffled at educators/coaches today with their complacency in what the do for a profession.  When I view these types of situations I can see how many people outside of education can have a problem with tenure.  The problem is that this only reflects a one side of the profession.  As teachers everyday we ask our students to learn the material that we are presenting to them, and to continue to do this throughout their educational career. Why don't we ask this of ourselves.  Would we go to a doctor that got his degree and then never kept up with the latest procedures, or hire a lawyer who doesn't know the latest precedents, of course not but we expect parents to be happy sending their kids to us for an education when we are using techniques form the stone age. I understand furthering degrees can be costly, but that is not the only was to perform life long learning.  There are numerous ways to gather new information and better yourself as a teacher/coach/person.  Online journals, e-learning courses that are free, even collaboration with other educators that use different techniques from you or have a larger base of understanding about things that you may struggle in.  There are many ways to practice what we preach to our students, which is to never stop learning.  After all we owe it to our students to provide them with mot only the best possible education, but best possible educators as well.

Colon Cancer Awareness

March is national colon cancer awareness month.  Every year over 140,000 Americans are diagnosed with colon cancer.  My dad, Paul Davis was diagnosed in 2008 and pretty much was already at stage four when he had is initial surgery.  There was a time during my dads battle that it went into remission, only to come back again and spread to other parts of his body.  My dad died on December the 2nd of 2011 at the age of 57, and my family and I came to understand that there is a lot of education out there for many types of cancer, but colon really does not seem to be one that is talked about a lot.  Colon cancer is very curable if detected early, however it is also preventable if you have your colonoscopy .  So today in his honor and memory I am writing to help educate people on this form of cancer.  Don't be prideful and think of it as an uncomfortable procedure.  Think of it as a way to help ensure that this disease does not take you away from your family and friends too early, like my father was taken way to early from us.  If you are in the Birmingham area and want to help colon cancer research, sign up to run in the Rump Shaker 5K.  All the proceeds go toward colon cancer research, and it is Saturday March the 31st.  You can get more info at http://www.rumpshaker5k.com/.  Hope you all have a great weekend.

Positive Energy

Teaching day in and day out can be a struggle.  I don't care if you have been in the classroom for 30 years or 30 days, we all find times when we find ourselves discouraged and wondering why in the world we got into this profession in the first place.  I love those posters that show professions and and say what people think the profession does, then shows what it really does.  I remember thinking coming in, I was gonna change the world, only to find ten years later I am not sure if I am much further accomplished than when I started.  About two years ago, my wife who works for a very dynamic and successful hospital system in Florida, had the opportunity to become acquainted with a man named Jon Gordon.  Jon writes stories of how to be successful and do it with positive and powerful energy.  I began reading his books.  The First that I read was The energy Bus.  It is a story of a guy who's life is in shambles.  His car breaks down and he is forced to ride the bus driven by a high energy positive lady named Joy.  Over the next few weeks Joy helps him to understand his lack of success is not anyone's fault but his own.  He changes his outlook and finds that his positive energy leads his team at work, his family at home and himself to great success.  It is a great read I suggest it.  After reading this book myself, I found that yes the circumstances in education sometimes may discourage us, and we may feel as is we are fighting a losing battle, but only we can change it.  Our attitude toward everyday is what is going to help us to change the world.  Being positive around our students who think that school is worthless, or around our negative co-workers who have written off certain students as failures, or the parents that are constantly down on the school system, can have an impact.  A smile, an encouraging word, a positive plug for something a co-worker is doing can lead to some serious positive changes in your school culture.  And who knows these actions could spark change in others and lead to and entire reconstruction of what your school was.  Now I am by no means saying that I have this attitude everyday......... I still get the occasional wanna walk out breaking things negative days.  But that is when I have to step back and read some encouraging words, dust off, and go back at it again.  Because I remember why I did this to begin with........ the kids.

Loyalty is Lost

The sadness of the announcement coming today at noon out of Indianapolis is just another show of the lack of loyalty found in professional sports today.  Peyton Manning (along with tony Dungy) single handedly brought football out of the grave for the Colts.  Jim Irsay has tried to make it an issue on Manning's part, instead of doing the right thing and remaining loyal to the face of his franchise.  This is a common theme in Pro sports these days, and has a true trickle down effect to other levels of sports.  College players leave early for big bucks or transfer because they are being treated "unfairly", in stead of staying true to the institution that is offering them an education that will increase their longevity as a person.  High school kids commit and decommit from colleges verbally more often then then changing clothes it seems.  It is up to us as coaches and teachers to try to reestablish this lost trait that many so seem to throw around flippantly.  Take the time today to talk to your students and players on what loyalty truly means and how it can and needs to be, an honorable trait they should possess.

Tools

In the constantly moving world of education, I have found that more and more tech tools are being utilized in the classroom.  The world of Facebook, twitter, Google+ and other social media outlets allow teachers and students to be in touch with real time learning that can be accessed immediately.  Blogs are used by educators at all levels from superintendents to building administrators to classroom teachers, blogs have become a major source of education.  Blogs being used to update parents on school information, to being used by individuals to express their ideas and opinions to other educators in hopes to collaborate new teaching styles and tools; are very informative resources.  We as educators need to have the ability to adapt to these new tools and to the direction that education is heading.  Our students are already up to date on most of the resources that we hare learning to use and the probably need to slow down to a jog as we sprint, if we are to catch up and then surpass their knowledge.  The uses of these tools are infinite, as should also be our willingness to master them.  Let us all we willing and able to become a teacher of these new learners that we are teaching, be willing to make the best possible learning environment where we have active and engaged learners.  And also lets not be hypocrites.  Lets not ask our students to be life long learners, as we mail it in and be content with where we are.  Until next time, keep learning, mastering, and teaching.