Letting Your Children Learn Through Experience is HARD!

This past Sunday, I umpired a USA softball tournament in our area.  That's not real notable news because it's pretty common for me to work some type of youth softball on weekends.

What was challenging was that my son, Cole, and two other "rookies" would be embarking on their own umpiring journeys.  The three of them (Cole, Dalton, and Jimmy) were assigned to respective diamonds to work with their own partners, while I was assigned to Diamond 5 to work with my partner, Duane.

While we were on our diamond, I found myself thinking to how "my boys" were doing.  Were they hustling to their positions?  Were they making good calls?  Were they asking questions about how to improve their skills?  THAT'S NOT EASY!  :)

We parents eventually somehow have to let our kids experience "the hard knocks".  Life isn't simple, and it can be downright uncomfortable.  In fact, all three of them were pretty nervous as they dressed in their umpire "blues" and took the fields.  I had done my part, though.  I had gotten them to clinics, helped them to start to understand mechanics and rules, and tried to help them set up a system of organization to keep track of their schedules.  So like a little mama duck I got them all prepped and sent them on their way; they all at least looked the part - nice and professional dressed in their official uniforms...nerves on high!

And all of them survived.

All had reports of miscues and uncertainty, but all made it through the day.  And receiving their checks helped smooth some of the awkwardness too!

We have to allow our children opportunities to be uncomfortable and uncertain while helping give them the tools and confidence to be successful.  I was reminded of this once again last Sunday!

JBiz

SAT RESULTS ARE IN....NOW WHAT?

Yesterday was like Christmas in May!  I received a link from College Board regarding our students' performance on the SAT.  I played around a little and discovered the treasure of all treasures - ITEM ANALYSIS!

Item analysis allows teacher to see the questions and answers to the assessment.  This information is important to determine trends...did our students struggle with evidence questions?...did our students have trouble with pronoun-antecedent agreement?...and other skills.

Here's the problem...IT'S MAY!  The days to the school year are winding down, the energy reserves for students and staff are at their lowest, and we are all just trying to figure out how to end the school year and keep our sanity.  Do we really want to pour over test results and item analysis and identify trends and look at ways to revise curriculum to address weakness areas?

If not now, when?

I know I'm not going to feel like looking at scores in June while I'm in decompression mode.  I know I'm not going to feel like looking at scores in July when I'm coaching at Snow Valley or on my trip with my wife and friends to Vegas.  I know I'm not going to want to look at scores in August because I'm going to want to enjoy my final days before the school year starts.  Crap...I probably should be looking at scores now while the 16-17 year is fresh in my brain.  So for this Friday's TDD (Teacher Development Day), that's my mission.  Dig, learn, and think of possibilities of curriculum revision.

How about your school?  What is the process of learning what to do next from the data?  Is someone working with the data, or do students just get their results and either smile or frown?

Good luck with your data work!

JBiz

Feeling Proud To Be Giving Back

Last night at RHS, we had our annual Academic Banquet and Awards Ceremony.  It was my first time attending this event since I started at this school three years ago.  I was asked by our English Department to present our outstanding senior English student awards, and I felt like it was my turn to represent our department after other teachers had fulfilled the duty in the past.

We had a banquet beginning at 6 p.m. to start the evening.  The school supplied fried chicken and baked ham, and all the families brought a dish or desert to be included in the meal.  After the meal we went to the auditorium, where there was a lengthy list of award and scholarship winners, as well as the National Honor Society Induction Ceremony.

As a 1984 graduate of RHS, the evening was surreal.  I had connections to many aspects of the evening.  We used to have "potlucks" for awards nights, and some of the scholarships last night were memorials to people I knew.  Jim Gieseman and Tate Vroman were coaching when I was at RHS, and I still consider them important influences in my coaching skills.  Glen Cook coached my summer baseball team.  I was honored to receive the 1984 award as Butch Morford Most Inspirational.  I was a member of NHS.  In short, I had connections to many of the people and honors that are now Rockridge High School.

And eventually it was my turn to present the English Department awards to Audrey Lewis and Ashley Minyard.  That moment was my opportunity.

I'm not ashamed to say I felt great.  I was blessed to receive so many gifts and be taught and coached by so many wonderful people in the early 80's.  After graduating, the older I got, the more I began to fully understand just how blessed I had been and hoped that someday I could try to give just a little back.  And last night was my chance.

I'm forever grateful for being hired at RHS.  I enjoy my teaching job; I enjoy the students; and now I realize better that each day I work is my chance to give a little back - and what a continued blessing that is too.  I didn't realize then in 1984 as I participated as a student on that auditorium stage that 33 years later I would would participate as a teacher.  Time really does fly.

Go Rockets

Coaching Is Coaching (And Teaching Is Teaching)

One podcast that I routinely listen to is Pure Sweat Basketball, and Alan Stein is the host.  His interview on the show today featured an assistant college coach, who said during the interview, "Coaching is coaching."  I've said that myself at times in conversations I've had over my career, but for some particular reason that comment seem to sink in at that particular moment. 

As the 16-17 school year gets closer and closer to its conclusion, it's important for coaches and teachers to remember and CHERISH and BE PROUD of their efforts to try and help their kids get to the next level - whatever level that may be.  Whether a second grade, seventh grade, high school, or post secondary coach or teacher, teachers and coaches sacrifice so much of their hearts, brains, and souls to help their players and coaches.

Coaching is coaching - those moments in that struggle of a junior high basketball season are as valuable as that March Madness Championship by North Carolina.  Teaching is teaching - those moments in that fourth grade classroom in a small rural school district are as valuable as the moments in that Ivy League institution.

You don't have to be "the master teacher" or "the teacher of the year" or someone that keeps a blog or sends out podcasts or speaks at prestigious professional development conferences.  You don't have to be the technology geek, the smartest in your content area, or the teacher with the most excellent ratings.

If you care, and you have once again helped your players or students advance to the next level, you have once again succeeded.  Take pride in what you do because you deserve it.  Finish the year positively with your crew or players or students and plan how you can utilize your break to refresh, recharge, and regenerate your heart, brain, and soul all over again - for there will be a brand new set of players and students needing you in a few months.

JBiz

SAT SCORES ARE IN!

Most students have now received their SAT scores.  Several have not, and my guess is that the delay of their scores involves their essays.  When evaluating the essays, I believe that two independent people evaluate the essays according to the established rubric.  If the two scores have a descrepancy, then the essay is sent to a third evaluator.

Receiving assessment scores like the SAT can be nerve-wracking.  Was my score good?  Did I do as well as my friends?  Is the score good enough to get accepted to a college I just visited and liked?  Will the score earn me a scholarship?  These are all questions running through the mind of students as they view their scores.

An important aspect of the scores is to avoid panic.  This one score is but one snapshot of a student's skills, so temperance is needed.  It's not the end of the world if a student's score came in lower than expected; it's not time to run bragging down the school hallway if a student's score came in higher than expected.

Here are some things to remember...

• Does the score seem to fit with the post-secondary path under consideration?  For example, if the student is considering a community college after high school, how does the score fit?  If the student is enrolling in the military, and apprenticeship, a trade school, etc., an SAT score may not be as significant as other post-secondary paths.
• Students can repeat an SAT or ACT.  Perhaps the student wasn't feeling well, or perhaps this was the first time the student had experienced anything like this.  There are situations where taking the test again can be helpful.
• Is there a particular low area in the scores that could be improved and affect the overall composite score?  Is there a way to use an online resource, a tutor, or some other resource to "beef-up" some skills that appeared to be weak from the results.
• "Readers" have an advantage on these tests.  Students that don't read much on their own for pleasure typically don't score as well as students who are avid readers.  My experience has been that "readers" just perform better because of the large amount of reading involved on the assessment.

Now that students have their scores, it's time to sit down as a family unit and have a discussion about "future".  What does this one snapshot say and not say?  What is the student considering after high school?  What does this score say about potential academic scholarship possibilities, so what might be an anticipated financial aid package?  What does the score say about potential college/university choices?

Let the score be a conversation starter with your student.  Then contact your high school's guidance department with additional questions you may have.

JBiz

If It Was Easy, Everyone Would Do It

Last night I had the privilege of umpiring with Audie, a gentleman who was working his fourth high school game.  After he arrived and we met, I asked him if he wanted to take the plate, and he courteously declined and said he had been preparing himself to work the bases that night.  I told him that was perfectly fine, so I started getting dressed for the plate and we walked through some scenarios he had been thinking over and working on.

His approach to learning about umpiring was spot on.  First, he clearly explained that he was new but eager to learn and work on things.  He explained that he had watched some videos and attended a recent clinic but soon realized that those training resources really didn't prepare him for being actually on the field.  He then asked if he could ask questions during the game and if we could perhaps talk after the game.  PERFECT!

Umpiring or officiating really takes practice, and it takes working with veteran officials and asking questions and picking brains.  And of course, this approach doesn't apply to just working on a ball diamond or in a gym.

While I wouldn't have necessarily asked for a softball game that ended 24-14, the experience definitely gave Audie an opportunity to practice A LOT!  And we did talk between innings, and I did make some suggestions at various times in the game to provide some training.  Not only were there a lot of baserunners and runs, the coach from the visiting team was very challenging.  She confronted Audie on multiple calls he had made (and she confronted me on a few as well), and he handled all of the situations very professionally.

Audie didn't get every call correct.  He didn't get to the right position every time.  And he didn't always use the correct mechanics.  He improved all of those things, though, throughout the game, and he was positive and hustled and accepted my suggestions with courtesy.  He's going to get better; I'm confident of that.

For everyone that's reading this post, understand that we all know and can recognize rookie umpires and officials.  They are uncertain and nervous, but the vast majority want to get better and want to work the best game they possibly can.  AND THEY WILL GET BETTER as they continue to ask questions, work with veteran umpires and experience more and more games.

Umpiring and officiating is not easy.  I sometimes have fantasized that any/all spectators should be required to watch a training video and work a game before ever being allowed admittance to a game.  I GUARANTEE your perspective as a fan changes drastically after experiencing what it is like to manage a contest as an official or umpire.

So when you see an inexperienced gal or guy working to learn "the trade" with a veteran that is genuinely trying to train "on the job", give them a little slack.  In fact, maybe take even a better approach.  As that crew is walking off the court or the track or the ball diamond or the football field, how about some encouraging remarks - maybe even a, "Hey thanks for your work, stripes!" (or blue or whatever)

Remember...if it was easy, everyone would do it.

JBiz

Too Many Coaches Muddling Up The Team

I was umpiring recently, and the head coach of one of the teams stopped by to chat as we were changing for the second game.  We asked how things were going, and he made a statement that really had an impact on me.  He was talking about the struggles the team was experiencing and he commented that it was increasingly difficult to work with athletes in our society today because of two big factors.

First, he expressed that today's athletes and their parents seem to have a heightened sense of entitlement.  The idea of earning a particular contributing role on a team seems very distant.  Instead, players enter a season expecting to be given the role of his/her choice.  Also, the athlete is more inclined to only be interested in his/her desire to play his/her specific role rather than accepting the role that the team needs.

Second, athletes today seem to have multiple coaches.  In terms of softball, they have hitting coaches, pitching coaches, and performance coaches...none of whom ever contact the school team's coach to determine how best they can help their clients fulfill the needed role that the team needs out them.  And these "personal coaches" all make a lot of money and have their own personal agendas regarding their clients.

So now athletes and the parents are paying personal coaches and committing serious time to personal training sessions, which has led to more problems for school coaches.  And what is the athlete suppose to do?  Do I listen to my school coach, do I listen to my parents, or do I listen to my personal coach that I'm paying $50 an hour for personalized instruction?

Here's the deal....the school coach is THE coach.  And all other "personal coaches" should in fact be working with THE coach in order to be helpful.  Why would I want to spend $50 an hour on personalized training that is different than the methods/instruction provided by the THE coach?  Now I'm actually spending money to screw up my athlete's chances of providing a meaningful role to his/her team and having a positive experience.

Ugh...may the force be with you school coaches, because it appears that more and more forces are working against you.

Let's today try to do one thing to simplify the lives of our children.

JBiz

Socratic Seminar RULES!

Many students have difficulty expressing themselves.  I have an activity I call a Socratic Seminar, and I'm sure I stole it from someone, so please understand that I don't take any credit.  On the other hand, maybe I have tweaked it from its original format, so maybe I can take a little credit.

I've included the list of rules in the link below.  Basically, students must generate a group discussion that they lead and they are responsible for.  There are three components - courteous listener, productive contributor, and the length of the seminar.  There are times that I have required total participation from everyone, which could add another dimension to the activity.

The hard part of the exercise is for the teacher to stay out, and this is very difficult for me.  I'm not really a control freak, but I struggle to avoid joining in to just pick their brains and see where something may take the discussion.  So if you are going to try this, TRY VERY HARD to be an observer only.

The toughest part of the activity is for students to remember the 3-before-me-rule.  On the other hand, this is the best means to make sure that the discussion doesn't digress into an argument.  Arguments are okay, but the focus of this activity is for students to find a way to contribute to an academic discussion.

Have fun!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_lR2m3bPkPpQxPV5pRs3eQhHt23G3lcc6_AtNXWk9BY/edit

Emotional Fatigue?

On my treadmill walk today, Vicki Davis interviewed a guest that discussed emotional fatigue - at least I think that was the terminology.  It's early May...here at RHS we have 17 days of school remaining, and while outwardly students, staff, administrators, and teachers are excited that we are nearing the end to another school year, our internal energy packs are definitely low.  Our crazy Midwest weather has helped a bit, since we have been experiencing cold and rain for the last several days, but it's still May.

The guest presented an interesting remedy...be selfish.  Initially that seems backwards, but her point was for us to take stock in the good things around outs and make ourselves the center of our universe.  That perspective gives us a chance to view the benefits and advantages and blessings we truly have in our lives but somehow go unnoticed when our "life battery cells" are running low.

I know I'm at a point where I naturally have a little lighter spirits because my coaching seasons are completed.  I'm busy umpiring and accomplishing projects around the home, but it's not the same as the winter months when basketball is in season.  So even though, this time of the year is traditionally the "lighter side" of the school year, it's still likely a good strategy for me to take a look around and add up the blessings that exist.

What about you?  Why don't we all take that advice today - even if it's just for a few minutes?  Put ourselves in the center of our universe and take stock of all of the joyful blessings we have.  This simple strategy may just recharge our batteries enough to get us through to the end of the year.

Have a great day!

JBiz