So I have a fear. I have a fear that something is wrong with our pool. I'm posting it here hoping that I'm very, very wrong. On the other hand, I'm posting it here in case the "little situation" comes to fruition and nobody believes me that I suspected something.
The neighbors are having problems with standing water in their backyards. While mowing yesterday, I noticed running water running into our ditch from some type of underground unknown source. I suspected that there may be some type of water line problem, but no one on the block including us have had water pressure problems. That's weird, right?
Skip ahead to this morning. I know that last night I had enough water in that pool of ours to run both skimmers. The temp was in the 30's last night, yet the water level lowered in the pool to the point where I'm now filling it back up to get to the point where I was last night. Where did that water go? How in the heck did that much water evaporate last night without the pump motor even working?
So here's my fear...we have a leak somewhere in the pool. And that leak is running down the hill through our yard and surfacing at that point by the ditch. I've called the village water president to tell him I think there is a water line break, so he'll be able to tell me if there even is a water line there. Next, we will have to dig to find out where the problem is at...something that will tear up the front yard - great!
If all is "good", it will be a water line problem....and the only thing I will have to deal with is a torn up yard. If all is "not so good", then I have to keep digging to find the leaking pool problem. We had a new liner installed not too long ago, so it should be the liner. What else could be happening to cause that much of a leak from the pool? The mystery continues.
Sunday, April 29, 2018
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
I'm Not A Gearhead, But I'm Jealous of Those Who Are
I'm not what some might call mechanically inclined. In fact, I've further broken my share of projects that were originally attempts to fix something. I'd like to believe, though, I can learn from experience on minor tasks that I've seen or helped others with. Such an example is the ole Cub Cadet HDS 2155.
The poor thing looks like Hell, and it deserves better. For the last four years, my hope was to get one more year out of it. Yesterday included an attempt to get yet one more "one more year" out of it. After stopping at a couple of parts stores, I set out to get aforementioned lawn tractor primed for another season of lawn manicuring.
Of course I had forgotten that I left her in the shed in pretty ragged condition. I hadn't changed the oil; the deck belt was in shreds; it had struggled to even start last Fall, and I hadn't cleaned it at all. I can imagine what she was thinking as I opened the doors to the shed with parts in hand. If she could have talked, she probably would have told me that she no longer wanted to be revived.
After some grimy hands, a few swear words, and a blast to my forehead with the belt tension arm that slipped out of my hand, she fired up - even better than I remembered prior to the long winter's nap. I did struggle a bit getting the PTO to engage...apparently that little green wire really does need to be connected to the battery in order for the switch to turn on the PTO and set the blades in motion.
So the English major managed to refresh the 2155 gal and get the yard mowed. Total cost was about $60.00 I think, which was considerably less than the neighbor down the street who wants $1,000 for the much newer Cub Cadet he's selling and that I spend a good part of a Sunday contemplating the value of. Yes, he's now mowing and fertilizing his lawn with a brand new John Deere something or other. And I imagine someone will buy the tractor he's now got up for sale. Me, I'll try to get another year out of the CC HDS 2155.
The poor thing looks like Hell, and it deserves better. For the last four years, my hope was to get one more year out of it. Yesterday included an attempt to get yet one more "one more year" out of it. After stopping at a couple of parts stores, I set out to get aforementioned lawn tractor primed for another season of lawn manicuring.
Of course I had forgotten that I left her in the shed in pretty ragged condition. I hadn't changed the oil; the deck belt was in shreds; it had struggled to even start last Fall, and I hadn't cleaned it at all. I can imagine what she was thinking as I opened the doors to the shed with parts in hand. If she could have talked, she probably would have told me that she no longer wanted to be revived.
After some grimy hands, a few swear words, and a blast to my forehead with the belt tension arm that slipped out of my hand, she fired up - even better than I remembered prior to the long winter's nap. I did struggle a bit getting the PTO to engage...apparently that little green wire really does need to be connected to the battery in order for the switch to turn on the PTO and set the blades in motion.
So the English major managed to refresh the 2155 gal and get the yard mowed. Total cost was about $60.00 I think, which was considerably less than the neighbor down the street who wants $1,000 for the much newer Cub Cadet he's selling and that I spend a good part of a Sunday contemplating the value of. Yes, he's now mowing and fertilizing his lawn with a brand new John Deere something or other. And I imagine someone will buy the tractor he's now got up for sale. Me, I'll try to get another year out of the CC HDS 2155.
Monday, April 23, 2018
The Scary Place
I'm off to the Rock Island County Courthouse later this morning. I don't know how most people feel when facing a court trial, but the whole thing unnerves me. Just driving there and being near the officers, facilities, jail, etc...well, it's scary. I try to remember that all of it is actually for the protection and decency of all of us. The whole "system" gives us a chance to air differences and have a trained authority figure to reach a decision.
The system isn't perfect. I've learned that despite laws and procedures and processes, the system involves people. And people aren't perfect. People argue cases, defend cases, and judge cases. And laws aren't always clear for every situation, which results in interpretation of laws. And those interpretations can sometimes be flawed as well.
This isn't the place to vent my frustrations over the situation and reasons why I'm forced to take a day off work and head to court. And my case doesn't involve and life crisis moment. I suppose "small claims" accurate describes my event today. In a society, though, that often features media outlets highlighting violence as a result of conflict or indifference, there is a bit of peace of mind that avenues do exist for rational and reasonable ways to solve conflict. We don't need to break down doors, flash weapons, or even threaten others.
The peaceful process isn't cheap, and it's not without frustrations. Heck, sometimes the resolution doesn't seem fair at all. The resolution, though, doesn't have to include loss of life.
So while I will spend the next few hours stressing over my 11:00 a.m. court appearance, there is a bit of comfort that I live in a nation that strives to give all of us a chance to resolve differences in a non-violent matter. Today could go very well, or I could end up on the wrong side of a decision that may cost me thousands of dollars. The process, though, will allow for a decision to be reached without loss of life.
The system isn't perfect. I've learned that despite laws and procedures and processes, the system involves people. And people aren't perfect. People argue cases, defend cases, and judge cases. And laws aren't always clear for every situation, which results in interpretation of laws. And those interpretations can sometimes be flawed as well.
This isn't the place to vent my frustrations over the situation and reasons why I'm forced to take a day off work and head to court. And my case doesn't involve and life crisis moment. I suppose "small claims" accurate describes my event today. In a society, though, that often features media outlets highlighting violence as a result of conflict or indifference, there is a bit of peace of mind that avenues do exist for rational and reasonable ways to solve conflict. We don't need to break down doors, flash weapons, or even threaten others.
The peaceful process isn't cheap, and it's not without frustrations. Heck, sometimes the resolution doesn't seem fair at all. The resolution, though, doesn't have to include loss of life.
So while I will spend the next few hours stressing over my 11:00 a.m. court appearance, there is a bit of comfort that I live in a nation that strives to give all of us a chance to resolve differences in a non-violent matter. Today could go very well, or I could end up on the wrong side of a decision that may cost me thousands of dollars. The process, though, will allow for a decision to be reached without loss of life.
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Where In Tarnation Are Youth Sports Going?
On Friday I was listening in on an umpire talk with an area youth softball coach, and what I heard stunned me. We have a local team in our area that has purchased the naming rights to a softball organization in another state. This local team is using the name and paying a fee for the rights to that name because they feel the team name will attract more college coaches to the team. And apparently, this is a happening more and more.
So not only are the price tags ridiculous to even participate on many of these youth softball teams, part of that price tag is to cover naming rights fees.
Are you freaking kidding me? I hope that parents of the youth girls that are participating on this team have a written guarantee from the coaching staff that their daughters will earn a college scholarship. And in the event that their daughters do not earn a scholarship, the coaching staff will write a check to the family in lieu of no scholarship earned.
As a softball umpire, the world of youth softball spiraling out of control is an increase in income opportunity. There are tournaments every weekend, and even in midwest winters, umpires don't have to go too far to even umpire indoor events. And at $35-$40 per game that often has time limits of no more than 75 minutes, that's a lot of high wage income opportunity.
My youngest son is going to graduate from high school in a month. I fear the direction of youth sports for his children. I hope some common sense comes back to the adults that are fueling this wildfire of youth sports insanity. For the meantime, I guess it's more money for umpires, event facility owners, concession stands, equipment manufacturers, hotel chains, and the adults turning a profit by managing these organizations.
So not only are the price tags ridiculous to even participate on many of these youth softball teams, part of that price tag is to cover naming rights fees.
Are you freaking kidding me? I hope that parents of the youth girls that are participating on this team have a written guarantee from the coaching staff that their daughters will earn a college scholarship. And in the event that their daughters do not earn a scholarship, the coaching staff will write a check to the family in lieu of no scholarship earned.
As a softball umpire, the world of youth softball spiraling out of control is an increase in income opportunity. There are tournaments every weekend, and even in midwest winters, umpires don't have to go too far to even umpire indoor events. And at $35-$40 per game that often has time limits of no more than 75 minutes, that's a lot of high wage income opportunity.
My youngest son is going to graduate from high school in a month. I fear the direction of youth sports for his children. I hope some common sense comes back to the adults that are fueling this wildfire of youth sports insanity. For the meantime, I guess it's more money for umpires, event facility owners, concession stands, equipment manufacturers, hotel chains, and the adults turning a profit by managing these organizations.
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Testing...A Pet Peeve
Yesterday I spent my professional development time period reviewing survey data I had collected from students about the SAT, PSAT 10, and the PSAT 8/9 that our students completed on April 10. It was a frustrating experience.
The SAT is a BIG DEAL for most of our students. I know this because I have attended meetings, reviewed SAT materials, viewed the money that colleges and universities offer to students based on test scores. The problem is that for most other people, they don't realize that it is a big deal. Parents and students don't realize how much a higher SAT score might benefit them in the area of scholarships. For example, at Western Illinois University, their Western Commitment Scholarship includes an annual $2,000 scholarship for an SAT score of 1020-1150. The next level of SAT scoring is 1060-1270, which is an annual $2,500 scholarship. These are annual scholarships, so students will be earning an $8,000 scholarship and $10,000 scholarship for their SAT scores. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. And those are the lowest levels of scoring. High scoring students can earn $10,000 annually; $40,000 during their college experience. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
The SAT is also a BIG DEAL for most of our students because the higher the score, the more options available to the students. While no school typically has a cut-off score for application; most schools on their website data do post the SAT score of the typical student that attends the specific college or university. For example the middle 50% of students at WIU earn an SAT score of 940-1150. The University of Illinois, on the other hand, features students in the middle 50% that scored an SAT of 1360-1480, which is quite a difference. So the higher the SAT score, the more options of college choices that will be available to students.
FINALLY, the SAT is a BIG DEAL because the test measures the skills that are required for students to be successful in college and career training. College training would include typical community college, 4-year college/university, and technical colleges. Career training would include additional school/training that would fall in the realm more on the side of certificate programs. Certificate programs generally don't include a degree but are programs that would give students needed training towards a specific job that would need training beyond a high school diploma. Data backs up the fact that a large number of our students at Rockridge are going to pursue training that falls into college or career training. 61-of-79 students in the Class of 2018 responded to a survey about post-secondary decisions. 54 of the 61 responding students indicated that they were planning to pursue college or career training. If we have that many students pursuing that training path, shouldn't we make sure they have the skills needed to be successful in that pursuit?
You might be saying...what about the other students? The 7 of the 61 that are entering the military, an apprenticeship, or are planning to enter the workforce after high school. My position is that those students will also benefit by being more successful in those post-secondary choices and will be better prepared should they decide to pursue college or career training later in their lives.
SO THE SAT IS A BIG DEAL...and now the rest of the story.
If teachers aren't committing to helping their students better perform on the SAT, they aren't doing what is best for students. Some teachers say, "It's not my job." UGH! When I went through my administrative training 20 years ago, the catch phrase I ALWAYS heard was...."Do what's best for kids." We as educators - no matter what content we teach - can find ways to do what's right for kids and help them better learn the skills that are needed for college and career training (and in turn perform better on the SAT). And those ways can be subtle and minor and not require a total reconsideration and revision of curriculum. In fact those ways can be imbedded so well with so little effort that the students don't even realize they are receiving SAT skills work.
More importantly...when freshmen complete the PSAT 8/9 and when sophomores complete the PSAT 10, the teachers of those students MUST help those students prepare for those assessments with the same commitment that eleventh grade teachers give their eleventh grade students. What good does it do students to hand out a brochure a week before the test and tell them that they are going to complete the assessment soon. What? Are you kidding me? What is the message that was just sent to the students? Here is the message - "Ya, we are going to give you this test, and it's not important at all because we haven't discussed it all year, and we really aren't going to talk about the results with you, but at least you are going to get out of school early."
(Insert loud scream here.)
Thanks. Now I'm going to have to work even harder with the eleventh grade students and their parents to have them clearly understand the assessment and the importance of their scores. I'm going to have two years of data that probably means nothing because the teachers didn't care, and the students likely didn't give much of an effort.
BUT.....
At least we offered the experience of taking the test to the students, so they now have a better understanding of the experience, right?
NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
What we did was not only waste their time and a school day, we made later efforts to help students with the SAT even more challenging. And we sent a reaffirming message to most of the teachers in the building that all of this testing "crap" isn't their job.
Moral of the story. If a school is going to take the time to schedule students opportunity to complete the PSAT 8/9, the PSAT 10, and the SAT, do what's best for kids. Help them succeed. Start from Day 1 of the school year, regardless of content area, and infuse information, activities, and skills that will help students do their best. And then look at the data from those freshmen that completed the PSAT 8/9, which will now be more meaningful, and talk about ways with colleagues that will help better performance on the PSAT 10. Then look at the data from those sophomores that completed the PSAT 10, which will also be more meaningful, and talk about ways with colleagues that will help better performance on PSAT in October of the students' junior year. And then take the meaningful data from the PSAT, and help students perform their best on the SAT in April.
And in the meantime...CELEBRATE GROWTH. If students improve their scores, celebrate the accomplishments - with students and teachers. Perhaps even build a positive incentive like anyone who grows earns an additional excused day from school to job shadow or visit a post-secondary training path option. Perhaps if a large enough percentage of students improve their score, the teachers earn an additional professional or personal day - maybe a $25.00 gas card to Casey's!
Okay...ranting about the pet peeve completed. Time to go umpire. It actually feels like Spring today, so I'm gone to United High School to work a double-header.
The SAT is a BIG DEAL for most of our students. I know this because I have attended meetings, reviewed SAT materials, viewed the money that colleges and universities offer to students based on test scores. The problem is that for most other people, they don't realize that it is a big deal. Parents and students don't realize how much a higher SAT score might benefit them in the area of scholarships. For example, at Western Illinois University, their Western Commitment Scholarship includes an annual $2,000 scholarship for an SAT score of 1020-1150. The next level of SAT scoring is 1060-1270, which is an annual $2,500 scholarship. These are annual scholarships, so students will be earning an $8,000 scholarship and $10,000 scholarship for their SAT scores. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. And those are the lowest levels of scoring. High scoring students can earn $10,000 annually; $40,000 during their college experience. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
The SAT is also a BIG DEAL for most of our students because the higher the score, the more options available to the students. While no school typically has a cut-off score for application; most schools on their website data do post the SAT score of the typical student that attends the specific college or university. For example the middle 50% of students at WIU earn an SAT score of 940-1150. The University of Illinois, on the other hand, features students in the middle 50% that scored an SAT of 1360-1480, which is quite a difference. So the higher the SAT score, the more options of college choices that will be available to students.
FINALLY, the SAT is a BIG DEAL because the test measures the skills that are required for students to be successful in college and career training. College training would include typical community college, 4-year college/university, and technical colleges. Career training would include additional school/training that would fall in the realm more on the side of certificate programs. Certificate programs generally don't include a degree but are programs that would give students needed training towards a specific job that would need training beyond a high school diploma. Data backs up the fact that a large number of our students at Rockridge are going to pursue training that falls into college or career training. 61-of-79 students in the Class of 2018 responded to a survey about post-secondary decisions. 54 of the 61 responding students indicated that they were planning to pursue college or career training. If we have that many students pursuing that training path, shouldn't we make sure they have the skills needed to be successful in that pursuit?
You might be saying...what about the other students? The 7 of the 61 that are entering the military, an apprenticeship, or are planning to enter the workforce after high school. My position is that those students will also benefit by being more successful in those post-secondary choices and will be better prepared should they decide to pursue college or career training later in their lives.
SO THE SAT IS A BIG DEAL...and now the rest of the story.
If teachers aren't committing to helping their students better perform on the SAT, they aren't doing what is best for students. Some teachers say, "It's not my job." UGH! When I went through my administrative training 20 years ago, the catch phrase I ALWAYS heard was...."Do what's best for kids." We as educators - no matter what content we teach - can find ways to do what's right for kids and help them better learn the skills that are needed for college and career training (and in turn perform better on the SAT). And those ways can be subtle and minor and not require a total reconsideration and revision of curriculum. In fact those ways can be imbedded so well with so little effort that the students don't even realize they are receiving SAT skills work.
More importantly...when freshmen complete the PSAT 8/9 and when sophomores complete the PSAT 10, the teachers of those students MUST help those students prepare for those assessments with the same commitment that eleventh grade teachers give their eleventh grade students. What good does it do students to hand out a brochure a week before the test and tell them that they are going to complete the assessment soon. What? Are you kidding me? What is the message that was just sent to the students? Here is the message - "Ya, we are going to give you this test, and it's not important at all because we haven't discussed it all year, and we really aren't going to talk about the results with you, but at least you are going to get out of school early."
(Insert loud scream here.)
Thanks. Now I'm going to have to work even harder with the eleventh grade students and their parents to have them clearly understand the assessment and the importance of their scores. I'm going to have two years of data that probably means nothing because the teachers didn't care, and the students likely didn't give much of an effort.
BUT.....
At least we offered the experience of taking the test to the students, so they now have a better understanding of the experience, right?
NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
What we did was not only waste their time and a school day, we made later efforts to help students with the SAT even more challenging. And we sent a reaffirming message to most of the teachers in the building that all of this testing "crap" isn't their job.
Moral of the story. If a school is going to take the time to schedule students opportunity to complete the PSAT 8/9, the PSAT 10, and the SAT, do what's best for kids. Help them succeed. Start from Day 1 of the school year, regardless of content area, and infuse information, activities, and skills that will help students do their best. And then look at the data from those freshmen that completed the PSAT 8/9, which will now be more meaningful, and talk about ways with colleagues that will help better performance on the PSAT 10. Then look at the data from those sophomores that completed the PSAT 10, which will also be more meaningful, and talk about ways with colleagues that will help better performance on PSAT in October of the students' junior year. And then take the meaningful data from the PSAT, and help students perform their best on the SAT in April.
And in the meantime...CELEBRATE GROWTH. If students improve their scores, celebrate the accomplishments - with students and teachers. Perhaps even build a positive incentive like anyone who grows earns an additional excused day from school to job shadow or visit a post-secondary training path option. Perhaps if a large enough percentage of students improve their score, the teachers earn an additional professional or personal day - maybe a $25.00 gas card to Casey's!
Okay...ranting about the pet peeve completed. Time to go umpire. It actually feels like Spring today, so I'm gone to United High School to work a double-header.
Sunday, April 15, 2018
April 16th Snow?
Today, I've accomplished very little - unless watching some news, Food Network, a 1965 James Bond movie, and an old 1985 movie that I think I remember watching when I was a teenager. It could be a day of working out in the yard - perhaps getting the lawn mower ready or spreading some grass seed or fertilizer. I could be a day of getting the pool ready to open up. BUT NOT TODAY!
Because today, on April 16th it's snowing! Ugh.
Last night, though, I was able to spend some time with Carmen and Cole at my mom's saddle club fundraising event. Each year, my mom Cathy hosts a triva night at the legion in Milan. They use the money for various efforts sponsored by her club - the Illinois City Saddle Club. My mom does a great job with the event, and last night my brother Darren was the emcee and my dad Jim helped with scoring. Me? I just played. Our team wasn't very good, but we didn't finish last.
So because of the lousy weather yesterday, I spent some time with Cole. Instead of umpiring like we were scheduled to do, the canceled tournament allowed us to go out to Jimmy's Pancakes and have some breakfast. We then went to Menard's, Farm-n-Fleet, and WalMart to get a few items to help Cole organize his umpiring gear and uniforms.
Today, I was originally scheduled to umpire again, but cold conditions and this snow have allowed me to have a virtual snow day. I think now, though, I'm going to go downstairs and walk on the treadmill or ride the stationary bike and try to get some exercise. Then I'm going to make some hamburgers, eat some supper, and probably watch a DVD I bought yesterday - The Greatest Showman.
And I'm not going to stress about it. I'm not going to stress about losing money, about missing out on some exercise on the diamonds, about not going to church. I'm just going to let myself have a "break weekend". It's okay to have those once in awhile....helps relieve some of the stress of the really busy weekends I've had in the past and will surely once again have in the future.
So April 16th Snow? Okay...I'll just go with it.
Because today, on April 16th it's snowing! Ugh.
Last night, though, I was able to spend some time with Carmen and Cole at my mom's saddle club fundraising event. Each year, my mom Cathy hosts a triva night at the legion in Milan. They use the money for various efforts sponsored by her club - the Illinois City Saddle Club. My mom does a great job with the event, and last night my brother Darren was the emcee and my dad Jim helped with scoring. Me? I just played. Our team wasn't very good, but we didn't finish last.
So because of the lousy weather yesterday, I spent some time with Cole. Instead of umpiring like we were scheduled to do, the canceled tournament allowed us to go out to Jimmy's Pancakes and have some breakfast. We then went to Menard's, Farm-n-Fleet, and WalMart to get a few items to help Cole organize his umpiring gear and uniforms.
Today, I was originally scheduled to umpire again, but cold conditions and this snow have allowed me to have a virtual snow day. I think now, though, I'm going to go downstairs and walk on the treadmill or ride the stationary bike and try to get some exercise. Then I'm going to make some hamburgers, eat some supper, and probably watch a DVD I bought yesterday - The Greatest Showman.
And I'm not going to stress about it. I'm not going to stress about losing money, about missing out on some exercise on the diamonds, about not going to church. I'm just going to let myself have a "break weekend". It's okay to have those once in awhile....helps relieve some of the stress of the really busy weekends I've had in the past and will surely once again have in the future.
So April 16th Snow? Okay...I'll just go with it.
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Making the Most of High School
The high school Class of 2018 is only weeks away from graduation. Our job at the secondary level is to help them discover their best post-secondary training fit and be equipped to be successful in that choice. All students need to have a plan. And research tells us (along with our own adult personal experiences) that plans will change, and that's okay. Graduating high school, though, without some kind of plan to train for some type of career is a mistake. For the vast majority of students, graduating high school without a plan will lead to years of "spinning their wheels" - frustration and loss of potential income.
Because it's important to always reflect on how we can improve as secondary education educators, it's healthy to get feedback from our clients. A recent survey from my former students resulted, in part, to the following comments from seniors. We can learn from their thoughts. There are a couple of comments that include my name, but this is not posted as a pat-on-the-back moment. While it's admittedly nice to be mentioned by a few comments, it also appears that I need to strive to reach more.
What regrets (if any) do you have regarding your post-secondary path efforts that you completed while a high school student at RHS?...From the Class of 2018
- I have none (10)
- I wish I would have focused more on my schoolwork and less on my extra-curriculars
- Not doing enough community service.
- I could have done more concerning getting scholarship
- I wish I would have started the search sooner and applied myself more to my post-secondary path.
- I wish I would have visited more schools tailored to my major.
- I regret not taking more weighted courses.
- I did not go on college visits until the fall of my senior year and I wish I would have done more visits in the spring of my junior year or summer of senior year.
- I wish that I would've stayed open to private colleges, even though the price sounds scary.
- There are 7 other students in my high school class also attending the same college as me, which sucks, but they'll be 40,000 other students so I guess it will be fine
- I did not apply for scholarships early enough and missed out of several presidential scholarships
-There isn't anything I regret about my post-secondary path efforts.
- Not taking more time to look at different colleges/options.
- I wished that I would have been more responsible and asked for help sooner.
- I regret not doing any type of job shadowing and not doing as many college visits as I should have
- My biggest regret is not getting on scholarships early.
- Not starting to look sooner and not doing more research.
- I don't have any regrets regarding my post-secondary plans. One regret I have is that because I was pressured into pursuing a degree in engineering for most of my high school life, I wasn't allowed to take high school choir. That is my biggest regret.
- I regret not stepping out of my comfort zone sooner and talking to other people. The sooner you are able to easily talk to people the better prepared you will be for post-secondary activities. The only way you'll get a job or further education will be by talking to people and have good networking.
- Applied for scholarships sooner
- I think the UT nursing programs really prepared me for my post-secondary path in nursing.
- I would highly recommend it to anyone who is wanting to go into nursing after high school.
- I got the NHS invitation form three times and never took the time to fill it out. I wish I would have for scholarship opportunities.
- I don’t have any regrets with my plans. I have a great financial package with NIU.
- I didn't take a math class senior year, not sure i'll need it but It'd help
- None, except maybe explore a few more smaller colleges.
- I wish that I taught myself more about Engineering and my subject. I also wish that my computer classes actually taught me about CSS and coding. They just teach you the beginning of HTML, but nothing else is really helpful in preparing me for my post-secondary path.
- Committing to a college too early
- I didn’t look into my secondary path until 3 or 4 months before graduation. i knew what i liked but i never really thought about how to make it into a career
Because it's important to always reflect on how we can improve as secondary education educators, it's healthy to get feedback from our clients. A recent survey from my former students resulted, in part, to the following comments from seniors. We can learn from their thoughts. There are a couple of comments that include my name, but this is not posted as a pat-on-the-back moment. While it's admittedly nice to be mentioned by a few comments, it also appears that I need to strive to reach more.
What regrets (if any) do you have regarding your post-secondary path efforts that you completed while a high school student at RHS?...From the Class of 2018
- I have none (10)
- I wish I would have focused more on my schoolwork and less on my extra-curriculars
- Not doing enough community service.
- I could have done more concerning getting scholarship
- I wish I would have started the search sooner and applied myself more to my post-secondary path.
- I wish I would have visited more schools tailored to my major.
- I regret not taking more weighted courses.
- I did not go on college visits until the fall of my senior year and I wish I would have done more visits in the spring of my junior year or summer of senior year.
- I wish that I would've stayed open to private colleges, even though the price sounds scary.
- There are 7 other students in my high school class also attending the same college as me, which sucks, but they'll be 40,000 other students so I guess it will be fine
- I did not apply for scholarships early enough and missed out of several presidential scholarships
-There isn't anything I regret about my post-secondary path efforts.
- Not taking more time to look at different colleges/options.
- I wished that I would have been more responsible and asked for help sooner.
- I regret not doing any type of job shadowing and not doing as many college visits as I should have
- My biggest regret is not getting on scholarships early.
- Not starting to look sooner and not doing more research.
- I don't have any regrets regarding my post-secondary plans. One regret I have is that because I was pressured into pursuing a degree in engineering for most of my high school life, I wasn't allowed to take high school choir. That is my biggest regret.
- I regret not stepping out of my comfort zone sooner and talking to other people. The sooner you are able to easily talk to people the better prepared you will be for post-secondary activities. The only way you'll get a job or further education will be by talking to people and have good networking.
- Applied for scholarships sooner
- I think the UT nursing programs really prepared me for my post-secondary path in nursing.
- I would highly recommend it to anyone who is wanting to go into nursing after high school.
- I got the NHS invitation form three times and never took the time to fill it out. I wish I would have for scholarship opportunities.
- I don’t have any regrets with my plans. I have a great financial package with NIU.
- I didn't take a math class senior year, not sure i'll need it but It'd help
- None, except maybe explore a few more smaller colleges.
- I wish that I taught myself more about Engineering and my subject. I also wish that my computer classes actually taught me about CSS and coding. They just teach you the beginning of HTML, but nothing else is really helpful in preparing me for my post-secondary path.
- Committing to a college too early
- I didn’t look into my secondary path until 3 or 4 months before graduation. i knew what i liked but i never really thought about how to make it into a career
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
The SAT Is HERE...ugh.
Supervising the SAT as a testing monitor is the pits. The entire testing session will be over four hours, and monitors are not suppose to do anything but monitor students and read directions. It's a very long day. I do get a chance to observe students taking the test and get a look at the format of the test to see if any changes exist. And I am present to encourage students to do their best.
And because it's going to be a long day, I'm going to keep this post short. Good luck Illinois SAT students!
And because it's going to be a long day, I'm going to keep this post short. Good luck Illinois SAT students!
Sunday, April 8, 2018
Food Network Fanatics
Since I met my wife Amber (just had our 4-year anniversary last week), she has flooded my life with the Food Network. Usually our Sunday mornings before church service begin with coffee, recliners, Channel 61 on Mediacom, and whichever host is scheduled. Amber's favorite is The Pioneer Woman, and today it's the Pioneer Woman jackpot because she has four episodes in a row! But because the first episode is a rerun, and the food she is discussing in the episode aren't exactly an interest to me, I'm pausing for this latest edition of the RoomNE10 blog.
Today ends Spring Break 2018, which was NOTHING close to a spring break. In fact, there is a weather advisory today for a snowfall forecast of 1-3 inches before tomorrow morning with 3-6 inches northwest of our area. I'd like to tell you the forecast is a shock, but the temps all week have not gotten out of the 40's - absolutely ridiculous.
I had five softball dates scheduled for this week - all canceled. The result is not the weight loss I had hoped to achieve this week and definitely not the income I had hoped to achieve. Yes, Mother Nature took about $400 from me; I hope she is planning on a nice weather reward the rest of April into May.
I'm digressing...sorry.
So the Food Network features a variety of shows that we watch. There are food shows, contests, games, and other creative adventures that tickle the proverbial tastebuds. I enjoy the idea of cooking, and I enjoy watching the creativity that are part of the shows. Amber, though, likes to be motivated by the shows and embark on little cooking journeys on her own.
The Food Network, though, amazes me. The idea of having a cable television network that focuses its programming on food is so smart. We all need food, right? So the network features programming of products that we all need...genius.
I must admit that we prefer to watch simple, basic midwestern United States food shows. There aren't a lot of programs on the Food Network that venture too far away from that theme. So usually the meat dishes are beef, chicken, or pork of some kind and then the side dishes and desserts also are familiar.
I confess that while Pioneer Woman is of interest, I have a different favorite. I prefer Farmhouse Rules with Nancy Fuller. I think her dishes are even more to my midwestern preference; plus she reminds me of my late Grandmother Sara. Unfortunately, her show hasn't been featured lately - at least when Amber and I typically view the network, which is usually weekend mornings and sometimes in the evenings. (Usually in the evenings we are watching Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri.)
If you aren't aware of the Food Network, watch a bit and pick your favorites. Be careful, though, the programming can be addictive.
Today ends Spring Break 2018, which was NOTHING close to a spring break. In fact, there is a weather advisory today for a snowfall forecast of 1-3 inches before tomorrow morning with 3-6 inches northwest of our area. I'd like to tell you the forecast is a shock, but the temps all week have not gotten out of the 40's - absolutely ridiculous.
I had five softball dates scheduled for this week - all canceled. The result is not the weight loss I had hoped to achieve this week and definitely not the income I had hoped to achieve. Yes, Mother Nature took about $400 from me; I hope she is planning on a nice weather reward the rest of April into May.
I'm digressing...sorry.
So the Food Network features a variety of shows that we watch. There are food shows, contests, games, and other creative adventures that tickle the proverbial tastebuds. I enjoy the idea of cooking, and I enjoy watching the creativity that are part of the shows. Amber, though, likes to be motivated by the shows and embark on little cooking journeys on her own.
The Food Network, though, amazes me. The idea of having a cable television network that focuses its programming on food is so smart. We all need food, right? So the network features programming of products that we all need...genius.
I must admit that we prefer to watch simple, basic midwestern United States food shows. There aren't a lot of programs on the Food Network that venture too far away from that theme. So usually the meat dishes are beef, chicken, or pork of some kind and then the side dishes and desserts also are familiar.
I confess that while Pioneer Woman is of interest, I have a different favorite. I prefer Farmhouse Rules with Nancy Fuller. I think her dishes are even more to my midwestern preference; plus she reminds me of my late Grandmother Sara. Unfortunately, her show hasn't been featured lately - at least when Amber and I typically view the network, which is usually weekend mornings and sometimes in the evenings. (Usually in the evenings we are watching Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri.)
If you aren't aware of the Food Network, watch a bit and pick your favorites. Be careful, though, the programming can be addictive.
Friday, April 6, 2018
Politics In the Classroom
I have never attempted to sway or persuade students to adopt my view on politics. For the record, I lean toward the Democratic party and absolutely despise our current President. I'd like to believe, though, I'm more of a moderate than a liberal, and I'd like to believe that I can objectively listen and review thoughts or philosophies that are more Republican in nature.
That being said, I don't regularly make a point to subject my students toward my political views, but there has been occasion where a discussion with a group of students or perhaps event the class includes sharing of personal viewpoints. In those cases, I don't shy away from sharing my viewpoints and attempt to encourage students to share their viewpoints. The important part of this exchange is that students genuinely feel like they can openly express their views without feeling like they will somehow be scrutinized or cross-examined for their thoughts.
I try, then, to avoid being a "commentary-show-host". It's so aggravating to watch news commentary shows invite guests to share their views with the sole purpose of bashing them. Not only do these hosts often interrupt their guests, they verbally and non-verbally scold the guests...and for what - for answering the question that had been presented by the host.
We need to develop ourselves and our students the respect for each other to have civil discussions of differing viewpoints. And we need to genuinely attempt to gain understanding of the opposing viewpoint in order to determine the value of both points. And it's okay for someone else to offer a viewpoint that just may cause me to look at my viewpoint differently - something many politicians could and should embrace.
So when politics arise in the classroom, use the opportunity to model for students how civil conversations about potentially strong differences of viewpoint can occur.
That being said, I don't regularly make a point to subject my students toward my political views, but there has been occasion where a discussion with a group of students or perhaps event the class includes sharing of personal viewpoints. In those cases, I don't shy away from sharing my viewpoints and attempt to encourage students to share their viewpoints. The important part of this exchange is that students genuinely feel like they can openly express their views without feeling like they will somehow be scrutinized or cross-examined for their thoughts.
I try, then, to avoid being a "commentary-show-host". It's so aggravating to watch news commentary shows invite guests to share their views with the sole purpose of bashing them. Not only do these hosts often interrupt their guests, they verbally and non-verbally scold the guests...and for what - for answering the question that had been presented by the host.
We need to develop ourselves and our students the respect for each other to have civil discussions of differing viewpoints. And we need to genuinely attempt to gain understanding of the opposing viewpoint in order to determine the value of both points. And it's okay for someone else to offer a viewpoint that just may cause me to look at my viewpoint differently - something many politicians could and should embrace.
So when politics arise in the classroom, use the opportunity to model for students how civil conversations about potentially strong differences of viewpoint can occur.
Thursday, April 5, 2018
News, Fake News, News Commentary, and Propaganda: How About A Warning Label?
President Trump seems to have invented the term "fake news". I'm not sure if he deserves all of the credit, and I'm going to attempt avoid any thoughts on politics with this post. (I'll save that rant for another day.)
Perhaps it's my interest in journalism that has spawned my interest and worry in our society about the idea of news. Back in my day, I remembered discussing yellow journalism, ambulance chasing, and what was newsworthy and not. I don't ever remember, though, discussing fake news. The closest thing I can remember to this term was the study of propaganda.
Today more and more I find myself wondering about the difference between what we now call "fake news" and what we once called "propaganda".
Note the online definition for propaganda by Dictionary.com "information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc."
Now take a look at the online definition by Dictionary.com for fake news - "false news stories, often of a sensational nature, created to be widely shared online for the purpose of generating ad revenue via web traffic or discrediting a public figure, political movement, company, etc."
So what's the difference? And why use one term over another? So when President Trump describes information as "fake news", he essentially is claiming that the information is "propaganda", which is information intentionally spread to discredit or harm someone or something...
Perhaps it's my interest in journalism that has spawned my interest and worry in our society about the idea of news. Back in my day, I remembered discussing yellow journalism, ambulance chasing, and what was newsworthy and not. I don't ever remember, though, discussing fake news. The closest thing I can remember to this term was the study of propaganda.
Today more and more I find myself wondering about the difference between what we now call "fake news" and what we once called "propaganda".
Note the online definition for propaganda by Dictionary.com "information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc."
Now take a look at the online definition by Dictionary.com for fake news - "false news stories, often of a sensational nature, created to be widely shared online for the purpose of generating ad revenue via web traffic or discrediting a public figure, political movement, company, etc."
So what's the difference? And why use one term over another? So when President Trump describes information as "fake news", he essentially is claiming that the information is "propaganda", which is information intentionally spread to discredit or harm someone or something...
So the President is claiming that that at least what I had previously considered to be trustworthy news outlets like NBC, CBS, and ABC are in fact organizations that are intentionally spreading information with the intent to harm. Ugh. And he's saying that Fox News is an organization that avoids "fake news". Really?
I also remember from my high school journalism days with Mr. Davis at RHS that the U.S. Constitution, in the First Amendment, protects the freedom of the press. I find myself asking, though, what is "the press" and what is "news commentary"? I have no qualms against news commentary, as the first amendment also protects free speech. In fact, I find it entertaining at times to view the spectrum of commentary that can surface from just a bit of factual news.
Where I'm really struggling is determining the difference between objective news coverage through the "freedom of the press" and opinion-based commentary perspectives through the "freedom of speech". So I ask, how about some type of warning label? We get warning labels a lot of different places to let consumers know exactly what they are getting when they consume a product. How about a warning label before a particular segment of information that alerts consumers that what they are about to see and hear could potentially contain propaganda that could be harmful to at least someone or some group? Or how about a warning label before a particular segment of information that alerts consumers that what they are about to see and hear are facts reported in an objective manner through quality journalism that may also be harmful but are definitely true?
So there you go....that's what I want. In addition to a warning from my television station telling me that the Deadpool movie I'm watching may contain violence or adult material, I'd like a warning from the sponsoring television station telling me that this evening's NBC news broadcast or Fox News show could potentially contain propaganda - information that is intentionally spread in order to harm. How about that members of congress? Could we get legislation requiring information agencies to label their information? Any bi-partisan agreement on that one?
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Writing a Research Paper
Yesterday and today I'm reviewing some research papers that have been resubmitted by students attempting to earn additional points from their initial score. With that in mind, I thought I would focus today's blog entry on the RESEARCH PAPER. (All caps to emphasize the apparent tension and strife that embraces students by the mere mention of the words.)
Here's the deal with research papers; they aren't that big of deal. Because I teach English III, I teach a required course for our students. Required means that the students I work with range from enjoying English and excelling at language arts skills to despising English and genuinely struggling with one or more language arts skills. So the course I teach needs to attempt to challenge and push the skilled "extra milers" while being "attainable" by "the haters".
Some folks may attempt to argue that not all students need to complete research papers in high school, but I disagree with that view. I believe understanding the research process and understanding the documentation of other author's work is an important skill to be understood and performed by all students. While not all high school juniors will grow to write fifty-page dissertations, all students need to be faced with tasks that require specific directions be followed, attentiveness to detail, and appreciation of intellectual property.
All of those skills are challenging for teens; I'm sure they were for me - I just am too old to remember back then. That last skill, though, the appreciation of intellectual property, is a bit more challenging for this generation that past generations. The "copy-and-paste" feature that has surfaced as a result of our information age has changed the way students often complete work. Rather than finding answers to their questions and formulating their responses in their own words, the faster and easier method is "copy-and-paste". This revolution of completing work is honestly a bit scary, and it's an ever present challenge to teachers.
Many teachers think they can find lesson plans and activities on the internet; however, their students quickly search and find those very items, which often include the answers. Or some student from some other state has either figured out a way to make money by offering answers or simply offers the information up for free.
The thoughtful teacher now must try to develop relationships with students that motivate students to resist the urge to copy-and-paste and simply think for themselves. Yes, thinking takes time and effort, which is often something teenagers strive to work around, but working those brains in high school will lead to bigger and better thinking after high school. And relationships and motivation can only go so far; teachers need to also find fresh activities and assignments that aren't readily available on the web, which means teachers need to take time and make effort towards unique coursework.
I admit that I slim down the size of the research paper to 3-4 pages to emphasize to students the process of research and documentation - in my case in the English classroom calling for MLA style. This size of project limits the amount of time necessary to complete the task and also limits the time it takes me to score the papers and get them returned for consideration of revision.
With this approach, the big bad RESEARCH PAPER is comfortably doable and is beneficial. Admittedly, though, I will likely be changing possible prompts next year, as I fear that efforts from previous years are getting recycled - dang Google Docs! Included below is a link to this year's research paper scoring guidelines if you are interested.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W784xbb5fS4EzqlEhQD-b2JqiL9K7ijUf_hVLQhUrV0/edit
Here's the deal with research papers; they aren't that big of deal. Because I teach English III, I teach a required course for our students. Required means that the students I work with range from enjoying English and excelling at language arts skills to despising English and genuinely struggling with one or more language arts skills. So the course I teach needs to attempt to challenge and push the skilled "extra milers" while being "attainable" by "the haters".
Some folks may attempt to argue that not all students need to complete research papers in high school, but I disagree with that view. I believe understanding the research process and understanding the documentation of other author's work is an important skill to be understood and performed by all students. While not all high school juniors will grow to write fifty-page dissertations, all students need to be faced with tasks that require specific directions be followed, attentiveness to detail, and appreciation of intellectual property.
All of those skills are challenging for teens; I'm sure they were for me - I just am too old to remember back then. That last skill, though, the appreciation of intellectual property, is a bit more challenging for this generation that past generations. The "copy-and-paste" feature that has surfaced as a result of our information age has changed the way students often complete work. Rather than finding answers to their questions and formulating their responses in their own words, the faster and easier method is "copy-and-paste". This revolution of completing work is honestly a bit scary, and it's an ever present challenge to teachers.
Many teachers think they can find lesson plans and activities on the internet; however, their students quickly search and find those very items, which often include the answers. Or some student from some other state has either figured out a way to make money by offering answers or simply offers the information up for free.
The thoughtful teacher now must try to develop relationships with students that motivate students to resist the urge to copy-and-paste and simply think for themselves. Yes, thinking takes time and effort, which is often something teenagers strive to work around, but working those brains in high school will lead to bigger and better thinking after high school. And relationships and motivation can only go so far; teachers need to also find fresh activities and assignments that aren't readily available on the web, which means teachers need to take time and make effort towards unique coursework.
I admit that I slim down the size of the research paper to 3-4 pages to emphasize to students the process of research and documentation - in my case in the English classroom calling for MLA style. This size of project limits the amount of time necessary to complete the task and also limits the time it takes me to score the papers and get them returned for consideration of revision.
With this approach, the big bad RESEARCH PAPER is comfortably doable and is beneficial. Admittedly, though, I will likely be changing possible prompts next year, as I fear that efforts from previous years are getting recycled - dang Google Docs! Included below is a link to this year's research paper scoring guidelines if you are interested.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W784xbb5fS4EzqlEhQD-b2JqiL9K7ijUf_hVLQhUrV0/edit
Monday, April 2, 2018
I'm Back!
This morning on the Today Show, Arnold Schwarzenegger was reported to have awoken from his emergency open heart surgery with his iconic "I'm back" expression. So with that in mind, I'm returning to this blog site on the first day of Spring Break with admittedly a bit of extra time in my life from this time last year.
First, I'm not a yearbook sponsor. I'll confess (as I have probably done before in previous posts) that I did feel somewhat guilty from resigning that position, but I'll also confess that the decision was a wise one. The decision did decrease frustration and stress in my life, and only current or previous yearbook sponsors will truly understand that feeling.
Second, I'm not coming off of coaching basketball. While I did help out my son's varsity football teams and basketball teams as a volunteer, and those duties did cut into the amount of my free time available, I could (and did) be flexible with my commitment. Having previously coached junior high boys and girls basketball, there was no flexibility.
Third, my "club basketball" coaching experience that had consumed the spring the past two years is no longer occurring. Since my son is graduating in May, he also has graduated from the club basketball circuit, so my assistance with that endeavor no longer exists. While I already miss our father-son time together and miss watching him on the court, I don't miss the commitment of time and energy towards making a club team go.
So now my biggest aggravation and frustration is with Mother Nature. This has been an unusually cold Spring. We had nine inches of snow recently and the first full week of April is forecast in our area to have temps below 50 degrees all week. Come on Keven Phelps (KWQC weather guy), pull some strings, do some meteorologist alchemy or something, but help a guy out! Sophie the dog is ready for some nice Spring walks, and I'm tired of having to get all bundled up to umpire my softball games.
While life has become simpler, I'm still umpiring softball and officiating basketball. Next year, I'm planning to return to full-time basketball officiating, which I'm looking forward to doing. Part of that experience, though, is an enhanced effort of dropping some weight - something badly needed for my health and my knees and my ability to get up and down the floor on the court.
Now Amber says I have to do some weeding in my closets, which is an activity I'm not good at. I've warned her that I'm going to be selective. I'm keeping clothes I like but that are too small. I'm only weeding the stuff that I don't believe I will wear much in the future.
First, I'm not a yearbook sponsor. I'll confess (as I have probably done before in previous posts) that I did feel somewhat guilty from resigning that position, but I'll also confess that the decision was a wise one. The decision did decrease frustration and stress in my life, and only current or previous yearbook sponsors will truly understand that feeling.
Second, I'm not coming off of coaching basketball. While I did help out my son's varsity football teams and basketball teams as a volunteer, and those duties did cut into the amount of my free time available, I could (and did) be flexible with my commitment. Having previously coached junior high boys and girls basketball, there was no flexibility.
Third, my "club basketball" coaching experience that had consumed the spring the past two years is no longer occurring. Since my son is graduating in May, he also has graduated from the club basketball circuit, so my assistance with that endeavor no longer exists. While I already miss our father-son time together and miss watching him on the court, I don't miss the commitment of time and energy towards making a club team go.
So now my biggest aggravation and frustration is with Mother Nature. This has been an unusually cold Spring. We had nine inches of snow recently and the first full week of April is forecast in our area to have temps below 50 degrees all week. Come on Keven Phelps (KWQC weather guy), pull some strings, do some meteorologist alchemy or something, but help a guy out! Sophie the dog is ready for some nice Spring walks, and I'm tired of having to get all bundled up to umpire my softball games.
While life has become simpler, I'm still umpiring softball and officiating basketball. Next year, I'm planning to return to full-time basketball officiating, which I'm looking forward to doing. Part of that experience, though, is an enhanced effort of dropping some weight - something badly needed for my health and my knees and my ability to get up and down the floor on the court.
Now Amber says I have to do some weeding in my closets, which is an activity I'm not good at. I've warned her that I'm going to be selective. I'm keeping clothes I like but that are too small. I'm only weeding the stuff that I don't believe I will wear much in the future.
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