How can new teachers improve in the classroom?

“Use teachable moments as a blueprint for what you should not do in the future.”(Germany Kent)

I’m currently reading a provocative book entitled “The Coddling of the American Mind” authored by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haida. As you you can tell by the title, there’s plenty of concern about the decline of our current educational system. In light of this issue, I thus present the following story of one aspiring educator who would be tested severely to pursue his dream to teach. See if you can spot those rookie teacher mistakes yourself that places this novice teacher “under fire.” Click on the following link to more fully understand the main thrust of this issue.

https://youtu.be/fdEbpoGVr4w?si=HC8NRnkeF6niB92C

 

Rookie Teacher “Under Fire”

On the night before his first day as an instructor, Jacob felt fully ready to teach. For his professors had always praised him for mastering those challenging tenets of educational psychology in his undergraduate university classes while his teaching internship at the familiar high school of his youth once provided a comforting setting he could thrive in. Know however that this novice teacher would tomorrow face his first real test of his resolve to teach as he wanted to yet there would be no assurances that his work contract would last more than one year.

So with considerable relief, real teaching seemed at first a “breeze” for Jacob. For as he met each of his 11th grade American History classes with his typical smile and optimistic tone that first day, he felt comfortable as his students routinely introduced themselves individually. Yet on each of these friendly occasions, there seemed to be minimal conversation about those parameters of expected behavior to be followed by these aspiring, college bound juniors in class. So with his students notably quiet on this matter, during this latter part of each class orientation, Jacob instead decided to open channels of communication more. So he designated four or five group teams be formed throughout the first day , each with the freedom to select their own unique group name. In addition, he made clear that team leaders elected by each group would be provided opportunities to teach the entire class at various times of the semester.

In the ensuing months, Jacob undertook a consistent routine of starting each class with a short lecture about the assigned textbook content with the bulk of the classwork to follow being accomplished in these small group sessions. At some point before the end of each class, he would then allot time for each team to report back to the entire class about ideas they discussed. But he noticed at times that some groups seemed unwilling to do so. In so declining to speak, he heard frequent complaints from team leaders that the ideas discussed were either too unpleasant to deal with or it was not politically correct for them to talk in front of the entire class. So being the “kind soul” that he envisioned himself, Jacob on these occasions “gave in” to these student concerns and allowed them to reconvene on their own time in a more private setting and submit their answers online.

Sadly, this yearly “grind” for Jacob of teaching his students in this more student trustful way eventually took its toll on his psyche when their exam scores began to plummet. But with no turning back from spreading a more student empowered atmosphere as his current teaching preference, he pressed on to make his approach to teaching work. Yet would next year be better if Jacob’s given the chance to learn from his mistakes to teach full time there again?

How does the recent death of singer Jimmy Buffett impact your life?

“It’s important to have as much fun as possible while we’re here. It balances out the the times when the minefields of life explodes.“ (Jimmy Buffett)

I am “all in” for seeking happy times as anyone I suppose. Yet it’s not like life’s been “wasted away in “Margaritaville” as Jimmy Buffett once lyricized in this legendary singalong song. To clarify further, I am definitely moving on in my life from expecting external gratification by way of “booze”, babes”, and “beaches” as Mr. Buffett so vividly bombarded his fans with throughout his long musical career. Have a listen for yourself about Jimmy’s thoughts of such self indulgence in the link below.

https://youtu.be/ON6LBvWyPfY?si=YHwaOPdB3SHskj7K

 

I further reason that Jimmy’s “easy” life” theme seems to fit in well with those compulsive narcissists who feel entitled to do whatever they want on a grandiose scale. Yet I also wonder what point it really makes for a society that glorifies simply “hanging out” along a sunny beach clad in a Buffett like Hawaiian shirt and baseball hat to “kill time”? For I’ve recently found such mindfully “yin” experiences as yoga, meditation, and calming “New Age” music” as much better ways to please myself in lieu of such “yang” materialistic pleasures.

Perhaps I’m merely a victim of being “out of touch” with Jimmy Buffett’s “cool” mystique which definitely thrives throughout my home region of South Florida. In this regard, I think of those “snowbird” tourist hordes who flock to his ritzy” Margaritaville Resort complex so prominently situated along the Hollywood Beach shoreline. I also wonder why so many of them I observe seem so frantically willing to book there perhaps an overpriced charter boat ride, a risky jet ski glide or a buggy beach canopy shade. Yet I choose instead more sedate options at little or no cost by taking time to just silently observe my beautiful Atlantic Ocean surroundings along this city’s famous boardwalk corridor. Furthermore, would it make good sense for this restlessly curious traveler to bother cruising out of Fort Lauderdale as so many of these Northerners do to just sit for long periods of idle time in Buffett “beach bum” style along the ship’s top deck to merely “soak up” a tan?

In spite of our differences, I sincerely hope Jimmy Buffett finds his fantasy utopia in the sky. For I envision him happily strumming his guitar somewhere above amid the heavenly hereafter. Such wishes definitely inspire optimism that there’s plenty of time for me as well some day in the afterlife to find enhanced happiness on my own terms. So enjoy your next “cheeseburger in paradise” Jimmy and sleep well.

What was the last thing you searched for online? Why were you looking for it?

Jet Pack Prompt – 8/30/23



“Hurricane season brings a humbling reminder that despite our technologies, most of nature remains unpredictable.” (Diane Ackerman)

Hurricane season’s heating up again in South Florida  during its rainy season where I reside. So such frequently low pressure weather conditions there dictate it’s of vital importance that I furiously track online the latest hurricane data about Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico tropical disturbances. In fact, I’ve  been doing so ever since I moved to Hollywood, Florida in my youth when the only hurricane information available to me in the 1970s happened to be those annually distributed newspaper insets from the Miami Herald published to plot the exact latitude and longitude of the latest storm on a print map.

In contrast to such simplistic weather search efforts in paper and pencil times, I now feel more like a meteorologist with such a wide range of detail available for me to digest online about hurricanes in motion. For one, there’s the simple tracking map available on several of my apps like the Weather Channel which predict cone of probability locations where and when a storm will strike.Then there’s the satellite  look of a hurricane from the depths of space above reported by “N.OA.A.”,  whereby I notice the rain and cloud density bands spread out around the “eye” for me to discern the so called “dirty” (more intense) side of a storm. For a more specialized analysis of a hurricane, of course I can also go through those color coded isobars of varying wind, rain, air pressure and tidal surge variations reported regularly by local weather media affiliates. While for observing the latest “3D” sightings  of impacted hurricane locations, I can rely on those “Earth Cam” maps, as well, to pinpoint places that reveal live impact looks of inflicted hurricane damage.

For greater depth analysis, there’s also my most recent addition to this online hurricane entourage which goes by the amusing website database name called “Wobble Tracker”, where I can actually view the unpredictable patterns of hurricane movement that veer off and on the projected track. Such specialized data these days can even reveal that a hurricane might even do a 360 degrees circle back to a previous point of land impact for a second time strike.

As you can tell then from my photo collection below regarding Hurricane Idalia, I’m just a bit “O.C.D.” when it comes to the onset of hurricane season. But as you and I both know, one cannot ever control the weather. So as hurricanes come and go as they please, does it make good sense as well for us as humans to become “control freaks” and strive to do the same?

What are your favorite movies?

Jet Pack Prompt- 8/22/23

When it comes to watching movies lately, I’m simply overwhelmed with the amount of choice offerings available. For in pondering my movie time allotted between various streaming services that my wife and myself subscribe to like Netflix, Apple TV, Hulu and Prime Video, I often hesitate to choose. But thinking back to motion pictures that have always stood out for me in the past, I definitely realize the importance of certain movies that seemed very appropriate to key decision-making circumstances happening in various times of my life. Thus the following titles stick to me now as my top eight watched films of all time.

Theme 1 – Testing My Childhood Fantasy Imagination

The Movie – Disney’s – The Sorcerers Apprentice

Theme 2 – Making My Parents Proud Of Me

The Movie – The Music Man

Theme 3- Feeling Young Masculine Empowerment

The Movie – Goldfinger

Theme 4 – Fulfilling Youthful Protest Ambitions

The Movie – All The President’s Men

Theme 5 – Romanticizing About Personal Relationships

The Movie – Somewhere In Time

Theme 6 – Facing The Death of A Loved One

The Movie – What Dreams May Come

Theme 7 – Winning At All Odds

The Movie- Patton

Theme 8- Finding Humility Amid Success

The Movie – Forrest Gump

How do you feel about banning books from children and teens to read in schools?

“Banning books gives us silence when we need speech. It closes our ears when we need to listen. It makes us blind when we need sight” (Steven Chbosky)

John’s latest business trip to Chicago seemed again to have caused him to feel restlessly bored. With several deadlines to meet today, he’d thus decided to  “kill some afternoon time” at a sports bar patio deck near O’ Hare. For he anticipated a phone call from a manager soon directing him to drive downtown to his local office.. How oddly it seemed now to him how close by his outside table lie to such a busy road strewn with dangerous delivery zones across from him. What sense did it make he further reasoned to potentially impede here the right lane flow of traffic? However, he did find  some relief  from these concerns then as he turned his attention to the late Harry Carey bellowing out “Take Me Out to The Ballgame” at the Cubs game broadcast on the nearby TV.

Suddenly John lurched his head violently toward the left in sync with a screeching whine of rubber and anticipated metal on metal collision of vehicles near the restaurant that quickly followed. Without hesitation , John then instinctively lurched up from his seat to the safety of the cafe lobby as a fusillade of glass, rubber, and steel fragments from the wreck showered the area he had been sitting. A crowd of onlookers soon quickly gathered on the far side of the road as the two male drivers, one white and one black. angrily flung themselves outside of their heavily damaged vehicles. A potential riot now seemed likely as rocks and bottles were quickly thrown around the accident scene by some passing teenagers as the two drivers sparred off in angry verbal confrontation. Why weren’t the police around to take decisive action in such an emergency, John wondered as he could have been killed?

John now thought about calling his wife at home in Peoria as well as his regional boss in Cook County. For he sensed a need to reassure them of the facts about how he’d come so close to being involved in such a horrible accident but through quick action had escaped from physical harm. But then he hesitated and ultimately said no in reasoning that it did not seem worthwhile to upset both of them so dramatically  with the gruesome details of this tragedy. 

But in this crisis situation, didn’t these others have the right to know? So giving attention to a similar vein of thought concerning John’s puzzling decision above to withhold the historic truths to his wife and work colleague about witnessing his accident, one must similarly wonder why so many books that chronicle relevant facts about matters of race, gender, and cultural diversity have been banned by school districts across America today. Notably, my home state of Florida under Governor Ron De Santis oversaw the attempted removal of 874 book titles with 566 books successfully banned at the primary- secondary levels in 2022 alone. Such government “overrreach” tactics seem to me eerily reminiscent of the Nazi Book Burning Campaign of Nazi Germany in the 1930s to wipe out the historic records of the Jewish population living throughout pre World War II Europe at that time. Click on the link below and then scroll through an updated list of books banned in Florida recently. 

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/more-than-350-books-banned-in-florida-schools-since-last-july-16817328

So as the new school year in my Broward County region begins next week, I’d like you to consider the potential negative impact of  several new pressures that these teachers in South Florida will face as a result of these book banning state decisions. For what happens to an instructor when a student chooses to read and subsequently talk about a banned book in class? Or how can school librarians maintain an acceptable repository of information control about those students who are curious to locate information found about those banned books and related topics? To what extent as well will banning books escalate racial and gender issue violence among students who reject such dictatorial like decisions? Very simply, delivering sound education and playing partisan politics does not mix well when it comes to one’s freedom to read.

Take a look at several book titles below that have either have been banned in Florida public schools or are under heavy consideration to do so.

What famous person would you most like to write a letter of complaint about now?

Good Evening Fellow Americans:

I want to say a few words about our former President tonight as he steadily makes his way to an ominous future involving serious lawbreaking scrutiny. I often read that he thinks himself to be the perfect man who makes perfect deals and perfect phone calls along with treating the opposite sex in a perfectly gentlemanly way. So the main problem from his perspective happens to be how unfairly others treat his self exalted status which often triggers his rage and vindictive behavior. But being the perpetual victim just suits him fine as there are always plenty of lawyers around to dig him out of trouble anytime he decrees it’s needed.

So mere mortals such as you and me never really matter to this person who views himself as a powerfully omnipotent king. But sometimes one’s lies come back to “bite you back” hard when facing jail time for one’s illicit actions. For in such a court of law in our democracy, finding truth and justice still vitally matters.

Thus I expect our former leader who sees himself as perfect to continue his wildly wrathful “put downs” of our imperfect legal system presided over by imperfect judges at his imperfect trials where citizen jurors decide one’s guilt or innocence in an imperfect way. So as many of us choose to watch this legal drama unfold, here’s some words of wisdom to think about now. Never give in to the devil who praises “Here Lies Mr. President Again.”

What’s your least favorite sports name in America today?

As a committed fan of Cleveland professional baseball fondly called the Indians for over five decades of my life, I’m disturbed to hear my revered baseball team title referred to as the Guardians today. Giving some thought to this new team title, I reason then why anyone would really care for such a common name that originates from an obscure bridge structure in downtown Cleveland? Or who might I be prompted to guard as in football in this new title when trying to show enthusiasm for today’s baseball game action? Most importantly as well, does this questionably inspiring name seemingly intended for a new generation of fans magically make the players a better performing team? I say not. So you might understand that when I ride around on our road trips these days, I make it a point to wear my old Indians hat with the historic image of Chief Wahoo’s wide smile insignia oftentimes at sporting events I frequent.

Yet it seems that it’s more than a trend setting team title that’s needed to satisfy today’s short attention span crowd to stay interested in “Tribe” baseball. Witness for example my attendance at Friday’s Cleveland Guardians game featuring dollar dog night, $2.00 beers, a twenty two minute fireworks show, a short rap music concert, and of course a heavily timed pitch and hit count version of baseball. Yet there’s a simple answer to such layers of new sports distraction. Just concentrate on the little white ball that keeps the game action moving. Batter up Indians!

What’s your favorite sports bar food?

Throughout America today, I expect to find places on our road trips to sit and watch television broadcasting of competitive events happening in what’s commonly referred to as the sports bar. Upon desiring food in these somewhat informal places, I might order something quick to prepare and easy to eat before concentrating most of all on the games. While traditional fare like hamburgers and hot dogs seem tempting on these occasions, I personally favor chicken wings as my munching item of choice. Give me ten wings, fried or baked, accompanied by a variety of sauces and a Diet Coke and I’m “good to go” for the upcoming game.

But what happens when something other than the chicken wings themselves are the main feature of my meal? Such a phenomenon happened at a recent road trip stopover in Buffalo, New York at the famed Anchor Bar. For here we frequented the widely recognized home of the original Buffalo Chicken Wing concocted by Frank & Theresa Bellissimo for a group of friends in this city in 1949. Know then upon entering the lobby of this eating establishment, I gazed in awe at a vast collection of historic memorabilia and amusing artifacts accumulated along the walls over the years of its operation. With such hyper focus on this flashy ambience, it oddly did not seem to matter that no sports blared from televisions throughout the building.

As far as the food itself, I ordered my typical ten wings fried and found them tasty yet not remarkable in a somewhat confining dining area. So it goes to show that that the alleged stature of anything being dubbed so famous as “The Anchor” seems strictly in the “eyes of the beholder.” So let the games begin again this NFL season as I foresee making my choice of sports bars more selectively in the future. For it’s not about the food then that really matters! Enjoy the photo collection below.

“Wherever I roam, nature is the only stranger that feels like home.” (Angie Weiland- Crosby)

What makes Vermont a nice place to visit for a summertime home?

Imagine entering the state of Vermont from the southwesterly border and immediately noticing how this pristinely beautiful landscape impacts your mindset positively for your upcoming vacation. Upon sight of this largely undeveloped green expanse of gently undulating land, you seem committed now to slow down and find an ideal spot to enjoy more leisure time outdoors for your current and possibly future summer vacation. As you continue your drive north, the visually stunning Lake Champlain to the west or those verdant Green Mountains inland further catches your attention. For you sense that an extended stay in either location provides a comforting respite from your normally hectic day to day routine. Just stay put for awhile, you reason, and take full advantage of those longer summer days in Vermont offering such stunning natural beauty in your new temporary home.

So you might consider how these two seasoned travelers viewed several, slow paced, recreational opportunities experienced during this week’s road trip stop in Vermont as potential impetus for a more extended stay in the future. Consider then how this vast lake surrounding us in multiple directions seemingly represented for us a formidable barrier for access to and from the state.Yet upon closer inspection of Champlain, it became merely a short car ferry jaunt across in various places to access future excursions to the Adirondack region in New York beyond. So we just parked our car on a transport boat with ease and enjoyed the stunning vistas along the lake for this leisurely ride. Know as well that our visit to the historic site of Fort Ticonderoga included an adjoining boat ride excursion around the southern shores of Lake Champlain. From this location, we envisioned a potential starting point for long term enjoyment of such pristine shoreline environs in the future.The opportunity to experience an open air bluegrass concert in the small ski town of Stowe provided an additional temptation to explore a longer stay in Central Vermont as we gazed in awe at the serene vista of the Green Mountains.

So take a look yourself at my most recent collection of road trip photos and realize that Vermont might offer you that special haven for nature’s calling that you somehow call home.

“I’m a rich tourist today. How about driving me home in style” (It’s A Wonderful Life -movie quote)


What’s  your favorite holiday movie of all time?

Every Christmas season, I welcome the chance to watch once again the legendary actor Jimmy Stewart play the forward minded presence of George Bailey in the classic film “It’s a Wonderful Life”. For his portrayal of George’s turbulent life in the fictional town of Bedford Falls captures my strong nostalgic feeling about those formative Midwest roots of mine in the small town of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. You see George and I both dreamed of accomplishing titanic feats early on, fell into despair in early  adulthood facing seemingly unsurmountable career challenges, yet “rose out of the ashes” as we grew wiser to ultimately realize our self identity in a positive way. Thus fond memories of how much we valued our dreams of finding resilience at home seemed very important for both of us as life’s arduous path took its course in our life.

So with much surprise nearby by our motel location, Ruth and I discovered on our road trip to Seneca Falls, New York, the original town inspiration of Bedford Falls for Director Frank Capra’s script in 1946 for this legendary movie. In fact our short drive through downtown here  provided plentiful reminders of Bedford Fall’s depiction in the movie. There’s a Community Bank for instance in the center of town where I envisioned George busily spending so much of his time keeping his “Savings and Loan” Building open for customer use. Martini’s Bar’s close by this location also provided film reminders of a more decadent Bedford Falls that might have happened without George’ benevolent presence there. Of course I  could not also miss the original bridge site from the movie where a despondent George jumped off in suicidal fashion only to re-emerge with angel Clarence’s help with renewed faithfulness for his current life. But the crown jewel of this town with respect to the movie took place at the small “It’s a Wonderful Life Museum” containing a sizable collection of artifacts from the movie setup as well as some interesting biographical tidbits about each film character who took part then.

So immerse yourself below in that comforting feeling of how we can measure life’s challenges of our past with a freshness of liking in the following photo collection. For there’s always a place in our heart for returning home as George Bailey once did in this wonderful movie.