When is it time?

When is it time to step away from the game? As a person who loves the game, there is a time to step away gracefully and enjoy the spoils of your success. So many have not, trying to find the thrill of the game at a point where the game has passed you by. Jordan, Mays, and now Favre are all examples who had their chance to go out on top but couldn't say goodbye. Are we any different? Are their any pursuits we continue after the point of no return? Hoop for me. I am not good about the stretching thing. I don't know when to back off on the defensive end when a younger kid is taking it to the basket. Now I am having MRI's and hobbling around. Maybe it is time....

Bob Feller

Seeing the death of Bob Feller makes me harken back to a better age of baseball. He was a Cleveland Indian for life even after the game. An ambassador for the game, Feller was a shining example of how a professional was to act in support of the team, city and its people. He came out of high school to play the game. He served his country in WWII. He is a Hall of Famer. It is doubtful there will be people or players like him again.

Can I pick em?

I watch football each week after making picks on the games and I am very conservative with my picks. I take favorites. I am managing a .500 record. Thank goodness it is all for fun and not for money! I will stick to my day job.

Painting

I used to paint houses for summer work. Really I did. I periodically paint a side of the house here at home but today I had fun painting. I bought a birthday adirondack chair for my wife. Now I don't have the reputation as being too handy at home. In fact, my wife revels in giving me a hard time about the lack of "handiness" for the lack of a better term. I believe we all bring certain skills to the table and I am truly not the best at the fine motor skill thing but I am bound and determined to do a good job on this task. Stay tuned for updates.

Winter

Thanksgiving means winter is here to me. Golf clubs are on their way out of the car. Skis are tuned up. Coats have been changed to winter ones. This change in time of year means a change in perspective of the weather, length of day and what types of activities. The gym becomes my outlet for a tough day. It is always a challenge to deal with this transition.

Trust me I am trying

I am having one of those periods of my life where I am trying very hard but not getting ahead. Trust me. Things are building up and I feel like I cannot make a dent in the pile of things to do. I have made lists and piles and even asked for help. No luck. I am trying very hard, staying late and getting nowhere. Trust me. How do you get ahead when you have no idea how to get there?

My 100th Post

I am not the best writer in the world and don't pretend to be. Sometimes I have things to say and sometimes it is better to just stay quiet. This blog has served as therapy sometimes and sometimes it has been work to keep writing. But I made a commitment to keep a journal when we went through Rachel's Challenge (keep a journal was one of her challenges). It has been a good experience since I haven't kept a journal since I was in college. Back then it was just song lyrics or great quotes but now it is thoughts and observations. I know people do more than I do with their blog but this is what I can do and still manage time for the family and golf (not much longer this year) on a Veteran's Day. So here is my 100th post. Here's to 100 more.

Last Practice

We had our last football practice tonight. Actually it was my son's last practice but I was there. Although he will have more time starting next week, it is also sad. Another season ending means he is that much older. Sometimes I wish I could freeze time and keep him at this great age. Each of these moments makes me feel older and a little sadder.

When is good good enough?

I feel like there are people out there who are never satisfied with success. Now that can sound like they are striving for better all the time but there are times when we need to celebrate the success we have and focus on those areas that we need to accomplish. Adding more to the equation, we lose the momentum in the areas we need to work on. The challenge is staying true to the work, not the distractions. When we spread ourselves too thin, we don't do anything well.

Falling into Fall

I do enjoy fall as the scenery is breathtaking and the crisp air is refreshing. I wish we could somehow stop time and enjoy this couple of weeks with daylight, cool temperatures, and the color. Fall also brings a rhythm to life as the beginning of school is past and we have established some routine and predictability. The balance of the season and routine make it a great time to be here.

NECAP testing

First day of NECAP testing today as we go through two reading tests. The school puts everything on hold for this. I am split on this testing thing. We do have occasions in life where we are measured and the world has to come to a halt. This is the first ones in life I guess.

Yankees Clinch

The Yankees clinched a playoff spot yesterday. I don't hold much hope for the playoffs though unless they can get solid pitching 1-4. Playoff baseball is a lot of fun to watch though so I look forward to that.

The most difficult thing I have to do

Being a middle school principal has its difficult moments but it is nothing compared to being a parent. I am not talking about the early years of diaper changing, making sure they are sleeping, or making the well balanced meal. Or even the taxi service during their middle years. Or even the dealing with them miles away at college or whatever. I am talking about the situations when you can't help them find their way or step in when they could use an advocate. Having to stand idly by when they are not getting a fair deal or have to make a difficult decision. Parents have to step back and let their kids fail or succeed on their own. Kids have to learn their own lessons and make their own way. When someone figures out the best way to keep out of the way, let me know.

Overload

How do you recognize when you are on overload? Things are coming to you so fast you don't know where to turn next. Do you pick one thing to try and accomplish it? Do you pick up a little of each thing and just try to get through it all? Do you just shut down? I am not sure as I have tried each of the above. I will keep plugging along through the challenges going on.

Excitement for first day

I love the first day of school when the kids come in with bright eyes and excitement. They are looking to see what the new year is all about and who is their teacher and who is in their class. New clothes, new materials, and the prospect of a new year. It is all fresh, exciting, and full of possibilities. I wish we could bottle up all the positive energy for those times we need it. I hope I can sleep tonight.

First Day with Teachers

So here we are meeting for the first time and I am still nervous. I have done this three times before but there is still a part of me that gets nervous when I present change or vision or even a schedule. There are people that will pick up the "tells" but hopefully the message is still clear and forceful where it needs to be.

Education revisited

Sitting in my back to school administrator meeting, I find it truly interesting that we bounce back and forth from philosophy to "nuts and bolts" type of work. This is the beginning of school in a nutshell. We bounce back and forth with getting the school open and setting a direction for the school year. It is exciting and frustrating all at once.

St. Augustine 2010

Just back from a whirlwind tour of St. Augustine Florida and all its tourism, history and heat. We survived upper 90's weather with a health dose of 80-85 degree water and air conditioning. I do not know how Ponce de Leon drank that water. The Flagler history there was mind blowing. Golf at the King and the Bear was phenomenal. Good time, good city and good to be home where I can consider a pair of sweatpants tonight because 66 is a bit chilly.

Sunny day

So here I am at work and looking out at 75 and beautiful. How do people do it? How do they work through this weather? I can't and I am out of here.

Game 6

Teamwork and knowing your role, that is why the Celts are here. Wouldn't it be great if everyone understood this in all they did?

Beat LA

I do not watch too much regular season pro basketball but when the playoffs come around I do. I love the Celtics run they have made and I have hope that older men can still play a little ball.

Energy

Is there an inverse proportion for student energy at the end of the year and adult energy? These two weeks of school are always the most trying and exciting. Hold on!

Time

I realized over vacation that I would really like to control my time. Time for work and time for fun under my control would be really living. I feel controlled rather free to enjoy the things I need and want to do. We are overbooked in my house and finding time to enjoy the better things of life is a challenge sometimes. Like now.

Homework

SO where do you stand on homework? How much should students be doing? Are students supposed to be spending hours after a full day in school and after all their activities? I am having serious thoughts about homework. What are your thoughts?

Week before vacation

What is it about the week before a vacation? The energy level goes way up as if some part of us is already on vacation. Wittingly or unwittingly, I always seem to schedule a million things to do and almost make it like I have to go on vacation to recover from the crazy week preceding it. Interviews, school board meeting, practices for my kids, and all that goes with being a principal normally is enough to send me over the edge. Our memory is short when it comes to year to year for this type of thing. I for one never learn.

If

If someone writes a blog and no one reads it, does it make a point?

March Madness

I love the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. It is a time when David can beat Goliath. We see all these teams we haven't seen all year and root for them. Murray State? Yea I had them. Old Dominion? Them too. Missed St. Mary's though. It is just plain fun to watch.

Choose your attitude

I had a conversation with a parent this morning who was trying to convince his son that we indeed get to choose our attitude each day. He was suggesting to his son that if he wanted to be in a good mood today that he just had to plan on it. Is it that simple?

I believe it is. I believe that people are who they want to be. They are in the mood they most feel comfortable in. They let things drag them to the negative sometimes because it is easier to do.

There are some people in the world who have many challenges and yet they manage to smile and have a positive attitude. There are those who don't have many challenges but make some for themselves and have a negative attitude. It really is who they are and what attitude they choose.

So I am going to choose what mood I am going to have each day from here on out.

Education in the 21st Century

So when the White House asks, "what does education in the 21st Century mean to you? What would you answer? I am really struggling with this right now in my own thinking. Dealing with meeting the mark on standardized tests is our reality, but the preoccupation with this is not. Technology needs to be integrated and not the end all. But a better prepared student for this changeable society, that is what should be striving for. Check out this blog that will shed a little more light:
http://ow.ly/1dZiZ

Snow and short memories

If you love New England, you have to appreciate the year to year snowfall. This year it has been sparce. It has been a month since we had snow. 4-6 inches of snow is remarkable this year and we close school with the threat of this snow even if it came in after school. Last year, it was part of life each week. We do have short memories when it comes to weather and how to handle it. Drive slow and deal with the snow, don't be afraid of it.

Bill of RIghts

So we are studying the French Revolution and the Declaration of Rights of Men tonight. A long reading assignment coupled with several challenging questions is the work we are engrossed in. When did reading a section and answering questions be put forward as a good practice even a best practice? How do kids really engage in overblown and pompous writing and reading? Have them discuss it or challenge their own understandings of rights. Get down and dirty with the topic and give them something really to consider rather than read about history from 400 years ago that doesn't really relate to them.

How we doing?

Do you ever feel like the world is spinning and you want get off? The image of being on a merry go round and trying to jump off. I wonder if I can keep my balance when I land. I wonder if we only have so much resilience that we have over stretches of challenge. Outlets for our frustration such as family and exercise, least that is how I do it. How do you do it? Answer the question below:

Curriculum 21

So I just received the new ASCD book called "Curriculum 21: Essential Education for a Changing World". Having read the introduction, I realize that we are teaching a curriculum that is better suited for when I was a kid and not what about the world is now. Have we missed the boat on the last 50 years in Social Studies? Could we a do a cursory coverage of colonial America versus and look at 9/11 in a more in-depth way? Just a thought.

Face to Face

So, I am guilty. Guilty of getting caught up in the technology. Caught up in the gadgets and the websites and the social networking. Guilty of connecting to places and things thousands of miles away and not within my own sphere. I have to keep remembering the need personal need to connect with people face to face. Have a conversation while reading their mood and needs. Talking about everything and anything. I need to put the Blackberry away.

Twitter versus Facebook

SO what do you use? It is the topic of the week among my friends. I have not even scratched the surface of Twitter but I think I will like it more than Facebook due to the amount of information available. But Facebook is all the rage and I strive to be cool.... Twitter it is.

Snow Days and unfazed

We have officially reached the point in winter that when it snows for two straight days and a dusting turns into 4 inches, we are unfazed. Living in New England can be a drag sometimes but when you see how beautiful the last couple of days have been you don't mind. Shovel the light dusting away and go!

Time Flies

It seems like we were just starting the school year and here we are in the middle of January. Time flies when you are doing good things. WE are really doing good things everyday with kids, parents, and community members. This really is a good school and community of educators to work with.

Hoop

We accomplished a rare feat this weekend, my kids both had basketball games and both teams won. This rare occasion has not happened this year as one team or the other has struggled at one time or another. I do have competitive kids but usually they can let it go pretty quickly when they don't win but I will say it was a kinder and gentler household this weekend.

Playoffs?

I love the first two weeks of the NFL playoffs. You get an idea of the teams that will be the ones to beat. Last year it was Arizona. Who will it be this year? Who will hit their stride at the right time? Hanging around to catch the games makes a cold day a little better. January doesn't hold a lot for those who don't ski but this weekend, at least there will be football.