In the 1967 Steve McQueen movie, Cool Hand Luke, a prison guard says to McQueen’s inmate character, “What we have here is a failure to communicate.”
It is perhaps one of my favorite movie quotes, as it so aptly gets to heart of most of the issues I see everyday as a school principal. Most problems are the result of misconceptions, miscommunications, assumptions, rumors, or flat out lies. I do not recall ever having used the line to a student or parent, but I could use it often. “What we have here (kid, parent, teacher, insert name here) is a failure to communicate.”
So I spend a lot of time trying to communicate successfully, to ensure that all parties understand each other and understand the facts clearly and truthfully. Most issues simply work themselves out once the “failure to communicate” is overcome.
Perhaps this is why I was asked this week to moderate a forum on “Communication Between the Generations” at a gifted seminar at the Northwest Kansas Educational Service Center in Oakley. (Or perhaps it was because the original moderator couldn’t make it and they were desperate to find a replacement!) Regardless the reason, I found myself facing a room full of very intelligent high school students, introducing a panel comprised of five adults of various ages to talk about…well talk and such.
In my preparation for this assignment, I learned about four generations, each with general preferences, strengths, and weaknesses. People over the age of sixty-five make up the senior generation, forty-five and older are called Baby Boomers, twenty-five to forty-five are referred to as Generation X and today’s youth make up Generation Y.
The differences are fairly obvious and largely tied in with technology. Seniors prefer face-to-face communication, while Gen Y is proficient at texting on their cell phones. Baby Boomers are more comfortable with structure, while Gen X people are a little more independent. According to what I read, Gen Y individuals are more family centric and crave a better work/life balance. This bit of news gives my great hope for the future.
The members of the panels were three seniors, including a former world traveler and church pastor, along with a Baby Boomer and a Fort Hays State University communications Gen X professor.
We began talking about texting. The number of hands that raised to the “Do you text?” question was certainly eye opening, with near 100% of the teens in the room texting regularly. However, all those hands also went up when asked if the regularly text their parents, so again, I have hope.
One of the seniors told a story about having to terminate the contract of two employees who spent more time texting than working. This led to a discussion about how texting logs can be retrieved with a subpoena from the phone company, and about how everything you put on the Internet is there for all time.
“Never post or text anything that you wouldn’t also send to your parents,” was the advice of the panel.
Next we talked about eye contact and the importance of establishing rapport. The youngest generation has high expectations of older generations, and they feel respect is something to be earned and not blindly given. However, the older generations feel they deserve respect due to experience.
The forum went very well, with many insightful and thought provoking comments from all four generations. However, the one observation that will stick with me came from the ex-pastor. He talked about how while he doesn’t text, he did pass a lot of notes when he was a boy. He pulled out his cell phone to show that he is as connected as anyone else. Finally, he talked about how we, as human beings, have more in common with one another than differences. Regardless of age or communication preference, we share common desires, interests, and passions, the same basic needs as humans have sought for a long time.
All in all, I thought the day to be a great success. It taught me that when I encounter a “failure to communicate” to always remember that communication is key to understanding, and understanding is essential for growth.
Growth from one generation to the next. I wonder if I’ll still be referred to as “Generation X” when I am a senior citizen. I suppose, all in all, it will not matter that much.
Remembering to Give Thanks (11-30-09)
It might have seemed well planned that I posted an article thanking a referee during the week of Thanksgiving. Truth be told though, this year I almost forgot about our national holiday.
For each of the last three years, I have written a Thanksgiving column. In 2006, my family and I were thankful for the new job in the new town with a new baby on the way. In 2007, I wrote about National Reading day and how thankful I was for literacy. Last year, I took a moment to give thanks for all the “less than pleasant” things I “get to do.”
I could (and perhaps should) simply rewrite the 2006 article. While the newness may have worn off, my family and I remain grateful to live in such a great community, and we are thankful for all the friends who have made our lives so rich and rewarding. Thank you, Hill City, thank you.
Yet, with all the good things to commemorate, somehow I failed to “memorate” any of them. The gutsy performance by Dan Worcester just happened to occur the week before Thanksgiving, and I didn’t realize I had written a “Thank You” article to be published before the national day of thanks.
I am thankful for that as well. Thank you, God, for small wonders and good timing!
But if I had to pick something particular to this year and to this time in my life, I would have to write about my gratitude at having a job. Yes, this week governor Parkinson announced his budget cuts for education, and needless to say, the news is bleak. I’ll leave the details for another time, and I might just leave the entire ugly mess for a proper journalist to dissect. I hear the Salina Journal has a very thorough article on the subject.
But for me, I think the state of our economy really hit home in talking with family and friends over the Thanksgiving break. One of my sisters related how hard her profession has been hit by the recession and how lucky she feels to still have a position in a field where jobs are becoming ever more scarce. I also heard about the meager job prospects for a talented nephew who recently graduated from college.
My wife and I also visited a good friend in Wichita, a teacher for the Wichita school district. Hearing about all the massive job losses in our state’s largest school district was sobering, and nobody thinks the state budget is anywhere close to bottoming out.
As I talk about school finance, I continually try to remind myself not to complain, not to sound too whiny or self-absorbed. Because, really, as an educator I am better off than most. I have a job in a profession where there are still some jobs to be had. The cuts from last year, this year, and in the following years may never fully solve the teacher shortage problem. All the information I’ve seen point to an aging job force of teachers and administrators. As with Hill City last year, many districts will be able to absorb the cuts at least partially by not hiring back positions from which people retire. Undoubtedly, some educators have and will lose their jobs due to reduction in force as districts try to do more with less. But there aren’t a lot of young teachers coming out of college and so the number of job openings hasn’t completely disappeared as they have in other professions.
So, this Thanksgiving, I’m thankful to not only have a job, but to have a job I love in a profession that needs me in a town that seems glad to have me around. The challenge now is how to help those without work, or stuck in temporary or part time jobs. Things will turn around, they always do. In the meantime, I will count my blessings and try to be a blessing to those around me.
Even in these hard times, we must never forget to give thanks.
For each of the last three years, I have written a Thanksgiving column. In 2006, my family and I were thankful for the new job in the new town with a new baby on the way. In 2007, I wrote about National Reading day and how thankful I was for literacy. Last year, I took a moment to give thanks for all the “less than pleasant” things I “get to do.”
I could (and perhaps should) simply rewrite the 2006 article. While the newness may have worn off, my family and I remain grateful to live in such a great community, and we are thankful for all the friends who have made our lives so rich and rewarding. Thank you, Hill City, thank you.
Yet, with all the good things to commemorate, somehow I failed to “memorate” any of them. The gutsy performance by Dan Worcester just happened to occur the week before Thanksgiving, and I didn’t realize I had written a “Thank You” article to be published before the national day of thanks.
I am thankful for that as well. Thank you, God, for small wonders and good timing!
But if I had to pick something particular to this year and to this time in my life, I would have to write about my gratitude at having a job. Yes, this week governor Parkinson announced his budget cuts for education, and needless to say, the news is bleak. I’ll leave the details for another time, and I might just leave the entire ugly mess for a proper journalist to dissect. I hear the Salina Journal has a very thorough article on the subject.
But for me, I think the state of our economy really hit home in talking with family and friends over the Thanksgiving break. One of my sisters related how hard her profession has been hit by the recession and how lucky she feels to still have a position in a field where jobs are becoming ever more scarce. I also heard about the meager job prospects for a talented nephew who recently graduated from college.
My wife and I also visited a good friend in Wichita, a teacher for the Wichita school district. Hearing about all the massive job losses in our state’s largest school district was sobering, and nobody thinks the state budget is anywhere close to bottoming out.
As I talk about school finance, I continually try to remind myself not to complain, not to sound too whiny or self-absorbed. Because, really, as an educator I am better off than most. I have a job in a profession where there are still some jobs to be had. The cuts from last year, this year, and in the following years may never fully solve the teacher shortage problem. All the information I’ve seen point to an aging job force of teachers and administrators. As with Hill City last year, many districts will be able to absorb the cuts at least partially by not hiring back positions from which people retire. Undoubtedly, some educators have and will lose their jobs due to reduction in force as districts try to do more with less. But there aren’t a lot of young teachers coming out of college and so the number of job openings hasn’t completely disappeared as they have in other professions.
So, this Thanksgiving, I’m thankful to not only have a job, but to have a job I love in a profession that needs me in a town that seems glad to have me around. The challenge now is how to help those without work, or stuck in temporary or part time jobs. Things will turn around, they always do. In the meantime, I will count my blessings and try to be a blessing to those around me.
Even in these hard times, we must never forget to give thanks.
Thank You, Ref (11-23-09)
When was the last time you told a referee, “Thank you”?
Think about it. Is there anyone less appreciated in education? When they do a good job, they are hardly noticed. When they make a mistake, everyone sees it and many aren’t shy about letting them know just how they screwed up. In fact, some of those very same “not-so-shy” folks give the ref an ear full even when no mistake has been made. It just goes with the territory.
I realize that referees are professionals. They are paid to do a job, and most do the best job they know how. They certainly don’t ask for any thanks. Most refs are happy to officiate the games without interference. Some refs leave the profession because of the interference. The best refs figure out how to stick it out, even in the midst of sometimes intense pressure.
On Thursday, I saw one of our junior high referees face a different sort of pressure, and face it with amazing bravery. When Dan Worcester reported for the start of the junior high boys’ game versus Phillipsburg, I could immediately see that something was not right. He was pale and looked like he didn’t feel well. He told me as much and joked that I might have to put on his black and white stripped referee jersey before the evening was finished. I replied that that wasn’t an option.
Once the first game began, Dan seemed like his old self. He hustled up and down the court, made good and fair calls. He was consistent and assertive. He and his partner Jeff Nip neither took over the game nor let it out of their control.
Back in the referee room during half times and between games, Dan again looked pale, out of breath, and visible weak. I kept asking him if he would make it, and he kept telling me that he wasn’t sure, that I should get ready to wear that jersey. Once, I entered the room to find him on the floor. I thought he had passed out, but was relieved to learn that he was just stretching.
Back in the game I could see no sign of illness. There was no uncertainty. There was no hesitation. He ran as hard as ever, always putting himself in the best position to see every play to make every call.
All in all, I’d consider Hill City v. Phillipsburg to be some of the best-officiated games I have ever seen. I heard no complaints from either side of the gym, and everyone seemed satisfied that the contest had been well managed.
Afterwards, Dan seemed a little better. I think he had been as worried as I was that he would not be able to finish, and I think he was as relieved as I was that it was over. I don’t know where he found the strength, but I was sure glad he found it somewhere.
If he hadn’t, if he had indeed been too ill to run up and down that court time after time, I really don’t know what would have happened. I’ve never been in that situation and I hope I never will be. We don’t have a back up ref of standby. I don’t know who I would have even asked. I guess now would be a good time to formulate a back up plan just in case a ref should go down.
But thanks to the quiet heroics of this dedicated official, we made it through one more set of games. So now, to Dan Worcester, I say, “Thank you.”
The next time you see a referee, I encourage you to do the same.
Think about it. Is there anyone less appreciated in education? When they do a good job, they are hardly noticed. When they make a mistake, everyone sees it and many aren’t shy about letting them know just how they screwed up. In fact, some of those very same “not-so-shy” folks give the ref an ear full even when no mistake has been made. It just goes with the territory.
I realize that referees are professionals. They are paid to do a job, and most do the best job they know how. They certainly don’t ask for any thanks. Most refs are happy to officiate the games without interference. Some refs leave the profession because of the interference. The best refs figure out how to stick it out, even in the midst of sometimes intense pressure.
On Thursday, I saw one of our junior high referees face a different sort of pressure, and face it with amazing bravery. When Dan Worcester reported for the start of the junior high boys’ game versus Phillipsburg, I could immediately see that something was not right. He was pale and looked like he didn’t feel well. He told me as much and joked that I might have to put on his black and white stripped referee jersey before the evening was finished. I replied that that wasn’t an option.
Once the first game began, Dan seemed like his old self. He hustled up and down the court, made good and fair calls. He was consistent and assertive. He and his partner Jeff Nip neither took over the game nor let it out of their control.
Back in the referee room during half times and between games, Dan again looked pale, out of breath, and visible weak. I kept asking him if he would make it, and he kept telling me that he wasn’t sure, that I should get ready to wear that jersey. Once, I entered the room to find him on the floor. I thought he had passed out, but was relieved to learn that he was just stretching.
Back in the game I could see no sign of illness. There was no uncertainty. There was no hesitation. He ran as hard as ever, always putting himself in the best position to see every play to make every call.
All in all, I’d consider Hill City v. Phillipsburg to be some of the best-officiated games I have ever seen. I heard no complaints from either side of the gym, and everyone seemed satisfied that the contest had been well managed.
Afterwards, Dan seemed a little better. I think he had been as worried as I was that he would not be able to finish, and I think he was as relieved as I was that it was over. I don’t know where he found the strength, but I was sure glad he found it somewhere.
If he hadn’t, if he had indeed been too ill to run up and down that court time after time, I really don’t know what would have happened. I’ve never been in that situation and I hope I never will be. We don’t have a back up ref of standby. I don’t know who I would have even asked. I guess now would be a good time to formulate a back up plan just in case a ref should go down.
But thanks to the quiet heroics of this dedicated official, we made it through one more set of games. So now, to Dan Worcester, I say, “Thank you.”
The next time you see a referee, I encourage you to do the same.
Rest of the Story (11-16-09)
I used to listen to a radio personality by the name of Paul Harvey. You may have heard of him. He had a folksy way of speaking and used to end his news reports with the line, “And now you know the rest of the story.”
Last week, I wrote about the wonderful school spirit I experienced for our playoff bound football team. Now it is time to tell the rest of the story.
You see, this was the first time that our grade school ever lined up on both sides of the highway to send a team off in high spirits. Yet, this was not the first time a Hill City team has traveled down the highway to compete at the state’s highest level.
This week I learned that just four days before, on a Friday afternoon, our high school cross country team passed quietly by on their way to the State Cross Country Tournament. Those courageous and incredible athletes received no parade, no banner waving, and no entourage of faithful fans.
Thinking about this, I was reminded about league music, which, coincidentally, took place that same evening. My family and I attended this event to watch our daughter who, believe it or not, is a freshmen in high school. (Yes, I still have a hard time believing that I am somehow old enough to be the father of a freshmen in high school!) When we arrived at Stockton High School, we saw so few cars parked out front, we almost did not go in. We were in the right place, though we discovered the performers outnumbered the audience.
So how many other activities are there that receive little to no attention from our community? I’m as guilty as the next person in overlooking the multitude of prestigious accomplishments by Hill City students and Hill City teams. And I doubt we are alone. Most schools and most communities, while supporting all students in all their endeavors, tend to show the most school spirit for the more visible team sports. Plus, when a school finds success in something for the first time, as was the case with the football team, the school spirit really erupts.
It is just easy to grow complacent. For example, this Thursday I traveled to Smith Center to supervise junior high basketball. Upon entering Smith Center High School, I had to stop and ask myself if I was in the right location.
I was confused by the fact that I was practically greeted at the door by a throng of Hill City High School students wearing blue FFA jackets. I had unwittingly stumbled upon an FFA Leadership competition that was taking place at the same time as the junior high ballgames.
After the games, I stopped one of our high school kids and asked how we did. “Great!” the student replied with a wide grin. “We took first!”
I think it is fair to guess that everyone in Hill City knows what a strong FFA chapter we possess, just as most people know that we have amazing sports teams, science Olympiad squads, eco-meet teams, forensics competitors, as well as journalists, artists, and musicians. Every year, these groups and others perform at the highest possible levels, and yet few of them ever get a parade, or some of them barely get a mention.
While our football team deserved every accolade, let us use the support we gave to that team serve as a high water mark to which we can all aspire. In doing so much to support the football team, we know that we can do more to support everyone else.
And that, as Paul Harvey used to say, is the rest of the story.
Last week, I wrote about the wonderful school spirit I experienced for our playoff bound football team. Now it is time to tell the rest of the story.
You see, this was the first time that our grade school ever lined up on both sides of the highway to send a team off in high spirits. Yet, this was not the first time a Hill City team has traveled down the highway to compete at the state’s highest level.
This week I learned that just four days before, on a Friday afternoon, our high school cross country team passed quietly by on their way to the State Cross Country Tournament. Those courageous and incredible athletes received no parade, no banner waving, and no entourage of faithful fans.
Thinking about this, I was reminded about league music, which, coincidentally, took place that same evening. My family and I attended this event to watch our daughter who, believe it or not, is a freshmen in high school. (Yes, I still have a hard time believing that I am somehow old enough to be the father of a freshmen in high school!) When we arrived at Stockton High School, we saw so few cars parked out front, we almost did not go in. We were in the right place, though we discovered the performers outnumbered the audience.
So how many other activities are there that receive little to no attention from our community? I’m as guilty as the next person in overlooking the multitude of prestigious accomplishments by Hill City students and Hill City teams. And I doubt we are alone. Most schools and most communities, while supporting all students in all their endeavors, tend to show the most school spirit for the more visible team sports. Plus, when a school finds success in something for the first time, as was the case with the football team, the school spirit really erupts.
It is just easy to grow complacent. For example, this Thursday I traveled to Smith Center to supervise junior high basketball. Upon entering Smith Center High School, I had to stop and ask myself if I was in the right location.
I was confused by the fact that I was practically greeted at the door by a throng of Hill City High School students wearing blue FFA jackets. I had unwittingly stumbled upon an FFA Leadership competition that was taking place at the same time as the junior high ballgames.
After the games, I stopped one of our high school kids and asked how we did. “Great!” the student replied with a wide grin. “We took first!”
I think it is fair to guess that everyone in Hill City knows what a strong FFA chapter we possess, just as most people know that we have amazing sports teams, science Olympiad squads, eco-meet teams, forensics competitors, as well as journalists, artists, and musicians. Every year, these groups and others perform at the highest possible levels, and yet few of them ever get a parade, or some of them barely get a mention.
While our football team deserved every accolade, let us use the support we gave to that team serve as a high water mark to which we can all aspire. In doing so much to support the football team, we know that we can do more to support everyone else.
And that, as Paul Harvey used to say, is the rest of the story.
School Spirit (11-09-09)
A wonderful thing occurred this week. Our town broke out with a heavy dose of school spirit.
Perhaps you have heard that our high school football boys made the playoffs for the first time since…well ever. I used to think that the streak extended back to the history of the high school in 1922, but this week I learned that it only dates back to 1969 when the playoff system was put in place. Anyway, a football playoff game was a historic event for Hill City, and I was impressed with how much school spirit I witnessed.
It began around 2:00 o’clock on Tuesday, when the entire K-6 student body lined both sides of fourth street (Highway 283) to wish the boys well as they drove past. The kids had been making posters and banners all morning, and they were ready. There was an electric buzz in the air of anticipation as we waited for the Ringneck bus to turn the corner at Hill Street. The sun was shining and wind was calm and the kids were thrilled to be outside, part of something exciting. I don’t know how many of them knew the history of the event, but they knew that this was something special. You could feel the sense of oneness as they waited with a common cause.
Then we saw not the bus, but the chief of police’s pickup, turning the corner with lights flashing. He was driving slowly, as if he were leading a parade. Then a cheer rose in the air as the Ringneck Express slowly came in sight, turned onto the highway, and made its way toward us.
Everyone waved their signs and shook their banners. Someone started chanting “RING-NECKS! RING-NECKS” and soon one whole side of the street was screaming in unison. Through the tinted windows of the bus, we couldn’t see the faces of the players, but we could see them wave. The bus sped up a little, caught the green light at the intersection, turned east, and was gone.
But what I saw next is something I’ll always remember. Behind the Ringneck bus was a parade or sorts. Vehicle after vehicle, loaded with loyal fans ready to make the two-and-a-half-hour trip slowly passed up by. They honked and waved and mostly they smiled. Cars, and trucks and mini-vans. They kept coming and coming and I realized why the police had decided to provide an escort to this incredible Ringneck caravan.
The next day, I heard many kids talking about the game they had listened to on the Internet. This included my son, a fourth grader who usually dislikes watching or listening to sports - he’d rather be a participant than a spectator. For a while anyway, he was as captivated as we all were.
While our opponent Tuesday night had been there before, had played in countless post season contests, and even won a state title or two, we were there for the first time. No one on our team, other than the head coach, had ever competed in a football match of such high stakes. We didn’t know what to expect, and our inexperience showed.
But regardless of the outcome, our boys learned. They learned more about how a champion team plays and how that for long periods of the game, they could play with the experienced team.
When it was over, we left with our heads held high and our eyes to the future. We now can call ourselves a playoff team. We now have experienced players to lead us into next season. Yes the season might have ended that night, but our dreams for this team have only just begun.
We just had to get the first one under our belts. The best part of the entire experience was the way our town came together to support the team. It was an awesome display of school spirit, and is something that I will never forget.
Perhaps you have heard that our high school football boys made the playoffs for the first time since…well ever. I used to think that the streak extended back to the history of the high school in 1922, but this week I learned that it only dates back to 1969 when the playoff system was put in place. Anyway, a football playoff game was a historic event for Hill City, and I was impressed with how much school spirit I witnessed.
It began around 2:00 o’clock on Tuesday, when the entire K-6 student body lined both sides of fourth street (Highway 283) to wish the boys well as they drove past. The kids had been making posters and banners all morning, and they were ready. There was an electric buzz in the air of anticipation as we waited for the Ringneck bus to turn the corner at Hill Street. The sun was shining and wind was calm and the kids were thrilled to be outside, part of something exciting. I don’t know how many of them knew the history of the event, but they knew that this was something special. You could feel the sense of oneness as they waited with a common cause.
Then we saw not the bus, but the chief of police’s pickup, turning the corner with lights flashing. He was driving slowly, as if he were leading a parade. Then a cheer rose in the air as the Ringneck Express slowly came in sight, turned onto the highway, and made its way toward us.
Everyone waved their signs and shook their banners. Someone started chanting “RING-NECKS! RING-NECKS” and soon one whole side of the street was screaming in unison. Through the tinted windows of the bus, we couldn’t see the faces of the players, but we could see them wave. The bus sped up a little, caught the green light at the intersection, turned east, and was gone.
But what I saw next is something I’ll always remember. Behind the Ringneck bus was a parade or sorts. Vehicle after vehicle, loaded with loyal fans ready to make the two-and-a-half-hour trip slowly passed up by. They honked and waved and mostly they smiled. Cars, and trucks and mini-vans. They kept coming and coming and I realized why the police had decided to provide an escort to this incredible Ringneck caravan.
The next day, I heard many kids talking about the game they had listened to on the Internet. This included my son, a fourth grader who usually dislikes watching or listening to sports - he’d rather be a participant than a spectator. For a while anyway, he was as captivated as we all were.
While our opponent Tuesday night had been there before, had played in countless post season contests, and even won a state title or two, we were there for the first time. No one on our team, other than the head coach, had ever competed in a football match of such high stakes. We didn’t know what to expect, and our inexperience showed.
But regardless of the outcome, our boys learned. They learned more about how a champion team plays and how that for long periods of the game, they could play with the experienced team.
When it was over, we left with our heads held high and our eyes to the future. We now can call ourselves a playoff team. We now have experienced players to lead us into next season. Yes the season might have ended that night, but our dreams for this team have only just begun.
We just had to get the first one under our belts. The best part of the entire experience was the way our town came together to support the team. It was an awesome display of school spirit, and is something that I will never forget.
Physical Education (11-02-09)
This week, I had the privilege of serving a long-term substitute teaching assignment. Well, if you can count two consecutive days as being “long term.” Regardless, I got to be our school’s physical education teacher on Wednesday and Thursday, and I learned a lot from the experience.
I have subbed in just about every classroom now in my tenure at Hill City Grade School. I think subbing for my teachers (while obviously a sign of total desperation due to a complete lack of qualified subs) does give me an excellent perspective to evaluate both teachers and students. There is an old proverb that says to truly understand another person you must walk a mile in his or her shoes. Substitute teaching is about as close to walking in a teacher’s shoes as one can get.
First, I want to commend our excellent physical education teacher, Janella Benoit, for her meticulous preparation and communication. Even under the dark cloud of illness, she still managed to write detailed lesson plans, complete with diagrams and citations from various PE guides. In all my years as a sub (and I began my teaching career as a sub) I have seen few lesson plans as informative as Mrs. Benoit’s.
On top of great lesson plans, she managed to call me each day I subbed for her to go over the plans and check on the progress of the kids. This woman cares so much about her students that even from home she does her best to make sure they get the best education she can provide. It was, for me, a humbling and awesome experience.
During my two-day stint, I got to stretch, run, teach, and watch our students engage in cooperative games of muscle and coordination. I saw how each grade level brought its own set of challenges to the gym floor and how even different sections of the same grade could interpret instructions so differently.
One of the best parts of the experience was getting to work so closely with every single K-6 student. Before, I thought I knew all their names, but this job proved that I still have a ways to go. It isn’t that I don’t know the names, but that when presented with one class after another every twenty minutes, I did not know all the names well enough. Or maybe I’m just getting old, but by the end of each day my recall would double clutch and often stall entirely. I simply had to take a moment for my old analog hard drive of a cerebellum to eventually retrieve the correct moniker. The practice, the sheer act of having to recall every name of every student several times each day, did much to fine tune the old noggin.
I also feel that I better understand the entire PE/Vocal schedule. Last year, I subbed several times for Mrs. Shank, and while twenty minutes is not very much time, I usually was able to get through the lesson without too much trouble. PE, on the other hand, presented an entirely different set of challenges.
I began each class by having the students stretch and then would lead them though a simple set of callisthenic exercises. From there, I engaged the students in several cooperative learning games, most involving some sort of ball. The challenge was with how fast or how slow the students caught on to the instructions and how fast they were able to master the game.
With some classes, twenty minutes seemed an eternity. We’d be though the games listed in the lesson plans and I would have to improve to complete the time. With other classes, we wouldn’t be able to get through everything.
One game, involving basketballs, was a snap for the fifth grade. Bouyed by my ability to relay complicated instructions with this group, I admit I hurried the instruction with the sixth grade. The result was more chaos than order, more confusion than enlightenment. It really made me question my assumptions about different groups of students and different ways of communicating the same instruction.
More than anything, this taught me about the sheer stamina it takes to be a PE teacher. After two days, I was sore and tired. I have always admired Mrs. Benoit’s exercise regimen. She is a habitual walker and very fit person. Now I see why. Any teaching assignment can be exhausting, but never have I been so physically wore out than after being an instructor of physical education.
I have subbed in just about every classroom now in my tenure at Hill City Grade School. I think subbing for my teachers (while obviously a sign of total desperation due to a complete lack of qualified subs) does give me an excellent perspective to evaluate both teachers and students. There is an old proverb that says to truly understand another person you must walk a mile in his or her shoes. Substitute teaching is about as close to walking in a teacher’s shoes as one can get.
First, I want to commend our excellent physical education teacher, Janella Benoit, for her meticulous preparation and communication. Even under the dark cloud of illness, she still managed to write detailed lesson plans, complete with diagrams and citations from various PE guides. In all my years as a sub (and I began my teaching career as a sub) I have seen few lesson plans as informative as Mrs. Benoit’s.
On top of great lesson plans, she managed to call me each day I subbed for her to go over the plans and check on the progress of the kids. This woman cares so much about her students that even from home she does her best to make sure they get the best education she can provide. It was, for me, a humbling and awesome experience.
During my two-day stint, I got to stretch, run, teach, and watch our students engage in cooperative games of muscle and coordination. I saw how each grade level brought its own set of challenges to the gym floor and how even different sections of the same grade could interpret instructions so differently.
One of the best parts of the experience was getting to work so closely with every single K-6 student. Before, I thought I knew all their names, but this job proved that I still have a ways to go. It isn’t that I don’t know the names, but that when presented with one class after another every twenty minutes, I did not know all the names well enough. Or maybe I’m just getting old, but by the end of each day my recall would double clutch and often stall entirely. I simply had to take a moment for my old analog hard drive of a cerebellum to eventually retrieve the correct moniker. The practice, the sheer act of having to recall every name of every student several times each day, did much to fine tune the old noggin.
I also feel that I better understand the entire PE/Vocal schedule. Last year, I subbed several times for Mrs. Shank, and while twenty minutes is not very much time, I usually was able to get through the lesson without too much trouble. PE, on the other hand, presented an entirely different set of challenges.
I began each class by having the students stretch and then would lead them though a simple set of callisthenic exercises. From there, I engaged the students in several cooperative learning games, most involving some sort of ball. The challenge was with how fast or how slow the students caught on to the instructions and how fast they were able to master the game.
With some classes, twenty minutes seemed an eternity. We’d be though the games listed in the lesson plans and I would have to improve to complete the time. With other classes, we wouldn’t be able to get through everything.
One game, involving basketballs, was a snap for the fifth grade. Bouyed by my ability to relay complicated instructions with this group, I admit I hurried the instruction with the sixth grade. The result was more chaos than order, more confusion than enlightenment. It really made me question my assumptions about different groups of students and different ways of communicating the same instruction.
More than anything, this taught me about the sheer stamina it takes to be a PE teacher. After two days, I was sore and tired. I have always admired Mrs. Benoit’s exercise regimen. She is a habitual walker and very fit person. Now I see why. Any teaching assignment can be exhausting, but never have I been so physically wore out than after being an instructor of physical education.
More Than Fair (10-26-09)
I don’t know what it is about small town fairs, but for me anyway, they are simply spectacular.
This week, I had a chance to enjoy a small town fair of a different sort: a book fair. For the last several years, our awesome grade school librarian, Kathy Hofstetter, scheduled, ordered, set-up, ran, and tore down a Scholastic Book Fair. Now, if you have never attended one of these events, they require a lot of work. Scholastic Books sends a semi load full of large metal rolling carts as well as several dozen boxes. The carts are hinged and once opened, can be positioned end-to-end creating an instant bookstore. The boxed books, CD’s, school supplies, and other items then fill many tables.
The running of the fair requires many helpers, both to check out customers, but also to answer questions, tidy the shelves, and make sure nothing accidentally disappears. There are thousands of items for sale, and running the fair is quite an undertaking.
This year, Mrs. Hofstetter was needed once more in the classroom. When Scholastic Books called, asking if we wanted to host another fair, a decision had to be made. Either we would have to cancel, or we would have to find another dedicated soul to make it happen.
Enter Dru Potter, PTO president and dedicated volunteer. When she heard about our plight, she didn’t hesitate. She agreed for our Parent-Teacher Organization to host the HCES Book Fair.
The Scholastic truck arrived with its huge payload of books. At this point, I must mention the role of our custodian, Duane Patterson. Not only did he unload the truck, but also he found room for the mountain of stuff until we could free our conference room/board room/milk room/storage room/concession stand for the fair.
Many weeks and several concession stands and one board meeting later, we finally had use of the room. The day we were to set up was also the high school’s turn to host league volleyball. Mrs. Potter graciously agreed for us to use her room for the concession stand that day, and both Mr. Patterson and Christy Foster worked hard to move the concession stand to a new one-day home.
The fair began first thing Monday morning, when teachers came through to make out their “wish lists.” During the day, they brought their students to the fair to browse and make their own lists. Vicky Wagoner, another dedicated volunteer gave up an entire day to sit in the room and give tours to the eager groups.
Then, the fair was open for business during the Parent Teacher conferences Monday and Tuesday evenings.
Of course, the book fair isn’t just about books. Scholastic also provides a plethora of pencils, fun eraser, and other little knick-knacks that appeal to the younger crowd So on Wednesday, Dru Potter gave up her entire day to sit in that room while students trickled in and out to get this or that.
My wife Tonia accepted a big role in keeping the books. She worked late into the evening Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday calculating our profits and our share of free merchandize.
On Thursday, I met with the teachers at the fair and for one last day as they picked out free books the PTO had given to them. I then met with Mary-Ann Keith for about for the library to pick out their free books.
All in all, we earned about $3500.00 dollars, and received for our effort just under $2000.00 in free merchandise. The teachers received $35 in free items, the PTO collect over $400 in free books for their end of the year “Bingo for Books” event, and our grade school library received a cool $1000 in free books.
On Saturday, Dru, Tonia and Vicki met to close up the carts and refill the boxes (though there was a lot of empty boxes by the time it was over!) Duane will wheel it all back into the gym, where it will sit in storage until Scholastic picks it all up in early November.
I have never been prouder to be part of PTO, and I encourage all parents to join. This event was a monumental undertaking, but thanks to the hard work of the many volunteers and HCES staff, our fair was more than fair: it was spectacular!
This week, I had a chance to enjoy a small town fair of a different sort: a book fair. For the last several years, our awesome grade school librarian, Kathy Hofstetter, scheduled, ordered, set-up, ran, and tore down a Scholastic Book Fair. Now, if you have never attended one of these events, they require a lot of work. Scholastic Books sends a semi load full of large metal rolling carts as well as several dozen boxes. The carts are hinged and once opened, can be positioned end-to-end creating an instant bookstore. The boxed books, CD’s, school supplies, and other items then fill many tables.
The running of the fair requires many helpers, both to check out customers, but also to answer questions, tidy the shelves, and make sure nothing accidentally disappears. There are thousands of items for sale, and running the fair is quite an undertaking.
This year, Mrs. Hofstetter was needed once more in the classroom. When Scholastic Books called, asking if we wanted to host another fair, a decision had to be made. Either we would have to cancel, or we would have to find another dedicated soul to make it happen.
Enter Dru Potter, PTO president and dedicated volunteer. When she heard about our plight, she didn’t hesitate. She agreed for our Parent-Teacher Organization to host the HCES Book Fair.
The Scholastic truck arrived with its huge payload of books. At this point, I must mention the role of our custodian, Duane Patterson. Not only did he unload the truck, but also he found room for the mountain of stuff until we could free our conference room/board room/milk room/storage room/concession stand for the fair.
Many weeks and several concession stands and one board meeting later, we finally had use of the room. The day we were to set up was also the high school’s turn to host league volleyball. Mrs. Potter graciously agreed for us to use her room for the concession stand that day, and both Mr. Patterson and Christy Foster worked hard to move the concession stand to a new one-day home.
The fair began first thing Monday morning, when teachers came through to make out their “wish lists.” During the day, they brought their students to the fair to browse and make their own lists. Vicky Wagoner, another dedicated volunteer gave up an entire day to sit in the room and give tours to the eager groups.
Then, the fair was open for business during the Parent Teacher conferences Monday and Tuesday evenings.
Of course, the book fair isn’t just about books. Scholastic also provides a plethora of pencils, fun eraser, and other little knick-knacks that appeal to the younger crowd So on Wednesday, Dru Potter gave up her entire day to sit in that room while students trickled in and out to get this or that.
My wife Tonia accepted a big role in keeping the books. She worked late into the evening Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday calculating our profits and our share of free merchandize.
On Thursday, I met with the teachers at the fair and for one last day as they picked out free books the PTO had given to them. I then met with Mary-Ann Keith for about for the library to pick out their free books.
All in all, we earned about $3500.00 dollars, and received for our effort just under $2000.00 in free merchandise. The teachers received $35 in free items, the PTO collect over $400 in free books for their end of the year “Bingo for Books” event, and our grade school library received a cool $1000 in free books.
On Saturday, Dru, Tonia and Vicki met to close up the carts and refill the boxes (though there was a lot of empty boxes by the time it was over!) Duane will wheel it all back into the gym, where it will sit in storage until Scholastic picks it all up in early November.
I have never been prouder to be part of PTO, and I encourage all parents to join. This event was a monumental undertaking, but thanks to the hard work of the many volunteers and HCES staff, our fair was more than fair: it was spectacular!
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