Fruit for Thought: the Intersection of Education, Culture, and Performance

What is the one thing on student’s minds as the school year winds to an end? Grades. That unknown makes them uneasy. The anticipation of waiting for their report card is a foreign feeling I have not felt in a while. I too dreaded getting that small manila-envelop stuffed with my report card on the last day of school. That was until I learned to art of "continuously inquiry." Always asking and checking on my progress throughout the year was the way I assured myself there would be no surprises in the end. I can say, with great certainty, there are students who do not actively employ the “continuously inquiry” strategy. If it were common practice, we would not be hearing about situations like Derrick Rose . Was I surprised? Not in the least. Was I disappointed? More than I would like to admit. If Bell Curve Grading is the process of assigning grades relative to the performance of the other students in the class, than athletes should be graded on The Rose Curve . What is The Ros...

I will be the first to admit it: I am a slave to technology. My job requires it so I really have no choice. There are times when I think I might be too technology dependant. I have given up on using pens and paper. My black Uniball Vision and Moleskin notebook rarely come out of my backpack. All thoughts, lists and ideas are stored in the Notes Application (41 and counting) on my iPhone and as Stickies (26) on my MacBook. If this continues, I will be completely paper independent. Then, I’ll lose the ability to write all together. And finally, I may forget how to hold a pen. I never really appreciated the whole Terminator theory until now. As I gain more experience in my technology coordinator/computer teacher position, I have realized how dependent on technology the world has become. Slowly and surely the ushering in of the Terminator era is at hand. There is no turning back now. What seemed like mere fiction might be closer to reality then we think. If you do not believe me, follow ...

What is the point of living if you cannot laugh at yourself? What's that point of living if you can't laugh at other people. People do funny, laugh-worthy things and who am I not to laugh? I bet God laughs too. I mean think about it: we are made in God's image, we are God's children and as such He laughs at us just any parent laughs at their child. You can disagree with me all you want, but how do you explain the AFHV phenomenon? Reel talk. America's Funniest Home Video: ensuring families laugh at other families since 1989. We've got laughs from coast to coast, to make you smile A real life look at each of you, to capture all that style You're the red, white and blue The funny things you do America, America this is you. Stories from your friends next door, they never told You might be a star tonight, so let that camera roll Your the Red, White and Blue Oh the funny things you do America, America this is you. The Funny Things You Do Jill Colucci As the fathe...

The Lenten season was very important at my school. My students were all about honoring the sacrifice Christ made by going 40 days with fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Their fasting prompted them to ask me what I was fasting from.  I felt bad because I could not think of anything. The easy choice would have been to give up my Wii, but it is my coping mechanism for those though days and fasting from it would have taken me further from goal of the honoring Christ. I am ashamed to say…I went fastless. Thanks TNT for giving me another opportunity on April 18th! 40 games in 40 nights is their NBA playoff slogan. What better way to atone for my non-Lenten transgression than to fast for 40 days on nothing but NBA playoff basketball. Sadly though, I am not sure I will be able to keep up with my Post-Lent, NBA fast. The Bulls lost a series that saw Ben Gordon match Ray Allen three-for-three, Brad Miller go from goat to savior in a 48-hour period and Joakim Noah do his best Jordan Statue imit...