Imagine preparing to run a marathon while tied to two other runners.  That is exactly what three members of my church are training to do.  The marathon trio’s goal is to finish in less than 3 hours and 27 minutes, breaking the current record.  It will, no doubt, be extremely difficult.   After all, their pace will not be determined by the fastest or strongest runner, but by that of the slowest and weakest.  If one member falls, they all fall. This scenario is very similar to No Child Left Behind and the predicament it places on teachers.  The goals of … Continue reading →

It frustrates teachers to not end!  They have put hours of time and energy into a well-planned lesson, only to look across the room to find a student sound asleep at his desk.  But there is no need to take it personally.  Unfortunately, many students these days suffer from lack of sleep.  The fact is, teens need 8 ½ to 9 ¼ hours of sleep each night to feel good and perform well at school.  Yet, according to a survey by the National Sleep Foundation, only 15% of teens admit to getting this much sleep on a school night.  The … Continue reading →

Saturday Night Live is one of my favorite comedy shows.  The satirical sketches of American culture and politics always make me laugh.  A showed that aired on January 14, 2012 contained a skit entitled, “You Can Do Anything!” It was a spoof poking fun at the incredibly high self-esteem of the younger generation.  Three actors in the skit mimicked guests on a talk show performing pointless talents.  The routines were downright awful!  Yet, each guest considered himself exceptionally gifted.  The first guest pronounced, “I’m full of unearned confidence!”  The second guest admitted, “My self confidence in through the roof because … Continue reading →

WANTED: Better Employees  This headline appeared in The Chronicle of Higher Education December 12, 2011.  The article focused on what employers really think of today’s college graduates. According to the author Jeff Selingo, employers are unsatisfied with new recruits and complaining that 21st Century graduates are unprepared for the work force. The three major complaints include: 1) Many job recruiters are receiving applicants who were never college material in the first place.  Instead, these individuals were forced to go to college and being “pushed” through once there. 2) The rigor in college does not match the demands of the workplace.  … Continue reading →

A fellow teacher I know was emailed by a parent on Veteran’s Day.  Veteran’s Day is a holiday in our school system.  This past year it fell on a Friday, giving teachers and students a three day weekend.  First thing Monday morning the parent was in the school’s front office irate that the teacher had not responded to the email sent three days ago.  Thank goodness the Principal backed my colleague telling the parent that teachers were not required to check  emails over holidays and weekends.  I had to wonder, however – would the Principal have the same response if a teacher … Continue reading →

Can you guess what the most requested Christmas gift for kids between the ages of 6 and 12 is this year?   It’s not a bicycle or even a puppy.  The most requested gift is an iPad. (Toddlers Spur Holiday Sales Rush for Tablet Computers, Bloomberg, Nov. 28, 2011)  Have a child younger than six?  You can purchase the LeapFrog My Own Leaptop (for ages 24 months to 4 year) or Baby’s Learning Laptop (for ages 6 to 36 months).   Who would have imagined just a few years ago that industries would be creating technology for infants, toddlers and young children!  … Continue reading →

Students arrested for cheating?  That is exactly what happened on September 27, 2011 to seven former and current students of a prestigious Long Island high school in an alleged SAT cheating ring.  These students paid thousands of dollars to a “stand-in” to take the SAT for them.  Worst still, over the past few weeks the investigation has spread to nearly 40 students and five different high schools and now includes both the SAT and ACT exams. The involved students face charges on scheme to defraud, falsifying business records and criminal impersonation.  It was a very elaborate and expensive scam all … Continue reading →

On my way to work each morning I pass several school bus stops.  The students at each stop are all doing the same thing – listening to iPods, texting on cell phones or playing a game on a portable gaming device.  No one is conversing or interacting.  They are so engrossed in their electronic devices, they don’t even notice when the school bus arrives.  For youth today, being “wired” is a way of life.  The average teen sends more than 50 texts a day; younger children spend 10 hours a week playing video games; and the amount of time all … Continue reading →

One month ago today the world lost Steve Jobs, one of the most innovative leaders of the 21st Century.  Many individuals compare Steve Jobs to the likes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.  Indeed, Jobs made many advances in technology that changed our world forever.  But what made Steve Jobs so successful was not his innovations, but his ability to think innovatively.  In the book The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs: Insanely Different Principles for Breakthrough Success, author Carmine Gallo outlines seven principles Steve Jobs used to “think differently”.  These principles are: Principle One: Do what you love. Steve Jobs … Continue reading →

Over the past month, the “Occupy Wall Street” movement has become a global phenomenon.  What started with approximately 150 individuals in Zuccotti Park protesting against bank bailouts, corporate greed, and the unchecked powers of Wall Street in Washington, has spread globally to 1500 protests in 82 countries.  The more I see images of protesters holding up signs about how greed killed the American dream, chanting “We are the 99%!” the more sadden I become.  These are normal, well educated, hard-working individuals upset over the state of the economy and the mistakes made by our government.  But was it greed or ignorance … Continue reading →