A New Start

Well it has been a few years......Anyways, I'm officially a Master's Certified Teacher in Sioux Falls, SD. I'm back "home." It is interesting to be back in Sioux Falls; many things have changed, but so many things are exactly as they have been for years.

I am teaching at New Technology High School out on the Southeast Tech campus. Many people confuse our school with the Career and Technical Education (CTE) center located near us. New Technology High, or New Tech as we call it, is based around Project Based Learning (PBL). This basically means that students create as they learn.

The New Tech model has been interesting to learn as a teacher. Many students who attend New Tech are students who have found a way to slip through the cracks of the academic system. They have never been expected to learn, perform, or participate. New Tech forces them to be engaged. Their transition into a new mindset of education is a challenging and fascinating process.

As a teacher and coach, I expect maximum effort from students. As a first year teacher, I came out guns slinging ready to change the world with PBL. I can relate this experience to being given a seed. The florist proclaims this seed will blossom into the most amazing flower you will ever lay your eyes on; it is much more beautiful and pleasant smelling than all the other flowers. All you must do is water it daily and provide nutrients, and it will develop as I say. Well the florist didn't say that the seed would take a month just to sprout.....

Maslow became more real to me as I saw my students hiding behind figurative barriers. I could water them with love and fertilize them with science and nothing happens. The students were so used to being able to slide by, that they neither expected to, nor knew how, to do well. Try giving three workshops, reinforcing the workshops with webquest activities, informal assessments, and daily formative assessments only to get about a 60% class average.....#feltlikeafailure

It was not until this last week that I have begun seeing students engage in learning. They are thrilled to work in groups, they love the atmosphere of the school, and many have friends for the first time in their lives. However, I'm required to teach them some content knowledge as well.

My teaching partner Lindsey and I have discovered that freshman students require an incredible amount of coaching. We have been finding new ways to ensure productivity in class. We used an accomplishment tracker for a week. Students tracked what they accomplished every ten minutes during class. This created a ridiculous amount of grading, but I think it showed some students how much time they were wasting. We edited our group contracts for our second project to include a larger task management check list, and we also have been much more involved in encouraging students to stay on task. These reflective practices are beginning to work; student confidence is beginning to rise and the culture in our classroom beats any I've ever been in.

The first month of the school year has been stressful. I'm thankful to be blessed with an excellent co-teacher and be in a place that empowers students. That seed is slowly beginning to sprout and I cannot wait to see how these students "bloom" (as cheesy as that sounds).

Dog Love

"A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water logged stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?" -Quote from Marley and Me




Tonight, I sit in my lonely office at work and find myself tearing up because I miss my childhood dog. Earlier this evening I went to Marley and Me with Maggie. The film evokes such strong emotions for any dog lover, and I could not help but to think about my dear Emily. I had always wanted a dog; a playful companion who would fetch and swim in the lake with me. However, Emily never once fetched and she hated the water, and even though she never did the things I always dreamed my dog would do, that half dalmation/half border collie mutt loved like none other.

When I was ten years old, my parents left for Sioux Falls one Summer evening and left my sister and I with our grandparents. When my parents returned, a very happy black and white dog had its head sticking out of the van door; MaryChar and I leaped with excitement. My parent's had picked up "Miss Emily," as she was called at the humane society in Sioux Falls. Emily just had 15 puppies, and I can remember noticing she had hideous utters like a cow, but Mom promised those would go away soon.

Those first few days were exciting, but I soon realized that this new dog of mine was not what I was expecting. I had always dreamed of playing fetch with my very own dog, but after several throws of sticks and balls and subsequent blank stares from Emily, it became clear that I would be the only one retrieving! I was disappointed, this stupid dog wouldn't do the one thing I wanted and hoped we could do together.

Although she refused to fetch and swim, Emily did things I never expected. Being half-dalmation, she was a high energy dog, and walking her never calmed her to tolerable levels. One evening, my mom decided to let her run beside the van as we drove on the back roads out of town. My mom, sister, and I all rode together in the van, and MC and I cheered and encouraged Emily as she ran beside us. Emily followed along the van for several miles, sprinting the entire way. She loved running with us and after that day the word "run" was used with caution in our house.

Before long I was the one driving and MC and mom were yelling, "Come on Emily" out the windows. My teenage years, and all the angst of it had arrived. It wasn't long before I experienced my first broken heart. I remember feeling that powerful aching in my chest when Emily snuggled her nose under my chin and let me wrap my arms around her and sob. As a teen, it was hard to express my feelings because I was concerned with what others thought of me. I could never have confided in my friends or even my parents with the same pure emotion as I did with Emily. That dog was a steady rock during the lowest moments of heartache, confusion, and disappointment. She didn't think I was silly or over-reacting; she knew I was upset and consoled as best she could. Sometimes the best meant words, wisdom, or advice won't do. Sometimes, you just need a hug.

When I left for college Emily's loyalty remained; my parents told me that she would sniff and look in my room trying to figure out where I was. During college, she started getting gray hairs and lost her spryness. She was unable to run along side the van anymore and her hips were becoming arthritic. After college, her health worsened. It was hard to see her in pain and not be able to do the things she once enjoyed. Last fall, when I was home from Washington, we decided as a family that it was the time to put our beloved Emily to sleep. We all took her to the vet together and said our goodbyes. It was one of the few times I've seen my father cry, and the memory brings tears to my eyes as I type.

Although Emily refused to fetch and swim like I had expected, she surpassed all I ever imagined a dog would be like. I think this can be true of many situations in life. Girlfriends, kissing, best friends, playing Buck football, and college life were all figments of my imagination before they became reality. Maybe I am lucky, naive, or perhaps need to dream bigger, but those dreams never exceeded the reality. I have dreams of how things might be; things like marriage, a career, children, new friendships, and an eternal life with Christ. I hope the fulfillment of these dreams exceed my expectations; just like that silly mutt who loved me did.

Mother's, Brother's, and the Tri-Cities

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there! I have had a fun Mother Day's weekend. Friday morning I left my Ballard abode around 7am to substitute teach at Seattle Prep. I immediately left Prep for Woodinville, worked till midnight, slept at the group home, worked a day shift, and took off for Kennewick, WA.

Chad Cavender and the Stockton Lightning were taking on the Tri-Cities Fever in AFL2 action. It was my first time across the mountains, and Eastern Washington was much different than I had expected! When you come over the pass, the terrain changes from water, mountains, and every thing being green to desert hills, mountains, and wide open spaces. The drive from Ellensburg to Yakima is particularly amazing because you climb from 500 feet to 2500 feet and have a view of the entire valley, the Cascades, Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams. Such a cool drive.

I made it to the game with time to spare, so I picked up my will-call tickets and walked inside the Toyota Center to see my boy. Chad's team is struggling, and he didn't play very well the week before. However, I know he was mentally prepared for this game because he knew to leave my will-call tickets under Richard(If people leave them under Trey, when I show my I.D. they say, "Who's Richard? These are for Trey...). The teams were not out yet when I found my seats, but there was some excellent pre-game entertainment. Two boys between 5 or 6 years old, dressed up as Mario and Luigi and did a kick-a hip-hop dance routine that included some of the Mario Brothers soundtrack as well as Lil' Wayne! The game itself was pretty entertaining too. Not only was there an outrageous 40-year-old man with a Fu Manchu screaming profanities at the Stockton bench while a perverted 50-year-old man snapped cell phone pictures of the Asian lady wearing a corset looking top in front of him, but Chad came out firing and his team "stormed" their way to a 42-23 lead. Things would fall apart in the fourth quarter though; the coach became too conservative, and the defense decided they didn't want to play anymore. The Lightning lost on a last minute touchdown; heartbreaking stuff, especially for Chad. And even though he was on the losing side, and on the road, Cavender, my homeboy, was named offensive player of the game! We went to eat and chilled at his hotel after the game. It was great seeing Chad, and to see him play well as a pro athlete.

Morning came and Chad's bus took off early, but I stayed in the hotel after he left and treated myself to a continental breakfast before hitting the road; good waffles! The drive back was even better than the drive to Kennewick! Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier were front and center in my windshield for a good 50 miles, and for those of you who know how I act when Rainier is out, imagine me seeing two huge mountains at the same time! I got a chance to see the Columbia River for the first time, and to call my mom for Mother's Day on the way back as well. It was a fantastic weekend, and I hope you all had a great weekend too.

-Richard

Blossoms and Crazy Squirrels!

I love Spring, partly because it begins on my birthday and partly because it makes everyone happy! The past week Spring finally arrived in Seattle, and it was great! Not only were the normally crabby Seattleites cheerful and friendly, but I woke up to the sounds of song birds again, and all these strange, wonderful smelling, beautiful tropical flowers are blossoming. Sunday I went with a couple friends to see the the cherry trees in full blossom at UW, a very cool sight. Monday, I had the day off and took full advantage of the 70 degree sunshine by laying out in my back yard. Right as I was about to fall asleep on the grass a crazy squirrel (no offense Frank) started screaming, or at least the closest a squirrel can get to screaming. I was obviously startled, I had never heard a screaming squirrel before, and jolted awake. Crazy Squirrels; another sign of Spring apparently!

Hope Spring has arrived where ever you are!

Trey

Your Newest Mitchellite

Well, the last two weeks of my life have been quite interesting! About two weeks ago I received an email from Coach Pole of Dakota Wesleyan University; he offered me a Graduate Assistant coaching position on his staff. The coaching GA would afford me the opportunity to learn a new offensive system, be a part of an up and coming program, a free education, and a chance to be closer to my family and friends in South Dakota. Also, Coach Pole has rave reviews from two people I admire and respect: by best friend Mason Vig, and my high school football coach and mentor Arlin Likness.

It would be a very hard offer to turn down, however, I was not ready to commit immediately. I still had a lot of interest in the Seattle University graduate program and returning to USF to pursue my Masters in Education. To make matters even more complicated, last Saturday I received a contract offer from a professional football team in Germany.

I called and sent emails to Seattle U after receiving the offer from DWU and still have yet to hear a thing from them. The acceptance letter and financial aid packages for SU come out on the 15th of April and I needed to know much earlier.....needless to say, they won't have me in their cohort next year.

It came down to three options. I had until April 1st to decide where I would be this fall: DWU, USF, or Germany. Like all of the major life decisions I have made in the last few years I knew the Lord would guide me to make the right choice. And, even though I was confident the Lord would lead me, I still felt incredibly conflicted with the choice I had to make. The weekend of the 28th and 29th of March had different twists and turns as I awaited news from USF and Germany. USF was unable to come up with any competitive offer by the deadline, so I was thinking I probably would be playing football in Germany.

I still had not received a final offer from the German team by the 1st of April, and I felt sick to my stomach because I did not want to keep Coach Pole waiting, but I was not yet ready to pass up an opportunity to live overseas. In the past the Lord has taken His sweet time showing me His will, but this was a little ridiculous(IMHO)! I called my parents asking for advice, which I'm sure they enjoyed, and then decided to let Coach Pole know I was still waiting to hear from Germany and asked him for another day to decide. Coach was understanding and said just to call him by the end of the week.

The next day I received another message from Germany saying, "We must withdraw our offer, Sorry..." I was a little disappointed, but the shadiness of the German Coach during the past couple of days actually made the withdrawn offer a bit relieving. Later in the afternoon I called Coach Pole, and instead of the sick feeling in my stomach I had the day before, I was excited and confident joining his staff was the right choice.

I know that the Lord's hand is in all of this. Next fall I will be living in the only place in South Dakota I vowed I would never live, and I will be coaching against my Alma Mater. I will also have the opportunity to earn my Masters in Education for free and coach for the most improved team in the conference. The Lord has blessed my time in Washington, and I am excited to see what He has prepared in Mitchell.

-Praise Him!

It's a small world...

Most of the people in the world can be connected through six degrees of separation; however, Professor Keith Jones of Central College in Pella, Iowa has proposed that when factoring in Yankton, it is closer to one to two degrees of separation. Below is supporting evidence of Dr. Jones’ theory.

Last week I was creeping on the Seattle Facebook network and came across a profile picture I recognized. The picture was of a high school friend’s wedding. Turns out the girl who posted the picture (she lives in Seattle) was a bridesmaid in a classmate’s wedding; pretty crazy eh? Well, I messaged her and she replied saying she’d like to meet up and we did earlier this week. Her name is Maggie and she’s way fun.

Random Facebook story part 2. Later after “friending”(technical Facebook term) Maggie, one of her friends messages me and informs me that we have three mutual friends from Yankton. Tiffany, the second messager, used to date a classmate of mine from Yankton, but she didn’t know my other Yankton friend who was recently married. Two separate Yankton connections, and both to the same graduation class!

Dr. Jones is obviously on to something. If anyone else has a story to support his theory please leave a comment!

I hope you all are well and loving life; I am!

Trey

Ms. Schulze (The Quintessential Teacher)

I had my admission interview at Seattle University this past week. I have applied to the Masters in Teaching program at SU and should know if I am accepted by the second week of April!

In our interview, my group was asked to define what makes an effective teacher, and if the state should grade teacher effectiveness though standardized test scores. If you stop and think about it for a moment, it is incredibly hard to define what makes effective teachers. I feel any teacher can impart some bit of knowledge to their students, but knowledge alone is not what makes a teacher effective.

The best teachers in life do more than pass on their knowledge, they change their students' lives. Thinking back on my high school days, I had some bad teachers, many good teachers, and a few great teachers. I was a good student, but I must have driven my teachers crazy! I had problems with instant gratification, or "Feeding the P.I.G.," as we call it in the group home. I always wanted to be first, wanted the teacher's undivided and immediate attention, and thought the classroom revolved around me and my needs.

On a typical school day during my sophomore year, Ms. Schulze, one of Yankton High's best, influenced me in a way no one had before. Our Creative Writing class was in the library working on a project. My classmates were scattered about the computer lab and Ms. Schulze was working her way around the room answering questions. Feeling that my questions were obviously much more important than anyone else's, I kept interrupting Ms. Schulze as she was working with other students. After about the third interruption Ms. Schulze looked up, paused for a moment, and calmly spoke something I needed to hear.

She said, "Trey, I love you very much and know you want to do well; but, you are not the only person in this class and there are six other people I need to help before I can help you. So please go back to your computer, and I'll get to you in a minute."

In that moment, my blinders were removed, and I finally realized that the world did not revolve around me. Ms. Schulze could have snapped at me and told me to sit down; and, I would have sat down, feelings hurt, and been the same obnoxious person the next day. However, her ability to handle her frustrations and offer positive criticism helped me realize that I needed to relax, take time to solve problems on my own, and be a better classmate.

I know that I am still not as humble or selfless as I should be, but Ms. Schulze helped mold me into not only a better student, but also a better friend, brother, and son. So, thank you Ms. Schulze; I don't believe any standardized test could measure the effectiveness of your pedagogy.