I've Learned A Thing or Two

A lot has gone on since last posting, but it isn't all my fault. Because not that much has gone on relating to cycling. After I didn't qualify for worlds this year, I really wanted to focus in on important life stuff. So I buckled down and had my best semester academics-wise since coming to Samford and spent a lot of time getting my resume together for a big-boy job.

After graduation it was back to WinShape for one more trip around, this time as aquatics director. I had the best lifeguards ever and it was a great summer. If any camp people read this, I know it sounds like I'm sweeping this incredible three months under the rug. But you know what a great experience it is, but you also know that there's no way to adequately explain it to someone that hasn't lived it. So I'll save the digital ink since I'm kind of pressed for time anyway.

Other happenings during the summer included girlfriends gained and lost, many frogs photographed and released, and finding a job. So once camp ended I shifted 30 miles down from Birmingham to sleepy Harpersville, home of the Coosa Valley Academy Rebels. It's a really interesting situation for an AISA school with kids coming from 3 different counties, some commuting as much as 50 minutes each way. My official/paid duties (that means there are lots more) there include head JV football coach, assistant varsity football coach, head boy's varsity basketball coach, scholar's bowl sponsor, and teacher of 5 classes: 8th grade Earth Science, 9th grade Physical Science, 10th grade Biology, 11th grade Anatomy, and 6th grade Computer/Keyboarding.

Working camp prepared me for teaching and coaching better than anything else I've done, but I've still had to learn a lot. Each class or activity brings its own special mix of lessons to the table, but the middle schoolers have contributed the most to my baptism by fire in the education field. Just a few of the things I picked up:

1. I was the hottest thing in school for two weeks. Then I was replaced by Justin Beiber.
2. Animal bracelets (aka Silly Bandz) are the stuff. If you have a middle school child and he or she does not have at least 20 of these, please buy some for them now. They will be mocked mercilessly by all the "cool" kids until you do so.
3. America can no longer spell. The upcoming generation has been hopelessly ruined by spellcheck and texting. Any elementary teachers out there, please emphasize spelling in your classroom, otherwise our children are doomed to be completely ignorant of the full beauty of the English language.
4. Varsity football players and cheerleaders, be good examples all the time. Kids are watching you and want to be just like you, good bad or otherwise.
5. Parents think the burden of education rests solely on the shoulders of teachers. This is simply not true. If anything parents are more responsible for how much their children learn. Teachers are only conduits of information, parents are the mind shapers and lesson reinforcers. Even worse, many parents have also passed the buck on moral training and discipline. People don't understand that they must take owndership of their child's future, or most kids will fall by the wayside as a headstone in the growing cemetary of wasted potential.

Next time I'll attempt to reflect on football season, make some comments on the upcoming basketball season, and start getting back into shape for cycling!