Historical History

Deployment to Kyrgyzstan

2010-12-30T19:10:00.003-06:00

As 2010 comes to close, most people tend to think about the last 365 days and wonder what, if anything, happened this year that significantly impacted their life, either for good or for bad. For me, this year has been a year of 'firsts.' Throughout this last year, there were many things that I did, which I had never experienced before. This was a year that I won't forget anytime soon.

I guess the best way to describe the events of the year would be to go all the way back to the beginning; back to January 2010. Happy New Year! 2009 is over and now there is a whole new year full of optimism and opportunity. As of January I still had not landed a full-time teaching job; however, I have good feeling that this will be my year and the future job that I know I'll love is waiting for me. In the meantime, I'm working for my Alma Mater as a custodian, sweeping, mopping, and cleaning the Student Union at nights. This job, while not ideal, worked out well for my family, because we have a newborn at home. My wife can work during the day, while I'm home with the baby and visa versa in the evening. While I'm working as a custodial engineer, I am vigorously searching for the illusive Social Studies position. I continue to work and determine that I'll stay here until God opens another door for me and my family, but I would have never guessed where that door would come from.

I found out earlier this year, around March, that I would be deploying to a country that I had never heard of, probably because nothing of any significance to world events had ever come from it. If you've heard of this country before learning of it's government rebellion earlier this year, then you must be more in tuned with world affairs than most Americans. Well, I found out I would be going overseas in August to spend six months at the Transit Center in Manas, Kyrgyzstan, which is were I am currently writing this blog. As one could imagine, this news was a bit of a shock to my wife, since that means I'll be missing our daughters first steps, first words, first birthday, and 'real' first Christmas. I say 'real' because she was only a month and a half old for her true first Christmas. This news meant I was done working as a custodian in May, because I would be gearing up with pre-deployment training in June.

For the next few months before I had to prepare to deploy, I spent every moment with my infant daughter, playing with her and teaching her has best as her tiny mind could understand. Those months before I left were, without a doubt, the best months of my life so far.

As I said previously, 2010 was a year filled with many firsts. Among the many firsts, was flying solo across the country from St. Louis, Missouri to Las Vegas, Nevada. I had never flown alone and I had never been to Las Vegas. I was sent there for a week training course of the Tactical Automated Security System I would be using while deployed. I had been selected by my unit that I would be one of the TASS operators while deployed. This was also the first time I had been away from my daughter for more than a few hours. I thought of the time away as a precursor to the six months I would be away in Kyrgyzstan.

The summer of 2010 was full of training and time away from my family. We spent some time down at Fort Leonardwood, Missouri training with the heavy weapons and qualifying with our M4's and M9's. From there, we went to Fort Dix, New Jersey to spend 17 long, hot days doing battle drills and enduring through mind-numbing PowerPoint classes. When we returned to St. Louis we still had a few weeks before we were scheduled to leave, so fortunately we given the time to spend with our families. It was during this time that my wife told me she was pregnant again with our second child. We didn't know it at the time, but it would grow to be our son! She went to the doctor to discover that her due date would be a mere week or so before I am scheduled to come back.

After arriving in Kyrgyzstan, we quickly got settled into what would be home for the next six months. It took me about five days to adjust to the jet lag. Kyrgyzstan is 12 hours ahead of the Central Standard Time zone back in the states, therefore it took a few days before I was sleeping the entire night. We quickly learned the base and our jobs and easily slipped into a routine. Our schedule rotated on a 3 and 1 work cycle. We worked three days for 12 hour shifts, then we had the day off. This work rotation made the weeks and the months fly by so quickly that before I knew it it had been a month, Halloween, Grace's birthday, Thanksgiving, my birthday, Christmas, and now it's already New Year's eve!

While I've been overseas, I have missed quite a bit in regards to my daughter's growth and development; however, it has been bearable because of the technologies in the world today. Namely Skype and Apple's iPod Facetime feature. These technologies in particular have allowed me to see Grace as she grows bigger and bigger everyday. I've also gotten to see my wife as she progresses in her pregnancy.

As I reflect on 2010, I realize that, while I may not have noticed it at the time, I have done a lot of maturing, physically, mentally, and spiritually. While overseas, I have had the opportunity to get my mind, body, and soul in shape. I have had the time to exercise, read multiple books, and spend time with my creator. Therefore, while at first the news that I would be deploying seemed unfortunate, I can now see that in the eyes of God it has been a blessing. I hope and pray that as we begin yet another year, that God would continue to bless me and my family.

He knows our needs and he provides as He sees fit and I know that 2011 will be another year filled with blessings in disguise. While I don't know what the Lord has planned for me and my family, I have faith to know that He knows the plans He has for me, plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future. I pray that God will bless you as 2010 comes to a close and that you will continue to trust and lean on Him throughout 2011.

It's Been Too Long

2009-08-14T11:07:00.004-05:00

I was going through my list of favorites on my Internet tab and I saw "Blogger." I thought to myself, "??? I still have this?" So, I click on the tab and the page loads showing me that I have not posted anything since April! Which brings me to my current state, sitting at the computer in our office/babies room typing a post that will update my status to anyone who may or may not read this blog.

It is the middle of August, schools are beginning to start and I wish I could say i was preparing for my first year of teaching. Unfortunately, social studies teachers are not among those "in high demand" in the world of education. In fact I even had a principal during one of my interviews tell me "we" (social studies teachers) are a dime a dozen. I live in Liberty, Mo. and I have applied and interviewed at almost every school district with in 30 miles. Now is not a good time for recently graduated teachers. At first I thought, maybe it was something I was doing wrong; poor interviews, not calling back enough, little to no connections, but then I spoke with individuals I had graduated with, only to hear the same story coming from them. Knowing that i was not the only one made feel better. Currently, I am still employed as a substitute for both Liberty and Park Hill School District, which is good because it will keep in the districts and keep my classroom management skills sharp.

In other news, my beautiful wife is pregnant in her third trimester with our first child. We found out last month that we will be parents to baby girl! People often ask me if i was disappointed with that fact, but honestly, I am just glad to have a healthy baby. So far the doctors have said that she is progressing well and appears to be healthy. We have decided on naming her after my wife's middle name, which is Grace. Last Monday we had an appointment with the OB/GYN and he said he thought Grace might be "breached," but that at this stage it should not worry us. Most people may think we're crazy, but in addition to the arrival of Grace we have recently gotten another puppy. Bringing our grand total to three, yes three dogs. Our newest dog is the same as the other two, Shiz Tzu/Maltese, and his name is Jake.

Xtranormal Assignment

2009-04-07T13:09:00.003-05:00

Wow! I cannot believe it has been more than a month since my last posting. For those who are avid followers of this blog, assuming there are any, I apologize for not posting sooner. Today I'd like to post about a website I have mentioned before, called xtrnoraml. I have embedded the link into the title of this post, however, the link is www.xtranormal.com. I am posting about it again because I have recently used this website in my Women's Studies class at Park Hill High School.

In my Women's Studies class we are working our way throught the roles and significance of women during the Early modern period of history. Looking at specific women, like Marie Antoinette, Cathrine the Great, Abigail Adams, and others, the girls have been studying the opprotunities and loack of opprotunities afford to women during this era in history. Their assignment was to use this website to role play a scene with main focus being on issues these women faced on a day to day basis.

The assignment took the entire block (90 minutes) to complete. Each had to create a free account and username and password. Once they had created an account they were free to explore the site and creat their own short movie. All they had to do was create a dialogue with a partner and type their script into the appropriate boxes. The movie my class made were very creative and entertaining, both for me and the class. The class had a great time using their creativity to make and direct their own short film. I have included a few examples of some the films they made. Please enjoy.

Sacco and Vanzetti

2009-03-01T09:58:00.002-06:00

As I was preparing for this weeks discussions in my AP United States history class, I came across this mini documentary of the famous Sacco and Vanzetti case. I think this video does a good job with describing the case and more importantly, the reactions during and after the case. I plan to use this video this week to generate discussion about prejudice and the effects it can have government and individuals, hopefully demonstrating that this case was not simply a case of two immigrant anarchist's who may or may not have robbed and murdered, but about the hysteria of eliminating potential threats to the "American" way of life.
Sacco and Vanzetti - Watch more funny videos here

Parent-Teacher Confrences

2009-02-11T17:06:00.006-06:00

Tonight we have parent-teacher conferences at Park Hill High School. This will be my first experience with parents without the assistance of a more experienced teacher than myself. Previously, the only experience I have had was during my time at Liberty, where I conducted conferences with parents alongside Doug Winkler, my cooperating teacher. I do not foresee any complications with parents, because I am teaching four sections of Advanced Placement United States History. Therefore, these students are generally those who have a genuine desire to learn the history of America.

Park Hill conducts their conferences a bit differently than Liberty. At Liberty, the teachers go to their assigned table and hope a parent or two shows up. In contrast, parents at Park Hill have prearranged when they plan on meeting with the teacher. This is good, because I have an idea of how busy my evening is going to be. As I am sitting in the gymnasium at a table designated as mine, by the folded manila card stock with my name on it, I can see parents coming and going, sitting and standing, nodding in agreement with whatever the teacher is saying. And it makes me stop and think about the life of a teacher.

As a teacher, thus far in my career, I get up early, teach to 50 - 60 students a day, spend multiple hours after school preparing for the next day, go home, kiss the wife, and fall asleep around 8:00 or 9:00. Then, the alarm goes off at 5:45am and I begin the cycle all over. So, as I am watching all that is going on around me, I am wondering, "What sort of an impact am I really making?" "What do these parent teacher conferences really accomplish?" I would like to think that meeting the parents will motivate them to meet with their student at home to improve their performance in the classroom. Or do these conferences merely allow the parents face time with their student's teachers so the parent can feel comforted by the fact that their students is not being taught by an incompetent individual, ignorant to the content of the classroom?

For me, meeting the parents allow give me a better understanding of my students. There are some parents, who, once you have met them, all questions or concerns about their student are immediately answered. Other parents leave me with more questions about their student than when I first began. I think that this experience will be one more thing to prepare me for my full time teacher position, wherever that may be. I hope that, in the future, I am able to take the lessons I have learned here and at Liberty and apply them to influence the students in the most positive and efficient way. If you are a teacher and have similar experiences or advice for a green teacher, like myself, please feel free to share your comments or stories by commenting to this blog.

Women's Studies Project

2009-01-28T12:11:00.007-06:00

The other day I was teaching my Women's Studies class and it was one of those days, where I can literally see the eyes rolling into the back of their heads. Obviously, something was not going right. I was not enjoying the class and it was abundantly clear the students were not having a good time either. In the middle of my rambling I stopped and said, "Okay, this obviously isn't working. What do you want from this class? You chose this class, so what do you hope to get out the class?" The students, taken back a bit, looked at each other, . . .then me, . . .then at each other again. Finally, after a moment of awkward silence a student in the back quietly said, "Maybe we could do a project or something."

Thus, an idea was born! We were painfully trying to get through the role of women in a variety of cultures from the ancient world. I went home that night and put some thought to how I could get the students to learn the information in a way that they enjoyed and learned something from at the same time.

I decided that I would let the students do the work by researching the cultures and, as a group, present their findings to the class. I broke the students into four groups and gave each group an ancient civilization: Roman, Spartan, Jewish, or Greek. As a group, they researched the culture, any historical events, and two to three significant women from that society. Their task was to put all their research in a coherent PowerPoint presentation, where they could be as creative they wished. I allotted three days to research, using laptops, and create their presentation.

I would love to know if you have any suggestion for how I could do a project similar to this in the future, or if you have done something similar. Please share your ideas and constructive criticism. Today they are on their second day of research, and already a problem I am running into is keeping a class full of girls on task. I am hearing more stories of gossip and less of ancient civilizations. Every few minutes I am reminding them to stay on task.

I really enjoy the class, but I am having trouble keeping them engaged in the material. In addition, since there is no set curriculum, I am having to develop a curriculum as I go along. The teacher, who I have replaced left a vague outline where the class should go, which has been a lot of help thus far, but I am getting the feeling that as the semester progresses I will have to come up with other material. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Parkhill School District

2009-01-22T18:38:00.006-06:00

Last week I was offered a long term substitute position at Park Hill School District, to fill in for a teacher who teaches four sections of AP US History and one section of Women's Studies. Nervously, I accepted the job and have been at Park Hill since Tuesday of this week. It was a transition I had never experienced before; leaving the comfort zone of one district and moving to another.

My first day at the new school I was thrown into classes without much preparation. It was as if I were thrown into a pool and were trying to put my feet on the bottom, without knowing how far the bottom of the pool was beneath me. It took about two days, but I think I'm starting to find the bottom of the pool. The AP classes are blocked every other day, which is great, because it allows my a day in between to prepare. On the other hand, the Women's Studies class is blocked everyday. I think if I had a week or so to plan for this class I could make it an entertaining and intriguing class. The teacher, who I've stepped in for, did a fantastic job at preparing the material I will need for the next few months. I have started to develop my own system for preparing for each class. Because this is my first classroom, I am not yet at point where I feel confident enough to walk in moderately prepared and deliver a fantastic lecture about any given point in US history; therefore, I have been reading, taking notes, and creating PowerPoints everyday this week. Today was the first day I gave a lecture to the AP class and I think it went well. The students seemed engaged and entertained. I think if I can stay a chapter ahead of them, I'll be fine for the rest of the semester. However, I can potentially see myself becoming exhausted in a few weeks if I stay as busy I was this week. Only time will tell, but I am starting to feel more comfortable in my new environment.

I know that this experience will be a learning experience no matter if it is a good or bad experience, and I believe if I stay positive and work hard, good things will come. I know that sounds incredibly optimistic, but I have a feeling this is just one more stepping stone in my journey through education. If you have a similar experience, I would love to hear about, please feel free to post a comment at the bottom. Thank you and have a great fantastic day!

Xtranormal

2009-01-13T13:29:00.005-06:00

Have you ever done "role playing" in the classroom? If you teach anything, then I would be willing to bet you have done some sort of role play. While role playing is fun for students and educational, wouldn't it be awesome if your students could write and direct their own short film about the unit being taught? Well, they can! It is called xtranormal and the students can write the script, select the actors, the set, and various camera angles. It is a fascinating tool to be used in the classroom. If you have been keeping up to date with this blog, you know I do not have a classroom of my own yet, but if you have used this website in your classroom I would love to know how it went.

I have created a sample film to see what sort of things it could do, and I was absolutely amazed. If your school district is fortunate enough to have laptops in the classroom or a computer lab, then this can be used for your class. This website allows the students to be their own directors and shoot movies that pertain to the subject matter being taught, which can be shared with the whole class as a review or teaching method. If you haven't already checked it out, go take a look. I have embedded the link in the title of this post. Camera, Lights, ACTION!

I Prefer "Alternate" Teacher

2009-01-12T18:29:00.005-06:00

I walk into a classroom I have only seen while doing observations after student teaching with a key, an ID tag that reads, "SUBSTITUTE", and a folder. The folder contains information for the substitute about the classes and the full-time teachers expectations. I enter the room, find the light switch, and sit down at the desk to prepare my mind for the day. On the desk is a piece of paper with clearly written direction for how the lessons should be taught. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and exhale. This will be my first experience as a substitute teacher.

My mind is racing with ideas and jokes to start the class, do I tell the one about the teacher who..., or the two guys that..., or how will I introduce myself? Fortunately, I was taught that, "Early is on time, and on time is late," so I have about twenty minutes before the first class is suppose to begin. I suppose the first thing I should do is write my name on the board, so I do. In fat bubble letters, I write, "Mr. SUMMIT," and draw a mountain underneath it with an arrow pointing to the top. Since the top of a mountain is known as the summit, it makes sense. Before I know it, the bell has rung and slowly students begin to enter the once peacefully quiet classroom. As they enter I begin to hear, "Are you our sub?" "Awesome a sub!" "Where is Mr. Gates?" all of which I will answer in a few moments.

BING, BING, the tardy bell has rung and it is time to begin. I close the door to the hallway and all fear or anxiety disappears into I don't know where. I begin by saying,

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen! If you haven't noticed by now, Mr. Gates is M.I.A and therefore you are blessed with me. I will be your substitute for the day; however, I do not like the word 'substitute,' because to me, it means all sort of negative things. For that reason, I prefer alternate teacher, the replacement teacher, and for those thespians among us, the under-study to Mr. Gates."

I go on to explain that my name is Mr. Summit and I have drawn a picture for those "visual" learners. By now the class has loosened up and have laughed at least twice. That is my trick, my key, my tool, my whatever,...humor! If I can get the students to laugh or even smile, then it will be a good day.

I learned in my experience as a student teacher last semester, that humor is an essential piece of my teaching style. I believe that students remember more things they thought were funny, than things they fell asleep to. Case-and-point, why is it that almost every student can quote any Adam Sandler, Will Ferrel, or SNL movie? Because they're funny, they laugh, and they have a good time watching them; they are ENTERTAINED! I believe the same is true in the classroom; if I can entertain the students for an hour and teach them something at the same time, then I have done my job.

After my introduction, we transitioned into the planned lesson, which went smoother than I had anticipated. The students were engaged in the discussion and were asking questions, some of which I could answer, some of which I could not, but that is okay. It is okay to admit you DON'T know everything, because you don't. In my experience, the students will respect you more for admitting you were wrong or that you don't know something, than if you pretend like you know everything and give them a bogus answer.

Classes came and went throughout the day and I had an incredible time teaching those students. I realized that I had been needing to get back in the classroom. I have subbed twice since the start of the semester and it seems like I cannot get in the classroom enough. Being a substitute has merely enhanced my desire to have a classroom of my own. For those of you teachers who already have your own classroom, cherish it, for you are fortunate. If you have a similar experience you would like to share, please post a comment. Thank you and remember, history teachers prepare students for the future by teaching about the past!

Maps of War

2009-01-06T12:03:00.013-06:00

There is a website called, Maps of War, that is absolutely fascinating. It is especially useful for any teacher teaching world history. In the site you will find animation that briefly shows the expansion of empires in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. In addition, there are animations depicting the history and expansion of religion across the world, which is essential to teaching world history. Beyond that, there are animations and links to describe a variety of historical warfare, from WWI to the Iraq War.

I first learned of this site from a social studies teacher at Liberty High School, where I student taught. I thought the animation, which I have included in this post, was so remarkable that I shared it with one of my college professors at William Jewell College, who teaches a survey course of Middle Eastern history. He responded to my e-mail by saying how much he enjoyed it and that he would be using it in class the next day. I know that I have not been a teacher for very long, but I know that this site has a lot of information to offer to students who are longing to learn from the technology they have been surrounded by since their birth.

I urge any social studies teacher or anyone who is curious to explore this site, I guarantee it will not be time ill spent. If you have seen this before or have used it in the classroom, please comment and tell me how you taught it. Thank you.

Upon the Subject of Education

2008-12-31T08:08:00.005-06:00

There is a quote from Abraham Lincoln that says, "Upon the subject of education, not presuming to dictate any plan or system respecting it, I can only say that I view it as the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in."

Since today is New Year's Eve, it is common for most people to reflect on the last 12 months and think of things that were good, things that were bad, or things that they have learned in the last year. It is that last one that I will dedicate this post to.

This year I have learned more about education, than in any other year of college. I started out 2008 by observing a first year American History teacher in a smalltown high school north of Kansas City. I spent the first seven weeks of the spring semester observing this teacher. While, he was only a first year teacher, it was a learning experience for me because I saw a sneak preview of what my first year teaching might look like. His room was not decorated with the typical social studies decor; flags, historical posters, maps, or even pictures. He was a good teacher, but I quickly saw that he and I had different styles of teaching. I will now be able to draw from that experience and do things differently in my own classroom. The students seemed to like him and relate to him, which taught me something else. That is, a decorated classroom does not always make you a good teacher. Good teachers are good teachers no matter the environment. My experience at this high school sparked the beginnings of my own teaching style and philosophy that all students can learn and it is my job, as their teacher, to find how they learn best and what motivates them to be successful in the classroom and in life.

The second seven weeks, I spent with the teacher I would be student teaching for in the fall. I spent the last half of my spring semester at Liberty High School, working with Doug Winkler, a veteran teacher of 20+ years, who teaches AP US History, AP World History, World History, and Government and Economics. In his classroom and at this high school is where I learned the most about education.

Those seven weeks in the spring were just to prepare me for the next semester, where I would be taking on full responsibility of the classroom as the student teacher. For that reason, most of the learning did not come until the fall. If someone were to ask me, "When should I student teach?" My answer would be in the fall, because as the student teacher you get the privilege of seeing behind-the-scenes of the classroom before the school year starts and the students arrive. I participated in the pre-school workshops and seminars, unpacking the textbooks, and helping Doug set up the classroom. These experiences were great because they gave me a sense of ownership in the classroom before school started; I was not trying to gain that ownership the first few weeks of school, I had already established it. I believe this also helps with gaining that "teacher" status with the students. Since I was there the first day of school, I was not viewed as a visitor or temporary figure in the classroom. I was given the same respect that Doug was given because I established my self as the teacher on day one. In fact, most students were shocked and surprised when I told them I wouldn't be back after winter break. I think that was one of the most important lessons I learned in 2008.

It is extremely important to classroom management that the teacher establishes themselves as such on day one; set high expectations and be consistent. If the students see you as the one in control of the classroom, then, in my experience, most behavioral issues are ousted before they begin.

My experience student teaching for Doug was something I will never forget. He taught me so many things that it would take too much time to recall all the lessons I've learned. I can say that I am a better teacher and more prepared for my own classroom having taught beside Doug Winkler. I am eager to enter the classroom on day one, hopefully something will open in my area so I can begin my journey through education!

Christmas, Family, and Medication

2008-12-25T16:17:00.007-06:00

Today is Christmas day and my wife, Alexa, and I decided that we were going to be spending the holiday alone, without traveling to either parents. My parents, on their way to Lincoln, NE., stopped in Kansas City to eat dinner with us. We did Christmas yesterday with them since we would not be in Lincoln with them. After they left our apartment, around 8:00pm, Alexa and I were laying in bed deciding what we were going to do for the rest of the evening. After some contemplation, we decided that if we left at that moment, we could make it to St. Louis and surprise her parents before 12:30am. So that is what we did. We packed enough clothes for a day, picked up the dogs, and drove to St. Louis in the middle of the night. We made really good time, because we got to Alexa's parents in three hours, a trip that usually takes three and half to four hours.

The in-laws were thoroughly surprised to see us. We had told them last week we were not going to be able to make it this year because of Alexa's job, but we decided we did not want to spend our first Christmas as man and wife alone. Unlike most people, who hate their in-laws, I enjoy coming to see Alexa's parents, it is never a dull moment at their house.

The next morning I woke up to a stuffy nose and dry throat, which was not the state I would have chosen for Christmas morning. Thankfully, I have a wonderful wife who got me medication and let me sleep until 11:30am. By the time I had gotten up, the whole family was downstairs preparing lunch, which consisted of potato casserole and honey baked ham. It does not seem like much, but we were snacking on pigs-in-a-blanket, smoked wienies, veggie tray, and cookies for appetizers before everything was done cooking. While sitting at the lunch table, which was decorated with Christmas decor, I realized how important family is. Family, while painfully frustrating at times, is the glue that keeps us all together. Without our families we could not survive. There were eight of us around the table for lunch; the parents, Alexa's two sisters and their men, and finally my wife and I. While eating lunch, Alexa and her sisters were telling stories of years long ago when they were children playing and terrorizing each other. It was a joy to watch my wife light up around her family, remembering experiences from her childhood. It made me think of times with my siblings and I realized I need to create more memories with my family, because I could not remember anything except times my brother or sister and I were fighting. Family and life are only temporary and should not be taken for granted. Cherish those good times with family and never stop having fun.

Following dinner, we all moved into the living room, where we passed out gifts. The gifts were nice, but the real gift was spending time with family. I'm glad we decided to make the trip in the middle of the night to come. I'm reminded of a quote from the animated movie, Kung Fu Panda, where the turtle says, "The past is history, the future is a mystery, but now is gift, that is why it is called 'present'." God bless and Merry Christmas everyone. Remember to spend some time with the ones who know you the best, your family.

Google Video Chat

2008-12-24T12:13:00.003-06:00

Today I decided I was going to figure this Google Video Chat out, but before I got started with that, I had to go to wrestling practice and work out with my wrestlers. Today was an intensive conditioning day, which means treadmill for 15 minutes and an assortment of high energy games in the gym. There were only a handful of varsity wrestlers who showed up, which made the games all that more entertaining. We played full court basketball, hockey, dodge ball, and threw in some sprints in between each game. You might be thinking, "What kind of wrestling team works out by playing games?" Well, since today is Christmas Eve, I and the other coach, decided we should have a little fun today. We ended up running around for a solid two hours, so, needless-to-say, we were all feeling pretty good by the end of practice.

Once I had gotten home and cleaned myself up from practice, I called my dad in St. Louis, Mo. to set up a video chat with him via our web cams. It took a few tries to get it working properly. First, in the contacts list, anyone you wish to video chat with needs to have a little green camera next to there name. That indicates that each party is capable of receiving video chats. Then, move your cursor over the name you wish to chat with and select "chat" or "video and more." It seems simple, but my dad kept having complications on his end.

It was my first time using the feature and I thought it was fantastic. If you don't already have a web cam, I would recommend getting one. There are multiple uses for it in the classroom. I observed an 8th grade American History teacher using it to chat with a representative from the Constitutional Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA. If you would like to know more about you go to his blog at www.speakingofhistory.blogspot.com. I hope to use Google Chat more in the future, I know the students in Mr. Langhorst's class enjoyed it and I'm sure other students will too.

The Slide Show

2008-12-23T13:57:00.003-06:00

I have embedded a link to the show in this post title. So feel free to watch and comment.

New Slide Shows

2008-12-23T13:44:00.005-06:00

So, through the miracle of Twitter, I have discovered a new website that make creating slide shows fun and entertaining. It is called Slide.com and I've embedded the link in the title of the post. To give you an idea of what sort of slide shows it can create, you can click on the title of the next post to take you to the page.

There are so many possibilities for this site in the classroom. Students could create slide shows for homework, e-mail to the teacher, and be presented in class. A student could create a slide show of any topic from math to social studies. Create your own and enjoy!!

Batman Unmasked, The Psychology of The Dark Knight

2008-12-22T20:40:00.004-06:00

I love movies, I love watching them, going to see them, and buying them. Recently, my wife, who I absolutely love, bought me a Blu-Ray player for my birthday/Christmas. In addition, she bought The Dark Knight, which is a fantastic movie if you've never seen it. While the movie is amazing, I am posting about the special features and specifically how they could be used in the classroom. If you teach Psychology, then I would recommend obtaining a copy of The Dark Knight special features. Why? Because they have included a segment that discusses the psychology of Bruce Wayne, Batman, and his enemies. They have provided clinical explanations for how traumatic events, like witnessing the murder of ones parents, can impact a ten year old. The producers progress into the fascinating psychology between split personalities of Wayne and Batman, to include an explanation of his enemies like the Joker, the Riddler, Two-Face, Catwoman, and the Penguin. It is about 38 minutes in length and I found it to be entertaining and educational. I have included a segment of Batman Unmasked, The Psychology of The Dark Knight to give you a preview of the feature. I hope you will find it as interesting as I have. I am not sure if this featurette is on the regular DVD, but I know it is on the Blu-Ray version.

I believe students would love to see how the psychologist, theories, and methods of the real world have broken down the psyche of the man that is Batman. Since our students are driven by technology, the media, and Hollywood, why not bring it into the classroom and learn while being entertained.

Digital Students

2008-12-21T09:29:00.003-06:00

I believe that students today are becoming more tired of the traditional methods of teaching because they live in digital world that moves at a much faster rate than the world of a generation or two ago. As teachers, I believe we need to seek out new ways of reaching our students that empower them and give them a sense of ownership in the classroom. I believe technology is the key to unlocking our students true potential. This YouTube video explains the importance, significance, and possibilities of using technology in the classroom. Take some time to watch and let it impact you the way you impact your students.

Lee's Summit Wrestling Tournament

2008-12-20T21:28:00.010-06:00

Today was the second half of a two day wrestling tournament at Lee's Summit High School in Lee's Summit, MO. Overall, it was a good tournament for Liberty. Our wrestlers did much better the second day than the first, but it was not quite good enough to bring home the gold. Liberty placed 3rd, which is pretty good compared to the other teams who were there.

There were twenty-three teams from all over Missouri and a team who flew in from Idaho. While it made for a long weekend, I believe the experience was good for me, because I am still learning the in's and out's of coaching. I wrestled briefly in high school then switch to track and field; therefore, my wrestling expertise is limited. I have learned a lot from Liberty's head coach, Mike Hammer, and the assistants who have been around for quite some time.

One of the wrestlers at the tournament was the brother of US Olympic Greco Roman Wrestler, Spencer Mango. Spencer was nice enough to allow me to take a picture with, which could have been a better picture, but I was not going to say, "redo!" Spencer wrestled in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and his brother won first place at 125lbs. this weekend. Spencer Mango went to high school at Christian Brothers College in St. Louis, where he won state titles in 2003 and 2004. I have never met an Olympian before, but now I can cross that off my list.

Anyway, back to the tournament. Our wrestlers should have placed much higher than many of them did. About half of our guys placed either 3rd or 5th. There were multiple matches where our they made simple mistakes, which cost them the match. We have got some work to do when we get back from Christmas break. We have been drilling stand-ups, arm bars, and throws, but as soon as they get on the mat it seems like they forget everything we've drilled during practice. As I said before, we did well, but we should have done much better. After the tournament, they had an awards ceremony, where we received our 3rd place plaque.

I look forward to many more tournaments and duals with Liberty's wrestling team. It gives me a sense of accomplishment when I work with a kid in the wrestling room and see them succeed on the mat. There is something genuinely special about coaching that an individual cannot understand by teaching alone. Coaching allows you to see and interact with the students in a completely different environment and atmosphere, which helps establish and maintain those bonds in the classroom. It was always a highlight of my day when one of my wrestlers called me "coach" during class, rather than "Mr. Summit," which is what everyone calls me. I love teaching and I love coaching, there is no other job in the world that comes close to having the impact that teachers make in children's lives.

The Destructive War

2008-12-19T09:16:00.004-06:00

Currently, I am reading a book called The Destructive War by Charles Royster, which tells of the destructiveness of the Civil War. The back cover reads, "From the moment the Civil War began, partisans on both sides were calling not just for a victory but for extermination. And both sides found leaders who would oblige. In this vivid and fearfully persuasive book, Charles Royster looks at W.T. Sherman and Stonewall Jackson, the men who came to embody the apocalyptic passions of North and South, and re-creates their characters, their stages, and the feelings they inspired in their countrymen. At once and incisive dual biography, hypnotically engrossing military history, and a cautionary examination of the American penchant for patriotic bloodshed, The Destructive War is a work of enormous power."

I would agree that Royster spends a significant portion of the book describing the character and background of the two key Generals, but I would disagree that the book is "a work of enormous power." I have found the book enjoyable to read and he does provide a great detail of military history within the pages of the book. Currently, I am on page 150 of 417, if you don't count the 100 pages of notes at the end.

Royster brings up a good point that I had not considered when studying the Civil War in college. That is the underlying question of the war, which many have said was slavery. The south needed slavery to survive in their agricultural society, because the white southerners could not afford to loose the free labor. However, Royster argues that it was not the question of slavery, nor race relations, or the political cultures of the two, but that "the central question was whether or not citizens would place loyalty to the nation and obedience to its government ahead of all other loyalties" (Royster, pg. 139). The point I believe he is making is that many individuals, especially in the South, were more loyal to their state than to the nation as a whole. Robert E. Lee would not take command of the Union Army because his loyalties remain with his home state of Virginia, which was seceding from the Union. So then, the question of where ones loyalties lied became the true underlying question of the Civil War, according to Charles Royster.

Header Creation

2008-12-19T08:39:00.004-06:00

Well, I did it! I found a way to create an individualized header. I had to go through a series of trial and error, but ultimately it worked. I used Microsoft Paint, uploaded a picture of the planet, and added the text I wanted. Then, I had go through a series of size adjustments to get the height and width to fit inside the blog header. I think if I play with this blog enough, I should become rather proficient at "blogging."

I have never been a blogger before, but with the advancements in technology, I am beginning to see that technology will help me be an effective educator, so I might as well begin learning now, before I enter the classroom.

Wordle

2008-12-18T12:19:00.004-06:00

Eric Langhorst, an 8th grade social studies teacher, introduced me to this amazing website that allows the user to create "word clouds." Here are a few samples I created using Wordle. These are the Declaration of Independence and The Gettysburg Address.

The programs takes the document, poem, lyrics, or whatever, and makes the most frequently used words larger than the others. This allows students to see the documents or speeches in another way that might spark classroom discussion.

There are so many different ways a teacher could use this in the classroom. For example, before or after discussing the formation of American government I could show a series of word clouds containing the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. The students could either work in pairs or individually and try to determine which document is being presented. That is just one idea, if you have any other creative ways to use Wordle, please share.

Welcome to School

2008-12-18T10:44:00.002-06:00

Welcome to School

2008-12-18T10:25:00.002-06:00

I created a welcome video using Go Animate for my students on the first day of school and I am trying to upload the clip on the blog; however, I am having some difficulties.

2008-12-18T10:18:00.001-06:00

So It Begins

2008-12-18T08:29:00.000-06:00

I just created a blog spot to use as a teacher in the future. I plan to use this for all my education success and defeats. I got the idea from searching for and reading other teachers web pages. I do not have a classroom of my own yet, but I figure, why wait? I graduated from William Jewell College this December and spent the last semester student teaching for Liberty Public School District in Liberty, MO., which is like a northern suburb of Kansas City. In addition, I just got hired as a substitute teacher for the district, which I hope will help get a full-time teaching job in the district when, and if, one opens.

My first day of student teaching was an exciting day, which seems so long. I woke up, got ready, had breakfast with my wife, Alexa, and headed for the door. As I was about to leave, Alexa said, "Stop! We have to get a picture of your first day of school." Reluctantly, I agreed and she snapped a quick picture on my way out the door. Not my finest moment, but I am glad she had the idea to capture that moment in history. Whatever else I may forget, I will never forget what I wore on my first day of student teaching.