Course Reflection

This class challenged me way beyond what I could have imagined. This is a good thing. The readings were essential to the concept of adapting our curriculums to meet the needs of our students today. I was hesitant at the thought of having to read the books but once I began reading, I realized how pertinent they were to the topic. As far as the hybrid concept, I walked out of the first class wondering how I was going to pull it off, being as unsophisticated on the computer as I am. With each assignment, I gained more confidence and self-esteem as I was able to interact with my classmates using 21st century technology. I also liked how Dr. B. made us collaborate with other classmates on the specific assignments. This prevented me from procrastinating on the projects, as I didn't want to let my classmates down. (That was a neat trick, by the way, Doc.) Another thing about taking this course is that it provided stimulation for my teaching, once again proving that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks.

Curriculum Reflections

When I began my research for this assignment, I asked my building principal for a copy of the Physical Education curriculum for Harrison High School.  He sort of chuckled and told me to call the Curriculum Coordinator.  I put in a call to the Coordinator and his reply to me was, "Oh, that was the one we got in trouble for during a state evaluation."  To make a long story short--we had NO curriculum for Health and Physical Education Grades 9-12.  How is this possible that an Abbott School District, frequently monitored by the state, does not have a curriculum?  I was flabbergasted to say the least.  Then my emotions began to change to that of being outraged.  It was like a slap in the face to me as a professional with thirty years of teaching experience that this omission could be possible.  Would this have occurred in the areas of English, Math, or Science?  I think not.  I certainly understand the importance of these fields, but Physical Education is no longer glorified recess!  There is nothing more vital than educating students in the life skills needed to sustain wellness throughout their lives.

So the "change" in our curriculum would begin from the ground up.  I went about establishing the curriculum by using the theory of essential questioning as in the UbD approach.  What would the students need to know in regard to learning how to formulate a personal fitness plan for life?

My new curriculum plan, which I will indeed present to the building principal and Central Office, will steer P.E. away from the predominance of team sports and games to one that stresses  more vigorous individual activities.

In researching this assignment, I have found model programs that exist in the United States that have integrated technology into the gymnasium.  These programs have taken advantage of grant money that exist for P.E. programs.  We should look into this.

Three years ago,the State of New Jersey built a new Harrison High School, with computers in every classroom, sixty-inch flat screen televisions in every classroom (except the Health class-- we just got a smaller television installed this year.)  In the P.E. wing they gave us an unfurnished weight room that cannot accommodate the average sized P.E. class.  Doesn't anybody realize that our students are at risk.  They are heavier and less active than ever before. Just as they employ all the tactics and techniques to enable our students to pass the HSPA, why can't we have the necessary tools and equipment to enable our students in P.E. to pass fitness assessments?

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Our readings in class sound the alarm for educators to adapt or we will perish in the global economy.  If our children do not get more fit, the economic price tag will be staggering from the health problems that obesity causes.

      

Results Now

Dear Faculty,

As your building principal, I am implementing a change in regard to our monthly faculty meetings.  In lieu of these meetings, I will now be requiring each department to meet so that faculty members can collaborate during this time. Careful, collective planning is bound to result in lessons that will produce far better assessment results (p.112 ).  We need to communicate with each other to discuss effective teaching techniques. For instance, modeling and step-by-step demonstration of new skills is essential and should be addressed during your meetings. Colleagues should work together to come up with effective models to present to their students.  This team approach hopefully will get you to see the big picture; that teamwork, not training, fosters continuous, targeted attention to the details and the impact of effective lessons and units (p.111 ).

This common planning time should allow teachers to collaboratively improve lessons and assessments-- which would have a direct and immediate impact on student learning (p.32 ). 

With this change in procedure that I am instituting,  I am looking for exceptional leadership, teaming, clear standards, and accountability.   In combination, these factors guarantee that any school will make rapid, substantial improvement (p.45 ).

I believe that working together as professionals we can collaborate between veteran teachers and novice teachers. We should be able  to incorporate the experience of the veteran teachers combined with the latest techniques and strategies that novices coming out of college can share. " If we leave virtually every instructional choice up to individual teachers who work alone, then inferior practices will dominate most schools." ( Haycook, 2005)

We must remember that as the needs of our students change, we as educators must be able and willing to change in order to be effective.  

Respectfully,

Lawrence J. Manning

What a difference a word makes

Two little words, for and of, switch them in a statement and wow, what a difference it truly makes.  I agree that yearly testing is not the answer for assessing student performance. There must be other measurements throughout the school year so that students that are falling behind could be remediated rather than waiting to the end of the school year and fail a standardized test.  It isn't realistic to have more summative testing.  The monetary aspect alone would be too costly.  The time spent testing takes away from classroom instruction.  

I agree with the assessment for learning approach because "students and their teachers become partners in the classroom assessment process, relying on student-involved assessment, record keeping, and communication to help students understand what success looks like, see where they are now, and learn to close the gap between the two." ( Stiggins & Chappuis, 2006, p11)  This format shows the students what they need to learn and how their progress is going to be measured.  This should make the students more accountable for their success and fosters a positive relationship between teacher and student.

The authors claim that research has shown that the assessment for learning approach         " ' has yielded remarkable, if not unprecedented, gains in student achievement, especially for low achievers.' " ( Stiggins & Chappuis, 2006, p11)   This format has been successful at different grade levels and subject areas.  How about that for No Child Left Behind.

  Unfortunately, I agree with the authors in that the skills that a teacher needs to implement this format are not taught at the college level.  In addition, administrators aren't taught assessment training either.  Where are we going to get these skills?  Currently there is no easy way to fix this problem.  According to the authors, workshops and professional developments aren't effective methods of learning this approach. I agree that a monumental change such as this will require much more time than a few workshops or professional developments.  It can only be integrated by a combination of factors such as having education majors learning the assessment for learning method, and new teachers entering the profession mentoring experienced teachers.  Hands on learning can be just as effective for teachers as well as students.  

Reference:

Stiggins, R. & Chappuis, J. ( 2006). What a Difference a Word Makes. National Staff Development Council, 27 (1), 10-14.

Comments on UbD Plan

After being relieved that I wasn't the reason that I couldn't publish my plan on the class wiki, I can now reflect on the association between Ubd and T.W.I.F. and " Did You Know."  Putting together this unit plan involved a great deal of thought process on my part.  I will admit that I am an old school "Chalk and talk" type of classroom teacher who is usually satisfied when students are able to spit back information to me.  Times have changed.  Students have changed.  My teaching day has changed ( block scheduling).  I have to come up with ways to engage my students because if I am going to continue to teach these students today the way I did yesterday, I will not be doing them or myself any good.  One of the positives of teaching in a block schedule is that i have become more creative in my teaching approach in able to keep my students entertained, for lack of a better term.  If we can get them to use more critical thinking skills and participate in meaningful class discussion, among other essential tasks, we stand a greater chance of preparing them to be able the challenges that lie ahead of them in the 21st century.  Furthermore, I agree with the NJ CCCS phraseology that includes accountability on a global scale. 

Ubd Plan

Understanding By Design Lesson Template

Title of Lesson	The Six Essential Nutrients		Grade Level	11th Grade
Curriculum Area	Health Education		Time Frame	3 Blocks
Developed By	Lawrence Manning
Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)
Content Standards
2.1.12.B.3 Students will analyze the unique contributions of each nutrient class to one’s health.
Understandings			Essential Question(s)
Overarching Understanding			Overarching		Topical
How the food that you eat affects your health in many ways—how you look and feel, how well you resist disease, and even how well you perform mentally and physically.			In many cultures, people get little protein from animal sources. How might these people obtain the protein they need? If a person’s diet does not contain enough iron, his or her tissues may not get all the oxygen they need . Explain why this is so. How can your diet today affect your future health?		How does diet affect cholesterol levels in the blood? What does it mean to say that food is nutrient-dense? What roles does water play in the body? What are some ways that people with high blood pressure can reduce their sodium intake? How is metabolism related to the nutrients in food? Why is it important for teens to get enough calcium?
Related Misconceptions
Fats are “bad” because of all the talk of low-fat diets. Foods that are high in calories are unhealthy. Vegetarian diets are low in protein. As part of a healthy diet, people need to take dietary supplements.
Knowledge Students will know…			Skills Students will be able to…
The three classes of nutrients that supply your body with energy. Identify the two main classes of vitamins. List seven minerals your body needs in significant amounts.			Explain how the body obtains energy from food. Describe the roles that fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water play in your body.
Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)
Other Evidence
1.In their journals, have students list foods they typically eat that are high in saturated fats. Have students make another list of foods that are high in trans fats. Then challenge the students to list some changes they could make to their diet to lower their intake of fats. 2.Have students bring in empty food boxes from a variety of foods that students typically eat. Distribute the items to small groups of students. Each group should analyze the foods’ carbohydrates content and determine whether each food group is a better source of sugars or starches. Groups should also compare the amount of fiber in each food. Using the empty food boxes, identify foods that are enriched with vitamins. Have students identify which vitamins are added to foods and in what amounts. Discuss why food manufacturers might add vitamins to foods. 3.Present students with this scenario: You are thinking of becoming a vegan, but you are concerned about how to include enough water-soluble vitamins in your diet. Ask: Which water-soluble vitamin might be most difficult to obtain from your diet? Where would you go for trustworthy information about the safety of vegan diets? What foods would be important to include in your diet?
Learning Plan (Stage 3)
Where are your students headed? Where have they been? How will you make sure the students know where they are going?		Students recognize what nutrients are. How does the body get these from the food we eat.
How will you hook students at the beginning of the unit?		Survey students knowledge of food and nutrition. Address any misconceptions while teaching this section.
What events will help students experience and explore the big idea and questions in the unit? How will you equip them with needed skills and knowledge?		Have students prepare a menu for one day that emphasizes the need for the essential nutrients.
How will you cause students to reflect and rethink? How will you guide them in rehearsing, revising, and refining their work?		List vocabulary terms on the board, and have students give facts about each term.
How will you help students to exhibit and self-evaluate their growing skills, knowledge, and understanding throughout the unit?		Students will write five questions that relate to section objectives. Have students exchange questions with a partner and answer them.
How will you tailor and otherwise personalize the learning plan to optimize the engagement and effectiveness of ALL students, without compromising the goals of the unit?		Have students find and share recipes for dishes that have complementary plant proteins, such as rice and beans. Have students create a bulletin board display of simple and complex carbohydrates.
How will you organize and sequence the learning activities to optimize the engagement and achievement of ALL students?		Cooperative learning, Differentiated instruction,Teacher demo,Class discussion, Guided notes, Active learning

FrAdditional commentsom: Wiggins, Grant and J. Mc Tighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (ppk)

Reflection questions:

Well, I must say that this was not an easy assignment. There was a lot of thinking that I needed to do to address the areas presented by the UbD format. I currently prepare a lesson plan daily that includes an assessment that generally takes me about ten minutes to construct. This unit plan,which incorporates three block classes, took me about three hours to complete with the assistance of the teachers edition and the teaching resource book on my lap. Keep in mind that I have been teaching this content for 31 years. Not an easy assignment!

Assessment for Learning Around the World

In reading Darling-Hammond and McCloskey (2008), one gets the notion that the onus on a child's academic assessment in highly ranked educational systems around the world is where it should be--in the hands of the teachers.  The methods used in these countries "turns out to be an important way of enabling strong teacher participation and ensuring high-quality local assessment"(Darling & McCloskey, 2008, p.264).  This format has also been found to improve curriculum.  The main reason for this success can be attributed to one factor in my opinion-teacher involvement!  Here in New Jersey, it would be nice to see some control over student assessment given to the classroom teacher. 

"Assessment abroad involves teachers in developing and scoring intellectually challenging performance tasks that are embedded in and guide instruction, providing grist for feedback, student self-evaluation, and learning"(Darling & McCloskey, 2008, p.271). I strongly believe that more control of assessments should be made locally, definitely within the guidelines of the state.  The United States is too diverse to impose national standards of achievement. There are students from every corner of the globe here in Hudson County alone that present a challenge to educators in regard to language barriers, cultural differences, and where English is not the primary language spoken at home. Many times these children come from families where there is a lack of formal education at home.  My point is that these students may be deemed not proficient by standardized testing because of the reasons listed above, but may stand a chance academically  if their knowledge would be assessed in another format.

  The authors contend that the high-achieving countries "rely largely on open-ended items that require students to analyze, apply knowledge, and write extensively (Darling & McCloskey,2008, p.264).  After reading Thomas Friedman and Daniel Pink, it is clear that these are essential attributes that American students will need if we are to remain competitive in the global marketplace.

In Sweden, teachers are required to do post graduate work in content and in education that is financed by the government.  I would like to see this intense training instituted beginning with all undergraduate education majors.   The changes that need to be done must start from the ground up. We have to teach tomorrow's teachers to be able to provide a new vision for assessing our students other than standardized tests. 

While I agree that we need to change our methods of assessment to improve curriculum, I am also concerned about the subjective grading of the assessment.  Who is to assess the assessors?

In many other countries, the teachers are developing their assessment tests.  These "classroom tasks ensure that students have the kind of learning opportunities that prepare them for assessments"(Darling & McCloskey, 2008, p.269).  Here in New Jersey, teachers can't even see what is on the standardized test under penalty of death.  Every test is sealed and secured until the student breaks it open on test day.  How does a teacher know if they have been preparing the students properly if they have no input into formulating the assessment?  What about feedback?  You don't even get the scores back until the following school year (ASK 4) or late in the school year(HSPA).

This changing of our assessment method will be a monumental task.  It will not be easy or quick.  Perhaps it can begin in schools today through meaningful professional development where the focus of teaching changes from teaching to the test to developing greater learning.

Reference:

Darling-Hammond, L., & McCloskey, L. (2008). Assessment for Learning Around the World:  What Would It Mean To Be Internationally Competitive? Phi Delta Kappan, December, 263-272.

Right Now Mash Up

Many thanks to my family, who gave me much technological support. The content is all mine.

Japan math class

This video was quite surprising.  I thought that I would have seen a classroom of little robots sitting quietly in their seats giving rote answers to the teacher.  I was amazed by the amount of activity in the room.  The noise level was really loud, with some students just yelling out.  One of the students actually tugged on the teacher's arm to get her attention. 

The atmosphere in the class was much more relaxed than I expected.  The class also seemed to be student directed.  Maybe we should be less regimented in our instruction especially if the teacher has a lot of Tylenol because it was definitely loud.

Fischbowl reaction

The information is mind boggling when you consider the technological advances in the past few years alone.  I myself am learning every day how to navigate my way around the computer as a result of my going back to graduate school where everything is computer driven.

Our children are very adept at using the computer, yet they need to be educated in how to interpret the data accessible on the computer.  However, the answer is not always the computer.  Children need to be taught how to think critically.  They must acquire background knowledge.  This comes from conversations at home, in the classroom, and in social situations.

To move forward in the schools, we must improve our professional development so that teachers are abreast with the current technologies.  What exactly are the skills that are necessary for the 21st century?  We can't teach it if we don't know it.

We also have to get away from teaching to the test, as responding to a multiple choice exam does little to improve a child's creativity and imagination.  These two skills will be essential in this century.

The students need to be trained to think so they will be able to adapt to the ever changing work force.  The students must be prepared to collaborate with others which will be another essential skill, as we don't even know where the jobs will be.

Who's scared? Any parent such as myself should be scared because the job market right now is horrendous, and we don't know what it will be like in the future when my children graduate from college.  

Jeter School Improvement Plan

After not meeting our AYP for the second state year, I propose the following improvement plan to address the need for strengthening the mathematics skills of our students here at Jeter Middle School, in particular our 8th graders. Because we are an economically disadvantaged district, we are being held to a higher standard. We must be able to apply mathematics to the real world.  We are currently taking a close look at our current Math text book to determine if  it addresses the needs of our students in regard to the data analysis provided from the last two standardized tests.  We are interested in possibly piloting a new text book for our school that incorporates 21st century technology, as well as, also includes math manipulatives.

We will be stressing mathematics as a cross-curricular focus in our school. This will be a priority in all of our grades, but in particular 8th grade.

After receiving an allotment of money through the No Child Left Behind grant, I feel that the money could be best utilized in the following manner:

Title I  

We must hire an additional 8th grade math teacher who is highly qualified with a 6-12 grade certification in Mathematics. This will reduce class size.  A lower student-teacher ratio has been found to be effective in improving standardized test scores.  I realize that that this will use up most of the funds under Title I, but I strongly believe that this additional staffing is essential.

Title II

Since most of my staff is highly qualified, we need to address professional development as a means of achieving improved student learning. Therefore, workshops will be established to aid teachers to specialize in their subject areas with a strong focus on building math skills. These PD programs will include teaching with manipulatives, keeping the students engaged, and how to implement a cross-curricular program.

Along with in-district workshops, the funding will be utilized to account for teacher release time to attend out of district workshops that are content specific.  The funding will allow for substitutes to cover classes. I will also allow for teachers to observe neighboring districts with successful programs to see what works for them in dealing with similar type students.

Title III

We will use this money to purchase computers for our bilingual program that will be used for all students.  By increasing the number of computers, we give our students  the opportunity to improve skills that are essential for their educational background in the 21st century.  Additional money from Title III will be spent on software for these computers with an emphasis on building math skills.

Title IV

This money with be utilized to improve school morale and to build self esteem in our students. Our counselors will provide team building skills for our students by instituting programs such as Peer Leadership, as well as Peer Mediation training so that our students have a safe nurturing environment in which to learn in.  This positive environment hopefully will create an atmosphere where all students can thrive.

Title V

This money will be allocated to provide a stipend for teachers for an after school program for the students who have shown to be not proficient on previous standardized tests.  This program will emphasize the areas in need of improvement based on the data acquired from previous tests.  These will be small groups and the instruction will be a lead up to the NJ ASK 8.

In conclusion, please consider these proposals as a means of improving not only Jeter School's test scores, but its overall academic performance. 

   

Pink Assignment

Sabre-Tooth Curriculum

1. Education should be based on the skills needed by the society in the present,  but with an eye on the future.   We shouldn't  be afraid to change and adapt our curriculum as need be.  New-Fist first created his curriculum as a means to find "ways in which life may be made better for himself, his family, and his group."  The skills that were to be taught were essential for the overall good of the community.  New-Fist envisioned that the children would be better off when they became grown because of the goals that he established.  So, in that regard, the curriculum was constructed to prepare for the future.

2. A curriculum change should reflect the common goals of the community.  This is seen when the members could no longer survive using the techniques established by New-Fist.  It was paramount to change their methods of teaching skills.  Some members of the community even criticized the schools for implementing change.  But without the necessary change, the community could not have survived.  So even though some members staunchly defended New-Fist's curriculum, other forward thinkers were able to change the educational process for the better.

3. I believe that a curriculum should focus on skills as opposed to content knowledge.  The Saber-Tooth curriculum defenders saw the teaching of the outdated skills as a generalization for other thought processes.  For example, "We don't teach fish-grabbing to grab fish; we teach it to develop a generalized agility which can never be developed by mere training."

This thought process would not be helping the tribe have a better life, which is what New-Fist's goal was when he developed his curriculum.  You must provide the children with the skills needed to survive in the present.

From the reading, the community faced the challenge of a changing environment.  If they continued to catch fish, club horses, and scare saber-tooth tigers using New-Fist's methods, they would not survive.

I believe that New-Fist would be very proud of the radical who implored the wise old men "Couldn't you please try these other more up-to-date activities?  Maybe they have some educational value after all?"

Dear Mr. Hirsch

Dear Mr. Hirsch,

I have been a teacher at Harrison High school for the past thirty years and after reading your prescription for school reform, I feel the need to respond.

The Harrison School District is one of the Abbott Districts in the state of New Jersey.  This identifies us as a lower income school district. Most of our students come from homes where English is not the primary language spoken at home.  After reading your list of words and terms that all students should know and be able to be tested on, I have no idea how this could be implemented here at Harrison.  This philosophy cannot work when there is no reinforcement at home or where there isn't a similar frame of reference.  This is similar to when the United States gets compared to Japan in standardized testing results.  We are a nation of many cultures, whereas Japan has one culture, therefore they can have national standards to abide by. Unfortunately, education is viewed differently in some cultures here in the United States, with some cultures holding it in high regard while it isn't emphasized enough in others.  However, these children are sharing the same classrooms.

In regard to school funding, your silence speaks volumes as we see the success of many Abbott districts, who are now able to compete with more affluent districts due increased state funding.  I wouldn't even like to imagine how our schools would perform if it wasn't for increased state aid.

Furthermore, Mr. Hirsch, children do not learn strictly by memorization or the rote method.  I believe some concepts are better taught without "telling" and "rote" memorization.  These two teaching techniques have a place in the educational process, but should not be the sole method.  For instance, the multiplication tables must be memorized, and words and terms in foreign language class must be memorized.  It is my opinion that in all subject areas , many lessons may achieve positive results with techniques such as physical experience, or the "hands on" approach, an example of which would be a science experiment. 

In conclusion, I was pleased to see that you amended your theories and philosophies in recent years.  Education must be an ever evolving process, lest we become like the cavemen in the "Saber Tooth Curriculum."

Sincerely,

        Lawrence J. Manning

This is what I believe

I believe that I am a teacher today largely in part of the influence of my role model, my mentor, my hero, my dad.  My father was an educator for 47 years in Harrison beginning as a history teacher working his way up the administrative ranks, achieving the position of Superintendent of Schools. Education was always top priority in our household and along with that a deep respect for the teaching profession.

I believe that given the proper materials, quality instruction, and a safe and nurturing environment, all students may not pass a standardized test but they can get a head start in the game of life.  Good teachers truly do make a difference in the lives of young children and young adults.

I believe that if your heart and soul are not into teaching, then you do not belong in the classroom.

I believe that the teaching to the test philosophy on the high school level has reduced or eliminated many elective courses which used to give students a different venue to stand out and increase their self-esteem, i.e. wood shop, art, home economics.

I believe that quality Health and Physical Education is more essential now than ever given the rates of childhood obesity in this country.

I believe that I made a wise decision many years ago when I chose to enter the teaching profession.

Standards

Understanding that I am a Health and Phys. Ed. teacher, the number one benefit from the New Jersey Laws and Standards is the fact that unlike most states, we mandate that all students take four years of Health/Phys. Ed.

I am also fortunate to teach in an Abbott District which provides additional funding for economically disadvantaged districts.  This has allowed for increased staffing,  smaller class size, early childhood programs,  early intervention programs, and also new school buildings.

All teachers in New Jersey must now be or working toward becoming highly qualified.  The standards also make teachers more accountable.  

Each teacher must also fill out a Personal Improvement Plan after they have been observed annually.

The laws and standards provide that all students throughout the state should be learning the same educational content.

Now for the shackles:  It is one thing to work in an Abbott District but it is another thing to live in a district that receives little state aid(North Arlington). The North Arlington district operates on a shoe- string budget and does a fantastic job in achieving its state mandated benchmarks.

All schools must implement a four year old pre-K program, but not a three year old program like the Abbott's.

I also have a benefit and a shackle:  Professional development.  In my many years of teaching, I have sat through many In-District workshops that had little to do advancing my abilities as a Physical Education teacher. Some of these workshops need to be more teaching content area specific.  For instance,  perhaps a district wide workshop solely for Health and Phys. Ed. teachers to discuss the implementation of the President's Physical fitness test.

Do most teachers adhere to the standards?

It is my opinion that most teachers at Harrison HS adhere to the standards.  Being that we are an Abbott district, we are closely monitored and at many of the aforementioned workshops , our principal drums it into our heads our responsibilities in this regard.

How about the national standards?

After viewing the national standards for Health and Phys. Ed., I must say that the national standards are a bit more comprehensive than New Jersey's. However, New Jersey is one of the few states that mandate twelve years of Phys. Ed. for their students.

I feel that the national standards could be used as a guideline that state programs should try to achieve. 

My name is Larry Manning.  I am 52 years young and reside in North Arlington, NJ. I have been happily married to the lovely Barbara for the past 26 years. We have three children, Allison, 25, Thomas, 19 and Timmy, 16. Allison is married to John Perez who recently concluded his commitment to our country achieving the rank of Captain  in the United States Army during which time he completed two tours of duty in Iraq.  Allison is currently a permanent substitute teacher of History at Washington Middle School in Harrison.  My son Thomas is a sophomore at LaSalle University in Philadelphia and is currently an Undecided major.  My son Timmy will be a Junior at St. Peter's Prep.

Since graduating Seton Hall University in 1978 with a degree in Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Driver Education,  I have been employed by the Harrison Board of Education as a  teacher of Health and Phys. Ed. at Harrison High School.  I like to say that I have one the best jobs in the whole world.

During my tenure at Harrison,  I have coached football for 17 years, wrestling for 7 years, baseball for 3 years, boys' volleyball for 4 years, swimming 1 year, and this fall I am in my 2nd year as coach of the girls' volleyball team. After 29 years my first experience coaching girls' sports continues to be a very rewarding experience.

I am in the Supervisor Certificate program as a means of being qualified to become an Athletic Director plus it will be useful to me as my new role as Facilitator of Health, Phys. Ed. and Nursing Services for Grades 6-12 in Harrison.

My interests include exercising such as walking, jogging, bicycling, tennis and I am still playing ice hockey twice a week.  I also enjoy reading, cooking and crossword puzzles.  

I am trying to fast forward myself in the computer age of college so please bear with me.

Who am I?

Hello, welcome to my world.

"Go ahead, make my day."