The Inspiring Teacher Series: Interview with Travis Tingle

Welcome to The Inspiring Teacher Series - a tribute to inspirational K-12 teachers and college professors, and what we can learn from them and each other about the craft of teaching. Now let's meet...

Travis Tingle

Band Teacher

Union Grove Middle School

McDonough, GA

Bio
Travis Tingle has been a middle school and high school band teacher for 8 years. He taught at Hull Middle School in Duluth, GA; Jonesboro High School in Jonesboro, GA; Stockbridge Middle School in Stockbridge, GA; and is currently the band teacher at Union Grove Middle School in McDonough, GA. Travis received his undergraduate degree in K-12 Education with a concentration in instrumental music from Georgia State University and his Master’s in Business Administration degree from the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University.

Travis was awarded the Business and International Education Scholarship for overseas studies in International Business in spring 2008. He spent 16 days in South Africa with the J. Mack Robinson College of Business studying the social, educational, and economic landscape. He perceives the global business community as a large contributor in aiding countries both financially and socially by producing jobs and partnering with the academic community. His students have been selected to participate in the University of Georgia Honors Clinic, the Georgia All State Band, Troy State University Honors Clinic, Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Wind Ensemble, Atlanta Youth Wind Ensemble, and the Music USA Contest in Orlando Florida. His students have consistently received excellent and superior ratings in all Georgia Music Educators Association large group performance evaluation categories.

What inspired you to teach?
Much like Bridget Robbins, one of the other bloggers for the inspiring teacher series, teaching was the last thing on my mind when graduating high school. My dad was an assistant principal and my mom was a world history teacher. Dinner discussions were not at all inspiring or very positive!! Don’t get me wrong, they did a great job in their fields but the schools they taught in were very difficult. The communities around the schools were plagued by drugs, alcohol, and broken families. I remember finding a baseball bat in my dad’s closet in his office and I was immediately reminded of James Belushi playing the role of Ricky Latimer in the movie “The Principal!” Who in their right mind would want to enter the teaching profession after hearing those horrifying stories at dinner every night!! Not me! I was dead set against being a teacher or a pastor! In my teenage opinion, both were underpaid and had to deal with crap being shoveled on them every day! Who needs it!!

I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career and after two quarters I dropped out of college and decided to work at a restaurant waiting tables until I figured it out! Several months later I decided I would give the college of education at Georgia State University a chance seeing as several of my friends I attended high school with were education majors there. I went in as a K-12 Music Education major because I was very involved in music through my school years as a kid. During my middle and high school years I was fortunate to be selected as a member of the Georgia All State Bands 8th-12th grade and was also selected to attend the Governor’s Honors Program in Jazz Studies at Valdosta State University. The opportunity to teach private saxophone lessons afforded me the break I needed to quit waiting tables and still make a living as an undergrad! Then the unthinkable happened: I actually started to enjoy teaching and watching the kids get better! I was full force going to finish my undergrad in education and get a job teaching!

I was VERY fortunate to have great mentors that taught and still teach in the Atlanta area. While watching them teach I took endless notes and my mentors allowed me to teach their classes and gain experience using their techniques!

**Here’s the most important facet of learning to teach in the classroom for people currently teaching, student teaching, or just registering for your first education courses as an undergrad: You must have mentors that have held successful teaching careers from surrounding schools and from the University you attend. Go ahead and fight the pride and understand you know nothing about teaching in the classroom until you have copied their techniques and molded and developed them into your own over several years by trial and error (I call it “Trial by Fire”)!! Then give it some time and hang in there! Hey, it takes 5 years of teaching to get over the shock of it and then things in the classroom will get a little easier and VERY rewarding!!

What teaching methods are most helpful in pushing students towards their goals?
I teach 6-8 grades, so Character education is something my students and I practice in the classroom. It may sound old fashioned to many, but students by and large do not know how to address adults or each other. We spend a considerable amount of time in the first two weeks of school going over my expectations and role playing them in class. It’s simple stuff like, being in your seat on time, raising your hand before you speak or get up, do not play your instrument until the director begins rehearsal, and do not touch anyone’s property except for your own. The big one is, you must answer with yes sir or yes ma’am, or simply yes or no. There is no yeah-uh huh business that goes on in our classroom!! Another crucial expectation is disrespect with gestures like smacking lips and sucking teeth!! I use Bon Qui Qui (look it up on You Tube) at Burger King as an example of this and the students think it’s hilarious that I am re-enacting Bon Qui Qui!! I have a student act like the teacher and I act the part of a student. They call on me for misbehaving in class and I respond by smacking my lips and sucking my teeth. Then, the student (acting like me the teacher) gets up and writes my name on the board! Hey, it gets the point across and they get to see how ridiculous people look when they behave this way! I have the students demonstrate the wrong way and the consequence of me writing their name on the board and they receive what we call in my school a “citation”. Of course, they don’t really receive a citation from me while we are role playing the expectations! The first 2 weeks of school is perfect for this because the environment is not threatening and most students are not misbehaving yet!! Basically the procedures of the classroom are ingrained in their minds so they become second nature to the student. Now, it’s not as easy as it sounds, the first few weeks will be a little difficult and there will be quite a few names on the board!!!

What is the one thing you wish you'd known when you started your teaching career?
I wish I had known how mentally and emotionally draining it was going to be. If I had considered the emotional drain and the pay scale, I would have majored in something other than education. I wish I had known how many years of experience (5-6 years) it would take for the shock of teaching to wear off! Presently, I enjoy my job at my new school and am happy teaching, but I had no idea how much of an uphill struggle it would be to get there. Most jobs, careers, and life in general are common in that way. Unfortunately, Generations X and Y were not well prepared for the reality of the world. Our teachers and guidance counselors painted a very rosy picture of the world and told us everything was going to be okay if we work hard and pursue our dreams. That is partly right but it was definitely not the whole truth!!

The Inspiring Teacher Series: Interview with Barry Hantman

Welcome to The Inspiring Teacher Series - a tribute to inspirational K-12 teachers and college professors, and what we can learn from them and each other about the craft of teaching. Now let's meet...

Barry Hantman
Homebound Instruction Teacher
Queens, NY

Bio

Barry Hantman won his school spelling bee in 5th, 6th, and 7th grades. His inexorable decline began shortly thereafter and he’s been trying to make a comeback since 1973. Barry graduated from Bayside High School (Go Commodores!), Binghamton State University (Go Bearcats!) and received his teaching Masters degree from NYU (Go . . . ?). Barry has worked as a Home Instruction teacher for the NYC Department of Education since 1984. Relevant quote: “If Perry perceives me as an inspiring educator, I fear we may already be in trouble.”

What inspired you to teach?
Teaching was not a calling that beckoned me. I had always been interested in politics and government (so-called “political science”), thus I’d assumed I wanted to practice law. But the dull reality of law school inspired me to find a better way. I don’t believe in reincarnation so if I only have one life to live, I decided it would not be as an attorney. Since my parents were teachers, the field of education seemed like a natural option to explore.

Please explain the “day in a life” of a homebound instruction teacher.
A homebound instruction teacher educates students who cannot attend school for physical or emotional reasons. A typical case is a broken ankle/leg for about 7 weeks, but I’ve had students recuperating for months from heart surgery, a kidney transplant, leukemia, etc. Or a pupil might get expelled from school and is at home awaiting placement at a new school. Once I even taught a youngster in the Witness Protection program! I work with students from grades 7-12, but occasionally teach even kindergarteners or first graders (and have proudly taught 3 such children to read). Not only do I instruct students of various ages and home environments, but I also teach kids from the most diverse possible ethnic backgrounds. I work in Queens County, New York City – according to the US Census, the most diverse area on the planet!

A Home Instruction teacher is like a basketball point guard – you must know when to speed things up (such as reviewing for state exams) and when to slow down the pace (at times that a child isn’t feeling well, whether physically or emotionally). You start to get adept at readings faces and moods; within 20 seconds of walking through the door you can usually tell how productive the day is going to be.

I love my job but of course, it has its own peculiar set of hassles. Driving from apartment to apartment means finding several parking spots a day, no easy feat in congested parts of the city. I might only find a one hour meter but the lesson is for another half-hour. Then I have to remember to go back downstairs to feed the meter or I’ll return to find a nice orange parking ticket slapped on my windshield. Building elevators are frequently out so I have to walk up and down several flights of stairs. And driving in the snow is a hassle. I have a fuel-efficient Nissan Sentra that squeezes into tight parking spots but it doesn’t like heavy snowfalls.

What teaching methods are most helpful in guiding students toward their goals?
I have the luxury of working one-to-one so I try to take full advantage. I assess student strengths/weaknesses in order to focus on areas of concern. Many classroom pupils who failed a course or state exam and now must retake it will suddenly flourish with their own tutor. It’s incredible what a difference the extra private attention makes. This is true for the math and creative writing instruction I give but also for the tennis and guitar lessons I arranged for my son; there is no comparison between one-to-one and thirty-to-one.

I also utilize what’s around me. I scan a home’s walls and tables for homework essay ideas. For example, a Sikh student’s apartment displayed a large drawing of the Golden Temple at Amritsar. I asked Chami to write about the Temple’s significance and to outline some of his faith’s tenets. I read Chami’s essay the next morning while sipping chai tea his mother had prepared. Another pupil’s family were Afghan refugees. They had an enlarged photo of the father in between President George W. Bush and Afghan leader Hamid Karzai. Detailing that treasured photo was Shaheera’s writing assignment. Even the smell of a delicious meal being prepared could very well lead to a recipe request for homework (and to a free sample for the teacher).

What skills should a teacher training program emphasize? De-emphasize?
The most critical factors can’t be taught – intelligence (both IQ and even more importantly, EQ – emotional intelligence), motivation, creativity, sense of humor, and character. But all those qualities can be enhanced. I believe the best teacher training involves hands-on experience mirroring the actual job you seek. My teaching Masters degree courses were a joke, consisting of either theoretical jargon or somewhat interesting concepts that I could’ve easily grasped on my own. I would eliminate such grad school requirements and instead mandate a two year “student teacher” training program in classrooms led by outstanding educators.

What would you like to improve about your teaching?
Nothing. I’m done. Actually, my view is that as soon as anyone in any profession grows overconfident, it’s the start of that person’s downfall. The ancient Greeks were right – we must guard against complacency (hubris). I’m still always learning from my students, National Geographic, the Science section of The NY Times, museum exhibits, The History Channel, etc.

What is the one thing you wish you’d known when you started your teaching career?
I’ll just relate the sage advice of a retiring veteran homebound teacher fondly known as Bamby. At the annual end of June luncheon, Bamby was called to the microphone to deliver a few parting gems of wisdom. Perhaps he would reflect upon the meaning of his 35 years in the program. As Bamby cleared his throat, we all attentively leaned forward. His gaze met ours. Then Bamby uttered his immortal final words as a Home Instruction teacher: “In the winter, park in the sun. And in the summer, park in the shade. I’m moving South tomorrow. Bye.”

Never Crush Anyone's Dreams

I never dreamed of being a college professor. Does anybody?

In fact, I always gave my teachers fits in school, as evidenced by grade school report cards:

- Second Grade: Improvement needed in self control

- Fourth Grade: Perry needs to exert more self control

- Sixth Grade: Perry needs to exercise better self control

As a little kid, I dreamed about playing professional basketball. I played and played for hours. In third grade, we had to write an essay on what we wanted to be when we grew up. I wrote that I wanted to be 6’10” and play in Madison Square Garden. When the teacher handed back my paper, she laughed out loud and said “You can’t do that!” That was the first time someone had crushed my professional dream.

Why would a teacher be so unthinking? She may have been right about the 6’10” part, but this molder of young minds lacked the understanding of what negative reinforcement can do to little kids. She also lacked the understanding that height isn’t everything for a basketball player. Teachers, especially in the impressionable K-12 years, are my personal heroes. But they need to be dream builders, not dream destroyers. It’s healthy to discuss rational backup career plans, but why spoil youthful exuberance which could flower into the unexpected?

Take Away: Your words can stay with a student for his or her entire life.

Note: That's me at age 25, playing basketball with former NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Mark Eaton (7'4" center for the Utah Jazz)

© 2009 Perry Binder, J.D. This article contains excerpts from my book:

Unlocking Your Rubber Room: 44 Off-the-Wall Lessons to Lighten and Transform Everyday Life http://www.yourrubberroom.com/

What qualities make a great teacher?

Reader comments from Minnesota Public Radio.

My favorite: Never-ending understanding. Non-judgmental. Accepting. Encouraging. Inspiring. Dedicated. Driven. Knowledgeable not only in subject matter but life lessons as well. Has desire to continue learning. Levelheaded. Ability to see from any angle needed. Patient.

Continue reading...
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/todays-question/archive/2010/04/in-your-view-what-qualities-make-a-great-teacher.shtml

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SPEAKING OF GREAT TEACHERS:
TAFFEL TALKS KINDERGARTEN BLOG
Here is the blog of Arleen Taffel, an inspirational teacher for 40 years who recently passed away.
http://mtbethel.blogs.com/taffel/
A kindergarten teacher for 40 years, including 30 memorable years at Mt. Bethel Elementary School in Marietta, Georgia, Arleen taught up until nearly her last day and will always be remembered for her love of teaching. She will forever serve as an enduring inspiration for the countless children, parents and teachers whose lives she touched.

...................

Here's some...
GOOD NEWS -- UPDATE ON MARSH FORK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Thanks to a generous $2.5 million grant from the Annenberg Foundation, the long march for a new elementary school for children in the besieged Coal River Valley hamlet of Sundial, West Virginia, has come to an end: A new school will now be built in a different location. ...
Along with the Annenberg funds and a gift from the Coal River Mountain Watch, the school also received commitments of $2.6 million from the West Virginia School Building Authority, and $1.5 million from the Raleigh County Board of Education and Massey Energy, which is responsible for the whole mess of coal dust and the dangerous coal slurry impoundment.

Continue reading...
Goodbye Massey Coal Dust: Welcome to the Ed Wiley Elementary School!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-biggers/goodbye-massey-coal-dust_b_559167.html

See my posting

Thursday, March 25, 2010
Move Elementary School out of Harm's Way

This is a follow up to my Saturday, January 23, 2010 post

I follow the Marsh Fork/Massey coal issue very closely -- in April, there will be a school board vote on needed funds to move this school.
In West Virginia, the Marsh Fork elementary school sits 400 yards downstream from a dam holding back billions of gallons of water/coal sludge. The West Virginia government has refused to build a new elementary school in a safer location. The community, afraid for its children's lives, began the organization Pennies of Promise to raise the funds themselves. In April 2010, the school board will vote on funding for a new school. Are you willing to lend your voice to support these kids?

My students have joined the Facebook page below, and I am reaching out to other schools in an effort to elevate media awareness and the importance of a new school.

The "Pennies of Promise" Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2256931294

The Inspiring Teacher Series: Interview with Bridget Robbins

Welcome to the first installment of The Inspiring Teacher Series - a tribute to inspirational K-12 teachers and college professors, and what we can learn from them and each other about the craft of teaching. Now let's meet...

Bridget Robbins

Kindergarten Teacher

Abbotts Hill Elementary - Johns Creek, GA

Bio
Bridget Robbins has been an elementary school teacher for over eight years. For the past 2 years she has taught Kindergarten at Abbotts Hill Elementary School, and prior to that taught 1st through 6th grade in both urban and rural settings. Bridget worked as a substitute teacher at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. She received her undergraduate degree (B.S. in Elementary Education) from the University of Michigan – Flint and continued her education at the University of Georgia where she earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Administration & Policy and an Early Childhood Reading Endorsement, May of 2006. While attending the University of Georgia, she worked as a graduate assistant with the UGA - Clarke County School District - Athens Community partnership. In that role her primary responsibility was to act as the liaison between the partners. She helped further the goals and vision of this long-term Partnership for Community Learning Centers’ initiative. During this time she also helped plan professional development and conferences for teachers. Bridget recruited and trained students to help with tutoring and to provide other support and academic services at the elementary schools in Clarke County. Bridget loves teaching and helping students realize their full potential! She currently serves as Team Coach for her grade level and began First Class Learning, LLC – which offers tutoring services and Adventures in Reading & Math camps for children at Abbotts Hill and in the Johns Creek, Georgia community.

What inspired you to teach?
Wow! Teaching was the last thing on my mind when I graduated from high school in 1995. My family is full of teachers – my mom, grandma, aunts, and uncles but I decided I wanted to be different and began working on an accounting degree. However, that was not to be my fate! I decided to spend some time helping my mom out in her classroom and eventually began substitute teaching to make some extra money. As I worked in the classroom I was amazed by how much I enjoyed it and how much the students seemed to enjoy having me as their teacher. They were enthusiastic and eager to please. I was taken aback by their natural unconditional acceptance of me which inspired me to change my major and pursue a career in education. When I started substitute teaching, the teachers and principals began requesting me regularly to sub in their schools. It has been such a rewarding experience to teach children and see the progress that they make academically and socially. I feel it is one of the most fulfilling jobs. Teachers help shape tomorrow’s future which is what makes teaching such a fulfilling job.

What teaching methods are most helpful in guiding students toward their goals?
Positive, positive, positive & meaningful reinforcement!!! I respond well to words of affirmation and I believe this plays a role in my teaching style. I have found that helping to build up a child’s self esteem and self worth reaps a great reward – for the student and for me! We all want to do well and we all want people to like and care about us so I try to do my best to encourage, support and build trust with my students, especially during the first few months of school. Students need to know that you genuinely care about them. At the beginning of the year, I take time to get to know their likes and dislikes and what really matters to them. We develop our classroom rules and consequences together so that students can have ownership and actively help to reinforce the rules.

The second thing that really makes a difference is consistency in discipline and classroom routines. Believe it or not children like and respond very well to order and a consistent schedule. It helps them to feel safe in the classroom. The idea of fairness is very important to children. Being consistent promotes a feeling of equality in the classroom. Whenever I discipline a student, I do my best to do so in a positive way. Instead of saying “stop that or be quiet, I try to say things like, “Please keep your voice off or remember to raise your hand before speaking.” I then explain to the students that because of the choice he or she has made, he or she will have to deal with the consequence. I tell them, I know you can do better next time and everyone makes mistakes.” Students will usually respond well and take the consequence without complaining. Many times, they will apologize or choose to sit by themselves next time so they won’t get in trouble. With time, students become intrinsically motivated to meet our classroom expectations.
We celebrate as much as possible in my classroom! Throughout the day we cheer each other on! “Way to go!! Awesome! Great Job!” is frequently heard in my classroom. We have class parties and on Fridays we play our Morning Boogie music and dance together which helps build a sense of community. When you encourage kids, they become encouragers. Be what you want your students to be!!!

What skills should a teacher training program emphasize? De-emphasize?
Teacher training programs should emphasize hands on, real life experiences with children in classrooms. Service learning is a great opportunity for students to get some of these experiences while helping others. It would be beneficial to have more classes on classroom management and meeting the needs of diverse learners. It would also be great to have more of a focus on self reflection; thinking about what kind of teacher you want to be and what you need to do to become that person.

De–emphasize classes on research and statistics, and focus more on practical techniques that can be used in the classroom.

What would you like to improve about your teaching?
I would like to create more lessons that are fun and engaging for the students that really focus in on the skills and objectives that they need to master. Time management is another area I would like to improve on – getting the most out of the minutes we have with our students each day. I am always looking for ways to be more efficient.

What is the one thing you wished you would have known when you started your teaching career?
I wish I had known the importance of time management, organization and prioritizing! I have learned that I need to focus on what is most important because there is always more to do. Focus on the things that will give you the greatest return for your efforts -those things that will really help your students be successful.

College Professors should use Social Media as a Learning Tool Outside the Classroom

I've stated repeatedly over the years how the internet has revolutionized how educators can give assignments and communicate with students outside of class. And in the middle of our social media revolution, I still feel the same way (e.g. in the past, I've had extra credit assignments done exclusively on Facebook; and in an upcoming Mass Media class, the students and I will make active use of Twitter for communication outside of class, in an effort to engage professionals in the field).

On the other hand, while I encourage college students to bring laptops to class (to take notes or look up class information on task), I am not a proponent (yet?) of integrating Twitter/texting in real time to post comments DURING class for immediate review. Yes, I believe that class is an improv troupe, with the unexpected just waiting to happen. However, there is also a certain structure and flow that would be disrupted by real time comments posted and displayed on the big screen. Maybe if I had a teaching assistant to filter the relevant comments/questions from the clutter in my class of 120 students, I'd consider this usage.

I do recognize that students are techno-multi-taskers and that everything a prof says is not so useful or interesting. Thus, I have no problem with a student receiving a silent text because it doesn't disrupt the class. Professionals at conferences are continuously under the table with their Blackberries, and I try to treat the students the same way - as adults. It's up to me to make the class dynamic enough so they'll resort to paying attention.

I do have one classroom rule: If an unmuted cell phone call/text goes off - I get to answer it! That usually gets students to mute the phones AND get a good laugh.

Anyway, do you really think you can prevent students from using technology in class?

Why Banning Social Media Often Backfires

http://mashable.com/2010/04/13/social-media-ban-backfire/

Graduation Gift Book Ideas

Here's Amazon's Best Graduation Book Gifts (my list)

http://www.topbooksguide.com/list.php?lnr=R8FVR619DQRR4

They left out one of my suggestions - Oh the Places You'll Go!

Professor goes from caves to classroom

By Genevieve Adams - Kentucky Kernel April 15, 2010

What is learned in the classroom is only half of one’s education.This is the mentality one UK professor tries to bring to her students. As a cave diver, teacher, adventure seeker and published author, Stephanie Schwabe seeks to not only teach her students about geology, but the wonders of the world they don’t see.
“I try and bring my experiences and the excitement that I feel for what I do to the students,” Schwabe said. “I want them to be excited about this amazing planet as I am. That is the main reason for teaching. It certainly isn’t for the money.”

Continue reading:

http://kykernel.com/2010/04/15/professor-goes-from-caves-to-classroom/

Name School After Role Model - A Teacher

From Canada...

Admirers of inspiring teacher seek new tribute

April 11, 2010

Joanne Shuttleworth jshuttleworth@guelphmercury.com

GUELPH — There’s a movement afoot to have the new public school under construction in Guelph’s south end named after Michael Elrick, the high school teacher who ran environmental leadership programs for the board and who died of lung cancer in November last year.

For Joanne Harris, there’s dignity, passion, grace, and a quest for excellence associated with Elrick’s name, making it a fitting name for the new school, she said.

“He had a broad reach,” said Harris, who teaches the co-op education program at Centennial CVI. “Mike was on the national kayaking team, he was passionate about the environment and he touched so many lives. Teachers at Centennial are telling me this is a brilliant idea.”

Continue Reading:

http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/article/619904

Ranked # 2 in Kindle Book Sales > Education > Classroom Management category (April 7-9, 2010)

Bestsellers in Classroom Management (April 9, 2010, 1:00pm)
Kindle Store > Education > Classroom Management (Updated hourly)
1. The Daily Five by Gail Boushey (75 customer reviews) 4 customer discussions Auto-delivered wirelessly Kindle Price: $7.99

2. Unlocking Your Rubber Room: 44 Off-the-Wall Lessons to Lighten and Transform Everyday Life by J.D. Perry Binder (10 customer reviews) Auto-delivered wirelessly Kindle Price: $7.95

Also #13 in the > Humor > Lawyers & Criminals category

I like the J.D. Perry Binder name above! A lawyer, criminal, and famous writer?

April 5-12, Featured Author of the Week

Everyone - From Monday-Friday, I'm the Featured Author for "I JustFinished" Books. This link has a Q&A section for readers at the bottom of the page:

http://www.ijustfinished.com/author/perry_binder/4

Enjoy! And have a great week.

Perry

Book Review: "This [book's] course of study can change your life"

Unlocking Your Rubber Room ISBN 978-1934938249
February 14, 2010

44 lessons by a former lawyer, teacher and motivational speaker offer keys to unlock the reader's "Rubber Room", a mindset that limits a person's happiness in life. Many of these lessons come from the realm of law, which also offer practical "advice" through anecdotes about "Law and Negotiation" ( section A). Remember, "It's good to be a Judge"; not so good to face one unprepared.

In the "Potpourri "section, Binder gives lessons abut "Law and Life", using positive attitude, laughter, and exaggeration. Lesson 22, Just Because You're an Expert, Doesn't Mean You're Right, relates an incident with a demeaning professor to point out that opinion is not fact, and attack is not a valid way to deal with people. Find a better way.

A close look at the justice system in America comprises the last section : Justice and Education. What do you do in the face of injustice? Make your choice between fear or anger. Consider consequences, and use your strengths. Anecdotes deal with facing your limits and overcoming them.

Then you take your final exam. You won't need a pencil, but a scream is mandatory.
If you have learned from these tales, you have indeed graduated, and Binder gives a graduation speech for the occasion. He relates a life changing incident that caused him to re-evaluate his life and "saved" him from himself.

Turn your life around. Get ready for the lessons Binder relates, and prepare for your graduation. This course of study can change your life.

Lights are going out on drama teacher’s career

This week, I reflected on the teaching career of Jaime Escalante (pictured), the teacher who inspired his students in East Los Angeles, and others in the movie, "Stand and Deliver" (1988). Mr. Escalante passed away a few days ago. He was 79 years young.

In Mr. Escalante's honor, I am celebrating the teaching career of a lesser known teacher, Doug Smith. Smith is a high school drama teacher in California. (His former students include American Idol's Adam Lambert)

Smith's teaching philosophy: Love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art.

He is the focus in the following article:

Lights are going out on drama teacher’s career
By Blanca Gonzalez, UNION-TRIBUNE

The curtain will come down on Doug Smith’s teaching career this spring after more than 30 years of inspiring and guiding high school drama students, but for now, the show goes on.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/apr/03/lights-are-going-out-on-drama-teachers-career/

Quoted in AJC article: ‘Undercover Boss’ on CBS

CBS hasn’t had a new reality show hit in several years so when it green-lit “Undercover Boss,” the network only ordered nine episodes, a dutiful sign of caution.
...
“I think most workers think executives are aloof and don’t understand their problems,” said Perry Binder, an assistant professor for legal studies at the Robinson School of Business at Georgia State University. “They get a kick seeing them get down and dirty and hope if they see what they do each day, they can improve things.”

Continue reading:
Undercover Boss’ on CBS spotlights Stone Mountain Park & the Norcross company that runs it
March 25, 2010, by Rodney Ho
http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/2010/03/25/undercover-boss-on-cbs-spotlights-stone-mountain-park-the-norcross-company-that-owns-it/

Move Elementary School out of Harm's Way

This is a follow up to my Saturday, January 23, 2010 post

I follow the Marsh Fork/Massey coal issue very closely -- in April, there will be a school board vote on needed funds to move this school.

In West Virginia, the Marsh Fork elementary school sits 400 yards downstream from a dam holding back billions of gallons of water/coal sludge. The West Virginia government has refused to build a new elementary school in a safer location. The community, afraid for its children's lives, began the organization Pennies of Promise to raise the funds themselves. In April 2010, the school board will vote on funding for a new school. Are you willing to lend your voice to support these kids?

My students have joined the Facebook page below, and I am reaching out to other schools in an effort to elevate media awareness and the importance of a new school.

The "Pennies of Promise" Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2256931294

Please pass this post on to others.

APRIL 7 UPDATE

Our prayers go out to all of the miners' families -- The Upper Big Branch mine near Whitesville, W. Va. is just 9 miles from Marsh Fork Elementary in Sundial, W. Va.

Marsh Fork Elementary School is the Media Staging Area for broadcast and print journalists for the latest information on the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster. Video on this link. http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/90049972.html

WVU is collecting condolences for families of mine disaster http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/2010/04/06/wvu-collecting-condolences-for-families-of-massey-energy-mine-disaster/

Keep Them Laughing to Keep Them Learning

Below is my university's Center for Teaching & Learning Newsletter (pdf)

CONTENTS:

New technologies spark student-teacher symbiosis

Teaching Today’s Students - Is it harder or just different?

Keep Them Laughing to Keep Them Learning - my article, originally in Atlanta Journal Constitution

I never dreamed of being a college professor.
Does anybody?

When my third grade teacher asked us about our dream job, Molly said, “Astronaut.” Evan, “An actor.” Perry: “Obtain a terminal degree and lecture on legal morasses.”

Whether you teach third grade or nuclear physics, every student wants a
good laugh. As teacher accountability objectives collide with shorter attention
spans, laughter is the secret ingredient to keep everyone on task.

CONTINUE READING (PDF)

http://www.gsu.edu/images/CTL/_CTLnewsletterSpring10.pdf

Students found their hearts in Joe Fran’s classroom

I enjoy reading these stories and passing them on:

By Cate Murway, Correspondent, Bristol Pilot News
We all have favorite teachers. Whether they taught us how to read, write or do arithmetic, encouraged us, challenged us or gave sound advice in times of confusion, all of us have one or two educators in mind when we are asked: “What is the best thing you learned, so far?”

...

“Teaching was a wonderful career for me and I loved it. The student taught me as much as I taught them. I taught them to love and be passionate.”

Continue Reading: http://www.buckslocalnews.com/articles/2010/03/17/bristol_pilot/news/doc4ba126bba69a2897790441.txt

Lured Into Trade School and Debt - A Recurring Story

Many years ago, I taught at a trade school and found that the teachers were as passionate about their craft as any teachers I have met. However, I also found that the administration had pressure to recruit students in a way that public institutions do not. I have taught classes at all levels of higher education - from graduate schools, to four year universities, to community colleges. While there must be some proprietary schools with time-tested success, simply put - our two-year colleges (which face budget cuts) are the ticket for people to obtain specific job training, and avoid the massive debts discussed in this New York Times article (March 13, 2010) - In Hard Times, Lured Into Trade School and Debt.

It would be unfair to make a sweeping allegation against all trade schools. However, there are many schools which still employ the practices referenced in the article. As a way to help students and attorneys, I wrote a 50+ page book chapter on how a student can confront a trade school in court, if that student believes s/he is the victim of unscrupulous practices.

My piece, written in the mid-1990's, "Liability of Private Trade School To Student" is not available online - you need to visit a law school library or access it from a Lexis or Westlaw database (Cite: 22 Am. Jur. Proof of Facts 3d 411).

The NY Times article makes it crystal clear that fifteen-plus years after my article, abuses in the trade school sector are the same or worse in 2010. (even after legislation was passed, e.g., barring incentives for admissions representatives based on the number of students they enroll)

Here is the Introduction to Liability of Private Trade School To Student (much of which is excerpted from the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Governmental Affairs (United States Senate, May 1991)

In the state of Texas, a truck-driving school arranged a $5,000 loan for a student who was eventually denied a state operator's license. The reason for denial of the license was that the student was unable to operate a truck's clutch because she only had one foot. Unfortunately, such tales are not unusual in the private education sector. [Footnote]

Today, as the federal government scrutinizes the default rates on loans offered to students at private trade schools, [FN] these schools have created a public perception of greed at the expense of education. Testifying before the U.S. Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, one trade school owner recently admitted: "I'm a businessman out to make a profit. Truly, I don't care about the well-being of the students." [FN]

The proprietary school sector [FN] has become a big business due, in part, to the accessibility of financial aid to trade schools and the lack of credible regulatory bodies to police such schools. As one school president stated before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations in 1991, "there is no way to escape being a slave to the quarterly report. Quality education and higher earnings are two masters. You can't serve both." [FN] The Subcommittee found that such attitudes are prevalent at many proprietary schools. For example, the former financial aid administrator for one school testified that contests were held whereby sales representatives earned incentive awards for enrolling the largest number of students during a given period. Likewise, receptionists with the largest number of student phone contacts were given time off, and loan counselors received cash, color televisions, or other such awards for the largest number of applicants processed. The former financial aid administrator remarked that he "always felt a little strange that the instructors never had a contest, or that the placement office never was rewarded if they placed a high number of graduates." [FN]

Unfortunately, the prospect of regulating the trade school industry has become bleaker in recent times. For example, in Florida, the state licensing agency for trade schools recently cut its staff from five to three investigators for a total of 550 schools. [FN] As economic times get tougher, many college admissions representatives, earning commissions on each student they enroll, often do not have the student's best interests at heart. As a former school owner, convicted of defrauding a guaranteed student loan program, testified:
In the proprietary school business, what you sell is 'dreams,' and so ninety-nine percent of the sales were made in…poor, black areas…at welfare offices and unemployment lines, and in housing projects. My approach…was that 'if [a prospect] could breath, scribble his name, had a driver's license, and was over eighteen years of age,' he was qualified for [the school's] program. My tactics…, [which] were approved, and even encouraged, by the school's owners included making the down payment for the prospect (the amount of which would be reimbursed to me out of the financial aid proceeds) and…going so far as to accompany the prospect to a pawn shop in order for him to obtain enough money for it. [FN]

The purpose of this article is two-fold. First, it attempts to briefly educate the general practitioner about the "tricks of the trade" in the proprietary school business, the laws relating to financial aid for students, and the process of enrolling students in trade schools. Second, the article discusses the causes of action that can be filed against trade schools, the defenses to those causes of action, and the elements of proof that are necessary for a plaintiff student to successfully prosecute a civil claim of intentional misrepresentation against a trade school. [FN]

Thoughts on Building a Better Teacher

Follow up to March 7 posting:

I think when it comes to learning a subject like algebra, a teacher can put in 20 hours of work, and be 20 hours more prepared- however, for communicating information or motivating students --this is an intangible skill.

The best way for teachers to work on these skills --- watch other teachers or seminar presenters in action. Not to emulate other teachers, but to add to the teachers' repertoire. Most important thing to me -- never try to be anyone else but yourself, and lean on your own strengths. The great comics borrow material from each other, but they are true to their own gifts.

My measure of a great teacher -- if s/he wakes up every morning looking forward to class and believes that it is a privilege to inspire young minds -- if it's not a job, but a passion, that's the teacher I want in my k-5 class (and I had few or none!). To me, teaching is a job only when I am under the weather or in a bad mood --other than that, it's a total joy. And a class can lift me out of any mood!

When I was in 9th grade, we had an amazing social studies teacher who was the victim of the budget cuts. He went on to succeed in the private sector, but likely would've been the greatest 30-year teacher around. Think of all of the lives he could've positively impacted. State legislatures nationwide needs to be dream builders, not bottom line slashers.

Building a Better Teacher

Today's NY Times Magazine has an interesting article with a presumptuous title.

By ELIZABETH GREEN
Published: March 2, 2010

Excerpt: [w]hen it came to actual teaching, the daily task of getting students to learn, the school floundered. Students disobeyed teachers’ instructions, and class discussions veered away from the lesson plans. In one class Lemov observed, the teacher spent several minutes debating a student about why he didn’t have a pencil. Another divided her students into two groups to practice multiplication together, only to watch them turn to the more interesting work of chatting. A single quiet student soldiered on with the problems. As Lemov drove from Syracuse back to his home in Albany, he tried to figure out what he could do to help. He knew how to advise schools to adopt a better curriculum or raise standards or develop better communication channels between teachers and principals. But he realized that he had no clue how to advise schools about their main event: how to teach.

Continue reading: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/magazine/07Teachers-t.html

Michigan teacher recognized for inspiring his students

A decade ago, high school student Jeremy Warner sat in a science classroom in this school district, excited about learning. Fast forward to 2010, and Ubly science teacher Jeremy Warner is being rewarded for his efforts to excite his students about learning. Warner will receive the Science Teacher of Promise award at the Michigan Science Teacher Association (MSTA) conference this weekend in Lansing. He is the only teacher in the state receiving this award.

READ MORE: //www.michigansthumb.com/articles/2010/03/03/news/local_news/doc4b8e5463d6cb2461175147.txt

Between the Snowflakes - From the Dorm to Lake Placid

I wrote this article a long time ago for The Huffington Post and other outlets - I hope it offers a glimmer of optimism in the face of so much current doubt.

“I like your hat,” Bill offered mischievously to the middle-aged Russian gentleman.
The man kept walking with a deliberate gait.
“Trade you my Vikings football cap,” Bill tries, with the tact of a paparazzo in the Olympic Village.
The guy stopped and looked at Bill. Then at me, wrapped in a parka the size of the Hindenburg.
“Nyet,” he delivered stoic faced, as he trudged through the snow flurries.

This was the beginning of my trip to Lake Placid. At age 19, it was a safe bet that Bill and I were not destined to be goodwill ambassadors for these Games.

We left for Lake Placid from our Binghamton University dormitory at 2:00a.m., to a mock chorus of God Bless America from the less than enlightened frat boys. About forty pioneers boarded a charter bus for the one day, 14 hour roundtrip journey from Vestal, New York. As we pulled away from campus, my thoughts wandered back to Franz Klammer’s downhill run in 1976 at Innsbruck, and to the ice-cold keg of beer in the back of bus – courtesy of those more than enlightened frat boys.

Headline - Monday, February 18, 1980 - Bus waits may last throughout Games
“For the sixth day in a row, spectators were forced to wait for more than an hour-and-a-half at some venues sites.”

Headline – Many treated for frostbite
(UPI) “A bitter wind from the Northwest … plunged the ’chill factor’ to minus 40 (F and C).”

When the bus arrived at 9:00a.m., the first thing I wanted to do was see the Olympic torch and get in touch with all the good that it represents. The silver cauldron was perched about 100 feet above the snowdrifts. The base of the structure was a very unassuming platform from which the torch was first lit. After the lighting, the cauldron traveled up to its resting place along a track supported by two thin white beams, one on each side of the track. Access to the torch was permitted, as Bill took a picture of me on the platform. I posed with both arms raised in victory celebration form.

Headline – U.S. Government pressures USOC to boycott Moscow
Headline – Counter Olympic site sought
(UPI The United States has set a deadline of Wednesday, Feb. 20, for the Soviets to withdraw their estimated 95,000 troops from Afghanistan.

The first event we saw was the 70 meter combined Ski Jump at Intervale Mountain at 12:30p.m. For $16.80US, Bill and I got to stand among a pack of people for two hours without binoculars, hot chocolate, or wool socks. No matter. While our vantage point wasn’t perfect, it was a treat to watch airborne jumpers maintain their poise. During the event, my mind wandered back to Binghamton where everyone was huddled under blankets in front of the TV for the Games, while I was here as a witness to history.

Headline – ABC didn’t seem to be with it
(AP) “Even though it showed two gold medals being decided, ABC didn’t really seem to be into the Olympics during its 2½-hour presentation Sunday. … Delaying presentation of the downhill was inexcusable after the results were announced.”

After the ski jump, we had a few hours before going to an ice hockey game at the Olympic Center. Bill and I used this time to look around the Olympic Village. I vividly remember an East German athlete limping near us. We tried to talk to him about his injury, but the language barrier proved to be daunting. I also remember people from all over the world trading pins, and wondering what the big deal was. Who knew?!

Headline – What to do in a crisis
“If your car stalls out, your fingers freeze up, or you find out the place you had planned to stay the night is all booked up, don’t panic. [The disaster operational plan] is only a phone call away.”

At 4:30p.m., Bill and I headed into the Field House for a greatly anticipated ice hockey match between the USSR and Finland ($28.00US for lower level seats). When we bought tickets several months earlier, we were more excited to see the best hockey team on the planet than to see our homegrown USA team (which was playing Romania later that evening). After all, the Soviets were going to win the gold in style, right? Though Finland jumped out to an early 2-1 lead – much to the delight of the mostly American, anti-Russian crowd which chanted “Finnish ‘em off!!!” – the Soviets were formidable, beating Finland, 4-2.

At nightfall, we saw a spectacular fireworks display over frozen Mirror Lake, as the Games ended for another day. The competition would continue through Sunday, February 24 -- ending with the Gold Medal Round of the ice hockey tournament. But for Bill and me, it was back to the ice-cold bus with the empty keg of beer. And a seven hour trip back to Binghamton and a TV Olympics.

Headline – Monday, February 25, 1980 – Lake Placid: The Deserted Village
“With the games ending, Olympic Village will now be prepared for the role it was built for – as a prison.”

Many years have passed since my journey to Lake Placid. And in that time, I don’t tolerate the cold as well, busses still don’t arrive at events, corporate logos loom larger, and people lob bombs to make a point. It’s enough to make those close to the Olympic Movement question their very involvement in the spirit of competition for the sake of a higher purpose.

In 1997, I sat in an Atlanta movie theatre for the world premiere of Bud Greenspan’s documentary, Atlanta’s Olympic Glory. Memories of the Lake Placid Games rushed back as quickly as images of the 1996 Games flashed on the screen. I’m fascinated as to how Mr. Greenspan, a self-described historian, captures poignant yet often unnoticed moments of the Games while filtering out the high profile politics of the day.

For me, such a perspective on history is a matter of one’s outlook. But ultimately, what we dwell on and how we recall important events are functions of choice. And isn’t that the heart of the Olympic Movement - - to choose an ideal to shoot for, as we live and deal with global and personal challenges. Day-by-day, as an integral part of the equation.

As I watch the current Winter Games, I will approach them with the same anticipation as that 19 year old playing in an icebox called Lake Placid. Choosing to filter out without minimizing the scandals and the other negative things we often confuse as being newsworthy.  Navigating around the headlines.  Walking between the snowflakes.

Hoping this time to meet that Russian gentleman with the hat, and believing this time he’d say - - “Da, but throw in two pins with that stupid looking cap!”

Perry Binder, J.D. is an author, professional speaker, and Legal Studies professor in Atlanta, GA. From 1992-1995, he was a sports radio talk show host on Miami Beach, with diverse shows including Love of the Game.  He served on the Inaugural Board of the Bob Beamon Foundation for Youth, which supported the Inner City Games created by Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Perry has appeared in print media and on radio and television, including ESPN Classic where he discussed the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding case and other sports controversies.

c 2000-2022 Perry Binder

Sources:
Daily Olympic Digest, Lake Placid News, February 18, 1980
Red Smith, The New York Times, February 25, 1980, page C3

Schedule of Events - Monday, February 18, 1980

8:00a.m. . Men’s Figure Skating, Compulsory Figures
9:00a.m. Women’s Cross Country Skiing - 10 kilometer
10:00a.m Men’s Alpine Skiing - Giant Slalom, 1st Run
12:30p.m. Ski Jumping – 70 meter combined * (attended this event)
* Gold medal: Anton Innauer, Austria, 266.3 points

Hockey
1:00p.m. Canada-Japan Arena
1:30p.m. Sweden-Norway Field House
4:30p.m. Holland-Poland Arena
5:00p.m. USSR-Finland Field House (attended this event)
8:00p.m. Czechoslovakia-Germany Arena
8:30p.m. USA-Romania Field House

Most Medals
Team: East Germany - 23 Medals 9 Gold 7 Silver 7 Bronze
Individual: Eric Heiden, USA, Speed Skating – 5 Gold Medals

NYC's Best Kept Secret - Locations of 13 Rubber Rooms

March 21 Update - Good article in the NY Post - the Rubber Rooms are so secretive, that I got the wrong count on the number of rooms in NYC:

8 rubber rooms citywide
675 educators in them every day
140 for misconduct
117 for corporal punishment
102 for arrests outside school
45 for incompetence
$40.5M paid to these teachers in last fiscal year
12 years one teacher had been in a rubber room
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bored_of_ed_in_fPRMkAqNVBQ4hWAs1XYICM/1#ixzz0ioIRDlLk

Update from Friday, December 11, 2009 Post

I sent the below letter to the Rubber Rooms in Staten Island (through the assistance of a teacher) and to one in Brooklyn and Manhattan (by stumbling upon addresses mentioned in news accounts). I am on a quest to find the address for the Queens Rubber Room, since that is where I grew up. Here's the letter sent to Brooklyn and Manhattan:

February 2, 2010

NYC Department of Education
Teacher Reassignment Center
333 7th Ave.

New York, NY 10001-5004

25 Chapel Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201-1952

Re: Enclosed Book - Unlocking Your Rubber Room

Dear Teachers:

I am a native New Yorker from Queens (PS 184, JHS 194, Bayside HS) and a Legal Studies professor at Georgia State University in Atlanta, who recently read about your ordeal in The New Yorker. One of the most telling quotes in Mr. Brill’s piece concerned a teacher’s situation, when the city official stated: “Our standard is tighter than ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’.”

I had never heard the term “Rubber Room” used in the school system context, until I started researching the title for my book, Unlocking Your Rubber Room. I also didn’t appreciate the depth of NYC Rubber Room issues until after the book was published. Unlocking Your Rubber Room is a humorous look at law and life (Sections I & II), with my own bent perspective on the justice system (Section III). While the book isn’t about teacher Rubber Rooms, I believe its lessons will offer you some needed levity (starting with the book title!), and possibly help maintain or regain your perspective on the teaching profession, as you await due process hearings.

Please e-mail me with any comments on my book or just to say hello. I wish you peace of mind and happiness in 2010.

Sincerely,

Perry Binder

Book Web Site: http://www.yourrubberroom.com/ Crazy Classroom Teacher Blog: http://yourrubberroom.blogspot.com/

Dec. 11 Post:
NYC Teachers Sue for a Pass Out of Rubber Rooms

While this blog is dedicated to inspiring teacher stories, I'd be remiss if I didn't post this story about K-12 teachers who believe they are being unjustly treated:BROOKLYN (CN) -Some 2000 schoolteachers say New York City is discriminating against them by confining them on trumped-up charges in infamous "rubber rooms" until they retire. Rubber rooms are study hall-like places where teachers are paid full wages to do nothing -- sometime for years. Continue reading - http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/12/01/Class_of_Teachers_Sues_NYC_For_a_Pass_Out_of_Rubber_Rooms.htm
I stumbled across the rubber room issue when selecting the title of my book.

In my book Intro:

Rub·ber Room (noun)A confining mind-set where thoughts and possibilities bounce aimlesslyIn my book

Epilogue:Rub·ber Room (noun)An isolated place where schools send unruly teachers awaiting disciplinary proceedings

After the fact, I dug deeper into the NYC Rubber Room problem, and discovered some reasons (justly and possibly unjustly) that teachers get sent there. One of the biggest issues is how long teachers must wait until given a due process hearing to get reinstated (they are suspended with pay until a resolution). Though my book has nothing to do with the NYC Rubber Room issue, a couple of months ago I wrote this letter to provide moments of levity for Rubber Room occupants awaiting a hearing:

September 28, 2009

Michael Mulgrew

President, United Federation of Teachers

52 BroadwayNew York, NY 10004

Re: The Rubber Room New Yorker article – Your Letter to the Editor

Dear Mr. Mulgrew:

I am a Queens, New York native (PS 184, JHS 194, Bayside HS) and a Legal Studies professor at Georgia State University, who read your Letter to the Editor in The New Yorker with great interest. One of the most telling quotes in Mr. Brill’s piece concerned the city official’s statement: “Our standard is tighter than ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’.”I had never heard the term “Rubber Room” used in the school system context, until I started researching the title of my enclosed book, Unlocking Your Rubber Room (2009).

The reason I am writing is because I am interested in supplying each borough’s “Rubber Room” with a copy of my book (at no cost). http://www.yourrubberroom.com/ Unlocking Your Rubber Room is a humorous look at law and life (Sections I & II), with my bent perspective on the justice system (Section III). I believe that the book would help Rubber Room occupants maintain or regain perspective as they await their hearings. If anything, the book’s title and content would offer some needed levity. Please let me know if you have any thoughts on how to accomplish the above task. Thank you for your time and consideration.Sincerely,Perry BinderMr. Mulgrew's Letter to the Editor of The New YorkerBrill captures the Kafkaesque quality of Rubber Rooms, in which teachers linger while the Department of Education ponders accusations against them.

Read more: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/letters/2009/09/28/090928mama_mail2Postscript:

To date, I have not heard back from Mr. Mulgrew, but a couple of people are attempting to assist me and get free copies of my book into the five NYC Rubber Rooms.

Lessons Learned from Sports

Published in the early 90's for the 25th Anniversary Event Program, honoring Bob Beamon for the Greatest Track & Field Feat in Olympic History (Mexico City, 1968)

WIND BENEATH MY WINGS
by Bob Beamon with Perry Zane Binder

Sometimes when I get home after a particularly hectic day, I'll put on some jazz and take out my African drums to strike up a beat. As I close my eyes, my body succumbs to the rhythmic vibrations of pounding drums. With the stress of the day draining off, I kick back and try to reflect on where I've been and where I'm going. Sometimes my mind wanders back to Mexico City and 1968; but mostly, I think about today and tomorrow, one day at a time.

I work up a good beat and follow the flow. This morning, I went to an elementary school to talk with a few hundred children about precious opportunities. The kids cheered when I showed a replay of the jump. That got their attention. But then one kid laughed when I confided that I couldn't read a book at his age. He didn't mean anything by it, but it's hard to know sometimes who listens closely to the lessons of the past - who we can reach and who remains lost in America's school corridors and neighborhood back alleys.

As a kid growing up in Jamaica, Queens, I could barely find a positive role model in the
neighborhood. The money and fancy clothes flashed around by local drug dealers and pimps were tempting and offered a quick way out. The message of sacrifice offered by parents, guardians and teachers who toil anonymously in the trenches was brushed aside to satisfy the appetite of the moment. When a young man today wonders if he'll live to see his twenty-fifth birthday and our babies are having babies, it's easy to identify such an overwhelming sense of resignation on our nation's street corners.

The statistics are mind blowing. Nationwide, an estimated 270,000 firearms are brought to our
kids' schools every day. While a recent United Way survey identified that non-profit groups reach out to an estimated 15,000 "at-risk" youth in Dade County, Florida, another 120,000 needy kids aren't getting proper attention. Let's get one thing straight - in some way, all of our youth are at risk. Before we can isolate what makes children tick, their parents must first discover what makes themselves function effectively. Before parents can instill a sense of pride and dignity in a child, before we can talk about molding model citizens, mothers and fathers must feel good about who they are. A stable home life is the first priority our country must address before we can consider the active role that athletes can play in developing healthy minds and bodies.

Obviously, each kid is not going to cross the finish line first, but as Baron Pierre de Courbertin of
France (the inspiration behind holding the modern Olympic Games) stated: "The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part; the important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. "

Ultimately, the lesson for our youth to gather is that it is not imperative to take home the gold
medal. Champions are not made on the field or track; champions are made according to your
accomplishments and abilities in every day life situations. The same tools that I used to succeed
athletically can be applied to succeeding personally. Just as practice in long jumping made me
successful, practice in whatever your profession or hobby may be will make you equally as
successful. A sound work ethic will offer a framework for a youth's self-worth and the impetus to
stand up and scream: "I am a Champion!"

One key to my athletic accomplishments, however, is that someone was eventually there to give
me an opportunity. Whether it was Larry Ellis, my high school track and field coach, or Ralph
Boston, Mr. Long Jump, a helping hand guided me to focus out distractions and concentrate on
honing my skills.

While an Olympic jump gave me notoriety and stature, that success does not define who I am.
But sports did give me a backdrop of discipline to apply each day. This stable force helps me to face the realities of keeping up with today's rigors. Our children must be taught such lessons from sports - how to set realistic goals, stick to them, work through them and redefine them to stretch their talents to new heights.

Because as the image of an eternal Olympic torch burns an indelible message of hope and respect in our hearts and minds, the flame is beginning to flicker. The fire in our neighborhood streets is
simply suffocating the spirit and dreams of every kid who is taken for granted and not given an
opportunity to flourish.

The great news is that high profile athletes are anxious to offer their time to find solutions. From
Nate Archibald in Harlem to James Worthy in Compton and everyone in between the two coasts, athletes are coming to the rescue of young people in vast numbers. The simple point is that we have the ability to attract a kid's attention. Let's use our gifts constructively.

The boys and girls growing up in America are the wind beneath my wings. They are my
motivation for rising each morning with an inspired outlook. So tonight, my eyes are open as I allow the drum beat to guide my thoughts about yesterday and today. About Mexico City. About some anonymous kids marking time by hanging out on the corner. About tomorrow's journey.

My beat is strong and fluid now, yet it seeks interpretation and clarity. It reaches out for your
understanding and support.

The beat goes on. It simply has to.

1994 Bio: Perry Zane Binder is a sports radio talk show host on WSBH in Miami Beach (Love of the Game).

c 1994-2016 Perry Binder