Someone That Broke Me Up...

...with a corner of his smile.

Just one of those songs, for one of those moods.

That demon, Life, indeed...

Sway - The Rolling Stones

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He Can See The World From Way Up In The Cab

The first time I heard this DBT song was when I watched their Austin City Limits DVD. I fell in love with the story of Patterson's mom and the trucker she fell in love with, and saw the world from way up in his cab. And I cheered with the audience when Patterson sang about Chester driving after nearly dying of congestive heart failure. And I was filled with sheer exuberance and joy, and I thought I'd never feel joy like that from a rock and roll song ever again. This live version of the song makes my heart soar. It is one of the reasons I love this band so.

Hearing that Chester has passed away, for real this time, makes me as sad as if it were someone I knew in life.

Condolences to the Hood family on the loss of their stepfather. Rest in peace, Chester. Hope you're cruisin' in a big rig in the sky.

18 Wheels Of Love (live) - Drive-by Truckers

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Happy Birthday, Mr. Zimmerman

Thank you for the last 40-odd years of music.

Without hesitation, this is my favorite Bob Dylan song.

Tangled Up In Blue - Bob Dylan

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Fat Bottomed Girls They'll Be Riding Today

So, I went for my first "real" bike ride in many years today. Which, nearly instantly reminded me of why my high school year book is called the "Tiot", meaning land between two hills, and why the first line of our school song sings, "There's a school ON THE HILL called Norwood..." And of course, I live in the valley. Hello legs, it's nice to feel you.

But, it's a gorgeous day to be outside, biking, walking, whatever your fancy. To my friends who are "real" bikers, let me ask you this: would it make more sense for me to build my skill here in the hills of Norwood, or find a bike path somewhere and build endurance that way?

I plan to do this more. Living in the valley makes the initial part of the ride twice as hard, but coasting home is a joy.

Bicycle Race - Queen,

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You Could Say Our Paths Have Crossed Before...

Review of the new Hold Steady album at my other home. The sound of a band in transition. Still, I'd rather listen to them find their sea legs again than half of what passes for modern music these days.

I Can Tell You Taste Like The Sky

Spent this morning lazing around in bed, listening to the thunder and the rain in the trees.

Some days are just like that.

You Look Like Rain - Morphine

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Maps Are Useless Tools If You Can't Read Them

A fascinating article in this morning's NY Times, regarding the perceived success of charter schools and their actual reality. More fascinating is how this disconnect still fuels negative perception regarding public schools. You know, the schools that most of the children in this country go to on a regular basis. This quote sums up the disparity for me quite succinctly:

“It’s easy to open schools, but it’s very hard to open and sustain and to grow networks of very good schools,” said Mr. Toch, a founder of Education Sector, a research group.

The education historian Diane Ravitch offers a parallel critique. “Charters enroll 3 percent of the kids,” she said. “The system that educates 97 percent, no one’s paying any attention to.”(source)

It is my responsibility, as an administrator, and as a school committee member, to advocate for the 97%. Public schools CAN do better; it requires money to attract quality teachers, money for resources beyond the traditional textbook, and COMMITMENT from community leaders to keep their schools funded and functioning. But, this does not mean just throwing money willy-nilly at school budgets to see what sticks. School budgets that address providing quality resources to improve STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES are what's necessary here. A weak teacher can have a class size of 10, and still not affect student learning in a meaningful way, but a strong teacher, with solid pedagogical skills, classroom management, and a thorough understanding of universal design for learning--a system where you first determine what you want the students to know when they leave your classroom/grade/school, design assessments to prove mastery of those overarching goals, and THEN create instructional experiences that will teach those skills to mastery--can teach a class of 30 and achieve at a high level. All students can learn, but they all learn differently. The X factor in all student achievement is the quality of the teacher standing in front of them.

Good education is expensive; get over it, and move on from this useless argument. The consumer adage, "you get what you pay for", applies here just as strongly. The map to success is simple; figure out where you're going, find a comprehensive mapping system, a good navigator, then, plot your course and see if you reach the top. Time, energy, and resources. It doesn't get simpler than that.