The Desert Island Game: A little bit about me!

One of my favorite things to do at camp is called the Desert Island Game.  It is similar to a name circle (you know; name, where you’re from, favorite ice cream, etc), but really raises the stakes.  See in the Desert Island game, you are obviously trapped and can’t get off, and I just ask a series of questions like: “If you were stuck on a desert island and could only take                                         , what would you choose?”  In this blank, there are hundreds of different questions or scenarios that I can then propose, and it usually ends up with a pretty good conversation.  So, in today’s blog, I am going to play the Desert Island Game with myself. 

Question One: You are sentenced to life on a desert island and must choose 3 three books to bring with you, which books would you bring? (Assuming that I don’t need survival guides)      1. The Bible:  I would bring the Bible with me for many of the obvious reasons.  It is long, important, and full of important knowledge.  I feel like I would learn something new each time I read it, which is definitely a positive.  Plus, it is bulky and heavy and could make for a nice weapon if it really came down to it.

2   2.  Harry Potter Anthology:  Is this cheating? You can be the judge, but I’m going to say no…  Harry Potter is such a great series!  There are enough of them that I feel that I could cycle through and not get bored, and by the end of time (or my rescue) I will really know them very well.  At least I’ll be thoroughly entertained. 

     3.  The Great Gatsby:  I know this book is definitely mildly depressing, which violates my no depressing books rule, but it’s SO GOOD!  I have read it a couple of times and each time I learned something new.  It was one of the few books that was assigned in high school that I took the time to read fully.*

Question Two: You are stuck on a Desert Island, and can choose 1 fictional (book) character to take with you as company.  Who would you bring? (None of the options can be chosen strictly for survival)

Bill Weasley: What!?  Bill Weasley?? Of all the characters you could have chosen!? Why not Harry Potter!?  Here’s my argument for Bill: _1. No matter what Harry Potter is doing, it always seems like his life is in peril.  Whether it is quidditch, sleeping, hanging out with friends, talking with snakes, he just doesn’t have the best of luck. _2.  The Weasleys are really cool, nice people.  So choosing one of them was a no brainer.  Then I had to determine which one:

a.       Molly:  She’s too high strung and over protective.

b.      Arthur: For all of his good qualities, he is a little bit too bumbling and odd.  I feel as though he would ask too many questions about my muggle-ness

c.       Charlie: I’ll be honest, Charlie was a very close second for me.  He seems like a pretty rad dude, you know… with all the dragon training and stuff.  But when it was all said and done, he may be a little bit too hardcore for me.

d.      Percy: Hard no…  I mean, there was a period of time when he was estranged from his family who is accepting of almost everybody.  Percy seems like a real stickler and softy. 

e.      Fred and George:  I’ll group them together because they’re so similar.  They seem a little bit too silly to be stuck with forever.  After the 10^th prank, I would start getting mighty tired of their ways. 

f.        Ron:  Ron is a baby.  He spends much of the books sulking about not finding the right love, getting another thoughtful sweater from his mother, not being Harry Potter, not making the quidditch team, the list goes on and on.  Luckily he ended up with Hermione, or he would’ve been one tragic, depressing dude.

g.       Ginny: Ginny is Harry Potter’s lady, and I’m afraid if we spent too much time together she would seriously reconsider her deep love for HP.  I can’t break that kind of Bro Code

_3. While Bill may be the least well documented Weasley, he is clearly super cool.  He married Fleur, who is a well-documented hottie, he survived a werewolf attack, and the film producers liked him so much they hired high quality actor, Domhnall Gleeson, to capture his likeness.  For those reasons, Bill was the logical choice for me!

Honorable mention:

Alaska Young: My first and only literary crush.  Reading Looking for Alaska as a sophomore in high school, I wanted nothing more than to meet Alaska fall for her as hard as Miles Halter did.  Assuming that we are the same age on the island, I would happily be stuck with this edgy chick.

Sherlock Holmes:  While Sherlock can be off-putting to some, I feel like his vast depth of knowledge would be really nice to have while stuck on an island.  I’m sure we would have our fair share of disagreements, but I think he would make for an amusing island partner.

Ser Gerris Drinkwater:  This is an obscure Song of Ice and Fire reference here.  Gerris is a close friend of Quentyn Martell (not in the TV show) and is known to be a cunning and crafty guy.  While I would never choose a main character from the Ice and Fire series for fear (and knowledge) that they would likely die a horrible and unexpected death, a lesser character seems a safer bet.  In a world that is filled with mostly negative folk, the Dornish (most) seem to enjoy life and keep things a little bit lighter.  Gerris strikes me as the most “bro-like” character, and for that reason he would be in consideration to hang with me on the island.

Question Three:  You can bring a five song playlist with you.  What songs are on it? (Battery life isn’t an issue)

1.     1.  Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap.  This song is timeless for me.  It is simple and beautiful.  I have listened to it hundreds of times and don’t get tired of it.   While it is kind of depressing, I think that I can make an exception just so I can continue listening to it.

2.     2.  Rhapsodyin Blue by George Gershwin.  Talk about timeless.  This song is literally nearly 100 years old.  I love the way that it implements elements of jazz as well as classical composition.  It is a great song to listen to any time of the day.  There are many classical songs that I could have chosen, but I really think this one is my favorite… (Also love what they did on Fantasia 2000... click on link above)

3.     3.  Hips Don’tLie by Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean.  When I am on an Island, I am going to want to dance, and what song is better to dance to than Hips Don’t Lie?  Great beginning, middle, and end, and even comes with a little Spanish.  I love the way it starts with the trumpets and keeps you dancing all the way through.  I also love Shakira (maybe she can come to the island with me).

4.     4.   A-Punk by Vampire Weekend.  I discovered this song my senior year in high school (thanks to Isaiah).  Ever since that discovery, I have never grown tired of this song.  In fact, for many years, I used it as my alarm clock in the mornings.  There is nothing quite like waking up to Ezra Koenig’s upbeat driving guitar line of that song.  It just made me want to take the day by the horns.

5.     5.  Shout by Isley Brothers.  I guess I wanted to dance a little bit more.  This classic rock hit is SO good.  I can listen to it over and over again and never grow tired of it.  This is 100% going to be in my wedding playlist (when it comes time for that).  It is also one of the best party anthems of all time.  Whenever I hear the first word (WELLLLLLLLLLLLLL….)  I immediately get excited for what’s coming next.  I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like this song.  I was once at a party where it got played probably 5 times in an hour or so, and each time, people got more excited.  I am and will always be all in on Shout! 

I have written enough words today, so this is where I will end.  I really enjoyed doing this post though, so I may do others that are similar.  If any readers want to pose questions, I will do my best to answer them!!

Until next time!

*When I was in high school, I enjoyed to read and in fact, read often, but I was never a huge fan of having to read the books that were assigned to me.  In hindsight, I wish I had read them more carefully, but what can you do?

Western Conference Preview

This year’s NBA has been absolutely ludicrous.  Golden State broke a seemingly unbreakable record by tallying 73 wins, San Antonio tied the 1985-’86 Celtics record by winning 40 of their 41 home games,  Kobe Bryant capped off his retirement season by putting up 60 and leading his band of misfits to a comeback win,  Blake Griffin beat up an equipment manager (leading him to miss a good part of the season),  the Brooklyn Nets tanked the Boston Celtics into a (presumably) top 4 pick at this summer’s draft, and we were treated to one of the deepest rookie classes in a long time (see Towns, Porzingis, Booker, Winslow, Jokic, Turner, etc…).  All of this excitement and the post-season matchups have only just been decided.  These are my thoughts and picks for the Western Conference first round of the NBA playoffs. (I’m going to try to avoid specific stats, because I want to do as little research as possible and rely on my gut!)

Western Conference:

 #1 Golden State Warriors (73-9) vs. #8 Houston Rockets (41-41)

In year’s past, this matchup would have made me pause and look at all angles, but that isn’t the case this year.  Golden State is coming off of its record setting 73^rd win, and while there were a couple of times they let off the gas this season (losses to Denver and Los Angeles), they have been truly dominant.  As I watched their game against the Spurs the other night, I marveled at how they created chaos on both ends of the court.  Their offensive chaos, leading to wide open three or simple lay-ups.  The defensive chaos causing the typically rock solid Spurs to take bad shots and give away simple turnovers.  Houston is a very pedestrian .500 team with many holes, expect Golden State to exploit them.  Houston did recover from an awful start to rally into the playoffs after a late season run, but didn’t once look like the team that made it to last year’s conference finals.  Playoff series typically are determined by one or two of the best players on the court, and in this series, it goes Curry, Harden, Thompson, and Green.  Golden State is just too organized and has too many weapons for Houston to be able to handle.  Congratulations Houston, you made the playoffs, but that is as far as you’ll go.

Prediction: Golden State in 4

#2 San Antonio Spurs (67-15) vs. #7 Memphis Grizzlies (42-40)

I can’t imagine a world where these two teams don’t play each other in the playoffs.  As a Spurs fan, there have been few postseasons in recent memories where these two teams didn’t face off.  This series, however, has a much different look.  Memphis has been fighting the injury bug all season, and pulled off a near miracle by playing consistent enough to make the playoffs without their low-post staple, Marc Gasol.  The Spurs train rolled along to an amazing 67-15 record, bolstered by an incredible 40-1 record at home.  While many of the faces are familiar in San Antonio, some of the veterans who have been dominant in years past (Duncan, Parker, Ginobili) have willingly taken a backseat role for the younger up and comers (Leonard and Aldridge), who have taken huge strides in their leadership this season.  Leonard is a real beast, showing his athleticism on both ends of the court by shutting down the other team’s best player every night while also being a focal point on offense.  Aldridge turns back time with his play, as he compliments his low post play with a near extinct brand of mid-range basketball.  It took a little while for the Spurs to find the right intricacies for their system, but it seems that they have found their stride.  Memphis has always been a tough out in the playoffs, but I just think the Spurs are too deep and experienced to lose this series.

Prediction: Spurs in 4

#3 Oklahoma City Thunder (55-27) vs. #6 Dallas Mavericks (42-40)

I love the way that year after year, Dallas does more with less than nearly every team in the NBA.  Carlisle is able to squeeze the most out of his players, Dirk keeps fighting off Father Time and adjusting his game to match his age, and Mark Cuban keeps on grinning in the stands.  Oklahoma City, I would argue, continues to do less with more.  Durant and Westbrook are two of the best players in the league, is it too much to ask to get to 60 wins?  I know that in the long run, the only thing that matters in regular season is getting into the playoffs, but they have the two best players on the court (in their prime) on a near nightly basis.  The clock is ticking for the Thunder to win a championship and if they make another early exit this year, Durant could be wearing green next year (let’s hope).  As much as I would love to see Dallas dig deep into their bag of tricks and make this a close series, I just think that the Thunder have too much overwhelming skill on their team.  I would not be surprised if Durant averaged 28 or more and Westbrook averaged a triple-double for as long as they are in the playoffs.  Dallas lost the battle of the emojis at the beginning of the season, and I have a strong feeling that they are going to lose this series as well.

Prediction: Thunder in 5

#4 Los Angeles Clippers (53-29) vs. #5 Portland Trailblazers (44-38)

Talk about two teams who do more with less (Portland) and less with more (LA)!  The Clippers are another team whose clock is very rapidly ticking away.  Last year may have been their best chance to make it to the Finals, and they somehow let the Rockets make an unbelievable comeback (led by Josh Smith) in the fourth quarter to let their stranglehold of the series slip away.  They return the same core as last year, but a little bit older and beaten up (see Clippers equipment manager….. erm… I mean Blake Griffin).  Chris Paul is still really good (one of my favorite NBA players of the last decade), but it seems to always be the same old song and dance with them.  The Trailblazers on the other hand have been one of the league’s biggest, most pleasant surprises.  Damian Lillard took his all-star snub personally which prompted him to hang up 51 points and a win on the Golden State gauntlet.  One would have thought that losing Wes Matthews and more importantly LaMarcus Aldridge would have sent this team reeling, but with the leadership of Lillard and coaching of Terry Stotts, they have found themselves in the fifth seed in a strong Western conference.  They have also received important contributions from CJ McCollum, who made a massive step forward this season.  I will be honest in saying, however, that I didn’t watch a single game played by the Blazers this season (darn West coast time).  While the Blazers had a great season, I don’t think that they have enough firepower and experience to compete with Chris Paul and the Clippers in the long run, and I believe the Clippers will take this series.

Prediction: Clippers in 6

March Madness 2: Players through the years.

Nearly a year ago today, I sat at the same computer starting my second ever blog post.  In that post, I wrote a little bit about general NCAA March Madness things and wrapped it up with my five favorite Madness moments.  In that piece, I also said that I would be back with some of my favorite ever players.  If any of you were holding your breath, I sincerely apologize and this post will finally cover some of my favorite college hoops players over the years! (I'm going to skip some years, because I didn't have any strong feelings)

2015: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin  
Yes, like many people in America, Wisconsin won me over in last year's tournament.  Their goofy, happy-go-lucky demeanor made them so easy to root for (see .gif). 

Of course, that was led by their star player, Frank Kaminsky.  There are several reasons why I found myself rooting for Kaminsky.  First of all, he is a very good basketball player.  His versatility allows him to stretch the floor for his teammates and open up the lane, which is a skill-set that is super important in the modern NBA.  In college (and to some extent in the pros) was able to use his athleticism to guard nearly anybody.  Secondly, he seems like the kind of guy that can get along with anyone.  Along with being my favorite player in last year's tournament, he is probably also the guy who I would have chosen if I was forced to have a roommate from any team.  Obviously, I don't know him and it's possible that he's a super creep, but based on what I do know, he seems legit.  Finally, I really respected that he decided not to enter the draft early and did the whole four years in college thing.  In today's game, it is all about the one-and-done phenoms, but he chose the college route to mature his game.1 
With each passing round, I found myself more and more invested in Wisconsin's success, and was weirdly gutted when they lost in the finals to Duke.  His success in college translated to becoming a lottery pick for the Charlotte Hornets, where he has transitioned with solid (but not amazing) numbers.

2013: Trey Burke, Michigan
I was a big fan of Trey Burke in 2013.  He was the perfect example of experienced player who caught fire at the right time to lead his team to a deep run in the tournament.  They made it all the way to the finals, where they were edged out by a superior Louisville team.  Like many of my favorites through the years, Burke was fearless and willing to shoot from anywhere on the court.  He was the leader of a young, talented Michigan team who was really easy to root for. 

  
2012: Victor Oladipo, Indiana

In 2012, there was no doubt that Victor Oladipo was the most athletic player in college basketball (see left).  He was a high flying offensive player who was a strong on defense as he was on defense.  I really enjoyed watching this Indiana team throughout the tournament, and Oladipo was a major reason why.  Like many of my favorites, Oladipo was not a one and done player, but instead honed his skills for three years at Indiana before being taken second overall in the 2013 NBA draft.  I can distinctly remember watching one of their mid-season games thinking "this guy is for real."  So far in the NBA, he has put up solid numbers on an Orlando team that is in a seemingly never-ending rebuilding cycle.

2011: Kemba Walker, UCONN
This tournament was the coming out party for Kemba Walker and it would be impossible to pick another player as my favorite.  In true UCONN fashion, he was able to carry his team through the Big East tournament and then continue the momentum with win after win in the Big Dance.  He used his ruthless crossover to make space for himself to shoot and gunned down opponents.  When it was all said and done, his Huskies defeated the defending Runners-up, Butler in a close game.  At the time, I felt really bad for Butler, because I was (am) a huge Brad Stevens fan and felt that his team deserved one,  but I had loads of respect for what Kemba was able to do during the tournament.  He turned that success into professional success, where he is one of the top players on the Charlotte Hornets.

  
2010: Gordon Hayward, Butler

It is a shame that the primary reason most people remember Gordon Hayward because he (narrowly) missed a half court runner at the buzzer that would have given Butler a massive Championship win over Duke.2   Working with President Brad Stevens as his coach, Hayward was able to lead his band of blue collar boys through the tournament and nearly win the entire thing.  I have always been a major fan of the Cinderella story, and the Butler run was truly that.  He was a truly impressive college basketball player, nearly averaging a double-double in the two years he was there, and went toe-to-toe with some of the best players that were out there.  Following his sophomore year, he entered the NBA draft and was taken by Utah.  So far, he has had a really successful NBA career (arguably one of the top 30-35 players in the league).  I still have my fingers crossed that someday he will land in Boston, but until then, there will always be 2010!

2009: Levance Fields, Pitt

 I will admit, I am super impressed with myself for even remembering this name.  Fields was the point guard for a very good '09 Pitt teams who lost a heartbreaker to Scottie Reynolds and Villanova in the tournament's Elite Eight.  When Reynolds drove the whole court with just seconds remaining to hit a thrilling buzzer-beater.  The crazy thing about this pick for me, is that Levance Fields wasn't even the best player on the Pitt team, that distinction went to Dejuan Blair (who shared the Big East player of the year honor with 7-3 and long forgotten Hasheem Thabeet).  I remember really liking Fields' game because he was always the guy on Pitt that wanted the ball in his hands for the big shots.  He did not have the build for long-term success in the NBA, but used his work ethic to give himself and his teammates a huge boost.  I also really liked his commitment to the Carmelo Anthony cornrows.  For some reason, I watched a ton of Big East basketball in '09 and I was always drawn to the hard-nosed play of Pitt.   

2008: Stephen Curry, Davidson    

In 2008, I loved Stephen Curry.  I never expected that he would go on to become one of the the best players (statistically) in NBA history.  Here's this kid, who looks like he hasn't aged since high school, playing for a small school outside of Charlotte, leading his team so deep into the playoffs.  At this point in his college career, he was not an unknown player, as his scoring prowess led him to become one of the top scoring players (by average) in the country that year.  In this particular tournament, he was able to use his super-human shooting ability to advance deep into the tournament and go toe-to-toe with the perennial powerhouse, Kansas in the Elite Eight.  In their run during that tournament, they beat Gonzaga, Georgetown, and Wisconsin, with Curry scoring at least 30 in all three of those games.  The most surprising thing about this is that he elected not to enter into the NBA, instead, remained at Davidson for one more season, where he continued to fill up the stat sheet.  Now we all know what happened from there.  Scouts doubted his durability and ability to play point guard, he had some ankle problems early on, he started to show signs of being a great shooter, he became NBA's MVP last season, won an NBA championship, and now leads a Golden State team that has a chance to break the regular season wins record (a record that many thought was untouchable).  Not bad for an undersized shooter from Charlotte...

2007: Joakim Noah, Florida

For fans of Florida University during this time period, there is no doubt that these were their glory years.  They were dominant in both Football (See Tebow, Tim) and Basketball and they were (hopefully) living in a nice warm climate!  With that said, this Florida team was nasty.  We all know how hard it is to repeat as a national champion, and this squad did it with style and selflessness.  Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah, and Al Horford all opted to stay in college one more year to try to reach that achievement, and definitely did not hurt their draft stock in doing so.  Noah was my favorite of the bunch.  His goofy look and scrappy nature was very easy to root for!  He was the type of guy to make a layup and then sprint down the court and slap the floor on defense before blocking some poor guy.  I must say, that his name played a role in my favoring him.  Not surprisingly, he went on to the NBA, where he has had an outstanding career as a post scorer/rebounder on the Bulls.  On more than a few occasions, he has been public enemy #1 as a pro (especially when the Bulls and Celtics had a good rivalry going on), but it's hard not to respect and enjoy watching a guy as good and intense as Noah is.  It is hard to find a more vicious competitor.

2006: Adam Morrison, Gonzaga  

Yeah, that's right.  We all remember him... that lovable, long-haired, free-spirited, college basketball anomaly.  In 2006, Adam Morrison split player of the year honors with J.J. Reddick (ugh, Duke).  He was the leader of a Gonzaga team that made a run in the tournament and was not hesitant to take the big shots.  He looked more like he had just come from the set of Dazed and Confused than a basketball player, but as a sophomore(?) in high school, I was a big fan.  Morrison was the leading scorer in the nation that year for a very good Gonzaga team, who lost a heartbreaker to UCLA in the tournament after having the lead the entire game.  As the seconds ticked away, it was plain to see that Morrison's heart was broken.  He clearly gave everything he had to the success of his team and came up short.  I always liked him, because of the fire he played with, seemingly giving every piece of his will to the game.  His fire allowed him to get drafted very high by the Charlotte Bobcats, who tried and failed to develop him as a successful NBA star.  He ended up becoming somewhat of a journeyman around the NBA, with teams trying to reignite the magic that burned in college, but he never found any long-term success.  He did have some bright moments, but none like the years that he played in college.
2005: Salim Stoudamire, Arizona

In 2005, I spent a lot of time playing video games.  The game that I spent the most time playing was ESPN College Hoops 2k5.  I often spent my time in fierce battles with my younger brother, him being Chris Paul's Wake Forest, while I played as Illinois or Salim Stoudamire's Arizona.  In the video game, he was a lights out 3 point shooter, surrounded by other really strong players such as Channing Frye.  In real life, he was a lights out three point shooter, surrounded by other really strong players such as Channing Frye.  From my stand point, there was a lot to like about him!  Among many other things, he was a strong competitor, wanted the ball in his hands at the end of the game, and was a great shooter!  He also had a sweet afro!  Quick note: when I used to create players on video games, they always had afros! (I wish I could have an afro...).  Anyways, Stoudamire led Arizona to the Elite 8, where they had their hearts broken by a ferocious University of Illinois comeback (outscored 20-5 in the final 5 minutes).  Stoudamire went on to have a short NBA career, where he put up moderate numbers.  Just another one of those "better in college" type guys.
2004: Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph's University

In 2004, my brother Joe was a student at the University of Rhode Island, which is in the Atlantic 10 conference.  During this time, Saint Joseph's was the dominant team in that division, going undefeated in the regular season.  One of their closest games that season came towards the end against URI, when they nearly lost on a Dawan Robinson buzzer-beater (quite the mind vault, eh?) Jameer Nelson was a big reason for this success. I have always said, and will continue to say that Jameer Nelson has one of the prettiest shots in basketball.  His smooth stroke allowed him to garner the respect of defenders who had to defend him deep, allowing him to easily dribble into the lane: a deadly combination.  They had a great run in the tournament, with their marquee win coming over Chris Paul's Wake Forest team who also had a strong showing in the regular season.  Unfortunately, they were defeated in the last seconds of a game by Oklahoma State and their improbable dominance came to an end.  Nelson's career however did not end in college.  Unlike a lot of the guys that I have mentioned in this blog, Nelson has gone on to have a really illustrious NBA career.  In his 11 year career, he has averaged 15 points and nearly 7 assists, numbers that have warranted a long career.  In his later years, teams have used him as a seasoned veteran, and take advantage of his experience off the bench.  

There you have it.  I think I could keep going, but earlier than 2004 and my mind is a little bit fuzzy on details!

Until next time!

Why Customer Service is relevant in Schools.

A few days ago, my Dad called me to seek my help on a presentation he will be making at a local high school in a week or so.  These are some of my thoughts on why customer service is such a relevant part of teaching!

When my Dad called to ask me to share my thoughts on why customer service is important in schools, a million thoughts raced through my head.  I had many initial thoughts that I could have shared, but I felt so strongly about the importance of this idea as an educator, I did not answer immediately, but asked if I could write down my response instead.  Here are a few of my thoughts about why I believe customer service plays an absolutely essential role in the world of education.

First, a little bit about me.  I am twenty-six years old.  I am a history teacher by training.  I have spent the last eight summers and counting working at a small camp near Camden, ME.  I would never claim to be an expert on the world of education and know (and love) that I have so much more to learn about my (our) craft.  These are just observations that I have had in my few short years in and around the classroom. 

In order to get my thoughts in order, I had to think about the restaurants, venues, retail stores, and events that I frequent, and dive into why it is that I chose these places to return to time after time.  Not surprisingly, many of these places share the same characteristics: friendly/genuine staff, predictable (I’ll get more into this in a minute), fast service, honesty, quality products, smooth operations, etc.  Looking back through the list, I was not surprised that as a teacher, these are also qualities that I aim to emulate with students, parents, and peers. 

Student Buy-In:

A good education is the most important thing that can be “sold” to a student.  When teachers aren’t able to sell their students on the topic they are teaching, students will likely miss concepts and the teachers will be wasting their time.  I think (may be a biased train of thought) that this generation of students is probably the hardest to teach, because they have instantaneous access to so many different stimuli.  So as teachers, what can we do to convince students that it is worth their time to listen to what we have to teach?  Why is our product valuable to their learning?  I think that much of that has a lot to do with their interests and goals, but if lessons are framed with your particular students in mind, I believe that there becomes a correlation with their success. 

Stay Current:

If you walk into Wal-Mart hoping to buy the newest FIFA game and they only have copies of the game from 10 years ago, I doubt that they would have much success making that sale.  Why would the classroom be any different?  My first year teaching was 2012.  I was assigned to a classroom that had a broken LCD projector.  While I still had use of my computer to use as a personal reference, I felt that my students were short-changed in some ways by the lack of technology.  When I finally got a new projector, my lessons became much better-rounded and students responded positively to the presence of technology.  As a customer service industry, I believe it is essential to learn to be proficient with all necessary tools and current on content and methodology. What can we do to strengthen our lesson plans? What do I need from others to help achieve this?

Challenge Students:

This is an idea that contributes to an excellent customer experience in the classroom, but may not have much success in other platforms.  For example if you are a car salesman and the customer comes in trying to buy a lightly used Ford Focus, they may not respond well if you then said, “you know what, I can see that you can do bigger and better things, why not just upgrade to our brand new super-sporty Mercedes Benz?”  My response would probably go something like this: “Well, you know, because I’m a teacher…” 

It is such an essential part of the student’s experience to be challenged to search for different perspectives or to practice new methods they are learning.  Without that challenge, the final product will likely be lackluster. How can you challenge students without putting them off?      

Consistency is key:

Consistency manifests itself in so many different ways, but is so important.  My family and I have been going to the same Chinese restaurant for years.  We know that when we get there we will have a friendly waitress, the food will be prepared quickly, and it will taste delicious!  In all of the years we have been going, we may have had two or three less than stellar dishes, but because we have built up the trust in the restaurant, it does not deter us.  Now imagine we had gone once, had poor service, and sub-par food… do you think we would have gone back?  Probably not.  I have found the same is true in so many ways in the classroom.  As you all know, students are much more perceptive than they get credit for, especially when they sense inconsistencies.  In what ways could these inconsistencies manifest themselves? How can that effect the final product?

Reputation matters:

I used to eat my fair share of Chipotle.  I think it is delicious!  Every time I ate it, I did so without any ill effects (other than being really full).  However, since the reports came out of the e. coli incidences I have not touched a burrito.  Even since they have made sure that all of their products are safe and ready to go, I just do not have that trust anymore.  Unfortunately, that’s the way things go with reputation.  Building a positive rapport with students, teachers, and other parents can go miles towards building that reputation and trust within your classroom and school.  I think that this is such an essential piece of the customer service experience not only in schools, but in any business!

Keep parents involved:

I have worked in two schools since graduating.  In my brief experience, I can definitely attest that students whose parents play an active (but not overbearing) role in their learning usually show a higher affinity for learning.  The most difficult part of this is cultivating a relationship with the parents to maintain an open dialogue about what their kids are learning and putting forth conversation starters to further the students' learning.  I think that this goes way beyond the surface questions of "did you finish your homework?" or "did you get any grades back?", but instead "tell me about something you learned today," "are there any difficult concepts that you are running into," "how can what you learned be put into practical use to make it more applicable to your life."  I believe that this simple change in general conversation can make a huge difference in a students' learning process.   How can you use parent involvement to promote a students’ success?  How can you “sell” what you are teaching to the parents to generate healthy conversation outside the classroom?

Mimi and Papa: A Grandson's Point of View

On December 31, 1955 my wonderful Mimi ended her year-long diary with this entry:

"This year is over, and tomorrow a new one rolls in. I have known love, despair, sorrow, grief, happiness, joy, discouragement, and what have.  Best of all, I have known love.  This is a love that will last forever -- We'll have our ups and downs, arguments, peace and everything else that makes two people love each other.  With the help and grace of God we'll come out of it O.K."

Fast forward just over sixty years, six children and fourteen grandchildren later, these words written by my Mimi about her and my Papa could not have been more true.  On Saturday, with their children and grandchildren gathered to celebrate their amazing lives, we laughed and cried as we read the final few months' entries of 1955.  It was so fitting that the final words Mimi wrote about her engagement year of 1955 were written with optimism, joy, and unbridled excitement for the things to come (traits that were cherished by her kids and grandkids.)

A couple of months ago, I wrote a blog post highlighting some of the things that I loved most about my wonderful Mimi and Papa.  After I wrote it, my parents went over to their home, and read it to them.  Mom and Dad reported back that Mimi and Papa loved it (which comes as no surprise, since they were always quick to offer their support).  While writing it, there was no part of me thinking that within just a few months, they would have both passed away.  It has been a really hard couple of months.  I think that my Dad nailed it right on the head, when he talked to me about how constant and steady their presence was in our lives.  Prior to their rapid decline, it was hard to imagine a world without these things.  Now, a few weeks after Papa's passing, I am left with fond memories and nostalgia about my wonderful grandparents.

I loved that there was never a moment of judgement with Mimi and Papa.  These were qualities that they shared with their kids, who have passed them on to us.  They always loved us despite our flaws. They never pried, but they always extended themselves when they could for our well-being. 

Mimi and Papa were willing to drop everything at the drop of a hat to make sure that we were okay.  I can recall feeling really sick once in high school, and Mom and Dad weren't able to pick me up.  I called Papa and he came over immediately to take me home.  When we got there, he made sure I was comfortable, and then called the house later on to make sure I was doing okay. 

They kept a warm, inviting home with a door that was always opened (but seriously, it was only a few years ago that they actually starting locking the house).  I always knew what to expect when I went over to visit.  Papa would tell stories of the past (some of them more than once).  Even when I went to visit him in his nursing home a couple of weeks ago, he was sharing stories that I had never heard before.  Mimi would always have some treats prepared for us.  Even if it was a surprise visit, we could count on coke, twizzlers, and usually a delicious cake (Papa loved his treats).  We would sit in living room and they would listen intently as we filled them in on our latest escapades.  They would chime in when they could and make sure that we knew how proud they were of us.

When I was in fourth grade, I made the decision to play the violin.  I had never played an instrument before, but the teacher was fun and I received encouragement from my Mom and Dad.  When Papa found out, he was so excited for me.  There was rarely a moment at the Dumont house that music wasn't playing on the radio, and when we couldn't hear it, that usually meant that Papa was playing a tune on his accordion or violin.  He was quite the fiddler.  When it came time for me to purchase a full-sized violin, I didn't have to look far.  I went over to Mimi and Papa's house where I found several violins of various conditions laid out for me.  The one I chose needed a little bit of work, but when it was all said and done it looked and played beautifully.  I was often shy about playing by myself, but I wish that I had played for Mimi and Papa more often.  Papa loved listening to the oldies, especially the French-Canadian tunes.

Mimi and Papa loved their bean suppers (especially Papa).  They combined three of their favorite things, baked beans, same-generation folks sharing old stories, and pie (Papa loved his treats).  I can't remember how many bean suppers I attended with them, but it was surely in the double digits.  The most memorable of these happened in Freeport before we watched the Preservation Hall Jazz Band play the night away as part of the L.L. Bean free summer concert series.  We walked down the street looking for something to eat, when suddenly we noticed a baked bean supper sign.  After finishing, we walked outside where I balanced on a short ledge.  Fooling around, I stuck my foot into an opening of a nearby trash can.  Mimi said, "You shouldn't do that Noah, it might get stuck."  In my youthful arrogance I laughed and began to pull my foot out.  As I pulled my foot out, it stuck on the lid of the can and I fell right on my butt.  After making sure I was okay, Mimi laughed with me at my silliness and often reminded me of that story.

Mimi loved to spend her mornings drinking hot coffee, doing the daily crossword puzzle, and watching the birds outside of their home.  When we visited her, we often found her doing just that. When she wasn't doing those things, her motherly instincts took over, as she cooked, cleaned, and did laundry.  She was a great cook and I was privy to many a fantastic meal.  When we were young, Mimi and Papa hosted our Thanksgiving celebrations, making the home welcome for their kids, in-laws, and grandchildren.

Papa spent most of his days in his workshop, where he crafted furniture, clocks, and small toys for the grand-kids.  Like all the he did, these tasks were slow, meticulous, and well-crafted.  Their home is like a treasure trove of quality Papa-made fixtures (the house itself was also Papa-made).  I can vividly remember driving to different lumber yards on several occasions to get just the right material for Papa's projects.  I wish that I had more interest in learning his woodworking hobby, but at that age I was all-consumed with sports.

The Boys and their toys from Papa

Papa loved travelling around the state, and as we did, telling stories of his days working as an engineer for Maine's department of transportation.  It was nearly impossible to travel to a place in Maine for which Papa didn't have a story.  We often went to Hallowell, where Papa would talk about the old Granite quarries and the time a truck full of Granite lost its breaks and barreled down the steep hills of Hallowell.

Mimi loved her grandchildren (all fourteen of them) and was always quick to offer her babysitting services.  She often brought us in tow as she ran her errands around town (we went because we knew that McDonald's would likely follow).  She would ask us what we wanted to do, and then she would selflessly drive us to Giffords and Benton Family Fun park and watch along contently.

Mimi and Papa loved the outdoors.  On warm, sunny days, it was never a surprise to drive up to the Homestead and find them sitting out in the yard enjoying every minute of it.  In our younger years, Papa would have been smoking a pipe (a habit which he kicked eventually).  They often sat quietly just to enjoy the wildlife around them.  When we spotted turkeys in the back yard, rather than say "oh, yeah, we see them every day..." they would smile and watch with us and tell stories about the turkeys fleeing from the fox a couple of days ago.  Papa loved to talk about how smart the turkeys were (especially when it came to evading predators).

Mimi and Papa loved having a good time.  When the family was around, they always had a smile on their faces.  On special occasions, they enjoyed a glass of wine or two and played charades or sang old French-Canadian songs.  Weddings were always quite festive.

I loved my Mimi and Papa and there is no question that loved me too.  I am so happy to have had them in my life for 26 years.  They have left behind a legacy of love and caring that will be carried on for many generations.  It gives me joy to know that they are dancing, singing, and smiling down on us from heaven.  I know that we will meet again someday, but until then I will do my best to match the joy for life that they shared with us!

I love you Mimi and Papa!

The Christmas Post

 Family Christmas Tree c. 1992

 Christmas is a very special time of year for the Spofford family.  I am sure that statement holds true for many families, and I am happy that so many people around the world find joy in spending time with their families and friends for the holidays.  As I go back into my memory bank to try to pull out specific moments from past Christmases, it strikes me as a good sign that the first things that come to mind are not the presents that I have received (although I was always blessed to have a family that had the ability to be generous at Christmas), but instead are snapshots of family (both immediate and extended).  As Christmas 2015 is fast approaching, it strikes and saddens me that some of my favorite holiday traditions are going to be drastically different this year due to things out of our control.  In this post, however, I do not want to focus on the sad, but on the positives of our Christmases past!  As I thought about this post, I wondered, what would be better to capture the family spirit of Christmas than having my family featured in my blog.  So along with some of my own writing, you guys will be treated by excerpts from the rest of the Spofford crew!

The older cousins!

Dad's Christmas Memory:
Our first Christmas, I gave mom a china doll.  She left DC to travel home to Maine.  A few days later, she sent me dozen red roses with cedar boughs.  When she returned after Christmas, a couple of friends and I met her at the National Airport.  She looked radiant in her green sweater with a white patterned yolk.  I knew at that moment that I would ask her to marry me.  Her beauty, inside and out, her kindness, her intelligence and her  love.  A month later, she said yes and we were married in June.  In 1983, mom was 5 months pregnant and we celebrated our first Christmas together in Alexandria.  I can remember that we showered each other with gifts as we sat on our new couch from Woodward and Lothrop.  In 1984, 1986, 1989 and 1992 we had new baby boys to celebrate.  We felt the joy and peace of the manger in our hearts as we welcomed life, born of love, into the world.  Our traditions of Mass, prayers before the crèche, a tree trimmed with special ornaments, bounteous gifts, holiday foods and family have been precious to us as we celebrate the commemoration of Jesus’ birth.  A birth that changed the world.  The center of our Faith and a beacon of hope for a weary, yet wonderful, world.  May Christ always be the reason for the season.  His light fills the darkest hours of the winter and our lives!

Top left going clockwise: 1984, 1986, 1992, 1989

Mom's Christmas Memory:
 The Night the Angel Visited the Spofford House

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house the Christmas Eve party was in full swing at the Spofford house.  There was music and chatter and plenty to eat; there was singing and laughter and wood burning heat.  All of the family was gathered together except one year old Noah, who didn’t know better.  Dear Noah decided to go exploring through the vast Victorian house.  He was quiet as a mouse as he toddled into the dining room and living room.  He didn’t go far when he spied his escape with the door leading to the front staircase was opened ajar.  He continued to venture into the grand hall.  As he proceeded to creep up the willow stairs, he started to fall.  His mother had noticed her youngest was missing and immediately went searching.  It was at the moment that Noah started to fall, that his Angel of Mercy appeared in the hall.  She swooped down to catch him with the speed of light to prevent a disastrous end to the festive night.  Noah landed safely in the arms of his mother who hugged him and kissed him and brought him back to the others.

Maybe it was this Christmas?

Joe's Christmas Memory:

The Christmas memory closest to my heart at this time is actually our most recent Christmas (2014).  At this Christmas, our Mimi and Papa were getting really old with their bodies and minds failing more and more each year.  Over the past few years, I have made it a priority to visit them as much as possible during my visits to Maine.  One tradition we had was that we cooked a big Christmas Eve dinner and had Mimi and Papa visit us each year.  We spent the day on Christmas Eve 2014 preparing the food in the kitchen with Mom.  Later in the day, Papa called and said that they would not make it because they weren't feeling well.  Our Dad did not accept this and said they were coming.  We picked them up and brought them over for the usual Christmas Eve festivities.  This particular Christmas Eve was special because I think all of us were completely in the moment knowing it might be our last Christmas Eve with our grandparents.  We had a beautiful dinner where we were able to enjoy Mimi's wonderful wit and laugh. Papa was also able to share some stories of year's past as his memory held up better than Mimi's.  After dinner we moved to the living room where we brought out the guitars and sang Christmas songs. Mimi and Papa's faces were radiant with smiles to light up our hearts.  We truly savored life on this night. 

It is now 2015 and two days before Christmas.  Mimi passed away a little less than a month ago and Papa is in a full time care facility.  Christmas Eve will be different this year, however their legacy of warmth and genuine joy will live on.  The Christmas experience in our family is one of the most beautiful, and intimate moments that we share.  It is something that I want to hold on to but know that things will change as our lives grow and change.  I hope that all of us will continue to be in the moment each Christmas time with our loved ones wherever our lives lead us genuinely rejoicing in family.

Josh's Christmas Memory:

Our parents have always opened the house to those that had nowhere else to go on the holidays.  As children, our elderly neighbor (and periodic caregiver), Mrs. Taylor, would spend Christmas Eve with us.  She delighted in spending time with the four boys and would often read with us and play Chinese checkers on the floor while eating ginger snaps and drinking mini bottles of ginger ale.  We grew older and eventually moved to Mississippi, but she stayed in touch with our parents and was sure to send along a gift for us.  In our preteen years, we received a game called "LifeStories" where the object is to move your token to a final goal while along the way sharing reminiscences based on the card that you drew.  When you reach the final square, all the other game's participants take turns sharing a memory about you.

On that first Christmas, we had tried to play as a family.  The game quickly fizzled into mundanity as we realized that we couldn't actually beat each other. We never did finish that first go.  A few years, however, we were looking for a game to play after we had finished our ritual Christmas breakfast and found LifeStories on the shelf.  Given that we're all a bit older and have come to a greater appreciation of the value of family, we decided to give it another shot.  We shared lots over the course of the next hour and, as each of us reached the game's conclusion, we had the opportunity to express our love, our pride, our joy in being parents/sons/siblings.  

When my mom crossed the line, I had a particular moment in mind that I wanted to share --- a moment that has helped to define who I am today.  It was about a time when my Mom loved me when I wasn't capable of loving myself and reminding me that she would always have that love for me, whether I wanted to accept it or not.  I was so focused on getting the details right that I wasn't paying any attention to the reactions around the table.  When I finished and looked up, I realized that the entire family had tears streaming down and smiles lit up across their faces.  In that moment, I was so forcefully reminded of the spirit of Christmas - the indefatigable, inextinguishable spirit of love.

My Christmas Memory:

Each year, I find myself more and more excited for Christmas, but as I get older, the reasons for the excitement have changed dramatically.  Rather than thinking about what I am going to get for Christmas, I find joy in looking forward to the traditions of spending time with family friends.  I have always loved the ebb and flow of our typical Christmas day (which has looked very similar for a long time).  In recent years, I have been the first one to wake up on Christmas morning (aside from my parents of course).  Instead of waking the boys up, I wait with patience for an hour or so until either A. One other boy wakes up which justifies my waking the rest of them, or B. My parents decide it's time for everyone to wake up!  Once everyone is awake, the boys gather over on the stairs for our pre-present pictures.  This particular picture often catches many of us not in the best state (See below).  Following pictures, we exchange gifts.  I love the challenge of finding the just right gifts for everyone in the family.  Following gifts, we dine on a delicious breakfast feast (I particularly enjoy indulging on my mother's danishes)!  After breakfast, we enter into our Christmas Day lull between meals.  In our younger years, we would often gather in the basement to play with a video game or a toy we got for Christmas, but recently, I have gone over to Amy's house to participate in the gift exchange with her family.  We eat our delicious Prime Rib and baked potato late lunch, which never disappoints.  Then, we pile into the car to make our way across the bridge to spend time at my Grandparent's house with my Mom's family for some final merriment.  I have always loved the family-centricity of Christmas, and the relaxed nature of the day.  Typically, the boys find time to play some driveway basketball or street football to get some of the energy out of our systems.  It is truly a magical time of year around the Spofford home and I am grateful for a wonderful family to spend it with.

Isaiah's Christmas Memory:

 My favorite thing about Christmas doesn't necessarily fall on Christmas Day. In my opinion, Christmas Eve has always provided the best memories. Throughout the day we blast holiday tunes throughout the house. Sounds of Nat King Cole, the classic Creole Christmas, and my personal favorite, James Taylor fill the rooms as we help Mom cook the feast that will be eaten later that night. The night that we prepare for all day is the best part of the year because I am fortunate enough to be with my family, something that happens now once a year. Gathering around the tree, taking family photos before we head to church, singing Christmas Carols while Noah or Josh accompany on the guitar. These are the moments I've learned to savor because of the limited time we all have together and any other day we are all headed in all different directions. Christmas Eve Nights will always be be etched into my memories as some of those moments where I know I am blessed with a family that has such an abundance of love. Isn't that what the season is all about?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!  Hope your holidays are blessed!