PB27 Happy New Year

For me, and I suspect most teachers, June 2 (or whatever the day is after graduation) is New Year’s Day. This is the time of the year for “review”, “reflection”, and “resolutions”. A time to take stock of one’s life. I have been writing this column for a year now; the first column appeared in the June 21, 2007 “Sentinel”. The subject was “Finishing last for a great cause.” In it I resolved (remember June is for resolutions) to not embarrass myself in the annual Kayla5K run. I also encouraged more of you to participate. Last Saturday I completed my 5th Kayla run with an astounding time (for me) amidst a record breaking turnout. Good job, Granville. (And “Good job, Haven, too”, I might add.)

Note: For the person logging the times, if you are still at the high school waiting for me to cross the finish line, you can go home. I threw that little computer tag in the duck pond just north of the school. I have resolved for the 08-09 academic year that I will quit judging myself against others; from now on it is just me against me.

Many of my readers have asked me how I came to be the popular author of a semi regular newspaper column. It happened like this: One Friday night after our weekly trip to dine with friends at Brew’s (not only a good place to eat but a good place to BE), my loving wife of some 25 years said, “We need to talk”. This is normally not a good sign. She explained that in the course of the evening, I had “dominated the conversation”, repeated myself by “telling the same stupid stories I had told before”, and insisted that “you know I’m right.” For a few minutes I couldn’t figure out what she was trying to get at. Then it hit me. The wife, in her own sweet way, was trying to say that I needed to acquire a larger audience. So I went to Chuck Peterson and offered to write a column from time to time for the Sentinel as a public service. (This was after he explained that he wouldn’t pay.)

Chuck appeared to be delighted to have me on the staff. But before I began, I needed to establish some ground rules. First, I resolved to separate the column from my “day job”. I didn’t want to write about education and I didn’t want my readers (both of them) to think that I inflict my philosophy, experiences, point of view, historical perspective, and political ramblings on my students. That would be crazy. What I teach is precisely what the school board has approved and the state of Ohio requires. (And, if I may say so, I think I am a good teacher. I NEVER deviate from the lesson plan in the classroom). Secondly, I resolved to take this endeavor seriously. I wanted to avoid humorous content. It is very difficult to write humor, and while I think I am funny, hardly anyone else does. Finally, I decided to avoid controversy. We have enough controversy in our country and in our town. I am the type of person that likes to bring people together. I hope that you have found the ideas you have been exposed to in this column are ones we can all agree upon. It is time for us to come together as a village, as a country, and, I sincerely hope, as a world.

Whether I have been successful or not, I will leave to you, the readers. But maybe those of you who are not in education, should do what I am doing. Take a moment for reflection and set some new goals. Get fit. The Kayla 5K will be here before you know it. If you didn’t get out this year, I’ll be looking for you next June. Get green. Don’t drive when you can ride your bike (wear your helmet!) or walk. My goal is 100 carless trips to school next year. Get involved. Vote! Run for office. I’m going to. Participatory democracy requires participation. And Happy New Year. You know I’m right.