Finally... a little Lin-tegrity in the NBA!!!

Disclaimer: I am not related to Jeremy Lin

Sorry everyone for the lapse in time between posts. I've never been a huge NBA fan - maybe because my team is the Washington Wizards - but I've been swept up in the Linsanity that defies imagination.

For another Lin-sane post, check out the guest post here I did for July Flame. If you’re not a follower of her blog, I highly recommend it – her posts are full of wit, thought, and truth.

In actuality, one of the biggest reasons why I love college basketball but have always had a disdain for the NBA is the personalities. The NBA is a breeding ground for individualism, which leads to selfishness and millionaire athletes that think the world centers around them. They have been catered to and coddled their entire lives because they can play basketball, and most jump at the first chance to leave school early for the NBA. Only 21 percent of players in the NBA have their undergraduate degrees.

The sad thing is, these spoiled and half educated basketball players have become unwitting role models for young children. With other sports like football and baseball, it seems as if most athletes recognize this and try to set good examples for the impressionable minds that admire them. Basketball however, has been a stunning contradiction, with players having an attitude first put on display in this Nike ad starring Charles Barkley:



To be fair, I think the message the Sir Charles was trying to get across was that parents need to take more responsibility for their own kids. But, that’s a whole new post for another time. Today, I want to celebrate the NBA for finally producing an honest-to-God role model in Jeremy Lin. What’s there not to like about a guy who:

1) Went to Harvard and graduated with a degree in Economics
2) Led every team he has been on to championships
3) Persisted through every adversity (not recruited out of high school, not drafted out of college, and cut twice by NBA teams) to become a star
4) Persisted to overcome stereotypes to become the best basketball player in Ivy League history and an NBA starting point guard
5) Is humble with the praise that is being heaped upon him, giving credit to everyone except himself

Jeremy Lin is a far cry from what I have come to expect from NBA players. In a world that has been glamorized by the media and is proliferated by infidelity in relationships, greed, and selfishness, a man that was unknown to the world a few weeks could be a role model for a generation of children desperately seeking men they can look up to. Will others follow?

Join me in following basketball. Join me in cheering on the New York Knicks – even if you have a different team that you follow. Join me in hoping and praying that the NBA can produce more men of dignity that the children of our country – our future – can model their lives after.

God, please watch over our future. It takes a village to raise a child. May good parents, teachers, big brothers/sisters, neighbors and great role models all be part of every village. Amen.

Sports - the Evil Empire?

Baseball – it’s America’s pastime for more reasons than merely being a game many of us enjoy. Looking through our history, baseball has been part of the rebuilding process after many disasters, from the Great Depression of the 1930s to the aftermath of 9/11. As a fan of both baseball and history, I love how baseball has been interwoven into our culture at a deeper level than other sports I enjoy, but am not as deeply connected to as an American.

As such, I can see a stark contrast to baseball and our current economic crisis we are in. A few days ago, the Detroit Tigers – home of one of the most economically destroyed cities in the United States – reached out and signed a player for 214 million dollars, and an average of $23 million per year.

LZ Granderson, a Detroit Tigers fan who also is a senior writer at ESPN, writes a phenomenal article on this disconnect here. Yes, cities aren’t responsible for the salaries of baseball players. However, the fact that Detroit’s baseball team can pay a player more than any one police district in the city is a testament to the insanity we Americans have for our favorite sports teams. How is it that our priorities are such that the success of a city’s baseball team is more important to us than the success of our school districts and safety of our streets? Yes, we don't pay the salaries of athletes. At least, not directly. Every time we shell out $50 for a ticket however, or $6 for a hot dog at the game, $160 for a jersey, or buy the sports package on TV, we are fueling the rising salaries of players and lining the pockets of the already rich owners. We are, in fact, paying these ridiculously wealthy people with our obsession with games we would all love to play for free.

I have a confession to make: I’m a huge sports fan, and a fan of the New York Yankees (aka the “Evil Empire”) at that. However, when people complain about how much the Yankees spend, they always compare it to how much other baseball teams spend. Shouldn’t we instead be complaining about how we as a population prioritize sports to the point that baseball players and actors are worth much more than the quality of education that our students get? I'm not saying we should boycott sports or that enjoying professional athletics is wrong (there is no way on earth I myself could stop!), but perhaps some moderation in necessary.

John F. Kennedy once said,

"children are the world’s most valuable resource."

Perhaps it’s time that we begin taking heed of that remark and stop feeding the economic insanity that has become the world of sports and begin to feed our education system. The future of our nation and our world is more important than the Super Bowl, World Series, or even the World Cup.

MLK, a 10 Year Old Girl, and the Perfect Role Model

MLK

“But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force… Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.”

If you, like me, didn’t recognize these words upon first glance, it may be because these words are overshadowed by the more famous words,

“I have a dream.”

I’m a bit ashamed to say that I hadn’t read his speech in its entirety before this week, and if you haven’t as well you can find it here. It is (obviously) a deeply moving piece and his intricate use of vocabulary and figurative language made me realize that he was not only an incredible visionary and civil rights leader, but he was also brilliant as a writer. Anyhow, on to my post…


A 10 Year Old Girl

A few weeks ago I sat down to have a conference with a girl after a week where she got in multiple confrontations with many students, was generally disrespectful and ornery to teachers and peers alike, and even had to take a walk to calm herself down because (in her words):

“I don’t like it when good things happen to other people and not me.”

Several minutes into the conversation, this exchange took place:

Me: “Are you happy more than you are angry? Or are you angry more than you are happy?"
Student (arms crossed): “I’m angry more. I’m angry all the time.”
Me: “Why do you think that is?”
Student: “Because people make me mad.”
Me: “Why do people make you mad?”
Student: “Because I don’t like them.”
Me: “Why don’t you like them?”
Student: “Because no one likes me.”
Me: “Why do you think no one likes you?”
Student: “I don’t know.”
Me: “Do you think it’s because you’re mean to other students?”
Student: “Well, they make me mad and annoy me!”
Me: “Everyone makes you mad?”
Student: “Well, Teresa* doesn’t. She’s nice to me. But, she’s nice to everyone.”
Me: “That’s interesting. Do you think Teresa is happy most of the time?”
Student: “Yeah, she’s always happy. I’ve never seen her get mad.”
Me: “So what you’re saying is that Teresa is nice to everyone and she’s always happy?”
Student (pauses): “Yeah…”

A light of uncertainty and recognition flickered in her usually hate-filled eyes.

***************************
Next Monday is Martin Luther King Day and this week in Language Arts we have been reading and analyzing Dr. King’s speech. After discussing how Dr. King’s groundbreaking idea of peaceful demonstration proved to be far more effective than violence, that same little girl raised her hand.

“My mom tells me that if somebody does something I don’t like I should fight back. She tells me to hit people if they bother me. Shouldn’t I listen to my mom?"

The same flickering light I saw in her eyes a few weeks ago was back.

A 10 year old girl who is constantly angry at the world – but has the utmost admiration for Martin Luther King – seems to have come to a crossroad. I wonder… will the beacon of hope that radiates from Martin Luther King’s words overcome the darkness that engulfs her in her home environment? A few days dedicated to learning the philosophies of the staunchest proponent of peace in our nation’s history is trying to overcome a lifetime of cancerous hatred that is being fed to her by the person that holds the most influence on her young mind.

The Perfect Role Model

2,000 years ago, as He was being arrested in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus stopped His followers from drawing swords against his accusers. In submitting to peace, He proclaimed His love to all and in doing so ensured the success of the greatest civil rights movement in human history.

The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. had the perfect role model to lead him, one that he turned to every day of his life. In doing so, he led our nation's great Civil Rights Movement and became an incredible role model to others - even 10 year old children that have less-than-ideal home environments. I pray for these children. I hope you will as well – even those of you that don’t usually pray.


*Name changed

Tebowing (noun)

“I don’t want to get married… because I see how my parents are. And they’ve been together, like, years… I want first kisses. I want passion… the whole way through.”

This obscure quote is from the movie “Reality Bites.” The title of this movie – and this quote – is very appropriate to our culture. We love the honeymoon stage, where everything is a dreamlike and perfect, where every high builds on the last one, and we ride the wave of bliss that can seemingly carry us to anywhere imaginable.

We are all wise enough to recognize the immaturity of this thinking. It isn’t realistic to stay permanently in the honeymoon period of anything. Despite this, this type of thinking is found in our culture in places beyond marriage.

Tebowing
1. Verb - The act of emulating Tim Tebow by getting on one knee with fist on forehead as if in prayer. (example)
2. Noun - The state of human infatuation, otherwise known as the honeymoon period.

I, like many football fans around the country, am on my honeymoon with Tim Tebow. He is a fantastic human being who always takes time to talk with fans. He treats every person he meets like they are important. And, in the egotistical world of professional sports while playing arguably the most ego-centric position, he is humble beyond comprehension. Amplifying the intrigue is Tebow’s unwavering profession of faith which causes people to either be drawn in closer to him, or be repelled by him.

It’s easy to get caught up in Tebowing when his exploits take a team from a 1-4 start to 8-5 and the brink of a playoff spot. It’s easy for our hearts to be warmed by a person who says all the right things, does all the right things, and – despite constant talk about how he doesn’t have the requisite skills to be an NFL quarterback – doesn’t have a chip on his shoulder and takes his criticism in stride with humility. It is easy to love when all is going well.

Sadly, we are nearing the end of the honeymoon stage with Tim Tebow. The past two weeks (losses to the Patriots and the Bills) have brought us past the first kisses and passion of initial love. The luster of our torrid affair gives way to the realization that reality does indeed bite – Tim Tebow is not without his warts. Off the field, it’s almost a guarantee that he will in some way disappoint his legions of fans as well – after all, he’s only human. It’s safe to say that his millions of fans will dwindle down, and we will recognize that our ‘love’ of Tebow was actually infatuation, something that does not hold up to the trials that were bound to happen. Tim Tebow won’t be a different person because of his eventual failures. The only thing different will be our inability to look past his flaws. This means the WE are the problem; or, more succinctly, the problem is our inability to cope when things don’t go how we want them to.

Today, Tim Tebow needs to lead his team to victory in order to ensure a spot in the playoffs. Will he succeed? The better question is,

“Will he still be the same man regardless of the outcome of the game?”

Many people unfairly compare Tim Tebow to Christ. Unfortunately, Tebow is destined to fail, whereas Christ is not. There is, however, one area where there is an accurate comparison: we, the followers.

In our lives, there are many variations of Tebowing. It might be a relationship, a hobby, or a job. It might even be our view of God. Will we choose to move past the honeymoon stage?

Merry Christmas!!!

In the craziness that has become the Christmas season, sitting alone and quiet in bed at 12:45am on December 26th after football, dinner, and opening presents feels amazing. Yes, I love throwing down in my kitchen...

(check out the pistachio encrusted rack of lamb, smoky mac n cheese - with bacon, of course - and the disaster of potatoes that I made. 2 outta three isn't bad, right?)

but in the end, a whirlwind day gives way to silent night, and all is well with the world....

just like it was over 2000 years ago, when a whirlwind journey to Bethlehem gave way to silent night, and all became right for Mary, Joseph, and all of mankind. My fellow blogger at July Flame draws an interesting analogy - that Christmas is God's marriage proposal to us.

If you’re a girl, check out the link. If you’re a dude, read on because you’re reaction might be like this:

Dude: “Hold up. I’m a dude – I ain’t getting proposed to. Like, ever. I don’t understand this analogy.”

Putting it in terms that we dudes might understand, imagine that you find the woman that you love with your whole heart. In the chaos and commotion that surrounds you, a moment where time will eternally stand motionless arrives. You get down on one knee. If she says yes, all is right with the world. But, if she says no…?

At the end of this Christmas day, proclaim Merry Christmas to mean that God is with us, on one knee. Choose God, choose love, and all will be right in the world.

Merry Christmas!!!

P.S. - If you haven’t done so already (even if you’re a dude), be sure check out July Flame’s post on Christmas!

There is No Fun in School!!!

My students were hard at work on their daily grammar activity when a student walked into my room at the beginning of my language arts block.

“Mr. Lin, Ms. Bach* wanted me to give this to you. She said it was inappropriate.”

The student handed me a sealed envelope. On the envelope in a child’s handwriting, it said:

I wish I was in your class!!

Mrs. Bach

p.s your so much nicer than Mr. lin

By

******* *******

One of the things I take some measure of pride in is the relationship I have with my students. Although it is most important to me students that my students respect me, it is also a bonus if they like me and like being in my class also. However, it would be foolhardy of me to think that all my students are going to like me. This year, I’ve had a difficult time with Rosanna*, who has made it very clear to me and to other students that she doesn’t like me. Recently, she has taken a passive aggressive approach, and this letter to my science counterpart was just another example.

So… how should I handle this?

Mr. Lin: “Class, thank you for working so hard on your grammar. Before we review the sentences you are correcting, I want the class to see something that was given to me just now."

(As I take out the envelope and put it under the document camera so everyone can see it, I hear a few gasps from some of the students. Rosanna slinks into her chair ever-so-slightly)

Mr. Lin: I have a special treat for you! Rosanna has been so gracious as to provide us with some sentences that contain errors. Let’s fix the sentences she made for us!”

(The whole class cheers)

Student A: “I see the first mistake! The ‘i’ needs to be capitalized!”
Student B: “I think she used the wrong ‘your.’ It should be “you’re.”
Student C: “It should be Dr. Lin instead of Mr. Lin”
Student D: “Lin is a proper noun, so the ‘L needs to be capitalized!”
Student E: “There needs to be a period after the ‘s’ in ‘p.s.’”
Student F: “Ms. Bach isn’t married… yet. You can’t write Mrs.”
Rosanna: “She just got engaged! So she’s now a Mrs.”
Student F: “No, she only becomes a Mrs. after she gets married.”
Mr. Lin: “Great job class! Let’s give Rosanna a round of applause for providing us with some sentences so we can practice our grammar.”

(The students give Rosanna a hearty round of applause)

Student G (to Rosanna): “Mr. Lin is the nicest teacher ever!”
Mr. Lin (glares at Student G): “Save your made-up stories for when we write fiction.”

On the first day of school I tell my students that my job is to teach them, and getting them to like me isn’t in my job description. Along the way, my kids figure out that I’m also pretty fun teacher to have and begin to like me. MOST of them, at least!

To the ones that inevitably don't like being in my class, I hope they realize that the words I speak on the first day of school are words I stand by as a teacher.


*Names changed

p.s. – to my dear friend and mentor teacher Ms. Bach… congratulations on your engagement!!!

Compare and Contrast

My deepest apologies for being so long in between posts! I’ve been working on a special project, and hopefully I’ll be able to share it with you all soon. In the meantime, I’ll be back to my normal 1-2 posts per week. This week’s topic is...

Compare and Contrast

From the Virginia Standards of Learning for language arts:

“Students will identify compare-and-contrast relationships.”

Today we will compare Ndamukong Suh and Rosa.*

Ndamukong Suh is a 6’4”, 307 pound man. He plays defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions. This is his second year in the National Football League.

Rosa is about 4’8”, and she weighs less than 80 pounds. She’s 10, and the person she reminds me most of in the world is Ndamukong Suh.

No, Rosa doesn’t play football. Actually, she hates football. She doesn’t like any sports, actually. So what does a 10 year old child have in common with a mountain of a man who is, by all accounts, one of the most gifted players in the National Football League?

A couple weeks ago in a game against the Green Bay Packers, Mr. Suh grabbed another player’s head and banged it repeatedly against the ground. Then, after getting up, he stomps on the other’s player’s arm. The video is here. This wasn’t Suh’s first violent incident. He has a reputation for being a dirty player.

Last week during silent reading time, Rosa hit another child with a book. The other child’s eye swelled up enough that I needed to send him to the nurse. This wasn’t her first violent incident. She has a reputation for being mean to others.

After the game, Suh denied any wrongdoing. In fact, he claimed the other player instigated things. He thinks this reputation for being a dirty player is undeserved. He thinks the league and media picks on him.

After the incident, Rosa denied any wrongdoing. She felt completely justified in hitting the other child. In fact, she claimed that the other child was at fault because “he was annoying her.” She thinks her reputation is undeserved. She has no idea why most other students don’t like being around her. She thinks teachers pick on her.

As a football person, I love Ndamukong Suh. He’s a freakish athlete. His best years could be ahead of him. He has immense potential.

As a kid person, I love Rosa. She’s adorable. Her best years should be ahead of her. She has immense potential.

As a human being, I’m appalled at Ndamukong Suh’s behavior. I’m even more disgusted by his lack of remorse and his shocking justification of his own actions. If his attitude doesn’t change, he will never come close to reaching his potential. This is unfortunate, because God has blessed him with unique physical gifts. This man was born to play football.

As a teacher, I’m worried about Rosa. I’m worried about her lack of remorse and her shocking justification of her own actions. If her attitude doesn’t change, she will never come close to reaching her potential. This is unfortunate, because God has blessed her with unique gifts. She was born to…

I hope that those of us that have been placed here to guide her can do so effectively with love, patience, and truth. I pray that her future has more contrasts with Ndamukong Suh than comparisons. This way, the world can find out what she was put on earth to do.


*Names are changed

Thankful for life...

Today for Social Studies, I had the students make Thanksgiving cards where they drew a picture of something they are thankful for. The typical answers came out – video games, gaming systems, sports, and family. Several students even wrote about their teacher.

Some were sweet:

(Picture of Mr. Lin with what looks to be a crown or a halo)

“I am very thankful for my teacher Mr. Lin. Mr. Lin thinks about his students and cares about them. Having Mr. Lin as a teacher is like a lifetime experience.”

Some were hilarious:

(picture of Mr. Lin wielding a stick)

“I’m thankful because Mr. Lin let me live. His favorite catch-phrase is “stop jibber-jabbering.”

In his work “The Prince,” Nicolo Machiavelli discussed the role of a leader and whether it is better for a leader to be loved, or better for a leader to be feared. In a scenario where a leader can only have one or the other, his conclusion is that it is better for the leader to be feared and respected than to be loved. However, it is best to be both loved and feared.

Teachers are the leaders of our classrooms. Hence, we NEED to be feared, but we want to be loved as well. From these Thanksgiving Day cards, it looks like I might be getting a healthy amount of both!

Holding onto The Rock

 

“I can fix most things, but I can’t fix a broken heart.”

 Those words are etched into my memory, written as the Facebook status of my close friend – an extraordinary carpenter and private contractor who is also the strongest, toughest, guy I know. His feats of super human strength are stuff of legend amongst our circle, including a time where he lifted a 650cc motorcycle into the back of his van with his bare hands, and another time where he snared (with one hand) a rope that was holding me an instant before I plummeted 400 feet towards the ground – close to 200 pounds of person + gear + momentum.


Unfortunately, the frailty of the human heart goes beyond physical strength and toughness. And, when those we are close to are hurting, we feel their pain as well. It’s interesting how, in all the years of human civilization, there has been a cure for many things. But the cure for a broken heart has been ever so elusive.

Some time ago, in one of my darkest hours, this same friend came to my house at midnight and dragged me out to the New River Gorge for some therapeutic rock climbing. This past weekend, it was climbing therapy part deux. The two of us, a third kindred spirit, and a fourth friend got in my 2000 Chevy Tahoe, and headed out to West Virginia. In our varying stages of brokeness, we listened to country music, ate Chick-Fil-A, told stories, and generally forgot about life as we took the 5+ hour ride to our prescribed rock. That is, until we saw some flashing lights behind us.

Ryan: "Shoot. Cop."
Me: "Maybe I can play the Veteran’s card. You know, since it's Veteran's Day and all."

(short wait as the police officer walks up)

Officer Un-American: "License and registration."
Me: "Any chance you can give me a break? I’m a Veteran…"
Officer Un-American: "Any chance you can not speed on my highway?"(spits tobacco)

I guess my shaggy hair precluded any notion that I could have possibly been a member of the armed forces.

Despite the short delay, the trip was a success. 2 solid days of clinging precariously onto small crimps and cracks in the wall was the respite we all were seeking. Although the troubles of the world still existed, the focus we had on climbing made everything else bearable. The rock we hung from and scaled was our salvation - it’s as if the analogy of a wise, ancient man was echoing in the still beauty of the wilderness that surrounded us. Later, as we made our way back to civilization, I knew that the relief that we felt was dissipating as we drifted further from the rock walls we were climbing.

In the frenzied pace of a busy job site, concerned clients, or a 5th grade classroom, it is hard to remember the peace that is delivered by the One that can fix anything, even a broken heart.

Many moons ago, when Ryan came by to convince me that a climbing trip was what my heart needed, the journey seemed incredibly long. However, it was only short drive away, made even shorter by the friends around me and the rock I would soon look up at. My healing would begin that day. I just had to choose to take that ride.

Naked at Work

I was naked at work on Tuesday.

That day, I ran out of the house without my clothes. Ever since man has succumbed to the overwhelming temptation of Apple, clothes have become an essential part of our lives. Aside from its most basic function, clothes also have many other useful applications. The right clothes even help us get places. Without my clothes, I was completely naked. Do you know how hard it is to get through a day without your clothes? Today at recess:

2nd Grade Teacher: “What time is it?”

Me: “I have no idea. I left my clothes at home.”

Wait, what? Now that you’re wondering if you’ll be seeing me on the news tonight for indecent exposure, go ahead and replace the word ‘clothes’ with the word ‘iPhone.’ I doubt I feel alone when I say I feel completely naked without my cell phone. And, like clothes, we often forget the importance and usefulness of a smart phone until we are without it.

This got me thinking. Often, when there is something wonderful introduced into my life, I often get accustomed to it and eventually begin to regard its presence as normal. If you’re anything like me, the day you got your iPhone (or Droid, or any other cool gadgety phone) was spent playing with the many functions and downloading cool apps. Then, after a few weeks of playing with my new toy, I got somewhat bored with it. Sure, I took it out when I needed it, but mostly I took for granted that I would never be bored at a stop light because of Angry Birds, I’d never be lost because of the built in GPS, and my fantasy football lineup would always be set on time because of my ESPN Fantasy Football App. Being without my phone for a day made me realize how much I depend on it.

Why is it that we often stop cherishing the things that we depend on the most?

In the corporate world, it’s often said that 20% of the people do 80% of the work. In the teaching world, 20% of the kids require 80% of the teacher’s attention. We make positive behavior charts that reward them for acting in the way that they’re supposed to be acting – the way that the rest of the class already knows how to act.

Because those 20% require so much attention, it’s easy to take for granted the kids that make my job easier. Those kids are my iPhones – in the beginning of the year I noticed how responsible they were so I began to rely on their help. They help me take attendance, sharpen pencils, change my daily calendar, and check to see if I have notes from parents. They listen attentively, work well in groups, and always have their homework and classwork complete. No behavior chart is required for them because they are already doing the things they are supposed to be doing. And, I’ve gotten so used to their help that most days I forget how much easier they make my life.

Today, as a reward for their hard work, I brought a few of my students out for pizza. We talked about soccer, football, books and authors they love, their families, and their homes. They talked about things in their everyday lives, some of which are almost unfathomable to those of us who have always had the basic needs of food, shelter, clothes, and love. These amazing students were so excited that they all wanted to be the last one dropped off afterwards. It was as if they – not me – were the ones that had something to be thankful for.

It’s easy to take my iPhone for granted. However, I know how much easier it makes my life. A couple hours of my time and an $18 pizza? That’s the best 1-year contract a guy can get for this convenience. I guess that’s what you would call a teacher discount!