Category: School

Things about school or as Bruce sometimes calls it “work”

How to Survive Your High School Reunion as an Introvert

Posted on November 8, 2024 by Bruce

While I was born in Indiana, I was not raised here. We moved after kindergarten to California, and kept moving around until I was in 4th grade. So pretty much I grew up in California (both northern & southern), but returned to Indiana for college, and just stayed. For me, one of the reasons I stayed in Indiana was probably my experiences in high school.

In early August I started getting notices about my 40th High School Reunion. I had heard it was coming, I had seen some “Save the Date” posts on social media. I learned a lot about myself after attending my 20th High School Reunion, which is why I don’t see myself going to this one.

So if you want to skip to the end: How to Survive your High School Reunion as an Introvert- just don’t go.

Please note there are many points of view when it comes to any event… These are mine and may only be slightly based on reality.

This has nothing to do with the hard work of all those people who planned and are taking time to make this an amazing event for those who attend. Which I’m sure it will be a great experience. I am not making light of their efforts or suggesting that anyone should not attend. This is a personal decision as an introvert based on my past experiences. Since I don’t live in the area, it takes more effort to attend, and I just think I’d rather put the effort into doing something else, or going someplace else.

Growing Up in the “1900’s” -You Had a Computer?!?

You could still die of dysentery in 1984, but you’ve have to work really hard to do it. Oregon Trail was originally released in the 1970s as a text based game.- Yes, we played it originally as a text only program.

When I decided to attend my 20th high school reunion in 2004, I had grandiose ideas of reconnecting with old friends and reminiscing about old times. Seeing how everyone was doing. My parents always commented about my friends in high school and what a tight knit group we were. Now for those who don’t understand- this is a Gen-X* thing. When Gen-Xer’s left for college, we tended to lose contact with anyone and everyone we went to high school with, especially if you were an introvert. You see, we didn’t have phones attached to our hands, email had not been invented, neither had social media. Texting? ZOOM? Video Chats/Facetime? Nope, those things did not exist. Unless you attended the same university (many of my friends did just that) if you saw friends it would only be over breaks. If you communicated with them, it would be by letter. If you had time or the will to write one. Many friends you would look up their address or phone number in the “Phone Book” a magical tome that contained information about people in your town… Not in town? Tough luck. When home you could drive to their house, but knowing the actual address?!? That and they were at school, so unless you exchanged information… The funny thing about parents, then kids leave for college, sometimes parents move. Let me repeat this- we didn’t have phones, or the internet to help us keep in contact or find people. Those things didn’t exist until after we graduated from college. I recall visiting my parents and getting a few pieces of mail including a wedding invitation for a friend- the wedding had occurred months before I was given the invitation, my parents never thought of forwarding it to me.

As for how did I learn about the 2004 reunion? I think it was on America Online (AOL) now considered the easiest way to determine if an email is coming from a very old person. In 2004 it was one of the biggest networks and with CDs at every BlockBuster and in every mailbox, AOL was the best way to get on the Internet and connect with people using this newfangled thing called “email.” It was a lot cooler than Prodigy.

Nostalgia is a Fuzzy Thing – Like a Tribble with Very Sharp Fangs

So in 2004 (The year “TheFacebook” started) Sue and I flew out to Los Angeles to attend two days of my class reunion. Friday was an evening event, and Saturday was a picnic for families. I should have know how it would go since I left my sport coat in my closet and had to buy one when I arrived. 🙄

When you think back nostalgically about things, you tend to see yourself in the middle, and maybe not the most important part, but at least a part of the action. I realized after about 10 minutes, that I was a nobody. Sure there were people who remembered me (and I didn’t immediately remember them). There were people who I remembered, and we chatted until, someone they REALLY wanted to talk to walked by. After about 30- 45 minutes of “mingling” I called my brother, Mike, to see about getting together the next day. By this time I did have a cell phone (it was a flip phone… the first iPhone wouldn’t be released for three more years).

I was not involved in much during high school. I rarely attended events. I recall attending one concert from an up and coming band. I had been a part of some clubs- Model United Nations, and I think Interact Service Club, and maybe some others (they look good on college applications) even then I was usually hiding in the background (never in a leadership position) but by Senior year I had kinda disappeared completely. I had gotten my first job while in middle school and had worked until after graduation. I worked at the family business (a t-shirt store), and then at a pre-school/Daycare Center once I turned 18. My senior year I actually took a bunch of Independent Study or Advanced Projects classes while getting pulled to work most days.

While in college I would fly into town in the morning, and then work at a Child Development Center until closing. Continuing to work pretty much every day (except weekends and holidays) until I returned to college. My friends rarely contacted me, I think we were on different schedules (at least that’s a good excuse). I was invited to a holiday party once or twice, unfortunately I had to work the next day so I had to leave early. I do recall driving a friend back to their college since I had “Winter Term” (my school gave us the month of January to do off campus study- I taught at a private school and lived with my parents for two of them) so I was available to help. That’s probably the only person I’m still in more than “Facebook says it’s your birthday” communication with over social media, he’s also an educator so we speak the same language. Although e teaches at a High School so he speaks with a slight accent.

When you stand around a crowded room full of people you’re supposed to know, you have time to reflect. I recalled weekends where I would call my friends on Friday night and see if anything was going on, be told “No, but if it changes we’ll let you know” then find out about what amazing things everyone did that weekend (together) over lunch on Monday. “Oh, it just sort of happened.” I still remember being abandoned at Grad Night and wandering through the crowds at Disneyland, alone, for what seemed like hours. I was the loser nerd with no friends, everyone else in groups having fun except me. I’ve said that most of the people I hung around with in high school were the “smart kids” and joked that I was their token dumb kid. I wasn’t dumb, but I wasn’t in any Honors or AP classes because I just didn’t push myself. Ask around- AP Studio Art doesn’t count. My parents were just happy I could have graduated early. As I said I am “friends” with some on social media and some of them post photos of the group during high school. Funny thing, I’m not in almost any of the photos they post. I actually started thinking that the stuff I did in high school was all in my imagination and that the things I thought I did, didn’t really happen. The reunion just made those beliefs seem even more accurate.

At the 20th reunion most people only talk about their kids or their successful career (mostly their successful kids). Sue and I don’t have kids, and I was an elementary school teacher, a not so impressive career, especially for the Southern California crowd. After a few “lite” chats with people, I think less than a handful. The evening ended for me when they had a group photo taken of the class. I thought this was my chance to see who was there of my friends that I couldn’t find in the mob and reconnect… As two people who I had always thought of as “good friends” during high school walked by, I said “Hi!” and they looked over and just continued to walk on, heading to their already full table. No reaction- since we hadn’t seen each other in at least 16 years I guess I was expecting something more- silly me. Funny thing- I never got a copy or even the offer to buy a copy of that group photo.

After that Sue and I left the event, headed to a nearby bar, had a beer and nachos and went back to my parent’s house. I had a great time with my brother the next day (avoiding the picnic) and I only think about high school when silly things like reunions come up or I see that sport coat.

Being an Introvert

I say I’m an Introvert- which means I feel more comfortable alone, or with only a few select people. However, while I pride myself on being a “geek” (See Diagram) If I’m truly honest with myself I’m a “nerd.” I really am inept when it comes to social interactions. I don’t know how to have “small talk.” I don’t have enough experience in social situations to not come across as awkward. Maybe this is a partially a result of being an introvert, maybe it has other origins. For many of us being around people is hard, but as an introvert with a bit of social anxiety it is also exhausting.

As an introvert it’s not that I’m shy, or stuck up, or whatever. It just takes me a while to feel comfortable with people. Basically, if I’m chatty around you- then I consider you someone I feel safe around, or you’re talking about something I am passionate about. Unfortunately, I have too many experiences in which I thought I could open up to someone only to find out I was wrong, and I was instead considered, weird, or even repulsive. Someone who nobody really wanted to be around. Memories of high school just reinforced those feelings, reunions of any kind do the same thing… it’s not you, it’s me. I’m not looking for sympathy, just want people to understand. Not everyone gets excited about social things. For me they are extremely uncomfortable. It’s not that I don’t want to connect or reconnect with friends, it’s just I feel that for many people, they feel an obligation to be “nice” when they really have other “more important” things to do than spend time with me. When I would return to Los Angeles I would spend time with my parents and I wasn’t about to try to guilt people into meeting by posting I’m in town on social media. This also occurs when I travel, I might be in your town, but I won’t bother you with a “Let’s get together!” You have your life and you don’t need to worry about me. I don’t want to be a burden.

I wasn’t always an introvert… really, it came about due to little things. Before third grade I was that kid who was loud and obnoxious always wanting to be in the limelight (or at least that’s how I remember it) Smart enough to know that when kids teased me about not being able to say my favorite color “purple” I just called it “violet” and moved on- the crayon had both words on it and I could say one of them. I was retained in 3rd grade (they said I was immature🙄) and spent a year being teased about being stupid and how I “flunked.” I was teased by people who I now realize weren’t that smart, but they needed to feel good about themselves and I was an easy target. I spent a lot of my childhood by myself, reading or in “Imaginative play,” my parents were busy with other things. Fortunately they spoiled me enough with things to play with. I also had my share of imaginary friends growing up. This and my love of comic books and science fiction put me in the “weird” category. I would talk about strange things that I thought were awesome, and most people didn’t. I wasn’t into sports. I was skinny, had glasses and braces until high school. I tried too hard, and failed for the most part. Over time I learned it was easier to just disappear and let everyone else talk, because I’d get weird looks and giggles if I opened my mouth, still do. When I’m excited I won’t shut up and that’s when people see me as weird and want to run away. For the most part growing up I was happy in my own little world, and still am. My old extroverted self comes out every once in a while, but usually only when I hide behind a small stuffed monkey – and I don’t care if people think I’m weird or strange. Hiding behind a small stuffed monkey is both weird & strange although I do prefer the word “eccentric.” If only I had enough money to actually earn the label.

As For Going to Your Reunion – You Be You

As for me, It may seem like a shock, but I’m scheduled to work at the LEGO Store that day. When I get home, I might raise a glass to the class of 1984, but probably just sit back and snuggle with Bailey & Issi watching Sue knit while reading something stupid or watching something stupid on TV. Much better than hiding in the corner of a loud room listening to people laugh and talk about how great things were in high school and not remembering it at all. I do hope those in attendance have a wonderful time- post lots of photos of people I don’t remember, want to forget, or wish I could have said “Hi!” to but probably would have been ignored by them.

To Mr. Calkins, Herr Olsen, Mr. Baxter, and Mr. Costantini (many of whom are viewing this from another plane of existence) thank you for shaping me, and supporting me while I was your student. In some cases you pushed me, in others you let me be me and supported my geekiness. For the record, Mr. Calkins taught Math and Science Fiction. I only took one of his classes (and it wasn’t Math)👽. He sold comics to me and made me feel that It was OK to be a geek. I painted my senior mural on his door. Herr Olsen- was my German teacher for three years, after a horrible freshman year trying out French and touch typing. I have no hand-eye coordination and ask Sue or anyone who has had the misfortune of dating me (all three of you.), I’m not romantic. My French teacher actually told me to drop the class at the semester or he’d change my D to an F. Herr Olsen was one of the only teachers I felt comfortable enough to write down, when he asked “What grade should you receive?” “An A, because you’ve never given me one.” I was always a few points shy, and he didn’t give me a A even when I asked.😁 To Mr. Baxter, who was the other teacher I felt confident enough to question and supported my love of Arthur Conan Doyle. He also taught Media Studies which allowed me to talk about films and even try out making one or two. Finally Mr. Costantini who after Back to School Night looked at me dumbfounded and asked if I was really related to my older brother… 😱 I was very successful in his International Relations class, and my brother hadn’t been successful at all in his Government class. He couldn’t believe we were related. There were many other teachers not just from when I was in high school but, like I said, I have a really bad memory.

Yes, I grew up near the ocean… lucky me. 🙄 “Why did you leave?” is a question I always hear. “Midwesterners are real… they are genuinely friendly- sadly, I can’t say the same about a lot of people in California.”

Again, I’m not looking for sympathy, or apologies, I’m just wanting to give a take on reunions from a different point of view. Some people have wonderful high school experiences, some think they did, until they reflect. For those who have wonderful memories of high school and lifelong friends… I’m happy for you.

*The first rule of Gen-X is we don’t talk about Gen-X.

The “R Word”

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Bruce

For those unaware in a few weeks I will bring a close to my teaching career after serving for 35 years in a variety of roles.  I will retire at the end of the month.  Since I suffer from being an introvert, and having low self-esteem. This being the result of a confusing childhood as the second child- retained in third grade (I was “immature”) but later put in the gifted and talented program.  Later on being the black sheep of the family… lots and lots of baggage, most of it just needs to be put back in the attic.  I joked with my parents about the painful mess of being “held back” (something my peers at the time referred to as “flunking”) by reminding them that at over 50- I carry around a stuffed monkey, read comic books and play with LEGO bricks.  Maturity and I don’t get along.  That said, I decided it might help me to go through some of my highlights.  I’m sharing those here because… why not?

I started working with kids when I was in elementary school and hung out with the kindergartner next door doing my homework and teaching him what I was learning.  Then came my little brothers and formally when I turned 18- I became “Mr. Bruce.” I worked in a preschool in Southern California my senior year and during breaks throughout college.  I was that person who would get off the plane from college then get dropped off at school and work until close.  I loved what I was doing and really found joy in working with some amazing teachers who influenced my later teaching- where else would I have learned to say the alphabet backwards?

When I came back to Indiana (against the wishes of my parents) I wasn’t hired until after the start of school.  I had been working for a week as a substitute and had been offered an assistant position, then offered my own classroom.  I felt that I may not have deserved the opportunity, so as with all of my future jobs I felt I needed to prove that my principal had not made a mistake in taking a chance on me.

At my first school I (1988-1994):

  • Started the school’s Young Astronauts program
  • Initiated Movie Nights – watched old 1950’s Science Fiction movies to raise money for the Young Astronauts.
  • Arranged an annual Huntsville US Space & Rocket Center Trip which later became the highlight of fifth grade.
  • Did multiple Graphic Design projects including Brochures & Shirts
  • Was Math Pentathlon coach for Division 1
  • Instituted a Video Portfolio grade 1 of highlights from the year.
  • Weekly poetry recitations with first graders (My favorite was Shel Silverstein’s “It’s Dark in Here” recited while wearing a bag with a lion’s head drawn on it.
  • Help create the School Wide Aerospace Theme
  • Was invited to be a part of the NASA Educational Workshop for Elementary School Teachers
  • Attended the Space Orientation for Professional Educators through the University of Huntsville
  • Presented at a few conferences
  • Worked on a planning team at the Children’s Museum on their redesign of their Science Gallery.
  • Trained teachers in using the StarLab portable planetarium

I left when a new school opened up… I applied as a way to get a friend of mine to apply (she was really into International Education and thought it would be a great fit) I was asked to join the staff, she wasn’t.  There is part of me that still wishes I had stayed at my first school, but I did what I thought was expected.  Time to make sure my new principal thinks they made the right decision, especially since I think they were told to take me by central office administration.  

At my second school I (1994-2005):

  • Enrolled at Butler University’s EPPSP (Group XIV was in the top five of my school law class)
  • Started a short lived Young Astronauts program and took those kids to Huntsville
  • Started a classroom theme: “World Wide Studios” in which the class created video portfolios of their year.  Running around with a VHS camcorder on field trips, editing tape
  • One year my 3rd grade class created a Film Adaptation of the opera Turnadot (no singing- although Nessun Dorma by a children’s choir might have been interesting)
  • Set up the format for daily video morning announcements that the students were in charge of everything-  I only served as Executive Producer
  • Assumed the role of Technology Coordinator for the building which morphed into computer lab teacher and building technology support and professional development
  • Coordinated a curriculum highlighting the works of Alexander Calder
  • Received a Calderfest Creativity Award
  • Helped create the initial District Website and served as the webmaster for multiple schools doing web design and graphic design
  • Started a Comic book club
  • Received my first Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship where I studied animation at Disney and brought back what I had learned to incorporate it in my classroom
  • Started a Heroclix Club
  • Helped develop an astronomy curriculum for third grade culminating in Starry Story Night and overnight filled with activities for students and parents
  • Worked with a group of students to create a short film: The Great Brain Robbery for the National Children’s Film Festival that took second place and was later aired on HBO 
  • Served in a variety of roles for the Indiana Computer Educators on the board and conference committee
  • Received a District Above & Beyond Award

After years of being told I should go to the district’s Science & Technology Magnet school and multiple failed attempts, I fell into a teaching position there.  Once again, especially in this case after so many failed attempts & the reason for moving schools, I felt the need to prove that I deserved to be at this school.

So at my most recent school I 2005-2023:

  • Using my certification from NEWEST brought Moon Rocks for fifth graders to examine 
  • Even though I had been nominated a couple times and never received the award I served as an IPL Golden Apple Judge
  • Served as Magnet integration Specialist at two schools- developing the vision for the STEM program and creating an online hub of resources an and lessons for each grade
  • Created the Social Media presence for the elementary schools and provided professional development to the other Magnet Specialists on all things technology
  • Served as a Technology Integration Specialist for a year providing PD and just in time troubleshooting
  • As Magnet Specialist, I created a VEX robotics team through a grant from Bloomington Robotics Club-  One team won the Rookie Team award – since there was no elementary school program, they competed with High School teams
  • Started a VEX IQ team funded by a grant from TechPoint Foundation for Youth and served as coach – in my time six teams went to State, one to the World Championship 
  • Served as a REC Foundation Event Partner 
  • Served on the inaugural REC Foundation Coach Advisory Board 
  • Was named a LEGO Education US LEGO Master Educator 
  • Was named a LEGO Education Ambassador
  • Served as a FIRST LEGO League tournament director
  • Helped create and coordinate the District VEX IQ League serving over 11 schools and 33ish teams.
  • Received a second Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship this time to visit the UK and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Mini Cooper through a webcomic
  • Curated a graphic novel/comic book library in my classroom
  • School Teacher of the Year
  • District Teacher of the Year
  • Article: Technology & Learning on the importance of failure in learning & teaching
  • Served as a VEX IQ Worlds Judge
  • Served as a VEX IQ Worlds Scorekeeper
  • Received an Above & Beyond Award from the district 

For the most part the stuff I have listed are outside of just teaching… You see to me kids (and teachers) are different after school and sometimes the best way to get to know a student is to not be in the role of teacher. Here’s the thing… it looks like I did a lot.  Maybe I did, but I have to ask myself… was it enough?  Every time I received recognition I wondered if it’s because I did something, I was in the right place at the right time, or if there was more I should have done.  My identity has always revolved around my career.  Many people know that if it has to do with school, it is my priority & has been pretty much since I was 18. My kids and their needs have always been the most important thing.  I don’t have my own kids- I borrow some for 180 days and try to do my best for them.

I’m asked – do I have a favorite class? I have memories from every year. I wish I could remember every student- I do. I actually can, if you give me enough time, but pouncing on me with a “Do you remember me?” in the middle of a store will make me run away in terror and then remembering the highlights of your antics while driving home, depressed that I couldn’t pull it all up that instant.

So why stop now?  Lots of reasons- a story for another day when I decide to unpack some of the more recent baggage. Now I head into that “Undiscovered Country” I wonder what will happen.  Part of me feels like David Tennant at the end of his run as the Doctor*… “I don’t want to go.”  Then I think… He regenerated into Matt Smith… and bow ties ARE cool.  Here’s to my regeneration at the end of the month- GERONIMO!

*Yes, I know he’s coming back for a brief time but still – he did regenerate.

It was an honor just to be nominated…

Posted on April 17, 2016 by Bruce

This month has been pretty interesting especially for a guy who tends to think that he is never “good enough.” Don’t blame me, I grew up trying to live up to my parents view of “good enough” that usually had something to do with being successful in areas I could care less about- i.e. sports or school popularity. So, even at 50ish, when I get recognized for something I usually think there must have been a mistake. When I received an email from MINIUSA that I had been nominated for their “Defy Labels” contest, I first thought there must have been a clerical error. You see at the Super Bowl (It’s a TV show about commercials that has a football game breaking up the ads) MINI had a spot kicking off their new image/branding. Whatever, I still like my Roadster.

https://youtu.be/Y9XqYAzbmTI

Basically, I read the message of the commercial as putting things in neat little boxes devalues the item or looking at the people speaking- the person. Don’t worry about what other people think, be yourself, labels limit the possibilities.  A classier view of being “Not Normal.”  So I get this email with my full nomination: “If you think teachers are all about suede jackets with elbow patches and boring monotone lectures, you’ve never met Bruce. Teaching isn’t just a job or a career to him. It’s the intersection of art and LEGOs and robots and comics. Bruce knows that kids learn best when you strip away the classroom – and the labels that come with it – and you dig into learning with passion and creativity. When kids have teachers like Bruce who dare to do things differently, they learn more than just what’s in the text book. They learn to creatively approach challenges and they learn that it’s perfectly okay to take the road that looks the most exciting.”   The silly part is that they have a character limit on what they display for each person so it ends on “Bruce knows that kids learn best when you strip…” which kinda makes me sound like someone you would never want near children.

A few weeks later I get another email (I really need to start filtering my incoming mail)- This time from one of our district high schools letting me know that one of the top 30 seniors named me as their most influential teacher.  Wha?  Huh?  I think about how I have to teach now, and try to remember what I did eight years ago that was so great… Oh, yeah that was before anyone really cared about test scores, and school grades, when we could teach without fear.  I thought about the student who nominated me (I was required to write 100 words about her for the award ceremony) and I fumbled over what to say, trying to think back to when I could teach, really teach.  She’s a wonderful young lady with a bright future and I hope I found the right words.  She was also asked to write something about me.  On Wednesday I stood on a stage across from her and heard about how I had made it “okay to make mistakes,” and that I was one of the first teachers that let them know the person behind the desk, that teachers had interests to share and be excited about (MINI Coopers, Geocaching, and of course Cecil).  I held back tears, quipped about how Cecil was sorry he couldn’t be there, and smiled… waiting to be escorted off the stage by security because there had been a mistake.

Like I said, I know that there had to be a clerical error in both cases.  I’m know I’m not that good- That I can be better.  With that in mind I have set a new goal:  I want to be the teacher everyone thinks I am.  I may not be teaching much longer with that mindset (thank you politics), but at least my students will be better off (Does anybody really care what a rhombus is?) and I will be happier.

For the record this post is not about asking for reassurances, pats on the back, or even votes.  I just felt I needed to get this out of my head so I could move on.  It usually happens with drawings, but this one is sorta hard to doodle.  It was an honor to be nominated- I appreciate the people who believe in me enough to do so. Now I just need to live up to that honor.

 

A Year in MINIons- MINIon #1863

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Bruce

1863Being nostalgic for a moment, remember when you were in elementary school and the day before Thanksgiving the school lunch was something they called “turkey?” It seemed like many schools wanted to replicate the first Thanksgiving (before football). Many of my old (if I’m old, then you’re old) students may recognize the MINIon’s headwear as something they wore at these “feasts.” This was before we stopped candy coating history and kids actually thought everyone in history books were nice. At one school I taught at the principal had delivered an edict that the students should attend this feast as pilgrims or indians (nowadays we say Native Americans or indigenous peoples) so the kids made either a black hat, white bonnet (for the girls), or a headband with feathers from I believe the Hollywood tribe. I was a rebel… I decided to have my class go as turkeys. I drew out the plans for this “hat.” and let the class personalize it however they wanted. One clever student added wings to each side. That became part of the design because when you walked down the hallway, the wings flapped! It was hysterical! Afterwards the kids would bring their turkeys home to decorate their Thanksgiving table.

Yes, I got in trouble with this principal… my students had fun, and the day before any school break all you want is no one getting hurt.

A Year in MINIons- MINIon #7000

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Bruce

7000School fundraisers… each year they get more and more extreme. Once upon a time, people donated to their schools and they was no spectacle. Now, schools have to have an event and each year they get more and more strange. This year the trend deals with duct tape. Basically, duct tape the principal to a wall somewhere in the school. For many kids the principal is the most powerful person they have ever known. Having them do something silly is a great motivator. Many principals forget that  we work with kids and ignore any suggestions to do something embarrassing. Fortunately, my principal isn’t one of those types. So tonight after celebrating raising a bunch of money for the school (and therefore the kids) he had himself duct taped and left hanging for a few minutes to the cheers and giggles of the students. It was the nice end to a great evening with families and kids. Oh he also secured funding so that every kid was given shirt with the school logo on it.  Sometimes, my job, isn’t that bad.  Although the highlighter yellow shirts were a bit bright for my old eyes, then again, the kids loved them.

A Year in MINIons- MINIon #1332

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Bruce

1332MINIon #1332 is based on a character from one of my favorite graphic novels (that started out a comic book), Bone by Jeff Smith. It’s the story of the three Bone cousins and how they help save the valley while trying to just get back to Boneville. I’ve over simplified the story, but it’s hard to take 1332 pages and boil it down to an elevator speech.
The three cousins are Phone Bone, Smiley Bone, and Phoney Bone. One is kind, brave and curious. one is devil may care and laid back. The last cousin is a Bone after Cecil’s heart- always planning, always scheming, always trying to pull something over on you. Just if he offers you prune tarts, you might want to decline.

As school has started back into session, and I have a new group of third graders, my class is usually overwhelmed by the number of comics and graphic novels available to read. Recently though I discovered that I’m having to teach how to read a comic book to some kids. How to go from panel to panel. How to read the word balloons, in order. How some words in the balloons might just be sound effects. Most importantly how you don’t just read the words, but need to look at the pictures to understand what is happening. It was fun this week to see one of my students actually get it, and then she really liked the story she was reading. No, it wasn’t Bone, it was Giants Beware, but I’m sure Bone will soon be on her reading list.

A Year in MINIons- MINIon #1959

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Bruce

1959Today was the first day of school. So I figured an apple for the teacher was appropriate. I know many of you might be saying “First Day? Isn’t it still summer?” Yes, but many schools have moved up their start dates for a bunch of different reasons. Limiting “Learning Loss” is a big reason, Adding more days before testing so kids have as many days of teaching as possible before the high stakes test. “Balancing” the calendar so there are longer breaks throughout the year, we have a week at Thanksgiving, and a week in October. Does any of this work? Research is mixed, but while it is painful right now, it is nice to not have to rush somewhere in November.
As for the drawing I am playing around with a new pen given to me by my friend Jim McClain. It handles a lot differently than what I have used in the past, but I see a lot of promise if I can just figure out how to use it, and that takes practice.

Oh, 1959? That’s the year my school building opened.

A Year in MINIons- MINIon #2010

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Bruce

2010So what do teachers do during the “Off Season”? Some of us go to “camp.” Today I went to #edcampindy. My second edcamp or “unconference.” Yes, this is a lot of quotes. Let’s start with the bigger idea- the unconference. An unconference is a conference that doesn’t have a set agenda. The sessions are determined by what people want to learn and what people want to teach. So you get a room full of people, in this case educators, and someone says I’d like to learn about… whatever- is there anyone willing to lead a discussion about whatever? Or someone who is a proponent for lima beans in the classroom gets up says they will present about lima beans. As long as there is room in the schedule you present. Attendees vote with their feet. I presented about Comics in the classroom… (it’s my schtick) but got a lot of great ideas about nerdy books, and video production on the iPad. The final session was interesting and I look forward to trying it with my class next year , I just won’t call it “Things that suck.” 🙂 Thanks to my dear friend @shighley for putting #edcampindy on today. I’m looking forward to going through the notes of the sessions I missed- because it’s all held together by the interweb.

When I was a kid I went to Acorn Camp and then in Boy Scouts, Camp Emerald Bay.  My one big memory of Scout camp (besides almost cutting off my finger and my brother getting beaten up) was getting a “suicide” each night (Suicide=a mix of everything available from the soft drink fountain).  Fortunately at edcamp I wasn’t asked to use a knife, my brother was in another state, and while doughnuts and bagels were available- only water was the only free option.

What’s making me happy this week- We Welcome our Robot Overlords

Posted on October 26, 2013 by Bruce

As I may have commented over the summer (you know- those long summer breaks where teachers sit around on their yachts lighting Cuban cigars with $100 bills they get from the taxpayers) I helped out at a Robotics Camp being put on by my local High School’s robotics team. I did this mostly because while I enjoy Technology, I am a consumer of tech, not a producer. I buy the cool stuff and use it, but ask me about the actual technical side of things and I have learned to be a great bluffer doing a lot of smiling and nodding. I wanted to learn something about how the tech works.  What I don’t know makes me almost as dangerous as what I do know.

A the end of the camp one of the mentors mentioned that there was a robotics competition in Bloomington that I should look into. It seems the Bloomington Robotics Club sponsors this competition to promote robotics throughout the state. One way they do this is by providing grants to groups looking to start their own robotics program. I thought this would be a great opportunity for my kids (No, I don’t have kids, but all the kids at my school are “my kids”- you probably wouldn’t understand, it’s a teacher thing). So I put on my calendar the date when the application went live and applied hoping I would hear something quickly and put together a team in time to join the competition.  Well, over Fall Break (while waiting for my valet to find the right pair of silk paisley socks) I received an email that a robotics kit had been ordered and shipped… this was a bit of a shock. I hadn’t heard anything back so I didn’t sign up of the competition!  (Since my administrative assistant was on vacation) I contacted the club to find out what was going on, and my concern that when school got back into session I would just have 9 days to put together a team, teach the kids to build a functioning robot and program it… On Tuesday I pulled together three 6th graders who had attended the Summer Robotics camp, so they had background in the VEX Robotics platform we were using, and in three days we now have a fully functional robot!  As “Coach” I used many sports metaphors to inspire them (“Tighten that screw for the Gipper” and stuff like that), and I ran around looking for a replacement “shaft collar” when the one that came in the kit wouldn’t tighten no matter how many metaphors I tried.   I also suggested that we should at least have a proven design to start,  so they should just follow the directions in the kit.  Now the team has the week to consider any redesign of the initial kit, to practice “driving,” and to see if we can do anything with programming to have the robot actually do something autonomously.

So what is making me happy?  Not only was I able to see three kids really excited about what a practical application of knowledge and nothing to do with some standardized test, but I was also able to see a few kids wondering how they could get involved.  As a geek and an introvert being able to create a place where kids can “let their geek flag fly” is important to me. So many times kids who were like me don’t understand that while they are “a unique and special snowflake” they are not alone, that other people out there share in their interests and are “weird like me.”  These three kids compete on November 2nd, I’ve told them I am happy that we have a functioning robot and we can compete.  Everything else is icing on the cake.  Once we finish this tournament, the goal is going to be to improve our skills, and include more kids and different projects, I just hope that they can help I guy like me, who dropped out of programming in College, to understand all this stuff.  Is a PicoBoard really something you serve Raspberry Pi on?

I’ll post an update (with video) next week after the dust has settled.

Another one bites the dust…

Posted on October 20, 2013 by Bruce

So as Fall Break comes to a close I thought I’d at least share a bit about the adventures I had this past week. For those who don’t know about Fall Break in the midwest (or at least in Indiana) there has been a short break in October for as long as I have been teaching. It started off as a time for teachers to attend workshops and conferences, but slowly (because teachers have families- and therefore need to find daycare for their kiddos) it ended up being a four day weekend, until recently. Over the past few years many people woke up to the understanding that they no longer work on a farm the idea of “balancing” the school calendar had come into vogue. Ideally the calendar would be something like 9 weeks of teaching, then a break. I did my undergraduate thesis and graduate thesis on the advantages of a “year round” calendar and it finally might become reality. Sadly opponents claim this would destroy the time honored tradition of complaining that teachers get “summers off” it could also ruin the even more sacred high school athletics schedule. So many school districts have come up with a compromise, quietly extend some of the already community approved breaks and shorten Summer “vacation” a bit. This is why many people look at me like I have three heads when I talk about going back to school in early August. So this year my school district extended Fall Break to one week (many school districts have extended it to two weeks). We also have a week at Thanksgiving since attendance during that week is awful as so many people pull their kids out to travel over the river and through the woods.

What did I do this week? If you noticed an actual comic strip was published on both Tuesday and Thursday, a tradition I hope to continue. I also tried to relax… no really. I went to a game night on Friday, attended the Kokomo-Con on Saturday, and spent a lot of the week reminding myself why I hate doing artwork for other people, even friends.

Geek-wise I played Boss Monster, Ticket to Ride and Pandemic and had a great time with each. For those who have never played any of these a quick overview of each:

Boss Monster – A chance to play the evil villain in one of those old scrolling video adventure games.  You construct a dungeon, room by room, and at the end of each turn you lure heroes to their doom (you hope).  It was a Kickstarter project and the gameplay is pretty easy to understand.  I have a few questions on the actual sequence of some things, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out if I play it more. – I lost, this time around

Ticket to Ride – Where have you been living? a cave?!?  Sorry, Ticket to Ride is a train game in which you attempt to complete routes across the country (there are many versions of this game dealing with many continents the base game is mostly the U.S> with a few side trip into Canada.)  It has been around for a few years and is a lot of fun to play, especially with more than two people, when it can get challenging, and a little cut throat. I won! trouncing my opponents with a route from Miami to Los Angeles and Houston to Winnipeg worth lots of points!

Pandemic – I don’t feel so good… Pandemic is one of those games in which it is the players vs. the game.  A “cooperative” game.  Which is a really cool idea.  In this case you are trying to stop the human race from dying off from four different diseases.  Each player has a role and therefore special abilities.  The problem with many cooperative games is all it takes is one simple mistake, or a bad draw and it’s over…and yes, it was over, we lost.  For kids Forbidden Island has a similar game mechanic and is a little easier to grasp. in that case an island is sinking and you are trying to rescue four artifacts and escape before it plunges into the depths forever.

—

I’ve been to many a comic-con- I started with Creation Conventions, then WizardWorlds, C2E2, New York Comic Con, and San Diego… and now I can say I’ve been to Kokomo-Con.  Kokomo-Con does not compare with any of the other conventions I have been to, but that’s not a bad thing.  It has a homey feel about that only a small convention can have.  It was small, and it reminded me almost of pop culture flea market, but again not in a bad way.  It was a lot of fun and I decided to go for a few reasons.  First my friend Jim McClain who does Solution Squad a great comic to engage older kids in Math was going to be there and I had run out of books (silly kids & teachers “borrowing” them) and he had a new poster dealing with the four steps of problem solving which I wanted to get for the schools I work in.  Then  another friend of mine (from Geocaching and Lego) had posted he was going to attend, so we hung out for a bit looking at all the different things at the show.  From rare collectible toys, to a fiberglass replica of the Bat-mobile.  Booths stocked with comics & toys and folk art made from comics and toys.  I did discover some cool things so it wasn’t at all a waste of my time.  Then again, as a teacher, a lot of what I found was stuff that would be great for school.  One thing I did pick up was a copy of Boss Monster, I know I’ll have a chance to play it again.

—

My MINIon badge... Yes, I am expendable.
My MINIon badge… Yes, I am expendable, and yes, this is a  modified version of the “official” graphic for MTTS.

I started off the week with a long list of stuff, and after the first day decided to dump it all and do some drawing.  So I spent most of the week doodling and inking (hence two comic strips getting posted).  This reminded me how much I love to draw and just play with images.  It reminded me why I can never do artwork for someone.  You see MINI Takes The States is coming up next summer and I was playing around with the idea of creating “badges” for some of my friends who would be going.  Making them official “Cecil MINIons”  I did some artwork for MINI on the Mack and thought it would be fun to extend it.  Unfortunately I forgot how difficult it can be to draw for someone, and not just for myself.  I asked my friends to give their “MINIon Number” and I would create a badge for that.  Now some of these folks I have known for years, and other are fairly new so what they got may be determined by how much time I had spent with them, or the geekiness of their MINIon number.  So the person who asked for #42 was pretty easy, a monkey with a towel holding a yellow fish, others, not so much.  Stupid me started with the ones I wanted to do, the fun ones.  Then like any proud parent I posted them for the group to see… then the floodgates opened with requests- which drained the fun right out of the project.  Then my friends started asking for tweaks to the drawing I had done, “Could you add this?” “Could you change that?” “I really want this instead.” Then they started to make requests for their friends… I have stopped working on this project for the time being.  I will return to it, but not right now.  I do appreciate the person who specifically asked how much I was charging for these badges, and seemed a little shocked when I said “nothing, I’m doing this for fun- it keeps me out of a straight jacket.”  I know that many of my friends would help me in a heartbeat if I needed it, so it’s not like the favor will not be returned, but for now, I’m taking a break.

—

Besides that I worked a little on a Lego Project- taking the “Just like Beggar’s Canyon Back Home” to the next level, and seeing how I can add some kind of motion to it.  I’m about 1400 bricks into my first draft so we shall see how it turns out.  Fortunately I have until March to get it done.

All in all not a bad break, kept away from schoolwork unless it connected with something I was already doing, now I just have to figure out how I’m going to get up tomorrow in time to make it to school…