The Power of a Community and a Fundraiser (Mel's Pig Roast)

For those of you from the Ozaukee County area, many of you have heard of Mel's Pig Roast or Mel's Charities. To those who haven't, please check out the link to Mel's Charities and what they are all about!

To give a little backstory it all started with one of my all time favorite coaches (Blaine Bergman, I would share my favorite story of him on here, but not sure if it would be appropriate!). It started as a couple of guys doing a small pig roast to raise some money for a family friend who passed away and had a daughter with special needs who participated in Special Olympics. Ever since that year in 1999, the Pig Roast has continued to grow and grow to what it is today.

Mel's Pig Roast has grown into Mel's Charities where they host or help with over 10 events a year. Everything they do is for other people in the local community. Since 1999 they have donated over $850,000 to the local community. From a couple of guys raising some money with a small pig roast to raising money for various communities and various efforts!

Just some of the highlights include donations to Special Olympics, local scholarships at High Schools in remembrance of those who passed away too young, and local human service organizations. The beauty of Mel's Charities is that all the money raised goes straight back to the local community! As Mel would say, "You can't make this stuff up". The stories of donations and people willing to drop anything to help out Mel's Charities is what truly makes a community great, and an organization like Mel's truly special. To go to a Mel's event and listen to him speak is truly amazing and inspiring. To just hear some of the amazing stories he has to tell about people going out of their way to help his organization or others around them is something that is so special.

Whether it is just going to the Grafton Farmer's Market every Thursday to see a Friend and have a tasty pork sandwich or if you go to one of Mel's events, you will truly be struck by his presence and overall mission! I am proud to say that I have enjoyed various Mel's Charities events and contributed to their great mission! As one of my friends once said, "Once Mel gets his name on something, things always get done".

To Mel's Charities and their 20th anniversary, Ozaukee County salutes you for all your work! 

Quality World... Everyone has a Story

As I was reflecting on what to do my next blog on, I came across an awesome blog from one of my mentors, Coach Durst. His blog was about a beginning of the year activity in his classroom where the students reflect on their type of learning and create a Superhero. Reading his blog post allowed me to reflect on what I have done at the beginning of the year with the students in my classroom and that brought me to an activity that I have thoroughly enjoyed in my first 2 years.

Now before I get to much into this activity, I must give credit to one of my college professors, Jerry Worley, for this activity. Even us college "cherubs" as he called us, got to enjoy this activity and it allowed for some deep reflection. The point of this activity is really to try and get to know your students at a deep level and what is really behind their "story". We all know that every student has a story and the more we get to know about what makes that student tick, the more success we can have when working with them throughout the year.

This activity, the Quality World, seems very simple but what really draws me to it, is the individuality and freedom that this activity allows. The objective of this activity is to have the students create their own Quality World. Their Quality World can include pictures, words, phrases, quotes, motto's they live by, things they value, anything they deem important in their life. Like I said one of the very unique things with this activity is the direction it can be taken. Students can create a world where what's inside the circle is what they value and the outside can be things that try to bring them down. They can use illustrations, words, dividers, whatever they want to really tell their own story. Below are some pictures of some of the Quality World's that were created in my classroom this year along with my personal one that I show them every year.

As you can see through these various examples this simple activity provides students to really share what is important to them and allows them to use their own creativity to tell their story.

So as I reflect back on the first month of the school year and the goal of this blog, I looked back at wanting to share the positives that go in the classroom everyday. This is a very unique opportunity to allow students at their own level to create something that they value and is important to them and it is now my job to spread the innovative thoughts and ideas from these amazing students!

Officiating... Play the Game

I have debated writing a blog about this since last Sunday and the Clay Matthews hit. Then this week another hit on the Quarterback via Clay Matthews is being debated by thousands across the country. I felt it was perfect timing for a post about why I believe in never blaming an official, ref, or umpire.

Anyone who has ever played a sport with me or has been coached by me, knows I take sports seriously and do anything I can to help my team win. That being said I have always lived and abided by the motto that "you worry about what you can control" when playing sports. It is something that I preach to all athletes I coach in any sport. The game can be hard enough and mentally challenging that you should never give yourself one more thing to worry about. Why would you worry about balls and strikes when you can be thinking about setting up the hitter on the next pitch? Why would you complain about a foul when the team is shooting 2 free throws instead of setting up your next possession with your team? If as an athlete you focus on what you can control and the next play or pitch, you will be better off then having your mind focused on a call that gave you a negative emotion.

Another reason I do not believe in complaining with an official is they make mistakes just like players. A common phrase I tell my baseball players is "when you hit 1.000 and don't make an out, then you can complain about a call." Think about it, as a player in the game of baseball you are successful if you get a hit in 3 out of 10 at bats. If an umpire gets 8 out of 10 calls right, he is considered to be a failure and costed the team the game. I would much rather be correct 8 out of 10 times then 3 out of 10. Now I know this is a difficult comparison but the point is that no player is perfect and we cannot expect umpires, officials or referees to be perfect either.

Now I know officiating can be an easy scape goat for players, coaches and fans, but ultimately it is the players and coaches who decide a game. They are making hundreds of plays throughout the course of the game that could impact the game in a positive manner. Never blame an official without looking at the mistakes you made during the game. Focus on what you can control and change what you can to help your team win the next game! You cannot change a call!

Now did today's Clay Matthews hit cause the Packers to lose or was it the defense allowing big plays leading to 28 points in the first half? Or was it the Packers not converting on some easy opportunities offensively (dropped passes)? I think the Packers will go back and look at what they can do differently as players and coaches, not how the official will call the game.

Control the controllables!

D'Cota Dixon on what playing the game really means

NL MVP?!?! Yelich or Baez?!?

This post is being completely driven by one of the most outstanding baseball seasons I have ever been able to follow day in and day out. Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers has put on a spectacular season day in and day out.

What has really drawn me to Christian Yelich has been his consistency throughout the year. He is a true 5-tool player (Contact, Power, Speed, Defense, Arm) who is at least above average in each of these categories. This is what makes him a pleasure to watch every day. Yelich has played in 134 out of the Brewers 150 games thus far this year. This includes him being out for a week-2 week stretch during the middle of the year with an injury. Take away that stretch and Yelich has essentially played every day during the grueling 162 game season of Major League Baseball. Taking that into account makes it that more amazing that he is able to affect the game in 5 different ways day in and day out.

Now I understand Javy Baez is also probably as close or even more of a 5-tool player than Christian Yelich and Javy is very fun to watch but I think there are some specific numbers that favor Yelich over Baez for the NL MVP. Here are a couple important statistics that lean towards Yelich. The first is Yelich OBP (On-base percentage) is .381 compared to Baez .328. Next is their OPS, (on-base plus slugging percentage) Yelich- .937 and Baez- .891. These two values I believe show you the true offensive value of Yelich. He is getting on base nearly 60 points higher than Baez which I believe contributes to him being a more complete all around hitter as he hits for a high average and takes his walks and as his OPS states he also hits his fair share of extra base hits. Their stolen base totals are similar as Yelich is at 19 and Baez at 21. Offensively speaking I believe the edge has to go to Yelich as he just proved by reaching base 30 games in a row, he does not take a game off and gets on base more than Baez by limiting his strikeouts. Baez has 20 more strikeouts than Yelich this year.

Defensively is where I believe the strongest case for Baez can be made as he is one of the most instinctual defenders I have ever seen at various positions. Baez could truly be a gold glove winner at 3 different positions on the infield any year. While Christian Yelich could be a gold glove winner at 2 different outfield positions, I have to give the natural defensive ability edge to Baez.

All that being said, the consistency and what he has meant to his team, I believe Christian Yelich is the NL MVP this season. You also have to take into account the tear he has been on in the 2nd half of the season as he has hit 20 home runs since the All-Star break, carrying the Brewers to a playoff berth. While they both have put up legit splits and numbers (Yelich- .314/31/89, Baez- .294/32/103) Christian Yelich is currently at bat to become the 3rd player ever to hit for the cycle twice in a season.

I will leave you with this article I read at the beginning of the year. I guess Ryan Braun did tell the truth for once when he said at Spring Training, Yelich has what it takes to become an MVP.

AND SURE ENOUGH YELICH GETS HIS 2ND CYCLE OF THE SEASON! I BELIEVE THE MVP CASE IS CLOSED!

School Testing?!?

As the beginning of the school year starts I have found myself giving the students more testing than ever before. This tends to have a negative connotation to it but I think it is important to really look at the testing and the purpose of it. We all grew up taking quizzes and tests in content areas and I would say the number of these assessments have gone down in recent years. We all took college placement tests, ACT or SAT, along with State sanctioned tests while we were in school, so is testing really new and that different?

Testing has adapted for sure as technology continues to change the face of education. I would have never thought that while taking a nationally-normed assessment that students would have game breaks on the same system they are taking the test (I wish we had that when I was a kid). Speaking from personal experience as a student who struggled with test taking and was intimidated taking State tests, if I would have had game breaks and taken the tests on the friendly (gamified) systems that students are today, I may have enjoyed or looked forward to these tests!

As educators we also have to embrace the testing and all the amazing data we can gain from it. It provides us with so much descriptive data that we can use to help our students throughout the year. Being able to identify specific skills, standards or ideas that students understand or don't allows us to really tailor our instruction towards what is most important and what the students really need. Why provide basic skill instruction when everyone in your class already has that skill? Move ahead and challenge those students with skills or standards that may be more advanced or provide them with more critical thinking activities. The data and information we get as educators from these assessments is truly amazing and we have to identify that and use it to tailor our instruction towards our student needs!

The last part is include these students in their test data. Allow them to see what skills they have and what they need to work on. Allow them to set goals for themselves based on what they need to improve on! Is a student going to be more willing to learn and work if they are told what to do or if they can see the progress they make and they can pick what they need to work on?

I will leave you with a story from my classroom this week. We have been doing a lot of testing in various subject areas but we did this math challenge activity after testing one day. This was not a simple activity and was very thought provoking and challenging for a lot of the students. But even after a day of testing they were fully engaged and loved this math challenge. They embraced the challenge and wanted to solve it various ways! The authenticity of their engagement and enjoyment of this activity was truly an awesome sight to see.  So did this testing drain them out or did it provide stamina and a willingness to try new things? I guess it's how you look at it.

Description of the activity from above 4-4's.

The Power of Sports

As the NFL season begins on this wonderful September weekend it had me thinking WHY are sports so ingrained in our society. The month of September is one of my favorites along with March just because of sports. September includes September (playoff push) baseball, the start of College Football and the start of the NFL.

If you think about the last 2 days there has been 14 NFL games where the NFL average stadium holds around 65,000 people, and 30 MLB games where the average stadium holds about 42,000 people. This does not include all of the NCAA Football games around the country from every level such as D1 to D3 and JUCO. Not to mention you have had the start of High School football and all the local people who enjoy Friday Nigh High School Football. Just this weekend alone it is safe to say hundreds of thousands if not millions of people have attended a sporting event (myself included). So WHY?

Well as I sit and watch the Brewers today, I can't help but relate the feelings of their game against the Giants to life. In college I once did a speech on how the game of baseball has impacted me and how much it is related to life (and for this posts sake I will say the game of life). The Brewers are losing to the Giants in the 6th inning while they are in a playoff push and feelings are down as they cannot get a runner on base for 15 straight batters, but how quick things change. A walk, lazy single and then the emotions get started. A perennial Cy Young (best pitcher) award candidate is pitching against the Brewers and throws up and in on Ryan Braun twice, eventually hitting him. This sparks the Brewers bench to clear, thoughts and opinions to be shared between players and eventually resulting in the cool-mannered Craig Counsell and Wade Miley to be ejected. And after all of this it brings up the bat of Jonathan Schoop (Brewer fans not confident) but he steps up and hits a grand slam sending 40,000 people at the game and thousands others into a frenzy (including me running around my apartment). The Brewers hang on to win during this playoff push and thoughts and feelings are good. Just like life, sports drag our emotions up and down daily. I truly believe the emotions that sports brings out of us is one of the main reasons that society is so drawn to sports. To go back to my college speech, the game of baseball is won and loss by controlling something so small (the ball) and while curveballs may be thrown, errors may be had, it's how you respond and the game of baseball (life) will always be there.

Take away the emotions, I think millions of people are drawn to sports because it is in our natural ability to be competitive. Sports allow us to be competitive while also being active and using teamwork to achieve a common goal. This satisfies so many internal needs for us personally, socially and it is how we were raised. Whether it is in school, athletics, music, dramas, we are always being competitive with others or ourselves to be the best that we can be. Our inner thoughts and feelings strive towards that feeling of accomplishment and achievement and sports allows us to enjoy these feelings with millions of people from around the world.

I hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend and during this crazy month of September it is hard not to be entrenched in the world of sports. So just sit back and enjoy all the moments and stories that happen before us.

I will leave you with one of my favorite sports stories because it relates to the emotions of baseball and life while also having that satisfaction of achievement in the end!

The Chicken Runs at Midnight Video

The Chicken Runs at Midnight Story

The Why to being a Teacher and Coach

First of all I would like to thank everyone who has reached out with positive thoughts and comments on my first blog post! One of the things I want to accomplish through this blog is I want my thoughts, actions and what I encounter daily in the classroom and on the field to reach others! I think there are so many great things that students do today whether it is athletically, academically or socially that we do not hear about and we need to do a better job of sharing this! (Check out this great organization LifeVest!)

That being said, this brings me to the why I am a teacher and coach. Ever since I was in Middle School I remember wanting to help and reach out to those who are younger or less fortunate. Whether it was through Church mission trips, youth sport camps or babysitting, I always enjoyed being around and helping others. So as I think back to why I got into education, I think I have had a passion for it for a long time and a lot of that stems from the values and practices that were ingrained in me through my parents. Whether it was my mom inviting me to work with some of her students with Special Needs or my dad always looking out for what is best for everyone in the Grafton Little League, helping others was just part of how I grew up.

This brings me to what has occurred in our classroom the first two days of the school year. Every day these students amaze me and to see their willingness to share ideas and experiences with each other is truly inspirational. Today in our classroom I did an activity where students had to "cross the line" if the statement was true. The activity statements varied from things such as "If you like fruity pebbles", to more personal such as "have you been bullied" and "have you ever intentionally hurt someone". There were some more general and personal questions but the students participated willingly and truly enjoyed the activity and did not want to stop! During our discussion after one student made the statement, "I enjoyed this activity because I looked at myself and things I have done and questioned things that I would have never thought about before. This activity challenged my thoughts." This was a 10 year old who made this profound statement and reflection based on a simple "get to know your classmates activity". This moment in our classroom was a true moment of learning and WHY I got into education.

The last thing I will leave you with today is to continue to spread kindness and spread the great things going on around you! Whether you are intrigued to now start a blog, join Twitter and create a professional learning network, or pick up trash on the side walk, continue to spread kindness and positive things that are going on in this world!

This video is something that I shared in our classroom today and we had a great discussion around as well. But I will let you create your own discussion around this video.

Beginning of a New School Year and Journey- Every Kid needs a Champion

I have just started this blog as I want to share my story, thoughts, reflections, and anything else that comes to my mind in the future. This blog will contain some education stories, reflections on sports, and just how lifelong learning can impact your life. Please feel free to read, share and spread this blog to anyone who you think may have an interest in one or all of my blogs. 

As I prepare for another school year, it is time to reflect on how my education has impacted me and how I have got to where I am today.

School and education is one of the craziest and most influential parts of our lives. I truly believe this is why I am an educator and coach today. To be able to have a positive impact on new students lives every year is something that cannot be done in every occupation. While there are heroes throughout the world who work with people every day I could not imagine being in a more rewarding profession.

Every year when a new school year starts I always think back to my school days at St. Paul's for 4K in Grafton, Woodview and Grafton Elementary, John Long Middle School, Grafton High School and finally University Wisconsin- Eau Claire. There are so many educators who have made a positive impact on me in my life whether it is my Elementary school gym teacher saying, "CJ the DJ" every time I saw him or my High School Social Studies teacher giving me a newspaper every morning. As I think back to all the teachers I have had and all the great times I have had, what always sticks out to me is the relationships that were formed with those teachers. While I am sure I learned plenty throughout my education, what I vividly remember is those special relationships and moments with various teachers. Here are just some of the many teachers that had a positive impact on my life:

• Mr. Maronde (music teacher- who broadcasted my March Madness picks on the school announcements)
• Mrs. Moline (Kindergarten- she always knew me as the sports reporter)
• Ms. Cox (3/4th grade teacher, later became Mrs. Heinz, sorry Mr. Kehoe I didn't grow old enough, fast enough)
• Mr. Kehoe (Elem. gym teacher for always calling me "CJ the DJ".)
• Mr. Peacy (6th grade- for awarding me the Most Complaints in a Year Award- I still don't get it!!)
• Mr. Trottier (7th grade and basketball coach)
• Mr. Durst (HS English and Baseball coach- not sure there is anyone who has impacted my life more as a player, student, and person)
• Mr. Gajewski- (HS Social Studies- For giving me a newspaper everyday in HS and beginning an interest in reading for me, because I could finally read what I wanted to!)
• Dr. Stephens- (UWEC SPED- For being my advisor and pushing me to challenge myself and not be afraid of any situations)
• Dr. Pappalia- (UWEC SPED- For believing in me as an educator and pushing me to be better!)
• Dr. Battalio- (UWEC SPED/ELEM- For helping me survive Scotland with 16 girls!)

These are just a few of the educators who have positively impacted my life and as you see what they did for me goes beyond the content they taught, they created a positive personal relationship with me! That is my goal every year to reach and care about each one of my students. If my students can remember one positive moment or one action for the next 25 years of their life, I would have impacted their life and I know they have left my classroom with at least one special memory. 

While more and more is asked of educators and we continue to embrace the challenge, it all comes back to relationships. I hope that for this next school year and for however long I am teaching I can impact my students in a positive way, and that they will always remember me as someone who had a positive impact on their life!

Here is a little video about the impact of teaching that I will leave you with- Every Kid needs a Champion