Category Archives: teaching and coaching

post #100 – surveillance

November 19, 2015 By in teaching and coaching Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

yesterday…

there was a kid in my class who was being mildly disruptive during “reading time”…i had warned him a couple of times, but he wasn’t heeding my words…

since there wasn’t a lot of time left for reading …maybe 5-7 minutes…i sent him out to the hall (instead of sending him to the ISS program) and said…

i want you sit out there, right there (pointing to the mid-point on my classroom wall) in the hallway, where i can see you, where the video camera is.

i could tell he was a bit puzzled, so i walked out of the classroom with him…when we were both out in the hall and he was seated on the floor, i pointed up to the ceiling, to the small camera above my head and said…

see that, that’s a video camera…that’s how i can make sure you’re reading–i can see you on that camera.

i left him in the hall for a minute, then i went back out there and said…

you’re a little out my view/picture…move down the hall a foot.

he did…he got up, gave a weary stare to the camera, grabbed his backpack and book, and moved down the hall…thinking that i could see him on my laptop…

which i couldn’t…of course…the only people who have access to the video feed are the school resource officer and administrator…but, he didn’t know that…

[my goal was to separate him from his classmates while simultaneously making sure that he didn’t “make mischief” in the halls–mission accomplished!]

about 6 minutes later, i brought him back into class and we went ahead with the rest of the day — no other students were in on it, or really even knew what was happening…i’m not into the “shame game”, people! yet, it was still a jolly good time for me, myself and i 🙂

who says you can’t have fun as a classroom teacher these days?!

cheers!

back to school

September 16, 2015 By in teaching and coaching Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

welcome back…all ye teachers…

ever feel like you work here???

by gary larsen

by gary larson

 

 

keep striving

August 10, 2015 By in observations, teaching and coaching, tradecraft Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

“excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.”

-pat riley

in a few weeks, i will begin my ninth year as a high school teacher and my 17th year working with kids (of some sort and in some kind of setting)…

i don’t know how it is with other people in other careers, but in teaching, there is (lurking in the shadows) that ever-present temptation to get complacent or to “phone it in”…i mean, after you’ve been teaching for a while, there are certain things you’ve got down, things you know, like the back of your hand…

but, going down that road is precarious…

at the same time, you can see how it can happen, how all of us can fall into that trap…for instance, when i first started this “herding cats work”, i made great strides right away and really “wowed ’em”…my achievements were shiny and could be seen (by myself and by others)…but, as time went by, day after day, going through the same routines–it made me weary (on occasion) and i’d think, “what more can i do?”…

well, as an answer, i was recently re-inspired by a little japanese man named jiro ono…jiro is the subject of a 2011 documentary film (by david gelb) called, “jiro dreams of sushi”…and the story, his story is completely captivating…

jiro is the owner and head chef of the three-michelin-starred* sushi restaurant called, “jiro sukiyabashi” in tokyo, japan…and there’s five important things you need to know about this guy:

  1. jiro is 89 years old.
  2. jiro works every day.
  3. jiro has been making sushi for more than 70 years.
  4. jiro is widely recognized as the best sushi chef in the world.
  5. jiro still believes his sushi can be better.

[*important detail: michelin is a french company that publishes an annual guide on fine dining and accommodations–and, a three star rating is the highest–in this case, it means “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey”.]

the last fact is the most remarkable to me…that, after all this time, after all this work…

jiro still believes his sushi can be better.

think about that for a moment…talk about inspiring!  at 17 years into my profession, i’ve got nothing on this guy…absolutely nothing…yet, there is a silver lining–the strides i make, nowadays, might not be as big, bold, or bright as the one’s i’ve made before…but, they are still significant little steps…

so, along these lines, i’ve tried to challenge myself for the past couple of years…by asking myself one simple question (to stoke the fires)…

how can i better “my last year self”?

and if i had to give an answer to that question right now…it would be…

i don’t know, but i know i can…and then…maybe, just maybe…coming to my classroom will be worth a special journey…

jiro

“always strive to elevate your craft.”

-jiro ono

i am who you say i am…

May 23, 2015 By in teaching and coaching Tags: , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

[here is a copy of the speech i gave to all of my high school classes, on may 21st of this year (2015)–the last day for seniors…and they seemed to like it :)]

 

I

This is one of my favorite, all-time, movie clips…and I love the line…

“You see us how you want to see us.”

That’s how it ends…but, when we first meet each of these kids in Saturday Detention they seem to fit all the common stereotypes of kids we could run into at any school–the brain, the jock, the rebel, the outcast/crazy, the rich princess, etc…

But, like life, like real life…there’s more to the story…they are more than that, more than just simple stereotypes…like most people, like you–they are a lot more complicated than that…because, as you know, people don’t always fit into convenient little boxes.

Eminem takes it up this way…

And I am, whatever you say I am

If I wasn’t, then why would I say I am?

In the paper, the news every day I am

Radio won’t even play my jam

‘Cause I am, whatever you say I am

In the paper, the news every day I am

I don’t know it’s just the way I am

 

While I don’t hold to all the lyrics in all his songs…you can’t deny Eminem’s genius and charisma…and, there’s a truth in these lyrics for all to see; for him it reflects his personal experience—but, like all good music…it taps into something larger, it strikes a universal nerve…b-bam, bam…it may hit home with you, too…because his words reveal a truth about everyday life…and the things that people try to label you with…or try to box you in with…by using their words.

What we see, if we dare to look closer…are the layers that lie beneath the surface…like an onion, if you peel the skin back, there’s something under there, another layer…and another and another…and, in a like manner, there’s a lot more to people, to most people, than what we see on the outside…there’s a lot more to you than what people see on the outside…to you and you and you…

 

II

So, what do people see when they see you?  Who do they say you are?  Do they know you?

How do you feel when they get it wrong?  When they tag you with something that’s hurtful and mean?  When they try to label you? Try to box you in?

Are you who they say you are?

When someone says something hurtful about you, about “who you are”—it’s like getting punched in the gut.  It’s like getting the wind knocked out of you.

Have you ever had that experience?  Been knocked down?  Struggled, fought to catch your breath?

Well, words can do that, too.  Harmful words can knock the wind out of you.  Make you lose your breath.  You have to breath to live, right?!  So, if breath is life, then what we’re talking about is pretty serious.

Words can take life away.

And, of course…

The opposite is true, too…for good words.

When someone says something good about you, about “who you are”—it’s like getting a boost, it’s the best transfusion, the most amazing injection of spirit that you can get…one that propels you forward in aliveness.

Yeah, it’s pretty serious.

Words can give life.

Words can give life.  Words can take life away.

Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about…

One day, I noticed that a girl in my class was upset about something.  It was noticeable because this particular student was usually upbeat about life in general.  When I asked her about it, she said that nothing was wrong.  A few days later, I brought it up again and this time she told me what was wrong.  She told me that she “had a falling out” with one of her best friends…because her best friend had changed recently—she said that her best friend was becoming increasingly mean towards her—telling her that she was worthless and stupid and dumb (words that hurt, words that sting–especially, if they’re coming from someone who is your friend and ally)…so, as you can imagine, it was bringing her down…and she looked like she had been sucker-punched, she looked like the wind had been knocked out her…

Words can take life away.

On the flip side…

I’ve seen kids say the best things that kids can say to one another.  Legitimately, support and encourage each other.  I’ve seen it happen in this very room–all year-long.    I’ve seen you do it for each other.   Whether a “thumbs up”, a “good job”, or “I’ve got your back”–I’ve seen you elevate someone’s spirit with a single kind word…I’ve seen your classmates shine…as a result of the good words you’ve shared…

Words can give life.

Doesn’t mean that you still don’t feel the sting of earlier slights and put downs…those kind of things stick with you…those kind of things are hard to shake…but, importantly, those words don’t define you, don’t encompass all that you are, don’t represent you fully—not even close–those words aren’t true, after all…nor do they (always) define the individuals who speak them …some things and some words are spoken when someone is having “a really bad moment”–we’ve all been there, too.

At the same time, for you all…in the world you live in, right now…it is a bit more intense…with technology and social media…words aren’t just spoken, they are texted and posted–and shared and shared and shared…they stay…they stick…they are always there, hovering in the background…it is impossible to get away from ‘em, or it feels that way at least…it’s hard to find some quiet, to find some safe space in that…

When it feels like the world is always coming at you.  When people won’t let you be.

Words can take life away.

 

III

So, for you…all of you…juniors and seniors…especially, you seniors…young men and young women…

Hear me now…hear my words of life…

Despite what people may say to you…know that you are:

Strong

Beautiful

Worthy

Amazing

Smart

Adventurous

Creative

Faithful

Hardworking

Brave

Compassionate

Funny

Loyal

Tough

Warmhearted

Considerate

Fearless

Optimistic

 

And much more…so much more…

That’s what I see, that’s what I know…

Hear me now…hear my words of life…

 

When people put you down, you will rise.

When people drive you down, you will rise.

When people knock the wind out of you, you will rise.

When people try to take a little bit of your life away,

You will rise

You will live

You will shine

Believe it

I do

 

YOU ARE…MORE THAN…WHO THEY SAY YOU ARE…

 

I love you guys. Cheers!

the trouble with hats

April 24, 2015 By in school policy, teaching and coaching Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

there are approximately 14,402 small holes in the asbestos filled ceiling tiles above my desk at school…

i know this because i’ve made the count multiple times, over multiple years…

i know this because that’s where i choose to look instead of out and across my classroom…

i know this because looking across my classroom at this time of year is dangerous…

the time of year is spring…and it’s warming up…

and apparently, when it’s spring and when it’s warm…

clothing is optional…

at least for the young women in my classes (the young men have different “clothing issues”, which we’ll get to as well)…

and, if i look up from my desk–and take that risk, i might see something that no one really should be seeing…unless, of course, they’re in a committed, intimate relationship with another person (another adult person), you know…

now, it’s not entirely their fault…sure they’re making choices about what to wear to school or what to “change into” once they get to school…but, ultimately, they’re a product of our society, our culture…we live in a world that puts a freakish amount of pressure on young women to look and dress in a certain way…

i see the effects of that pressure in my classroom every single day (even when it’s not warm out)…young women dressing with “little or no clothing” or clothing that is “super tight or skin-tight” — like it’s painted on, like they’re auditioning to be the next “mystique” (see the x-men movies) …because that’s how they’ve been taught to dress, because that’s what gets them attention…from both the men and the women that they’re around…

it gets the attention of the young men in the classroom because all men “are visual” and it “trips men’s triggers”, so to speak (so say all the teenage magazines and biological/sociological/psychological journals)–so says real life experience, too; for the young women, it can send a different message…like, “see, this is attractive and gets me attention” or “i’m getting attention and you’re not”–and, more importantly and more unfortunately, other females who aren’t dressed this way measure themselves against those that are...the comparison game is on…and that’s a “no win” endeavor (and shoot, i see women of all ages doing this to each other…shows you just how powerful this shtuff can be)…

[i’m scratching the surface here, with appearance and body image…it’s an issue that concerns me as a teacher, and especially, as a father of a daughter…so, this is an issue we’ll definitely return to in a later post]

at this point, you can see one of the reasons why dr. sax argues for separating schools by gender…gender separated schools minimize these issues…

and, because our school isn’t “gender separated”…when i see young women dressed in this attire, i think…

man, school uniforms might not be a bad idea…

[granted, this is coming from a guy who wears sweatpants any chance he gets–and didn’t fully learn “how to dress for success” until his 40’s…and with lots of help from his wife]

this is true for the young men as well, whose most common violations are “sagging pants” and inappropriate images or lettering on their clothing…no one wants to see your pants hanging down…no one wants to see your boxers, fellas…and, no one wants see your miller time shirt t-shirt–or my new favorite, the t-shirt that has rows and rows of little automatic weapons on it–seriously?! (now, that’s a really positive message you’re sending there, son)…

these choices are also the result of what men see in popular media and our society at large…their heroes, the tough guys and thugs dress this way…and, it affects their demeanor, too…

and, once again, when i see young men dressed in this attire, i think…

man, school uniforms might not be a bad idea…

…

all this to say that…i know that we have a dress code at our school…i just don’t see anyone following it…or enforcing it, you know…

with one exception, that is…

with hats…

in my eight years as a high school teacher, the one item that seems to be a serious violation of our school dress code is–the sports cap… “make sure your kids take their hats off when they come into the building” and “can you have your student take his hat off? i saw him sitting in your class with it on.” – i wish i was kidding, but i’m not–these are things people have actually said to me…apparently, sports caps are the root of all evil, the path to the dark side…

[darth vader didn’t sport so much of hat as a helmet…anyways, i always thought it was fear…fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to the dark side 🙂 ]

anyways…not once, have i heard an administrator take issue with “what type of clothing” or “the lack of clothing” kids are wearing to class…

i guess it’s no surprise then, that in a recent online article, posted on a legitimate education website…the primary focus of the author’s angst was students who wore hats to school functions…

and of course…i get why, in certain schools, hats are banned–because of their representation of gang affiliation… and i get that “not taking off your hat indoors”, especially at certain events, is disrespectful…but, neither of these things explain how it came to this, how it got this far…where wearing a hat is tantamount to treason…the ultimate betrayal of our schools clothing norms and rules…

what about the clothing the kids are wearing? what about the clothing they’re “not wearing”?

in today’s world, i can imagine the policy makers and administrators confronting a student who is wearing nothing but a hat…

administrator: hmm, you mind taking your hat off, that’s a clear violation of school policy.

student: sure, anything else?

administrator: no, you’re good.

for me, this is one more example of “not dealing with the real issues”…in this case, hats are a small part of a larger problem–what kids are wearing to school–so, deal with the real issue and make a change in school dress codes, in how we deal with what kids are wearing to school every day…and we’ll see some great things happen…like learning …and “the hat issue” will disappear, too…

in other words, i’m talking about building a culture of respect—

1. self-respect (what an individual feels/knows about who they are–one aspect of this relates to what students know/feel about who they are when they wear appropriate clothing);

2. “other-respect”…respect from peers, teachers, other school employees and other professionals (when students wear appropriate clothing);

and “how you’re dressed” could definitely include uniforms…

uniforms support a culture of respect…and more…

uniforms help build equality and unity as well…require uniforms and you take away something that kids use against other kids–you take away their ability to wear social class and status on their sleeves…require uniforms and you take away the “teen celebrity” and lay the foundation for unity, for community…require uniforms and you take away the “me” and move towards the “we”…

 

respect, equality, and unity…

 

it sounds like this…

 

i am worthy.  you are worthy.

 

i treat myself with dignity.  i treat you with dignity.

 

i am for you.  i am with you.  we are in this together.

 

recommended readings: “boys adrift” (2007) and “girls on the edge” (2010) by dr. leonard sax.

the trouble with fun

April 23, 2015 By in teaching and coaching Tags: , , , , , , 2 Comments

here’s an email i had waiting for me one morning…

[the names have been changed to protect the innocent]

hello mr. dettmann,

my son, jeremy, is in your afternoon criminal justice class. he is really enjoying it. i’m sending this email because i’m concerned about why he is enjoying it and i’m not getting a very clear picture from my son.  the reason for my concern is i have heard from more than 1 person (a parent and then a student, the 2 are not related) “all the students do is watch movies in criminal justice”.  i know there is another class in the morning, so this could be a reflection on that class not yours. with that being said, could you please provide me with your syllabus and/or an overview of your class? i have asked jeremy about it, he says movies are used but not all the time. i’m not satisfied with what I’m hearing. i’m trying to gain some understanding of what the reality is in this class. the registration booklet doesn’t mention the use of movies as a teaching tool. while i can appreciate movies being helpful and enjoyable, i don’t think they paint a very real picture for the students.

thank you for taking the time to respond.

mrs. smith

…

what i really wanted to write back and say was…

dear mrs. smith,

not only do we watch movies…but, we also play games, tell stories and go on scavenger hunts during class time!

oh and why don’t you…kiss my ass, bitch?!

sincerely,

mr. dettmann 

🙂

but, i didn’t write back in anger and say those things…i wrote back and asked her to take a look at her son’s notebook…because every week we take “several days worth of notes”, take quizzes, complete a variety of assignments, read articles and book excerpts, hear from guest speakers (in the field of criminal justice), have discussions and debates, and think critically about the world at large…oh and we also watch movies, play games and go on scavenger hunts, too…i listed every single thing we did for the weeks leading up to and following her email…no hiding, no hesitation–and no apologies…straight up, man…

at the end of the email, i also reminded her that my class was an elective…and with that, i explained that the students can learn something and have fun doing it—at the same time (go figure?!)…and, more importantly, i told her that her son was in my class because he chose to take it…and if he wasn’t happy with the class, he could opt out of it next semester…

she went quiet after that…

and her son came back to my class the following semester…

who knew “fun” could be such a problem?!

escape from alcatraz

April 15, 2015 By in teaching and coaching Tags: , , Leave a comment

~quote of the month~

here’s how the exchange went…as i started up the film ‘escape from alcatraz’ in class (a few weeks ago)…

me: this movie is a bit older, but it still holds up.

student: so, just like you, then?!

all i could do was laugh…

(got me this time!:)

great expectations

April 10, 2015 By in teaching and coaching Tags: , , , , 2 Comments

one day, in my first year as a high school teacher, i encountered my principal in the hallway…and she asked me…

so, are you gonna have a team this year?

me: a team for what?

principal: for skillsusa, the state competition our teachers send students to? (at this time, i really had no idea what skillsusa even was–now, i know that it’s a national student organization that holds skills competitions in a variety of trades each year)

me: send students to? in what area?

principal: well, for you, it would probably be ‘the crime scene investigation competition’–where your students would process a crime scene from beginning to end.

me: crime scene investigation?! i’ve never processed a crime scene myself–how am i supposed to teach them how to do that?!

principal: i know, but i’m sure you’ll figure it out (and then she walked off).

[this is how messages get delivered (sometimes) at our school…anyways, you might be thinking…well, you’re the criminal justice teacher, right?! you should know this stuff.  well, one of the things that most people don’t know about criminal justice is that ‘not everyone who has worked in criminal justice has been a cop, investigator, or csi’–in fact, there are literally hundreds of jobs in criminal justice–and the cop, investigator, and csi are just three career designations in a very big pond…in my case, i had a master’s degree in criminal justice and worked in the specialty area of juvenile justice–working in different facilities with kids who got in trouble with the law–not in crime scene investigation]

so, i was left standing there…dumbfounded…thinking…

how in the hell am i supposed to do that?! this has to be some kind of joke?!

so, that year, with all the trials and tribulations a first year teacher endures…i didn’t send a team…

in my second year at the school, my principal asked me once again…

so, are you going to send a team this year?

if i felt like i didn’t have a choice when she asked me the question last year, then i definitely felt cornered this time around–the stakes were higher…it was expected…

so, i said…

yep. 

[with absolutely no idea about how i was going to do this]…

you’ve probably heard the term ‘growing edges’…it’s a euphemism for being pushed to do something you’re not comfortable doing, and on-top of that, not sure if you’re capable of doing it…i like to refer to it as ‘the gauntlet’…the dark passage…will you succeed? will you make it to the other side? or will you go down in flames?

luckily, when she asked me the question this time….i had about 5 months until the competition…and i used every spare moment i had (outside of teaching) to read and learn and talk to people in the field–police officers, crime scene investigators, detectives–about how to process a crime scene…and then i read some more…oh, and then i read some more…

based upon what i learned, i figured it would take a couple of weeks to train my students–my team of three (despite all the promotional stuff we do each year, we typically end up with just a handful of students who are interested in these competitions)…how to do this and how to do it right…what i had come to know was that…while processing a crime scene wasn’t rocket science–there was a right way to do it; and things needed to be done in a correct and ordered fashion…with specific attention to detail and documentation (there was also a significant amount of gear that i had to order to make sure we had all the right supplies to collect the evidence)…

so, we met and trained and went through different crime scenarios that i had prepared for them (outside of the normal class schedule)…

as we trained, i felt confident with what i was teaching them to do…still, there was that lingering question…can i pull this off?

honestly, i was still rattled…i had no idea how they would do when it came to the competition…ultimately, i was just hoping i didn’t embarrass myself…and i didn’t want to let the kids down either…granted, i couldn’t be there to see them compete (none of the advisors/coaches are allowed to watch the contests)…it was up to the students, they were on their own…and the judges (real crime scene investigators and detectives) and that was it…sink or swim…

so, on the day of the contest, i met them outside the main bay of elevators in the conference center lobby…they were told that their competition would be in a room, on the top floor of the hotel, where the skillsusa conference was being held…a crime scene would be set up in that room (and the judges would be there to greet them)…i was not to come up with them…

so, i wished them good luck and sent them up…

[the crime scene investigation competition takes about two to three hours for students to complete]

so, i waited in the lobby…and waited…and waited…

about two 2.5 hours later, the elevator doors opened and my students clambered out with all of their crime scene gear…

i peppered them with questions…how did it go? was it what you expected? what was it like?

they answered all my questions…a few times they mentioned things that could’ve been done differently (per the judges)…and a few times they mentioned things that the judges really liked…

after talking for a while, i asked them…

do you feel good about how you did? about what you did?

they said…

yes.

i nodded and said…

then, that’s all that matters…

i shook their hands and told them to go and enjoy the rest of the conference…and then i told them that i would see them tomorrow at the awards ceremony…we wouldn’t know until the next day how we really did…depending on your scores, you could place first, second, third, or not at all…

i wasn’t counting on anything…

well, i didn’t sleep much that night…tossing and turning…and morning finally came…it was awards ceremony day…

there were hundreds of kids there, kids who had competed in everything from nail care to carpentry, from auto repair to photography…if you can think of a trade, then it was probably represented by a contest at this competition–honestly, it’s a pretty cool thing to see…anyways, all of the kids were seated and nervously waiting for the awards to be announced (so were the advisors)…

i wasn’t counting on anything…

the awards ceremony lasted a good 3+ hours…and as it went on, i would see students from our school get awards …cosmetology, photography, graphic design, and others…it seemed like our school was well represented…as the ceremony went on, i would steal a quick glance at my students (who were seated next to me)…i could sense how tense they were…i was too…

we must have waited for more than 2 hours to hear the results of our contest…and then it came…

announcer: for crime scene investigation (high school)…

third place…

[wasn’t us]

second place…

[wasn’t us]

first place…

[it was us]

he called our name, we won! i just about lost it, i couldn’t believe it…i was jumpin’ for joy…

we just won first place for crime scene investigation, we just won first place in state!

at that moment, the kids went nuts…i was so happy for them, i was so proud of them! i watched them go up to the podium and accept their awards…they had accomplished something great, we had accomplished something great…and as i looked around the great hall, all of my colleagues were looking at me…i could see the respect in their eyes…

unbelievable?!

…

the kids and i went on to compete in nationals, they didn’t place…but, they showed well and did a great job…in the years to come, i coached three more state championship teams…and i’m always recruiting for the next competition…

to this day, i always think of that first contest, that first title…as one of the most awesome, crazy, proud, freakish, unbelievable and unforgettable moments in my teaching career…

note: for a classic example of “how not to process a crime scene”, take a look at the footage that shows the italian crime scene investigators processing the amanda knox crime scene…completely and totally careless, utterly ridiculous!

debunking csi…

March 5, 2015 By in teaching and coaching Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

the television show ‘crime scene investigation’ is one of the most popular crime shows of all-time…

but, that doesn’t mean it’s accurate…

and that matters for students pursuing careers in criminal justice…

because a lot of the kids that show up in my classes are there, in large part, because of what they’ve seen on that show…and they want to “do that”…

if you haven’t figured it out by now, i teach criminal justice, at both the high school and college levels…and one of my favorite lessons is the one i call “debunking csi” 🙂  my motivation for doing this lesson is not to “slam” a show that millions of people love to watch or to be overly cynical about life in general…that’s not my style…but, my objective is to “be real” and upfront about what crime scene investigators “really do for their jobs”…before my students drop a significant amount of cash on a csi degree…that, and the fact that “thinking critically” is a really important thing in my classroom and “on the job”…

anyways, it’s a simple classroom lesson…

so, what do we do?

well, a couple times a year we will go through an episode of csi and identify the things that we see the crime scene investigators doing in the show…once we’ve done that, we break it down…and identify the things that crime scene investigators do “in real life”…

here are the actions i have them track:

INTERROGATES A SUSPECT

INTERVIEWS A WITNESS

COLLECTS EVIDENCE*

USES A GUN

TELLS INVESTIGATORS WHAT TO DO

TESTS EVIDENCE*

USES HIGH-END TECHNOLOGY

CARRIES A GUN

GETS A SUPER-QUICK RESULT ON DNA/PRINTS/BLOOD

afterwards, we look at their tally sheets…interestingly enough, from following just one episode, they will have several marks in each of the above categories…it’s no wonder kids (and adults) think the way they do…so, i’m quick to point out two categories that are actually the csi’s job:

a) collecting evidence

&

b) testing evidence

while you see the actors doing all of the things on the above list…crime scene investigators don’t do all of those things “in real life”…most of what you see them doing: from interviewing suspects and witnesses to brandishing firearms to getting ‘super-quick results on an evidence test’ just doesn’t happen and it definitely doesn’t happen in an hour’s time…those are things that police officers, detectives, and federal agents do…additionally, they don’t tell police officers and detectives what to do…they are part of team that usually has a lead detective (and the crime scene investigators or crime scene unit would be reporting their findings to him/her)…another point of fact is that police officers, detectives and federal agents are trained in the collection of physical evidence, though they regularly leave that task to the crime scene unit…

so, at this point, i always ask my students: is being a csi is really what you want to do???

only a few of the students reply with a “YES!”

for the others, i always recommend another show…one that follows real life detectives through the course of an actual investigation…

the show is called “the first 48″…

and it’s highly recommended…

thank you, girls

February 14, 2015 By in teaching and coaching, thank you notes Tags: , , , Leave a comment

despite my last entry, this school year has been 1000x better than last year…

the overwhelming majority of the kids i have are ‘into the student gig’ and ‘on top of their jobs’ in the classroom…

it’s a good feeling, it’s the best feeling…especially when measured against last year’s trials and tribulations…

it’s a much-needed reprieve…so much so that i’ve dubbed it ‘my recovery year’…

and i’m thankful for it…

i’m also thankful for a group of girls that i had in my class last year…a group of girls that got unintentionally pushed aside and lost in the turmoil and craziness that shrouded the last school year…pushed aside, but not forgotten…you see, they deserve mentioning, they deserve recognition…for the way they showed up in my class last year…

their names are natalie, lindsay, erin and sarah…

and last year, at the end of every class they said, ‘thank you’ as they left the room…and it was a genuine salutation…though a bit shocking, by today’s standards in public education…

so, ladies…here’s to you, here’s me raising a glass of coca-cola to you right now…

it didn’t go unnoticed, it mattered…

and i appreciate it!

cheers!