One Semester Down for Brian

I just finished my first semester of my MBA. I passed my two classes (International Mangement & Mergers and Acquisitions) and have actually already started summer school. Yay!

Dodger Date Night

Caroline and I went to a Los Angeles Dodger's baseball game for date night on Saturday after having dinner with Grandma Shirley. What a fun time!

My Genious Wife

Check out the feedback Caroline got on her Thesis first draft. Yeah...that's my wife!

"Caroline's inquiry is excellent. It is critically self-reflective, well organized, clearly written and presents best practices of teaching and learning. She paints a clear and powerful picture of her problem and her desires to address the difficult obstacles she faces teaching in the Newcomers Center. Her goal to differentiate content between grade levels in such a transient classroom is appropriate and socially just. The literature review of sociocultural theories provides a strong framework to understand the students, their social context and different pedagogical strategies. She writes a terrific summary of Vygotsky, Moll, Rogoff, Krashen and Cummins and connects their ideas to her students and her goals of this inquiry project. Caroline's methodology section is thorough and exhaustive as she describes her intervention with plenty of detail for anyone else to replicate. The analysis is deeply thoughtful. She triangulates data from her ethnographic notes, student reflections, LAA test scores, and focus group feedback. In the spirit of action research it was excellent to read how she adapted her intervention to best meet the needs of her students through changing the LAA testing method into a group activity that proved to more pedagogically sound. It is impressive to see Caroline's critical self-reflections about the limitations of her own teaching practices that were increasing student dependency and her discovery of ways to empower students to become more independent through teaching them collaborative strategies to work together and assigning them roles and responsibilities."

Blogging 101

Besides teaching English, Math, History and Science to my 6 - 8 graders, I also teach an elective class. Every three months I get a new set of students for this class. So far this year I have taught Graphic Design and Astronomy. Well, its the end of the year and let's be honest... nobody wants to learn about the universe at this point. I decided I'd try something different. Why not involve my students in the blog revolution? Everyone's doing it. I'm calling it "Blogging 101", only because I couldn't call it "Blogging for Dummies." I'm only kidding. Take a look at my new blog and my precious students here: Blogging 101.

Little Bloggers:

Where's Brian?

Oh... there he is. If you look closely, you might be able to see the hazy silhouette of a soldier. That's Brian in his new uniform. He used to wear camo that looked like this....




In my opinion, it's more attractive. But the Armed Forces didn't ask me. Brian is finally switching over to the new pattern. I'm sure it works wonders in desert combat, but unfortunately, in L.A., camoflague doesn't have the right effect. Still... I have to admit, that I secretly love to see Brian walk through the door wearing this.

No. 7 Graduates

I am at school this morning and while my students are quietly working (yeah right), I can't stop looking at this adorable picture of my baby brother Doug... all 6 foot 8 of him! Can you believe it?! I sure can't. Where did the time go? Isn't he so handsome? I am in love with him. He's graduating from High School today. I wish i could be there. Congratulations, Honkus!

Brian Regan...Awesome!

Caroline and I went to Brian Regan at the Wiltern and we had an awesome time!!! At one point I was laughing so hard that my face was twitching and I couldn't breathe. Maybe my face was twitching because of lack of oxygen or maybe it was because Brian Regan is just really funny.

Here is a link to one of his skits on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUU9CqrtFiU
Check it out...you'll love it! And it is surprisingly clean.

Look how close we were at the Wiltern Theatre