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[thebookchamber]

That's A Wrap on 23-24...

Well, here we are, the end of the 2023-2024 school year… Another year down, a year wiser, a year older, and another graduating class to remember… Ecclesiastes 3:1 – “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” The end of the school year marks the packaging of academic efforts, the closure of one phase of learning, and the beginning of another. It’s a time to…

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Guardians of the Educational Universe - Teachers Appreciation Week...

In a world where sometimes, chaos reigns supreme, there exists a sacred order that can contain the pandemonium – TEACHERS. I’m thinking of He-Man and She-Ra, valiant warriors who march into classrooms to battle, armed not with swords but with dry-erase markers and endless reserves of patience. Let’s take a moment to realize that these unsung heroes of our sanity are masters of the educational…

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A "Teacher Gram" for Sherri Ottis...

Hi, my name is Dave… I’m a Sock Baby and belong to one of Sherri Ottis’ former students. I live in a golf bag and I want to give a shout out to… After devoting all 25 teaching years at Clinton High, Mrs. Ottis is retiring. She has taught almost everything under the “Social Studies” platform, including psychology, sociology, and a bunch of other classes. Her room is the last on the West End side.…

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The Leadership in "Masters of the Air"

We have just finished watching Apple TV’s Masters of the Air series. For those of you who have not watched it, I highly recommend it. The leadership in the show transcends time and different levels of the overall capacity of leadership. As I watched each episode, I thought how much can be used in the education world. Let me say here that the show is very touching, especially seeing the lives of…

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"Go fund me, fair and equitably," says the public schools of Mississippi...

Let’s get ready to rumble…? HB1453, INSPIRE (The Investing in the Needs of Students to Prioritize, Impact, and Reform Education (INSPIRE) Act), which is new legislation vs. SB2332 MAEP (Mississippi Adequate Education Program), which is now being “revamped.” A few weeks ago, they were pitted in each other’s path, and then the Senate let HB1453 die when it came to their side. But the INSPIRE could…

[thebookchamber]

The Symbol of Love's Greatest Story

If you would like to download a printer friendly version of this with the above picture as a washout watermark background, click here: The Symbol of Love’s Greatest Story The Symbol of Love’s Greatest Story In the shadows of sin, I roam, a scoundrel, An offender, lost, my soul poisoned. Deserving death, sin’s venom bites, In depth’s darkness, I am only a fool. Manifestly guilty, I embody a…

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What Is This Thing Called Spring Break?

In the land of what used to be known as chalk and dust, there lived a group of people called teachers… Who were in need of laughter and possibly a joke. Weathering storms of tests and quizzes, helping students look for pencils and monitoring the hallways full of fizzles. Spring break seemed like a distant dream, for all they wanted was for their students to be able to glean. Most school days…

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Mississippi's Senate Education Committee Has A Bill Worth Considering About State Testing...

Well, I’m actually writing a blog in favor of a Senate Bill, SB2689, authored by Senator Dennis DeBar, that I support. Yep, you read that right; I support it.  SB2689, described as… “State subject area tests and accountability standards; replace with college prep test and revise provisions.” It’s status? It’s pending in the State Education Committee. The title of the proposed bill is: AN ACT TO…

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When Will Mississippi's Public Schools Actually Become A Priority Of Our Legislature?

Well, it’s that time of year again, and it’s time to discuss a topic of much contention in the education world. Currently, our Mississippi Legislature is in session, and the idea of using public school funds for vouchers and allowing those public school funds to be used for private schools is being thrown around again. The debate is intensifying, and while proponents argue for the idea of school…

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If Teachers Are Not An Advocate For Teaching, Then Who Will?

The other night, I was having a conversation with a future educator, and she was so excited about becoming a teacher. Now, she is a product of a family of educators, but deciding to be a teacher doesn’t always happen with educator’s children. With that being said, she went on and on about how cool being a teacher was. As I sat there listening, I began to wonder why education does not have more…

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Is Education Failing Our Students Upward? and When Is Enough, Enough?

I have often said that one of the main problems in education is that there are non-educators making educational decisions. We see that constantly with the legislative bureaucracy that plagues our schools at every level daily. But… what happens when you have educators making non-educational decisions? Yep, I think that is a thing that is happening more often than we realize.  Take this, for…

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Fighting Complacency in Contentment - A Leadership Battle...

A few days ago, I was talking with a friend, and we got on the concept of contentment and how it works with __________ (You can fill in the blank with any area of life). We spoke specifically about contentment in sports and how it affects teams. Still, it can be anything… personal, family, businesses, schools, etc. Now, contentment is a good thing. It fosters a state of satisfaction with one’s…

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The Achievement Gap - Why does it start with a zip code, continues with testing and is puts students to sleep...?

I’ll start this week’s blog with a quote. In his TedTalk, the late Ken Robinson said this with regard to educating students, “We shouldn’t be putting them to sleep; we should be waking them up to what they have inside of themselves!” For those who read my blogs, you have often heard me say that I believe education is one of the last facets of good that we can help right society. However… While…

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The Value of Mercy...

With two days out for winter weather, we have been binge-watching the TV series Suits. The other night, this statement was made… “Mercy is from a position of strength.” As I heard that, I wondered how often leaders, even educational leaders and teachers, understand what that statement means. I often see many leaders who want to “flex” their leadership because they see it as their strength from…

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"Boys in the Boat" Leadership Movie Review

Christmas Day evening, we went to the movies to see Boys in the Boat, and I am glad we did. It was an absolutely great movie. Outside of reading the book or being an Olympic Trivia person, the story is somewhat new for many… First, a little history… Boys in the Boat is a book by Daniel James Brown in 2013 that tells the true story of the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew team and their…

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Wishing you a Merry Mathematical Christmas 2023

Well, the ACME Math guys are back… How fast does Santa go? Allen Marett and I stated doing these videos a few years ago and  just wanted to have some fun and spread some Christmas Math Love. Anyway… Here is our video for 2023. Hope you enjoy. Here are the links to the previous three: 2020 https://www.facebook.com/100013664620751/videos/1080633885735422/ 2021…

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Christmas Foretold - Christmas Thoughts 2023

Merry Christmas everyone… Christmas Thoughts 2023 We will pick back up in 2024.  See you then. If you would like to download a printer friendly version of this year’s thoughts with a washout watermark background, click here: Christmas Foretold To view previous year’s Christmas thoughts, download here: 2022 For There Was No Room 2021 Deliverance – Coram Deo “The ‘Living’ Presence of God” 2020 Our…