Skip to main content

The Braden Bin - 3/18/16


What I'm watching:




  • It's March and being that March is my favorite time of the year, I thought I would post an old high school basketball video.  Thanks Coach Otis for posting this in your Facebook!  
  • This was my freshman year of high school.  This is a HUGE game every year because it is between two county rivals, Michigan City and LaPorte.  LaPorte is my high school.  
  • Guys, this is a HIGH SCHOOL REGULAR SEASON basketball game.  Look at the people!  That is Indiana High School basketball at its' finest.  When I compare Texas High School football with Indiana High School basketball, most of the time, I just get eye rolls.  Really?  Look at that video and tell me that's not crazy! 
  • Greg Tonagel, who hit that game winning shot, was my idol.  He was every young Slicer's idol.  Slicers are my high school's mascot.  What's a slicer?  Good question.  Anyways, he went on to play at Valparaiso University and now is the head coach at Indiana Wesleyan University.  As a matter of fact, Indiana Wesleyan just won the NAIA National Championship! Not only was Greg a GREAT player, he was and is a great person.  You will hear about him again one day, I promise.  
Bonus video:  

Greg Tonagel kind of doing the same thing at Valpo....


Bonus video plus:  

Think you have heard of Valparaiso University?  If you are a March Madness junkie like myself, you probably remember one of the best shots in tournament history by Bryce Drew to beat Ole Miss in 1998.  By the way, Bryce is now the head coach at Valpo.  






Jam I'm Jamming to:


  • Nothing says 1983 like One Shining Moment.  Nay, nothing says March Madness like One Shining Moment.  Hopefully, they will be playing that when the Hoosiers cut the nets down this year.  A man can dream, right?  



Website I am frequenting:  http://www.greatschools.org/

  • What a great resource for the community!  If one can find reviews of practically anything but public schools on yelp, google, etc, why not have the option of rating and reviewing schools?  
  • One of the things I like most about this website is their section titled GreatKids!  What a great resource for parents or anybody who spends time with kids! 
Some random thoughts:  

  • I like Fridays.  Who doesn't?  My big thing during the week is to work hard enough to feel like I deserve the weekend.  If I have, then Friday is like a celebration.  An ending to a well worked week and a beginning to a well deserved little break.  
  • Do we celebrate Friday too much in schools and if so, what message does that send to our students?  That we really can't stand being here and we actually get two days without you and then we show up on Monday with the "Monday blues" and are on the complete opposite mood spectrum than we were on Friday?  What does that say about us?  
  • I like Fridays.  I love spending time with my family over the weekend.  I also love my job and I love coming to school everyday.  I like making a difference in the community and in the lives of the students who I am lucky enough to have contact with on a daily basis.  I won't lie, I like Fridays but I'm always a little sad when the building is empty on a Friday afternoon and I know I wont see the amazing people I work with and the amazing students I work for, for the next few days.  
  • Let's not stop celebrating Friday.  If you've worked hard enough to feel like you've earned the weekend, then by all means, celebrate.  Just think about the impact your celebration may be having on those students.  If you don't want to be here, why should they?   


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Braden Bin

Welcome to the second installment of The Braden Bin, formerly known as Friday Finds.  Yep, week two and the name has already changed.  For those that know me know that it is likely to change a few dozen more times.  Just the way I am.  I'm comfortable with it. (Haha, by the way, I actually changed the title AGAIN, while writing this blog.  It was Ben's Bin.  Oh me oh my.) Music I'm Jamming To:   Coming Home by Leon Bridges A blast from the past out of Ft. Worth,Texas.  That's right, not Detroit in the '60s...Ft. Worth, Texas - 2016.  Most of you probably have heard of him already but if you haven't, I'd suggest getting on the bandwagon now.  This guy is amazing and is only going to gain more popularity.  I cannot wait for his next album to come out. If you are into Vinyl, I strongly suggest picking this one up.   Bonus:   Lisa Sawyer by Leon Bridges What I'm watching :   German Coast Guard - what are yo...
7 comments
Read more

The Braden Bin - 6/9/16

Quote that's got me thinking:  "When teachers talk to teachers, good things happen." I'm not sure who to give credit to for this quote but I first heard it from Plano ISD's superintendent Dr. Binggeli during his first "speech" to the administrators in the district.  That was at the beginning of the year, and here I am, in the first week since teachers and students have left for the summer, still pondering it.   I think for too long the teaching profession went like this - This is my classroom, these are my students.  I'll do my thing and you'll do yours.  Good luck and good riddance!  Now, the teaching profession is moving in the direction of collaboration, sharing of resources and ideas, etc.  Educators are realizing that much can be learned from their comrades.   #AmIrightTOTY?   What I'm Reading:   High School Suspensions Cost the Country $35 Billion Annually, Report Estimates This is a pretty fascinating study and while th...
5 comments
Read more

Birthday

It's my birthday tomorrow.  I don't want to do this, but I have no choice.  It's all around me.  Literally coming at me from every direction imaginable.  It's ok.  I'm alright with being "that guy".  I've decided that I will write about my days in the life of an educational leader but when the time strikes, I will write about my personal life.  This is one of the times I am taking a little bit of time to write about what's going on in my life. Tomorrow, my family and I will wake up early and head up to Paris, Texas.  We have some family in Paris but we aren't going there to see them, although we do plan on making a stop.  We are going to see a family we have grown close to throughout Avery's treatment for Hepatoblastoma.  They just lost their little one to Neuroblastoma.  Tomorrow is her funeral. I have a student who fought and beat Leukemia several years ago.  I didn't know her when she was fighting and I didn't know her w...
3 comments
Read more