About Me

Educator, Award Winning Grant Writer, 178 Grants
Instructional Technology Specialist, Data Specialist
Assessment Specialist, College Instructor, Blogger

The Day Everything Changed

I often think of October 21st. More specifically, I think of October 21, 1990. On this day, the world as I knew changed radically. It was the last day I would be a kid. It was the last day I would know true innocence.

October 21st was initially a very fun day. I spent some time with a good friend of mine doing the normal things teenagers do. I think we caught a movie and lunch. I am not sure what else happened. However, I do remember we were having a good time. Later that day my uncle picked me up from my day of fun and we were chatting about the future. As we were talking I noticed there was a bit of hesitation in his voice every so often. When we talked about my mother he became increasingly distressed. However, being oblivious to the true nature of things, I remained optimistic that my mother would soon recover from her recent illness. After all, she had recovered from other ailments. I then arrived home and saw my mother laying on the couch. I remember thinking, “she looks terminally ill”. However, despite the powerful evidence thrusted in my face, I tried to remain optimistic.

A few moments later my father summoned me to the basement.  I then learned that my mother was terminally ill with ovarian cancer.  As my father spoke he told me how difficult it was for him to tell me this news as he was going against his wife’s wishes.  He would then continue to say that he felt compelled to share this with me as he deeply feared my mother’s demise was imminent.

Over the years, I have told parts of this story to close friends and family. They always seem shocked that I did not know that my mother had cancer for more than 5 years and would not learn about her illness until 6 days prior to her death. They ask if I resent not being told about her condition until the very end. I always give the same answer, “I do not bear any resentment. In fact, I have tremendous respect for what my mother did.” In her heart, she did not want to rob our childhood. She strongly felt that the burden of her illness should not be shared by her children as her children would have face untold challenges later on.

Interestingly enough, virtually no one knew my mother was sick during all of this time including her boss who was a doctor. Additionally, during this time my mother continued to live life to the fullest and helped her children and everyone around her with such passion and strength.  In a sense, her ability to keep this secret for so long gave her strength as my mother did not want to be pitied.

As I reflect on how my mother carried herself I am always amazed how much strength she had while facing tremendous challenges. Think about this for a moment. Here was a woman who was working, helping her children, family, and community while undergoing all kinds of medical procedures on a regular basis. Yet, you never heard her complain about any of this. Through my mother’s example I continue to be reminded of a simple yet powerful lesson. Never give up hope, no matter what the odds are. Never stop trying, no matter what the odds are.

I am always deeply moved by how much my mother sacrificed for to nurture and protect her children. I remember, how she would tutor my brothers, be a confidant to all of us, share with us sound advice, and most importantly always have time for us. With this in mind, I am forever grateful for everything my mother did and will continue to draw strength and inspiration from her selfless compassionate example.

 

 

Using Assistive Technology to Keep Students with Disabilities Safe

As I browse news sites on the internet and social media site it seems that there is a story almost on a daily basis about a missing child. This is not surprising as the National Crime Information Center statistics in 2014 show there were 466,949 entries for missing children under the age of 18. Needless to say these statistics are very disturbing. Additionally, I find the following statistics just as disturbing;

• Roughly half of children with an ASD attempt to elope from a safe environment, a rate nearly four times higher than their unaffected siblings.
• Two in three parents of elopers reported their missing children had a “close call” with a traffic injury.
• 32% of parents reported a “close call” with a possible drowning.
• Half of families with elopers report they had never received advice or guidance about elopement from a professional.

Naturally all of these statistics are unsettling. However, I find the last statistic the most disconcerting as it means the parents who are most susceptible to this problem are the least prepared for dealing with the challenges of a wandering child. With this in mind, I have developed an 11-minute video, which addresses these issues and also provides possible solutions for helping families with wandering children. I am also providing links below that families may find helpful.

Helpful Resources

 http://www.lojack.com/People-at-Risk - The SafetyNet by LoJack System is a radio frequency based system designed to aid in locating missing persons who suffer from a cognitive disorder such as alzheimer’s or autism and who are at risk of wandering and becoming lost.

http://www.projectlifesaver.org/- Project Lifesaver provides protection and safety to even more individuals who wander due to Autism, Down syndrome, Alzheimer’s, dementia, or other cognitive conditions.

http://www.mypreciouskid.com/products/wearable-id-products.html - My Precious Kid has created Wearable ID products for your family. Wearing a physical ID everyday will help keep your kids safer.

 http://tattooswithapurpose.com/ - Temporary tattoos are removable tattoos that go on the skin with water and can last up to 7 days. 

 http://www.medicalert.org/- First responders and medical professionals are trained to recognize MedicAlert IDs and call a 24/7 Emergency Response Center. 

http://autismservicedogsofamerica.com/- The service dog’s calming presence can minimize and often eliminate emotional outbursts, enabling the child to more fully participate in community and family activities.

Remember

Remember when education always pioneered

And how the educator was revered

Remember engaging activities and innovation

Multiple Intelligences and helping children were our passion

Remember the inner child

And when the kid smiled

Remember what it was like to be a kid

The games and the friends who we made trouble with; g-d forbid

Remember our children must contend with increased standardized testing

Accountability, College Readiness, and schools we plan on divesting

Remember the help you had when you were younger

And don’t forget to support your child with the help they hunger

Remember you were too proud to ask for help and played it wild

Remember no matter what they will always be your child

Dangerous Time

It is a dangerous time to be a young man; hot on the pursuit. A destiny greater then we can all imagine awaits him. But what if… he… can’t… wait. Does he blow it all charging… claiming what is rightfully his? Can he learn the virtue of patience or does he squander it on foolishness. Does he realize what he does today will impact how his life is shaped? Will he seek the quick and easy way? Will he let persistence win the day? Who can tell him of these tales untold? Perhaps the middle-aged man limping ever so slightly can. His story is so familiar, so eerie, if he will only listen.   

Why Passover Matters

Every year around Passover jews across the world hold their annual meal (the seder) during which families get together, socialize, and recount the story of Exodus. It is an interesting holiday to say the very least. More than any other holiday, great effort is made to integrate children into the tradition of Passover. The meal starts with festivities that include children asking the 4 questions, dipping potato in saltwater, retelling the exodus, eating bitter herbs, and singing songs. The meal then climaxes with the Chad Gadya (silly song about a goat). If that is not enough we drink while leaning to our left on a pillow and try to find the afikamon (unleavened bread).

Needless to say my children are always very excited about the meal. My son told me that he was going to steal the afikamon from me. Its no wonder it is the most celebrated holiday; even more than Yom Kippur. To those familiar with these rituals none of this comes as a surprise. In fact it is well known that the Passover meal is designed to arouse children’s curiosity about the holiday. This is why we eat unusual foods, dip potatoes in water, and so on. I remember how my own childhood experiences were filled with similar joyful activities and how it was a time for families to come together. I also remember how some of our other holidays/rituals were observed as a 12-step program.

As I reflect on this holiday, it makes me think why stop at Passover? Why not celebrate all our holidays in this manner? Why not explore all of our traditions in this manner. For this reason, I am thankful that my wife decorates the house for Chanukah with festive lights, encourages our children to paint their menorahs, play with their draidels, and of course enjoy their jelly doughnuts. I am thankful that my son’s Hebrew School takes him to a matzo factory, holds Purim parades, and hosts other engaging activities. I am also thankful that my parents always worked tirelessly to make the holiday festivals and rituals special and fun. I am also thankful for the time I interned with the BJE and was exposed to a plethora of techniques/activities that bring Judaic experiences to life.

With respect to this, I remind myself to always take the time and effort to foster an engaging environment for all of my children’s activities and make every holiday, ritual, and learning activity as special as Passover. Last but not least; Chag Sameach!!

Why I Hate Glee, and You Should Too

What’s wrong with Glee you ask? On the surface it seems innocent enough. This show features students singing rock and pop classics with their own music styling’s in which a motley crew of High School students are grappling with being accepted by their peers. To their credit, the actors and actresses playing the kids are a delight.

It’s the adults I take issue with. Something has to be done about the adults. Let’s start with the Principal. Principal Figgins plays an inept out of touch administrator. If that is not enough, every teacher in the building has significant social-emotional issues. The message of the writer is clear. It is no wonder why our students are failing. Look at their teachers. They are a bunch of losers!

To be fair, I understand it’s a television show with elements of humor. I also understand that some teachers do have significant issues. I myself have written about such subject matters. However, I think Glee’s depiction of educators are often irresponsible at best and more likely feeds into a political narrative that is bent on disrespecting all that teachers do. Additionally, the core audience for this show is the youth we teach. One should also keep in mind other current shows such as the Simpsons lampoons teachers and administrators as buffoons. With this in mind, I would suggest that the Glee writers take a cue from “The Wire”. This show presented an honest look at the challenges and opportunities teaching inner city kids presents. At the same time, it did not resort to the disrespecting the work of pedagogues.

Having said that, I do not truly hate Glee. However, I think it is important to raise awareness of these issues as the subtle narrative left unchecked reinforces some of the worst behaviors that certain political operatives enjoy fibbing about. In the end, there are many issues with respect to education that require review. However, addressing such issues must be done with honesty and not foolish rhetoric.