Rockies Using iPods to Study

Professional development is the core business at HRD and there has been increased “talk” on the role of technology in the context and process of our work. This article touches on the same message and purpose. Here are few quotes:

“He watches frames of himself delivering the pitch, followed by the result of the play. Everything else is weeded out.”

“Teams have tons of film to help players study their opponents and their own quirks.”

"They can do it on their time”

"I think it's overrated personally, but that's just me," Randolph said. "I'm from a different school."

“Colorado's minor league hitting coordinator, Jimmy Johnson, has an iPod filled with video of players in the farm system. If a player is struggling, Johnson can compare his swing from the past with his current swing, and fix it accordingly.”

"Anything you can do to help yourself get ready for [games] is a good idea," he said.”

Begin with the End in Mind

If it was not for a friend I would have never heard of the show Dancing with the Stars (and I still have yet to see an episode).

For those like me, this show pairs eleven celebrities like Jerry Springer and Sara Evans (who?) with professional dancers to perform a Ballroom or Latin American dance routine that is critiqued by professional judges and voters at home.

This season’s winner was former Florida Gator and Dallas Cowboy running back Emmitt Smith.

"From the beginning, he just wanted to be the best possible dancer he can be," commented Emmitt’s dance partner after his win.

Smith, ever the competitor, was determined to win, just as he had done so many times with the Dallas Cowboys. "You don't get into a competition unless you think you can win," he told AP Radio after Tuesday's dance finale.

When you hear, “Begin with the end in mind”, what strategies are planned and then implement that will lead to the end? Having a vision and a strong work ethic has produced another trophy for this 3-time Super Bowl champion. Do the New Educators and Instructional Coaches begin the year thinking that they will “win”? What has been prepared for teacher and student success?

RPS

Rocks, Paper, Scissors (RPS) is more than just a playground game; it is an institution of fierce competition. The world of “who goes first” has grown into its own that includes protocols, procedures, strategies, a Hall of Fame, and Awards for Excellence.

Do you find the world of RPS at the Foundation (people driven), Application (plan centered) or Accomplished (systems driven)?

Overkill

The Quadruple Bypass Burger has four slabs of beef weighing 2lbs, three cheese layers, four bacon rashers, lettuce and tomato. Customers can also order the smaller Triple Bypass Burger and Flatliner fries cooked in pure lard.

The Heart Attack Grill in Tempe, Arizona, provides support by offering wheelchairs to carry customers out of the restaurant. A nurse, an example of immediate site-based support, serves the burger.

For me, images like this reinforces a vegetarian lifestyle.

'So Minute"

"I don't care what our record is or their record is. The difference between the best and the worst team in the NFL is so minute. It has everything to do with confidence and emotion and being a consistent team on that day."

This comes from current Dolphin Quarterback Joey Harrington when asked to comment on this week’s game against the Chicago Bears.

Since I have been sitting in data meetings all year, I could not help make the connection to our teachers. Grade level comparisons are constantly being made between classes regarding the demonstration of high levels of student proficiency.

Is the difference between the types of teaching (and learning) as “minute” as Joey compares NFL teams? Can a small modification of instruction lead to dramatic student gains?

What is common is that teachers must have confidence in themselves and in their students while remaining fair and consistent throughout the year.

There is a lot more at stake than a world championship.

A Final Showcase

CBS has done it again and I am not referring to another CSI spin-off.

First it was CBS news anchor and 60 Minutes correspondent Dan Rather who announced his retirement leaving a large gap in the anchor seat. Since CBS did not bother to prepare a replacement, the network has yet to make progress in the news department.

From the Associated Press, “Her (Katie Couric) average audience of 7.3 million viewers left the CBS Evening News 1.1 million behind ABC's second-place World News. It was the biggest gap between the two broadcasts since the week of Feb. 6, according to Nielsen Media Research. NBC's Nightly News led the way with 8.9 million viewers last week.”

Now CBS seems to be in the same boat with their #1 game show, The Price is Right. After 35 years of dedicated service to the show Bob Barker will be offering his last contestant showcase this year. If the owners of the show commented that they have been “looking” for a replacement for two or three years, when does their plan become a bit more aggressive? Is just “looking” how CBS prepares for the future?

How is CBS preparing a replacement? Without any visible prospects of a competent host in the near horizon, will the Price is Right take the same downward spin as the news department?