"It’s not about being equal, necessarily. It’s about being equitable." @FairfieldU @StagsMensBball

Sydney Johnson and Kyle Koncz, EN 11-Fairfield University

Coaches Sydney Johnson and Kyle Koncz, stellar mentors and leaders for the Fairfield University Men's Basketball team, granted a request to visit my section of EN 11: Texts and Contexts - a required course for all first-year students, on October 3rd. The goals for this course are to develop effective writing and to begin thinking like a researcher who asks good questions, seeks relevant information, and communicates with an audience about new findings and learning. Both men were a tremendous bonus to the semester's class and, to be honest, a complete testimony to their dedication to academics, community, and sports.

            

My students are reading Warren St. John’s Outcast United, the story of a refugee soccer team in Clarkston, Georgia, who is coached by a woman named Luma Mufleh. We've recently received funding so that we can attend a home basketball game in support of the Stags at Webster Arena with several relocated refugee guests currently residing in southern Connecticut (we will be running a 5K for refugees in New Haven this February, too). 

            

While reading Outcasts United as a mentor text, we've been discussing how Warren St. John chooses to share his knowledge in a book composed from interviews, observations, and research. The text tells much more than the story of a soccer team. It is an exploration of globalization, super-diversity, and history. 

Producing athletes for the game of soccer is akin to guiding writers to compose for life. The best writers work on new skills, draft, scrimmage, are pulled in by the coach for mentoring and reflection, get sent out to play again, and return to discuss what works and doesn't work. For these reasons, Coach Johnson's philosophy on coaching basketball resonated with me and my approach with teaching writing.

I don’t coach all kids the same. For me, it’s not about being equal, necessarily. It’s about being equitable. I think certain guys need more or less. I think that some guys respond to tough love. Other guys need an arm around them - a pat on the back.  I think it’s about giving folks what they need within their comfort zone. It’s not babying them.

Lev Vygotsky, in teaching terms, would call this the  Zone of Proximal Development. The best instruction comes from building a relationship with students and guiding them to achieve their next level of excellence. In the words of Johnson, "You don't turn it off if you really care." The best teachers  (coaches/mentors) work on relationships.

Johnson & Koncz, Writing Our Lives'13

Johnson and Koncz agreed to be interviewed by my class about their experiences as players and coaches and I transcribed the interview as a model so my students would see how interviewing is rewarding.  It provides irreplaceable information and data. Earlier this year, the coaches made an appearance at the Writing Our Lives-Bridgeport conference on campus and showed their dedication to work ethic. During the event, they met with my cousin, Mark Crandall, who oversees international change through Hoops for Hope, a non-profit dedicated to young people around the world. 

  

Coach Johnson arrived to Fairfield from Princeton University in 2011. At Princeton, he was a player, then coach, and mentored Kyle Koncz during his senior year. Although that season wasn't full of accolades, Koncz's drive became a legend in the eyes of Coach Johnson.

Even though we sucked during his senior year - we were really bad - he and his teammate were both captains and showed toughness. They kept working and we would get beat badly, yet they would come in the next day and keep working. They inspired their teammates and they inspired me. The younger guys on the team saw that. And they tried to model that the next year. And then the next year. And clearly, we recruited better players. The talent started to match the work ethic that he and his teammate helped put into place.

Johnson asked Koncz to assist him with an aim for recreating excellence at Fairfield University. According to Konz, this means one thing - the opportunity to play during the 2014 NCAA tournament and beyond.

I would say that the goal for the basketball program is to make it to the NCAA tournament. As a program, that is our ultimate level of achievement. Win the MAAC tournament and then go to the NCAA tournament.  If we’re talking about a long term goal that is #1

Coach Johnson felt same.

We just want to go to the NCAA tournament and nothing else is good enough, to be quite honest. It’s not enough to win. We want to win our class to gain respect. We want to be a program of intelligence. We want great men. 

Students and I have been reading in Outcasts United about the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual side of leading a team towards success. For these reasons, the willingness of Johnson and Koncz to share their coaching experiences were extremely valuable. It was a rare opportunity to hear two coaches discuss their intrinsic drive to build a better world. In the words of Sydney Johnson,

For me, it’s all about being a part of the community, to be honest. It’s to be an incredible example, being a leader and a student athlete. I want very good basketball players that work hard, who love to compete – those things contribute to the sport of basketball, but I also want them to be fantastic students. I want them to be engaged in class, I want them to sit up in the front row, to take notes, to talk to the professor.  I want them to be engaged with the different things that are going on around campus. I think being a part of the community is more than just being over at a table with the basketball guys and never developing great relationships.    

Coaches Johnson and Koncz demonstrated this belief by visiting our section of EN 11. While they spoke, they offered insight on their vision, lived experiences, and goals. A particular piece of advice offered by Sydney Johnson has been on my mind for the last couple of days. While reflecting on the great advice he received from coaches during his career he recalled,

I remember when I was a freshman, and we were playing against Providence. It was a higher level game for us and I was exhausted. As a freshman I was playing a lot of minutes, and I came to the courtside for a time out. “Coach, I need one. I need a breather.” And the assistant coach yelled back. “Don’t get tired. You’re not allowed to get tired.” And it just (he snap[ed his finger) clicked. I was like, “A’ight." I stayed on the court.

I replayed these words over the weekend while I hit mile three, four, and five on my daily run. I couldn't help but think of Luma Mufleh in Outcasts United, too. Most coaches would likely throw in the towel while coaching a team of newcomers in the United States, but she stayed on the field with them. In fact, she completely altered her life and built a community in support of their success. Instead of giving in to the lack of proper playing fields, the young men with post-traumatic stress, the impoverished conditions new arrivals were placed in, and the ubiquitous violence of the local community, Luma Mufleh gained strength and inspiration.

This, I believe, is what Sydney Johnson and Kyle Koncz are doing at Fairfield University, albeit under completely different conditions. Even so, the community of Fairfield can become part of his plan. Sydney Johnson told the class, "We need students to come to the games" and reflected on the days when his Princeton team used to play in empty stadiums.

Really it was amazing. No one came to our games. No one. You could hear both coaches on each side of the court calling out the plays and you could hear any time a teammate would jump up and support a teammate. Then, three or four years later when we walked out for games, you couldn’t hear anything. I mean it was just crazy. Packed. It was awesome. 

It is his hope that the Stags Men's team will recreate this in Connecticut. If the players are paying attention, their coaches are acting on what they believe in - they are modeling the dedication it takes to be successful. Syndey Johnson and Kyle Koncz didn't need to visit a section EN 11, but they did. They also didn't need to open the arena to young people of Newtown last season, but they did. They are dedicated to southern Connecticut.

I think we all were touched in some way in terms of the tragedy and complete heartbreak.There is no way to fix, I mean it’s just incredible. It was the least we could do. We were already going to be there playing ball, but to be there having these kids and their parents, and the kids mourning their loss that this community went through, opening the doors to a basketball game was not a really big gesture to do on our part. I was happy that for a few hours we could take their minds off of what happened.” 

 And I am a better man because of them. I believe Connecticut is, too. It is my hope that my students are, as well.

Here's to the 2013-2014 basketball season, including the game against Louisville on November 23rd at Mohegan Sun. A student asked coach Johnson about his game plan:

How much time do you have?  I wonder who Bryan is going to be cheering for [I have two masters degrees from the University of Louisville]. It’s going to be tough. We haven’t quite come up with a game plan yet. We’re going to figure it out. Those are fun games for us. Obviously we want to win. Either way, we are playing the defending champions. It’s a pretty big thrill. 

Hosting Johnson and Koncz in class last Thursday was also a thrill. I definitely will be cheering for them this season. Ubuntu.

           

When Oktober-Fest's a Bust, Eat Italian and Go Shopping

I worked hard Friday night and Saturday morning so I could chill out Saturday night and get into some mischief. Around 2 p.m., I learned of Oktober-fest, so I envisioned myself with an evening of Wiener-Schnitzel and ale. Yet, when we arrived at the party, there were few Bavarian divas on tap and, well, there was only a single cricket barely doing a German dance in liederhosen. It looked like a terrible time.

Perplexed, we drove to the home of friends to learn at the base of their driveway that they were all plagued with a flu of some sort. Bummed, we found ourselves an Italian restaurant where we ate steak and scallops, bread with freshly baked garlic, and broccoli.

That brought us to 6:30 and we didn't know what to do. So, we went to Five Below and then Pier One. A stupid night, but mindless enough to get my brain away from academics.

I had a dream last night. It was a busy dream and I was commissioned to pick up lots of people from my past and drive them to a giant beach house. I kept picking up guests until late in the night and upon retrieving the last one, my mother said, "Bryan, you're going to have to sit still at some point and enjoy your company. All these people are here for your birthday." I thought it strange that this was an October dream. She then proceeded to say, "Now that you've picked everyone up and they are here, what are you going to feed them for breakfast?"

I was stressed from driving everyone to the beach house, so I told her, "Don't worry. It will all work out in the morning." I then went outside to look at the moon. My sister, Cynde, was on an outdoor balcony smoking a cigarette. There were lots of dogs, too, and she said, "Oh, everyone brought their pets." I noticed two fat hounds I'd never seen before and one of them jumped off the balcony and started to run down the road (at this point, the road was Main Street in Sherburne, New York - home of the NYS Pageant of Bands." I chased the dog and finally tackled it like it was a pig in a rodeo. I brought it back and woke up, wide awake. I was exhausted.

I have an interpretation for this dream that makes a lot of sense to me. That is why I took last night off to simply let happen, what happened. It was slow, not what was planned, but a great distraction from always being on the go. And so I'm thankful to spend it exactly as I did.

Boots Made For The Entire Journey

Worn by Tiana French.

The year was 2003, I believe, and Tiana went with me to Denmark to chaperone 34 Brown School students on a summer voyage of winds, Tuborg, friendships, and Danish Scrabble. In October, Tiana's plan was to marry John, her boyfriend from college, but she needed a pair of shoes to go with her dress.

The angst about the perfect shoes was a subject that she and Ulla (RIP) discussed at length. I'm not sure how it happened or where they came from, but Tiana came back to our Skirvogne (trailer) one night and said, "I finally found the shoes."

This is my memory, however. There is probably a better story than I'm stating here.

Yesterday, Tiana posted the shoes again. It's her anniversary and her "Love" kicks are, once again, to celebrate her relationship since then. Wow, has it really been ten years? I'm trying to piece the puzzle together, because I know my sister and her boyfriend at the time, Dave, went with me to the Kentucky wedding. Of course, Casey married Dave and they have two boys of their own.

It all begins to blur.

Even so, I'm loving the memories the sneakers 'kicked off' for me last night, including all those that I've not been a part of. Tiana and John now have a son culminating out of those love boots. Yes, Ulla, you continue to be an angel guiding our nomadic paths even if you are missed immensely. Alderdom beskytter ikke mod dårskab. We continue to be fools in our follies and this is beautiful.

I am a better man because of GiGi

I miss Lois Minto, but feel blessed that her mother, who I learned to call GiGi from Luis, continues to think of me (I'm also thankful to Pam who continues to be my identical twin, separated at birth, yet 8 years older).

Yesterday, when I got to work, Pam brought me another knitted cap that GiGi made for me. I guess the two of them have been plotting for a while because GiGi found orange yarn (which in crochet-land is not so easy). She was thrilled to find it and called Pam to say, "I'm so going to make Bryan a new running cap."

Last year, she made me another cap which I wear regularly during the winter months while running. This year, however, because of the love and craftmanship of Gigi, I will go forth with pride....Orange pride. Syracuse pride.

And it got me to thinking.

I wondered if instead of store-bought gifts this year, what if my family went to the store to buy me materials and then worked hard to MAKE ME PRESENTS. It's just a thought. It could be a family project: they could make me an end table or build me a car. They could design a line of clothing or, maybe, paint a portrait for me to hang on my walls - a little collective love from them all. I think I'd enjoy homemade gifts from the upstate NY family unit. There's nothing like a gift made from scratch.

Note, though, it is unlikely I will do the same, although it will be on my mind. Hmmm, what if I was to make everyone a present this year. Whatever would I make?

Probably an orange sweat-jacket for Casey...but everyone else, I need to think about that.

Hair: a 2013 Reflection @abubility @lbility

This post is for Lossine and Abu for cutting their hair - not because they wanted to (they liked the curls and fro), but because they have a respect for their mother, their nation, and themselves. And I know how hard it is, because I, too, once made the decision to head to the barber.

I stopped cutting my hair in my junior year of college and, I have to admit, it got rather long. I loved it, though, and still have reoccurring dreams where I choose to grow it out again and, in 24-hour dream land, it reappears just like that. I loved the days when people made assumptions about my liberal ideologies because my locks were long and when, because I'm an imp, I could play with their thinking with my sometimes conservative values. Everything about that head at the time was political. It was central to my identity and provided many interesting conversations. I long for the time (in college and soon after) when my primary responsibilities were my studies and, because I was young, I could grow  my mop-head with resistance.

Uncle Milford and Me, late 1990s

I admit, too, that I harassed the twins about their hair for the last few months. I knew their mother had staunch opinions of how she wanted her sons to present themselves in the United States, but I also hold onto the rebelliousness of doing a head of hair in the way the individual wants to. I never hollered, "Get a haircut," although I joked with them that their hair growth had become a little while...perhaps, a bit reckless. That is probably why I was surprised they sent me a video yesterday of their trip to the salon. This was followed by pictures of their more presentable, conservative touch-ups.

It was their decision and I admire them for being young men of integrity, no matter what their main portrays.

Still, I feel for them. I know what it's like to have the coiffure that grabs the attention of others and causes them to stop, wonder, assume, and ponder. I miss those days and before I began a tradition of going Buddha-buzzed in the summer, I spent the rest of the year trying to grow my fur back of my early 20s. I also laugh because hair issues get odder as you age: rope-like hairs begin to appear overnight out of your nose, back, and ears, and just yesterday I had to trim my armpit because it looked like I was hiding poodles under each arm. We are human, yes. Yet, this man is morphing into an ape.

In honor of Abu and Lossine, I went online to watch the song "Hair" from the musical Hair. For years, I sang this song in front of my students, while running, and even in the shower. It isn't the same now that I'm an adult and, if I could, I'd have the lengthy mop back atop my noggin' again. But, those days are gone.

Thumbs up, dopplegangers. I know the decision wasn't easy.

October means temptation

It must be October, because it has begun. The cavity creatures are crawling under my door and tempting my psychology and stomach at every corner. In the faculty room: donuts. At meetings: pies. Then tonight in class: chocolate miniatures to accompany a mini-lesson.

And I resisted.
I resisted.

I hate myself for it, but I resist. I promised myself to stay away until at least November, but October is a brutal month. Candy corn is already less than a $1. This is not going to be easy.

Carrot sticks, apples, lettuce, tomatoes, and grilled peppers doesn't do what a slice of hot, apple pie and a bowl of vanilla ice cream can do.

But I am thinking about control. I am thinking about my friend Vicki in Florida who is accomplishing admirable will power as she places herself center of her universe. I am thinking about my 40s, the genetics, the routines, and the power of mind over matter.

This too shall pass, and before we know it again it we will be summer and the holidays will be over. The gardens will bloom with fresh vegetables and our plates can be filled with options that offer so much more that is better for us.

Meanwhile, I am drinking water and craving an apple dumpling, pumpkin pie, and fudge. Instead, I'll pass, save my calories, and put my attention on what matters most: BEER. And if I have a good week, I can drink more of it on Friday!

Thinking Rhetorically About Tonight's Common Core State Standards Objectives

I think it is interesting to place items next to one another to see what sort of conversation they will incite. I suppose, subconsciously, I did this for my Teaching the Composing Processes course with graduate students this semester. The task for the class is to begin thinking about how to best design writing instruction that adheres to best practices in the field through research and practitioner experience. Of course, this comes at a time when Common Core State Standards (re)direct the writing expectations in K-12 schools.

We read Gallagher's Write Like This and are discussing Chapter 4: Evaluate and Judge tonight in class. This, as it happens to be, accompanies Delores Perin's chapter on "College and Career Readiness" in Best Practices in Writing Instruction. Oddly, I also have students bringing in a draft of a sestina tonight.
My question to think about tonight is: "Can a poem be evaluative and judgmental or is it our job to evaluate and judge the poem?"

My National Writing Project influence has taught me that the best way to teach students the skills we expect of them is to assign them to write, write with them, and then provide many lessons to lead them towards reaching an outcome. Looking at CCSS, however, the bias towards genres of analytical and informative writing are emphasized, because (as Perin points out) writing creatively and personally is not a common practice for college and career writing. This opinion is what I hope to challenge with my teachers. Can't a teacher encourage creative and personal writing at the same time they also teach writing that judges and evaluates?

As an exercise, we will listen to a variety of spoken word poems and view several commercials that vary their rhetorical devices. The commercial above is listed as "the saddest commercial ever" and, although controversial, I plan to use it capture the ways genres often blend to make meaning. Here, I'm recognizing the scholarship of Rhet/Comp that, I presume, was most likely not at the table of those who shaped the new standards.

No. I'm not a critic of CCSS and I welcome nation-wide objectives. Still, I'm hoping to train educators to think above and beyond such standards to truly create critical, questioning students.

A lofty goal, perhaps, but that is what's in store for tonight's class.

It's October, everyone. Have you picked your apples yet?