Zion & Babylon-Josh Garrels

Oh great mammon of form and function
Careless consumerist consumption
Dangerous dysfunction
Described as expensive taste
I’m a people disgraced
By what I claim I need
And what I want to waste
I take no account for nothing
If it’s not mine
It’s a misappropriation of funds
Protect my ninety percent with my guns
Whose side am I on?
Well who’s winning?
My kingdom’s built with the blood of slaves
Orphans, widows, and homeless graves
I sold their souls just to build my private mansion
Some people say that my time is coming
Kingdom come is the justice running
Down, down, down on me
I’m a poor child, I’m a lost son
I refuse to give my love to anyone,
Fight for the truth,
Or help the weaker ones
Because I love my Babylon
I am a slave, I was never free
I betrayed you for blood money
Oh I bought the world, all is vanity
Oh my Lord I’m your enemy
Come to me, and find your life
Children sing, Zion’s in sight
I said don’t trade your name for a serial number
Priceless lives were born from under graves
Where I found you
Say, my name ain’t yours and yours is not mine
Mine is the Lord, and yours is my child
That’s how it’s always been
Time to make a change
Leave your home
Give to the poor all that you own
Lose your life, so that you could find it
First will be last when the true world comes
Livin’ like a humble fool to overcome
The upside-down wisdom
Of a dying world
Zion’s not built with hands
And in this place God will dwell with man
Sick be healed and cripples stand
Sing Allelu
My kingdom’s built with the blood of my son
Selfless sacrifice for everyone
Faith, hope, love, and harmony
I said let this world know me by your love
By your love
Oh my child, daughters and sons
I made you in love to overcome
Free as a bird, my flowers in the sun
On your way to Mount Zion
All you slaves, be set free
Come on out child and come on home to me
We will dance, we will rejoice
If you can hear me then follow my voice

Evaporated-Ben Folds

Teaching Disabilities

Its amazing how the commentary at The Onion is often so spot on. I am passing this along as I read it because a colleague brought it to my attention. I spend so much time reflecting on the serious issues surrounding teaching, it's fun to spend some not-so-serious time reflecting.
Report: Increasing Number Of Educators Found To Be Suffering From Teaching Disabilities

Sam's Birthday

Sixteen years ago today I became a father for the first of 5 times. What an amazing experience is parenting. As my oldest turns 16 today, my youngest turned 2 two weeks ago. Not everyone wants to parent children, and not everyone should. But for me, being my children's dad is the best (and most challenging) experience of my life.
(not a recent picture, but one of my "Favre"ites)

99 Days...

Is the longest I'll have to wait IF our buyer does not back out on the purchase of our home in the mountains. The waiting IS the hardest part. I'm going up today to do some maintenance. I am excited to see what God has in store for us.

This has been going on for 10 years. One of my father's last requests was for me to sell this house. It has taken that long. The house is beautiful and our family has enjoyed all of the adventures involved in living there.

His Excellency

His Excellency: George Washington is the next book on my George Washington biography list for the summer. Its written by Joseph J. Ellis who also wrote Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation which I am planning on reading next. I'm not sure what my interest is with the founding fathers, Washington specifically, is right now. I suppose it's got something to do with wanting to study greatness in more detail. I am inspired by these men and what they did for our country, and for me.

What I like so far about this bio is the way Ellis writes sharing his passion for the subject: Washington. Ellis is excited about the stories, and it reads through in his writing. The last Washington bio I read was more of a "reader's digest" drive-by. His Excellency goes into greater detail which is good since I haven't taken an American history class in many years.

Oak Glen

I like to go for a "challenging" bicycle ride on Saturday mornings. Every few Saturdays I ride from my friends home in Yucaipa up to Oak Glen. We climb about 2500 feet in 10 miles: grueling. But the decent is a blast reaching speeds up to 40mph (on a bicycle).
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The ride was great. Before we left I found out about a friend's neighbor who crashed on a rock Wednesday night and broke his neck just like Christopher Reeve's injury. He's in the hospital now, and has already been operated on once. No one who was there know's exactly what happened since he was at the back of the pack. Cycling is suppose to be fun, but we have to be very, very careful indeed.

Welcome!

Ok, so enough Cal Teacher Blog. I'm going to try actual blogging, and not just writing essays. At least for the summer that is. We'll see how long I can go before I'm still so full of teacher stuff that I have to get it down on paper to stay sane. Happy Memorial Day weekend.

Digital Revolution

This is the preface to the 9th edition of my multimedia manual.

"Let's tell our young people that the best books are yet to be written; the best paintings have not yet been painted; the best governments are yet to be formed; the best is yet to be done by them."
-John Erskine

The digital revolution hit filmmaking about a decade ago allowing just about anyone to make a professional looking digital film. The digital revolution is about to hit education and change the way teachers educate, and students learn. With the world at their fingertips via the Internet, and access to inexpensive high-quality tools, students at Redlands High School have access to everything they need to communicate their thoughts, feelings, observations, and conclusions with the world.

Time Management leads to Productivity
Leadership leads to Courage
Communication leads to Community
Commitment leads to Dedication
Value Assessment leads to Accuracy
Critical Thinking leads to Creativity

The multimedia curriculum is designed to teach more than technology. While students have access to great technology, it’s what they DO with the technology that really matters. High school students need to be focused on the fundamental elements of education listed above. Learning how to use the technology is simple; learning what do with the technology is more complicated. So the focus of the multimedia courses is to pair the use of technology with real-life learning opportunities.

I am excited about teaching Final Cut Pro in the Advanced Multimedia and Video Documentary courses this year. I thank Diana Weynand who encouraged me to incorporate the instruction of FCP into the curriculum. This is the 9th version of this multimedia manual. I am happy to share it with anyone who is searching for assistance as they build their own multimedia program, or just trying to figure out how to do some of this stuff.

“I am the Eggman
They are the Eggmen
I am the Walrus, Goo goo g'joob?”
-Lennon/McCartney

New Maylene song

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Tour dates announced! I'll be at the Glass House in Pomona with my son. I'll probably be the oldest guy in the room (again) but I just love this band and their music. Dallas Taylor is gracious and on multiple occasions has take time to speak to my son and me.

The Founding Father

This is what I am reading right now: George Washington The Founding Father by Paul Johnson. It's part of the Eminent Lives series published by HarperCollins ISBN: 0-06-075365-X.