Will I or Won't I?

Tomorrow my soccer team will begin its season against Seneca High School--located right in my backyard. The prospects are good. But I'd love even more to be able to go home two minutes away and celebrate on my patio, all before 8:00 tomorrow night. But as the rules go, my duties are to ride the bus back with the team and wait for at least one kids parent to take their time picking their child up. 

This is my fourth season at Fairdale--longest tenure I've had as a coach believe it or not. This 2015 season marks my 11th go-round coaching high school soccer. Brittany and I did the math and my career record is 63-79. Two bad seasons at Warren East and Franklin are the difference there. Everything else is pretty solid.

This season's prospects look pretty good based on our pre-season performance. I have a lot to be excited about. I'm happy with my kids. I've got good support at Fairdale. 

But I'm exhausted with it. My duties go beyond that of coach. Instead of thinking about how this player can improve his touch on the ball, I'm having to answer questions about what size warm up shirts were left on the bus Thursday night. 

This is an every week thing by the way. 

Nights before game days I load up my workout bag for a 5:00 am workout before cleaning up and heading to school by 6:20. I power through the school day teaching my ass off until 2:20. The day is far from over. 

Texts begin pouring in from kids or even stopping by my room to ask where we're meeting or that they forgot their socks. "Read your fucking text messages" or "that's your problem" are my responses internally. But I just repeat myself for the 10th time and tell sock boy that there's a spare pair in my bag----always have a backup plan.

I really do have a super hero mentality when it comes to my teaching and coaching. Fairdale rescued me from the worst situation I'll ever be in. The community is one worth going to battle for. They are my Gotham City. The kids on my team spend their time in the social security office or food stamp line wondering who will step up for them. It's only then that I get that chill down my spine and come to the rescue. I'm a fighter and a survivor, and I think it's my job to show these kids how to become that if they aren't already.

But I'm exhausted. I'm frustrated. All too often have I presented these kids with wonderful opportunities for exposure and fun only to have the rug pulled out from under me by parents or kids themselves who don't quite understand how this whole high school sport thing works. Very creative practice plans, team building ideas have all gone by the wayside due to the flakiness that comes with children of poverty. Imagine baking a really cool looking cake just cause it was fun for you and then no one eating it. What a waste of effort and creativity! And time! And money!

I married the love of my life on June 6th. The more I labor throughout these days the more I remind myself that she deserves my fight, energy, and fresh personality more than anybody else on this planet. She very rarely gets it. 

My current argument with myself is a tough one. Do I enjoy an exciting upcoming season wrought with championship possibilities, go out with the 13 seniors I came in with and thus finally give Brittany my all? Or do I continue happily paying my debt to Fairdale and playing superhero for however much longer; unnecessary late night texts included? 

Brittany doesn't believe me. I do believe after my last game this year that I'll be exhausted and just ready to drop down and sit for a few months. When I'm asked if this was it, I'm going to nod my head "yeah". When I get up and walk to my car or into my house I may very well have tears rolling down my face. They will be partially sad that I'll feel like I'm leaving these kids behind but they'll also be tears of happiness that I can now bring the effort to my marriage that I've brought to my job for so long. I have a list of things I want to do. Just like that same list when I was 17 that said I wanted to teach history, coach soccer, and win some championships. If things go well this fall, I'd have to say "mission accomplished". 

What the District Tournament Has Meant The Last Decade

Ten years, ten district tournaments. The tournament itself has been a source of annoyance, inadequacy, heartbreak, and accomplishment. 

I never won a district game in high school. Not even close. My senior year I had a shot at heading the ball back post, thought too much, and went for the near-post. Marshall County's keeper got back to make the save at just the right time. I still lose sleep over it. My fiancé would sing the "Frozen" song to me at this point. Let it go indeed.....

Since I've been coaching, the district tournament has been pretty bipolar for me. My first season at Warren East in 2004 saw our willingly mediocre team beat Barren County in Round 1. Round 2, we were heavy underdogs to Bowling Green--the perennial state power. "Down" year or not for the Purples, we held them scoreless for 86:00. That included a goal that was taken away for being offsides (I still disagree). The looks on Bowling Green's faces spelled disbelief. Okay it might've been that way for us too ;) After losing 2-0, I was bummed but knew that my coaching career had gotten off to an explosive start. 

2005 and 2006 saw my East teams succumb to bigger, faster, and less-American Warren Central squads (2006 went to overtime). My one-year stint at North Oldham in 2007 saw us flame out unnecessarily to an average Oldham County team. 

Then came Franklin-Simpson; and that special week took on a whole new meaning. Upon my arrival, F-S had won the last seven district titles against the powerhouses of Russellville, Grayson County, and Muhlenberg North. While I concur that anytime you finish first in any weekly tournament it is noteworthy, but at the same time, shouldn't you yearn for more? I wanted Bowling Green and Greenwood. I wanted to build Franklin into a regional contender. Those surrounding me (sometimes literally) scoffed at the thought. Imagine the response when I asked if they were afraid of the two-headed monster up I-65 ;)

I kept the cheaply put together Ferrari running during the 2008-2009 district tournaments . But I didn't enjoy them. Even in the face of winning, the boys were still drama queens and their parents chose to look at the negatives. 2009 was the last ride of that Ferrari before the wheels fell off in 2010. 

In the 2010 district tournament, after a season of tumult, threats, and attrition, I paced the sideline and pondered my future in a 7-0 loss to Muhlenberg County. I quit on a group of kids that deserved to have someone quit on them. I was 50% sure that I'd never coach again and 100% sure that I was okay with it being over. 

In 2012, a group of kids at my current school told me it wasn't over. I bought in, they bought in, and that special week in October took on a whole new meaning: redemption, triumph, and resilience. Those boys beat our rival PRP 1-0 in the game that I always envisioned myself coaching. Bleachers rocking, packed, both sides yelling back and forth at one another. It was nirvana for this coaching Buddhist. 2013 saw a return to the title game, only to give up two late goals in a 2-1 loss to PRP. Next week can be the rubber match. 

Back when I was a kid, I can remember hearing early 90's pop on the radio late at night while riding in the car with my parents coming back from their significant others houses. It was always so quiet while hearing Paula Abdul or Whitney Houston's voices make up for the silence. Now I tend to have flashbacks to those times while I drive myself down Frankfort or Preston at night. Those drives become "how did I get here". And then the question does hit me: how did I get back here, and how did I assume such a not important but meaningful position. 

If we win the district tournament next week, it will be a bigger accomplishment than any of the other three (2009 at Franklin did have a certain in-your-face factor going for it). My kids are pretty close to the poverty line. Food stamps, tramp stamps, and unemployment checks constantly wander through these kids thoughts more than winning any kind of trophy. As I write this, the more and more I believe they deserve this. 

Next week will be a battle for us. If we're successful, I won't just be a coach. I'll be a leader of overachievers, underdogs for a community that hasn't seen a lot of that. I'll never know the "why me" when I drive down Preston or Frankfort at night, but we will know what came of that little boy that was always riding in his parents passenger seat twenty-five years ago. 

I chose to let go of all the Franklin drama but this year has been a reminder that you never forget--especially next week. 

My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken and Me

Written by Maya Angelou
Photographs by Margaret Courtney-Clarke
Published in 1994

Ndebele is a young girl in South Africa and through vivid pictures of her homeland, she takes you on a journey of what it is like to be her friend. The photographs are real life photos of this young girl and her village, which creates an authentic feel for the reader. The title tells the story of her house and what the different designs mean in her native land. She takes us through her village and tells us of different customs going on. One special story is what the women wear to the village and how they are the best dressed women in the area because of their fine clothes and fine jewelry that are hand crafted. One of the most important themes in the book is friendship. The chicken is her best friend because it will never tell her secrets. When dealing with elementary students, this is a great book to discuss the elements of friendship and to have students determine what makes a good friend. One activity to do with your students is to create an outline of a body and each student write one word on the body that is a good trait of a friend.

Night Boat to Freedom

I've always enjoyed reading about slaves escaping to freedom. It's an unfortunate but fascinating part of American history. Night Boat to Freedom is one of those stories. Illustrations by E.B. Lewis set the tone for the story with the unclear and faded future that so many runaway slaves had before emancipation.

The reason this story is so cool is that the main character, Christmas John, is escaping from Kentucky, trying to get across the river to Ohio.

Reading this story to students looking to break free of their own private situations would be a great way to relate to those students.

Luba and the Wren

For anyone that has grown up on a farm and has dealt with the struggles that comes with farm-living, this book is very relatable and well-appreciated.

Luba and the Wren is written by Patricia Pollaco, just like Thunder Cake. Russian language and culture is depicted in this story by the main character, Luba, living on a struggling farm with her parents. Luba, given her role as the heartfelt child with a great outlook on life despite living in a bleak home environment, reminds me a lot of Young Ju from A Step from Heaven.

Kids can read this book and appreciate it because I'm sure there are so many kids that live in bleak home environments and Luba shows them that they can rise above the negativity that they face at home.

There are so many teaching strategies you could take from this book. The book, with questions, can be a way for a teacher to relate to students on a more personal level.

The illiustrations have the same characteristics as the other Pollaco book--dark and colorful. Luba's life is dark, but she makes it very colorful.

Thunder Cake

Anyone that has had any kind of relationship with their grandmother will love this story. My grandmother made me believe that I could do anything, like earn an "A" in my grad classes. Hopefully I'm almost there as I type this book review.

Thunder Cake is a story based on the author's real-life experiences with her grandmother helping her overcome her fear of thunder. Her "Babushka" would make a cake (calling it "thunder cake") every time she heard thunder. This would help the girl come out from under the bed when a storm was coming.

I can see so many teaching strategies from this book of helping children overcome mental obstacles that they may have. I can't wait to apply some of these ideas to my classroom this school year.

The illustrations and language used in the book depict a bit of Russian culture while the colors are dark yet colorful, which I think Babushka depicts storms to the girl in the same manner.

This story is enjoyable because it shows how simple that it can be to help someone overcome their fears.

A Step from Heaven

A Step from Heaven is a story about a Korean family coming to the United States and the hardships they face along the way. The central figure in the story, Young Ju, is the subject of a fascinating story in which she evolves into very much a heroine within her own family.

The book highlights the struggles that foreign families face when relocating. Those struggles culminate towards the end of the book, which is where Young Ju undoubtedly becomes the strongest figure in the book.

I enjoyed this story for the coming of age tale that it is. Young Ju evolves into a patriarch within her family, all while we see a consistent deterioration of character for one of the story's other key figures. Anyone that has faced these same struggles can relate to the story and will enjoy reading it for the good, not-too-demanding read that it is.

Spoken Memories

Title:  Spoken Memories (Marianthe’s Story: Two)

Author:  Aliki

Illustrations:  Aliki

Greenwillow Books (1998)

This is the continuing story of a young girl from a foreign land, who has begun going to school in America.  She is still has the same teacher as in Painted Words but she has now begun to learn the language.  It is life story time and it is her turn.  This book is a highlight of what her life was before her move to this country and the things she misses and gave up to come here.  She explains why they had to move, the hardships in her own country.  She explains that the school was two hours away from her village and not everyone got to attend, especially girls.  She is able to share her culture with the students in her class.  The theme of this story could be the story of any child and their family coming to America looking for a better life.

The illustrations are very appropriate as they accurately depict the life that Mari and her family left behind in their move to America.  It shows not only the hardships of their life but the joy and closeness they felt in family, friends and neighbors.  The pictures help the author to visually show the reader about Mari’s homeland.

I think the story and the pictures are an authentic representation of what it would feel like to leave everything familiar to you behind and move to a new land.  I think it leaves the readers with an appreciation for other people’s stories and more understanding of differences that may exist in people.  Any lesson on cultural differences could use this book as a resource.

I would recommend this to elementary school teachers as a way to help introduce diversity into a classroom or just to talk about things that students may have had to leave behind in their lives.

Painted Words

Title:  Painted Words (Marianthe’s Story: One)

Author:  Aliki

Illustrations:  Aliki

Greenwillow Books (1998)

This is the story of a young girl from a foreign land, going to school in America for the first time.  She did not understand the words being spoken and written around her but through body language and painting pictures she is able to tell her own story to the class.  In so doing, she has encouraged her family to learn and tell their stories as well.  The other students understand her story and in the end want to create stories of their own.  The theme of this story could be the story of any child being forced to move from their homeland, to a new school, new language and new culture different from their own and their struggle to become a part of their new environment.

The illustrations are very appropriate as they depict the feeling and thoughts of young Mari and the children and people around her.  It corresponds nicely with the fact that she is telling her story through her paintings.  As she tries to decipher the language being used around her the text reflects the distortions that she would hear as an English language learner.  As the story proceeds the words become clearer to her.

I think the story and the pictures are an authentic representation of what it would feel like for any ESL student new to an American classroom.  It shows Mari reacting in a positive yet truthful way when her feelings are hurt by one of the students in her class.  This part of the story would be a good segway into a discussion of diversity, bullying, etc.  The author’s purpose is to help the reader understand what it must feel like to be different from those around you.

I would recommend this to elementary school teachers as a way to help introduce a new student into class or the fact that different cultures do exist but we are all the same as people.

It Doesn't Have to Be This Way

Title:  It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way: A Barrio Story

Author:  Luis J. Rodriguez

Illustrations:  Daniel Galvez

Awarded: 2000 Skipping Stones Honor Award

Children’s Book Press (1994)

The introduction to this book includes pictures of the author and his family along with a personal reflection on his background in the gangs of Los Angeles and his current work in trying to persuade young people that there is another way.  The story is that of a young boy, 10 years old, who loves poetry being caught up into the gang world afraid to say no.  In an effort to persuade him to change his mind, his cousin when coming to his initiation gets shot by a rival gang.

This book is written from personal experience and effectively addresses the issues faced by many inner city kids today.  It is an accurate representation that most readers will find believable based on the author’s background.  The language in this book is authentic geared towards upper elementary grades or even middle school grades.  The illustrations in the first two pages are actual photographs of the author in his gang days and his family now.  The illustrations in the rest of the book are a fair representation of life in the Hispanic neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

I think students will be enthusiastic about this book as it presents the truth about Hispanic youth growing up in the gang-torn neighborhoods of Los Angeles.  This book lets them see that there are alternatives to joining the gang.  The author’s purpose in writing this book is to help young people see that there is another way.  The story is told in both English and Spanish which makes it a good resource for ESL students as well.

I think this would be a great book to read and discuss as a class as gangs are prevalent in most cities and they don’t know cultural boundaries.  They exist in all ethnicities.  Obviously teachers will have to use caution in talking about gangs but I think this has a lot of positive possibilities. 

The Paper Crane

Author: Molly Bang
Photographer: Ned Manter
Published in 1985

     There once was a restaurant sitting on the busiest street in the town. Customers through all mornings and nights until the highway was built. All of sudden, business is dead. Molly Bang writes a story about how a simple paper crane can bring so much life to this once deserted restaurant and see an explosion of business. The illustrations create a 3D visual of paper cut outs photographed by Ned Manter to create the realistic approach for readers. The text is simple to read and the pages are filled with images of the story. Any student in an elementary would enjoy this text as a read aloud with Kindergartners to a pair reading with second graders. A neat activity would have student to do an origami activity in which students create their own animals and writes stories of how this animal fixed a problem in life. Students can then display their animal and read their stories aloud to their classmates.

Anansi does the Impossible: An Ashanti Tale

Retold by Verna Aardema
Illustrated by Lisa Desimini
Published in 1997

     What a courageous tale of a spider, Anansi, and his adventure to receive all the folk tales from the Gods. Anansi seeks to be the storyteller of the village but the only person who knows all the stories is the God. When Anansi confronts the God about being able to tell the stories of the village, there is a catch and Anansi and his wife take the reader through his journey to be the ultimate story teller. One feature of the book includes a glossary of all the African words used throughout the book so the reader can know the definition of the word and how to pronounce the unfamiliar term. The illustrator, Lisa Desimini, does a great job with the pictures of the book depicting the story through picture. For classroom implications, this book can be used with older elementary students and use the theme of overcoming adversity and can be used as a culture story, in the fact of preserving one's history.
 

In My Family

Title:  In My Family / En Mi Familia

Author:  Carmen Lomas Garza

Awarded: Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award

                 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List

                 International Reading Association Notable Book

Children’s Book Press (1996)

This book is really a collage of the author’s memories from her childhood.  She is first an artist, secondly a writer.  She painted pictures of her childhood, the cultural background of her family and then put stories to them.  She spoke of family traditions, religion, and food.  She tells of the Easter Eggs filled with confetti, the piñata at her sister’s birthday party and the blessing her cousin received from her mother on her wedding day.  The last two pages of the book contain a question and answer session with the author.  It gives the reader a glimpse into why she paints pictures and writes.  It also gives some insight into her personal thoughts.

The language and illustrations utilized in this book are very appropriate for elementary school age children.  The text is easy to read.  Each page has the story in both Spanish and English making it student friendly for a diverse classroom.  The language used is easily understandable.  The illustrations are colorful and depict scenes familiar to the Hispanic culture.  It is a celebration of all the good memories of her childhood, all the things that she grew up cherishing as her culture. 

This book is an accurate depiction of the Hispanic culture as it is painted and written through the eyes of someone who lived it her whole life.  She wanted to share that culture with others.  It was realistic.  It showed the positives of her heritage without dwelling on any of the negatives.  The illustrations (paintings) are consistent with what she remembers growing up.

For teachers of very young children it would be great for a read-aloud and class discussion.  It would be a little much for them to read on their own.  It would be appropriate for a little bit older elementary school student (maybe 3^rd – 5^th grade).  It definitely could be used in a Spanish class.

Langston's Train Ride

Author: Robert Burleigh

Illustrator: Leonard Jenkins

Publisher: Scholastic 2005.

Langston's Train Ride is a realistic portrayal of the reflective thoughts and creative thinking Langston Hughes may have had while traveling by train to see his father who abandoned him when he was young. Hughes imagines what life was like for his ancestors as he passes through several states. This book doesn't just touch on the historical significance of "my people" as Hughes says, but it also reflects on the thoughts and struggles of a writer. This story highlights the importance of observing and paying attention to little details to gain inspiration to write. Hughes also expresses how essential it is to record those insightful thoughts that come to you - anywhere - so they are not forgotten. I really enjoyed hearing his thoughts as he crafts his poetry.

The vibrant illustrations depict what the view of the world from a train window would look like through the eyes of a poet. However, not all of these images are picture perfect. The illustrations stay true to the time period and show realistic snapshots of "tar-paper shacks and broken down sheds where my people - the Negro people - live." A scene from the Harlem Renaissance is also accurately depicted on the first page of the book showing the style and look of the people lingering the streets.This picture book conveys the message of staying determined to reach one's goals, and having faith in oneself. 

Bein' With You This Way

Title: Bein’ With You This Way

Author: W. Nikola-Lisa

Illustrator: Michael Bryant

Published: Unknown

            In the book “Bein’ With You this Way” the author creates a song about all the different features throughout the world (straight hair/curly hair, brown eyes/ blue eyes, dark skin/light skin, etc.). Throughout the book the little girl whose singing the song talks about how they are different, but yet still the same. This book could be used for students in grade K-2. If I were to use this book in my classroom I would create a posters of the lyrics from the book, and make this song one of the songs we sang at the beginning of the day during morning meeting. As an extension to this activity I would add physical characteristics my students have to the song.

Hello World

Title: Hello World

Author: Manya Stojic

Published: 2003

            The book “Hello World” teaches students how to say hello in forty-two different languages. This book could be used for students in grades K-5^th. An elementary school teacher could use this book during morning meetings. Every morning teachers could teach their students a different greeting from another language. They could also use this book for a mini lesson at the beginning of an activity. During the lesson students will be asked to pick one language from the book, do some research on that culture, and create a poster presentation for that culture. I would recommend this book as a piece of multicultural literature, because this books gives you insight into forty-one other different cultures (languages). 

Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters

Title: Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters
Author/Illustrator: John Steptoe
Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Books, NY 1987

This gorgeously illustrated tale of two sisters set in Africa is sure to get children of all ages thinking about what is important in life and to ignite conversations in the class. It is a folktale that highlights the importance of virtue over beauty and kindness over pride. The two sisters are both candidates for becoming queen and make a journey to the capital to see the king. The lessons they learn on the way are the real test of whether they are queenly material or not.
The illustrations are vivid and help the reader understand the story as well as set it in the lush jungle landscape of Africa (namely Zimbabwe).They really draw the reader into the fantastic story. The moral message is a very important one for young children who may be experiencing similar strife between their siblings. The characters are portrayed accurately as is the rich African culture (from my knowledge anyway). This was one of my absolute favorite books growing up.
I think teachers should use this book as a group read aloud for elementary kids (grades 1-5) and offer it as individual reading for grades 3-5. Some of the African terms may take some explaining but the message is clear. This book is a valuable classroom tool for discussion and cultural exploration.

Luba and the Wren

Luba and the Wren

Written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco

Puffin Books, 1999

This Russian retelling of The Fisherman and His Wife begins with a simple act of kindness when the young girl Luba rescues a wren from a net.  To her surprise, the wren speaks and offers her any wish she desires.  Because this happy and contented child cannot think of anything she wants, the wren says to come back when she does.  When she tells her parents what happened, they think of how easy they can rise from their poor station and tell her to wish for a larger house and fertile fields.  But after the wren grants this wish, they want more and eventually rise to rulers through their many wishes to the wren.  This story shows how wanting and getting more does not necessarily lead to a happy and contented life, but that the greatest riches are sometimes those that we don't ask for.

The audience for this picture book would be primary or early elementary.  It has an obvious moral at the end as well as throughout:  each time the wish gets bigger the storm clouds get fiercer.  Though written in English, the use of Russian terms for different types of houses and rulers could be interesting vocabulary lessons.

When Marian Sang

When Marian Sang

By Pam Munoz Ryan

Illustrated by Brian Selznick

Scholastic, 2002

The story of Marian Anderson, the first African-American concert opera singer, is told in this beautifully illustrated picture book.  She had early success singing in churches, but when she applied to music school, she was told that people of her color were not accepted.  Instead, she trained with Guiseppe Boghetti who then prompted her to tour the European continent where she moved people to tears by her singing. When she returned to America, however, she was not welcome in some of the most famous concert halls because of their segregation policies.  The conflict with scheduling Washington D.C.'s Constitution Hall in 1939 led to the famous open-air production on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  

Although this picture book is assigned a 2-5 grade level, I can see it being used for an older audience as an introduction or as part of a collection about the time period and famous African-American musicians.  The illustrations by Selznick offer much to consider about symbolism and perspective.

The Woman Who Outshone the Sun

From a poem by: Alejandro Cruz Martinez

Illustrations by: Fernando Olivera

Publisher: Children's Book Press 1991. 

The Woman Who Outshone the Sun is the retelling of the legend of Lucia Zenteno, a mysterious and beautiful woman who one day shows up in a village and, eventually, greatly impacts the residents in a surprising way. Because Lucia is new and different from the people of the town they criticize her as being strange, and decide to drive her out of the village. But Lucia is so connected with nature that the river and all of the animals associated with it flow into her hair and the river dries up. The people start to panic. They decide to find Lucia and beg for her forgiveness.

This story holds deep meaning in the oral history of the Zapotec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico. It is written in both English and Spanish. The illustrations reflect the geography, natural habitats, and the styles and architecture of the people of the region where the legend originated. The lesson is explicitly stated - treat others kindly even if they seem different - but it is a great message to be reiterated for students at all grade levels.