Let's Kick Back

Today twelve year old Elina, a student in Finland, skied five kilometers during her school day.  Yes.  Instead of drilling herself on multiplication facts or quizzing her neighbor on the periodic table of elements she was outdoors, breathing fresh air, pumping blood through her veins.  Perhaps Finland is training it’s youth to become the next Olympians.  But how do you explain the results of Finnish students on the global exams, putting Finland in first place over the past twelve years?  Play.

The Finnish know how to play.  They know how to relax.  They know that a child eager to begin school is going to work much harder than a child left at the bus stop so that parents can rush to their jobs.  They also know that a child who has just skied five kilometers doesn’t have ants in the pants.  This child can sit and think.  

Imagine a teacher who has had the same twenty students for five years:  She knows everything about these children, from each member of that child’s family to their latest struggles and successes in school.  She’s Finnish.  Imagine a child who comes in with rosy cheeks, tousled hair, shoes removed and sits with legs curled under to concentrate on a science problem.  She’s Finnish.  Imagine a child who rushes to the aid of a peer who can’t figure out 5 x 7 and takes the time to draw a box with five rows and seven columns.  He’s Finnish.  Imagine a principle who tries to figure out how to meet the requirements of global test makers without giving tests.  He too, is Finnish.  

So why is it that the United States of America are so gun-ho about tests?  Why do government officials demand regular test scores in an environment that’s so competitive it’s stifling all of our learners?  Why is the latest educational reform called “Race to the Top” giving our students the message that getting an education is some sort of competition in a dog-eat-dog world?  We don’t know what else to do.  Our educational system is bound by teacher’s unions ensuring teacher’s tenure and securing employment for even the most morally-absent teachers.  Teachers unions are the biggest contributors to democratic campaigns, donating millions of dollars to a candidate of choice.  Wouldn’t that money be better spent on education?  Now there are charter schools and magnet schools popping up to work independent of unions and government.  These have become wonderful schools surrounded by severe brain drain tanks in inner-cities.  

Maybe it’s time to consider a work ethic more similar to Finland’s educational motto:  Everyone has something to contribute.  There’s no need to compete; we’re all in this together.  When there’s an economic recession, we all go down the toilets.  When the economy is booming, we all go out and shop.  Maybe it’s time to help thy neighbor, work collaboratively and creatively and embrace the best idea in the group.  Even if it’s not your own.  The Taj Mahal wasn’t built by architects clamoring to have their particular design built, it was built by a team, people who fulfill roles that are needed, assisting one another to build something amazing.  

So like Sam, let’s do everything in our power to help our friends and neighbors and those in need.  Let’s throw the ring into the vast pit of burning flames and pull Frodo back to safety.  Let’s return our world to peace and happiness where we can kick up our feet and relax or play or read or practice algorithms.  I’m up for a five kilometer ski.  Are you?

If You Give a Pug a Peanut

Inspired by the works of Laura Numeroff.


If You Give A Pug A Pretzel

If you give a pug a pretzel she’ll want some mustard for dipping.  

Except that she can’t dip a pretzel so she’ll eat the pretzel and then the mustard.  

When she’s done eating the mustard she’ll be all yellow, so you’ll need to give her a bath.  

You’ll get out the shampoo and fill up the bathtub, but she’ll run away because she doesn’t like baths.  

When she runs away, she’ll run out the door and into the neighbor’s yard where she will find a tomato plant.  

She’ll eat all the tomatoes off the plant and that’s when you’ll catch her and hook her on a leash.  

When she’s hooked on the leash, she’ll want to go for a walk.  So you’ll take her for a walk around the block.  

She’ll see an enormous, growling, drooling german shepard and begin to bark furiously to protect you.  You’ll have to tug her the other way and go back home.  

When you get back home, she’ll feel sick to her stomach from all the tomatoes so you’ll have to put her in bed.  She’ll ask you to rub her tummy.  

While you’re rubbing her tummy she’ll really relax.  Her tongue will hang out of her mouth and she’ll fall asleep.  

She snores so loudly, she wakes up.  

You remember the bathtub and tightly hold her while you carry her up the stairs for a bath.  You end up taking a bath with her.  

After the bath you wrap her up in a towel and carry her into the kitchen to let her dry in the sun.  

When you walk into the kitchen she sees the bowl she licked all the mustard out of.  

Seeing the bowl reminds her how hungry she is.  She’ll probably ask you for some more mustard. 

And chances are... she’ll want a pretzel to go with it!

If You Give a Pug a Peanut

If you give a pug a peanut she probably have an allergic reaction.  Her face will swell up and she won’t be able to see.  

You’ll have to rush her to the Veterinary Emergency Room.  The Veterinarian will give her medicine.  

When she can see again she’ll see a pond.  She’ll ask if she can go swimming.  You’ll remind her that she doesn’t know how to swim but because she’s a pug, she will not listen.  

In the pond she’ll see a fish and jump in after it.  She’ll doggy paddle to keep afloat but you’ll have to jump in after her with all your clothes on.  

After you’ve rescued her from the pond she’ll want some dog treats for extra comfort.  

You’ll have to stop at the store to buy some.  She’ll ask if she can come in and you’ll tell her no because she’s a dog and dogs aren’t allowed in the store.  But because she’s a pug, she will not listen.  

She will hop out of the car, run two big loops in the parking lot, and then run right through the doors and into the grocery store.  

You’ll have to chase after her in the store.  She’s so fast that you can’t find her after she turns a corner.  You’ll have to yell out, “Did you see a pug anywhere?”  

The baker will say, “She went that way” and he’ll point toward the meat counter.  You’ll have to run to the butcher who scowls at you because your pug is licking the floor behind the meat counter.  

She will ask for some meat to go with her dog treats.  You’ll have to buy her a bone from the butcher.  

On your way home she will choke on the bone so you’ll have to take her back to the emergency room.   

The doctor will retrieve the bone.  Then the doctor will give her some more medicine.  And chances are.. if she’s feeling better, she’ll ask for more peanuts!