Coach Bill / Dad, Entrepreneur Special Educator, American Political Scientist, Writer, Musician.

The backbone of the United States of America is made up of interlocking parts, needful of being identified and protected, strengthened and cherished. The traditional family unit is one of these spinal parts, as are patriotic men and women whom value and invest heart, mind and body towards the protection of American freedoms and liberties. Both of these, the family and those who are upholders of the principles of true freedom and liberty, we would think, have no real present threats. After all, one need only look down most Main Streets in middle-class to affluent American towns to find the same picture repeated over and over again, like a Norman Rockwell painting that never loses its varnish. Dads, Moms and their kids can be seen out in the community sport fields, cafés, sidewalks and parks in timeless motion year after year in what seems to be relative paradise. Their is peace through strength. Police officer men and women, firefighters, and paramedics patrol ceaselessly in servi...

As children in America we are raised to believe that we live in a democracy where each voice counts and that the liberties we enjoy are the fruit of a self-aware, outspoken and well-informed people. We are taught that liberty is not free, but has been fought for through all kinds of wars. We are taught that our vote counts and that we can be just about anything we want to be when we grow up. The reality is much different when idealism starts pushing at the hem of reality. There, in that place where ideas begin to manifest themselves into actual reality we begin to experience turbulence from other forces. In this essay, I explore the notion of individual advocacy, political activism and how political forces practice systemic underpinning of individual expression in our country. Further, I question the practicality of subjugating and undermining individual democratic activity as a means to continuously establish the political status quo of a larger group, such as our two majo...

Thinking outside the box   is a term widely-used to describe the action of bringing in new thinking to solve a present challenge. It involves mental flexibility to shift between mental models, or perspectives, allowing one or a whole team to ‘see’ different possible routes to problem-solving through to task completion. In this manner, the individual or team allows themselves the liberty to ‘step outside the box’ of established patterns of problem-solving and bring in a strategy, methods and momentum to break through for the ‘win.’   In the case of our public school systems, it has been found that a great many of them across the United States of America struggle to create students who are ready to be part of the twenty first century work force. Many grow up without a concrete vision of what they can become, who they can be or how far they can go. Without a strong vision and belief that they are capable in reaching great peaks, complacency enters their minds and hea...

My grandmother, who lived for 100 years, had Parkinson's. Throughout my childhood she would send handwritten letters to my sisters and I from California telling us about what she was up to, what Blue the black cat was into or how we were going to meet soon. Her letters were long and she had solid handwriting. Though we visited California yearly,  letters from 'the Golden State' were like magic to me, especially letters from my grandmother. She took the time to write these since I was a little boy. As I entered adulthood the shake in her hands had increased considerably so much that the letters were hard to read and had become illegible after that. Phone calls became more popular. She was cognitively intact for the most part. Though we were far apart from each other, I would visit her on my own every year. Besides my Dad, she was my only other live connection to my Dad's side of the family. This created a great connection between us. The letters from the pas...

The concept of servant leadership is an ideal. It trumps selflessness and sands down profit-seeking motives to the degree that the concept is exercised in our unique heart and minds. An inspiring way to act is certainly done by putting others first before oneself, yet in actuality this reality is not rampant across the land.  How can we make it an ever increasing reality in our country? What short and long-term value can people find in being of great service to others?  How does our culture help or disregard raising kids with a focus on serving the community creatively? The cultures in which we are brought up and eventually help sustain sees it as a foreign concept. Many of us live in a reality where we must work five to six days a week to make ends meet. There is no time for idealistic dreams when we are struggling to pay the rent or put food on the table. It would be quite a luxury it seems to have a lifestyle of service. Even people who are committed to se...

Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian and an Olympic swimming champion was also the number one ambassador for surfing in the world and his home base was Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. This was between the 1920's and 40's. Duke knit a collective of surfer that would take tourists out to catch waves on the giant long boards. It was the first time many ever get presented with such a foreign experience as 'surfing' a wave of water. In surfing, the experience one gets when a natural element like water is pushing them along brings a state of unique rest and contentment. You have to do it to know what it's truly like. Skateboarding parallels in many ways the feeling of surfing. Like surfing and dancing, skateboarding is an effective, practical tool and strategy as an early education/ intervention methods for typical children and those on the autism spectrum, with executive function skill deficits or any other special need or disability. Skateboarding requires focus and sustai...

Today is Tuesday, November 3, 2015 Yesterday at 7 pm est, I joined a weekly special #tweetchat on Twitter for the first time, #LeadWithGiants. It was a lot of fun. Felt like I was back in school! Being the newbie I thought I would just be a listener and occasionally chime in…well, at least that was my intention:) I found it hard to keep quiet, especially after Dan Forbes (as in Mr. #LeadWithGiants), reached out to me in such a welcoming fashion, as he does to all. His humble, outgoing attitude is replicated by the other leaders in the chat and this adds to an open, dare I say, nurturing atmosphere (teacher speak, bear with me). The topic at hand was ‘consensus,’ and everything that goes with it: finding common ground, the traits of effective leaders, the size of  teams being led, orchestrating through differing politics, titles, departments, challenges, participation by all, solution-focused mindsets and last but not least, sustaining an environment where individual tho...

What is won by fanning flames? Nothing. What is gained by winning arguments? Nothing. What is progressive about shooting people who have signed up to protect and serve others? Nothing. Should people be taught lessons with the knuckles of a fist? Is that what I teach? Or do I teach and model the ability to use your thinking side, rather than your reacting side? Impulse control, foresight, and emotional control are executive function skills after all.  Should we show others how we feel by cutting them down with sharp words? Should we cut our own Mothers down with insults and yelling? Should we throw tantrums on scandalous mainstream news broadcasts and stomp on cars, burn and vandalize them because we are upset with a court ruling?  No, the rule of law in a home, in a town or in our heart needs to be our gatekeeper. Just like it is very good to have police being a presence in the day and night across all American communities, it is important that children ...