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

The purpose of such a sheet is to empower the student to know how they best learn and take in information, as well facilitate better, more customized, instructional delivery. Below are some criteria to help you put together your own sheet. This sheet can be given to Educators, as well as all whom instruct the learner. You can do this with paper and pencil, or to make it look more visually appealing, and allow for better document editing later on, I suggest using a software program like Inspiration, or a software program that allows you to comparmentalize/ graphically organize your different criteria. Criteria 1: Jot down general likes and dislikes musical preference extracurricular activities academic subjects miscellaneous Criteria 2: Jot down short and long term goals Who do I want to be when I grow up?  Discuss with a parent/ mentor why you want to do this? What are your short term goals for the next 3-4 months?  Criteria 3: Google left/ right...

Sir Winston Churchill said that, “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another without loss of enthusiasm.” Managing the boat (your life) through the storms of life, and still having  sea-worthy  boat takes skill, and guts. The experiences make you stronger, and you learn how to be a more deft sailor.  I know what it feels like to experience setback after setback, one failure after another. (Remember the surfer blog post and the constant waves coming my way?) I also know what it feels like to wallow in the mire. To sulk. Regret and resentment? They  lead to acute chronic depression.  Our time is very valuable. We cannot change the past, but only try to be in the present. Therefore, looking back as you walk forward robs yourself, and all others of your true self. Life sucks at this point. Quick fixes: Releasing this emotional baggage can be done by using acupressure (google eft mercola for more info), meditation (scientific evidence s...

“Run 1 mile?” He can’t do that! He can walk a mile.” “My son is on the Autism spectrum. He can’t even tie his shoelace on his own.  Sports like sailing, surfing, and skiing are just not feasible.” “Biking?, she is four years old. Maybe when she is older.” As a father, and as an Educator, I come across reactions like this all the time. They are normal reactions by parents, teachers, and caregivers. I don’t blame them, (because that is not helpful). Yet, I do carve out my advantage by bringing in a strikingly different approach. Using evidence-based methods of instruction, I add positive energy, hope, fun, and challenge. By creating momentum, I seek to engage my students. Through experience, I aim to instill in them the notion that Coach Bill truly wants their success. When words fail to express emotion, passion, and feeling, I look to communicate through my actions. I want them to know that I am invested in them, and  I want them to be ‘charged up,’ as I am ...

And now, to put the "H" in holistic Educator: When I was a bit younger, I use to live on the North Shore of O'ahu, Hawaii, or what was known as the 7- mile miracle, because of the continuous world-class beach breaks. I can recall many times surfing 6-8 foot swells, when all of a sudden, a 10 foot monster wave (very small for Hawaii) comes from far off and there is no chance that I can get out of the danger zone. If you know what your doing, you first swallow your fear, hold it down there, then focus on following surfer protocol.  Fear clouds your mind, influences erratic decision making, and wastes time. I know that when one see's a wave like that coming in, you have to do the very thing you don't want to do: swim toward the wave. As someone who has done a great deal of surfing around the world, I can tell you that your first instinct is to run toward the shore. But you don't want to do that. Instead, you need to swim toward the wave and try to go un...

Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy recently got some heat from Teacher Union leaders about his 163 page solution to revamp the educational system in this state. Getting heat for this is a given! Just imagine, Union leaders will reflex immediately. Their job depends on it. They oversee an army of professionals whom rely on the protection of a union. Unions are important, and they take care of Education professionals. Without them, school districts would be able to do as they please pretty much. Job security would be a tenuous affair. The problem today is that Connecticut public school systems, particularly those in low-income communities are failing to equip the students to go on to college with the necessary skills. Many, not all, kids have minimum paper writing skills, their math skills are dismal, and their own idea of what the future holds for them is skewed. Things look bleak for them. For many African-American children, for example, feelings that the bus has left the station...

An exceptional learner is basically any learner who has a special gift, talent, and/ or a disability, thus requiring specialized educational services, as well as related professional services. In local parlance then, in order to receive a fair education, a learner's profile must be understood by his or her Educators, and related service professionals. The degree to which the Educator or professional knows the learner, will, to a great degree, generate educational programs which are more finely customized, and tailored to the learner. This process of knowing the learner is key to a overall successful outcome for both the Educator, professional, learner, and parent. In the state of Connecticut though, many parents are coming forward with some grievances. I see them on the local news channel more and more. Lawsuits are gearing up, and momentum is really racheting up. Racheting up like a wave that is beginning to break on the shore. These parents are frustrated, they are worried, an...

In today's society, it is my opinion that the cohesiveness, the unity of the traditional family is being threatened by outside competing interests. The family time together loses out routinely to members watching tv, socializing on the computer, talking on the phone, playing video games, overwork, partying, etc. Father figures who make great efforts to be present more often are needed. Boundaries and parameters need to be drawn by which children are shown right ways of living from wrong ways of living. It is always good to monitor the state of your connection to the family, if your a Father. Aside from being the traditional bread winner, how do you contribute to the family cohesiveness? Caring Fathers who work with mothers as a team are actively role modeling the very duties the children will hopefully one day do. Likewise, Fathers who make extra efforts to work issues and problems out in a way that is loving, caring, and not demeaning teach their kids the value of not ...