Yesterday, April 28, marked the two-year anniversary of Eduson’s birth. Two years ago, he was born in a tiny village in Guatemala. Seven months later, he officially joined our family, arriving in Washington, DC two days before Thanksgiving 2006.
Today, he is clearly the brightest young toddler of his age. He usually knows to say please and thank you (particularly if the please will get him something he wants). He knows how to get Eduflack and Edugrandma to give him whatever he wants, whenever he wants it. Not only is he bilingual, he knows who to speak which language to. And when he hears Eduflack speaking Spanish, all he can do is laugh.
He is an educational sponge, quickly picking up the words and actions of just about everyone (again, with Dad clearly at the top of his list). He is a mini-me at this point, and even mimics my pacing when I talk on the phone.
No question about it — he is absolutely perfect. And I am reminded of that every morning when I get my good morning kiss and every evening when I read him a stack of books before he will go to sleep.
This morning, this perfect child had his two-year wellness visit, and the numbers are now in for Eduson:
* Weight — 26.2 pounds
* Height — 33 1/4 inches
* Head Circumference — 18 1/4
Yes, he is only in the 5th percentile on the head (while his father wears a size 8 Mets cap). But everyone needs something to work on. The good news — he now has the green light on peanut butter. Nothing but happy days ahead … including the Chuck E. Cheese birthday party Friday evening (the boy’s choice, not dad’s.)
Happy Birthday, Miggy!
Uncategorized
Returning from Sabattical
I’ll admit it. I’m getting tired of writing about NCLB and its many offshoots. For the past two weeks, I’ve taken time off from writing Eduflack, looking for some new issues and some new directions to head. Eduflack celebrated its one-year birthday earlier this year. That anniversary was a time of reflection.
So the challenge to me is fresh and interesting content, particularly education improvements beyond the confines of NCLB. We’ll start up again on Monday, hoping to continue to make a real contribution to the ed reform discussion.
With a Song in Their Hearts
What role should music and the arts play in our schools? We all know that NCLB places the spotlight firmly on reading, math, and science. Does that leave music classes as value-adds, where kids can further enhance their core competencies, or does it leave them as non-necessities, programs quickly shut down as budget dollars grow tight?
Musicians from Steven Van Zandt to Quincy Jones have established foundations and programs to ensure that music is not stripped from those K-12 years. They are approaching it in a way that integrates history and sociology and other social sciences. Eduflack has heard many a story of K-12 music classes designed to boost math skills. And all of us who have participated in a school chorus or picked up a school-issued instrument would like to believe it helped us, even if we had not musical ability whatsoever.
All of that is a long-winded path to an entirely self-serving entry (though I am quite taken by what Van Zandt is trying to do, honestly). Today is the birthday of Eduflack’s youngest sister. She was one of those students that K-12 music programs were designed for. She played in the orchestra. She starred in the school musicals. She excelled in the chorus. She then went on to get a bachelor’s and master’s degree in jazz music. Today, Edu-sister is a professional jazz singer in New York City.
More importantly, this month, she released her first album to rave reviews. The album is “When the Night is New.” The artist is the one and only Abigail Riccards. If you love jazz standards (the sorts Ella Fitzgerald would sing), this is the album for you. It is available at www.jazzexcursionrecords.com, as well as through www.amazon.com and iTunes.
Yes, I am a proud brother. And yes, it is her 27th birthday. But the album is also really, really good. And it’s not just Eduflack saying it. It’s www.ejazznews.com, www.allaboutjazz.com, Midwest Record, Jazz Police, www.musicianreviews.net, www.jazzchicago.net, and many others. And the buzz keeps growing.
At this rate, we may soon see an Abigail Riccards-led foundation on getting jazz into our schools. Wouldn’t that be something?
Mini-Eduflack Weighs In
It is that time again to reflect on Eduflack’s other primary interest, and one of the reasons why education reform is so important. Yes, it is time for another shameless plug for the mini-Eduflack, who recent discovered that books are for more than just throwing.
Eduflack-ito just completed his 18-month well visit. At 18 months and 26 days, here’s the tale of the tape. 24 pounds, 8 ounces (up a pound from August, definitely not like dadda). 32 inches long. 18 1/4-inch head circumference (still no Barry Bonds HGH action here). More than 20 spoken words. And he is a sponge when it comes to receptive speech, both in English and Spanish. He seems to understand just about everything we say (though he chooses to ignore what he doesn’t like).
In a few short years, mini-Eduflack is going to head off to his first year of public school. And this dadda wants to make sure he has effective teachers, research-based instruction, and a true hunger and passion for learning.
Eduflack-ito just completed his 18-month well visit. At 18 months and 26 days, here’s the tale of the tape. 24 pounds, 8 ounces (up a pound from August, definitely not like dadda). 32 inches long. 18 1/4-inch head circumference (still no Barry Bonds HGH action here). More than 20 spoken words. And he is a sponge when it comes to receptive speech, both in English and Spanish. He seems to understand just about everything we say (though he chooses to ignore what he doesn’t like).
In a few short years, mini-Eduflack is going to head off to his first year of public school. And this dadda wants to make sure he has effective teachers, research-based instruction, and a true hunger and passion for learning.
I Know, I Know
For a blog about effective communication, Eduflack has really dropped the ball. The call of the professional life — you know, the one that delivers the paycheck — has had me on the road and up to my reddish goatee in high school reform and STEM initiatives these past two weeks. And the result can be found on the empty pages of this blog over that time.
Rest assured, Eduflack is back online. Despite the travel and the work demands, I’m making the early New Years resolution to ensure that I’m getting at least three posts a week up, starting this week. So if you see me slacking, please rap my knuckles with the electronic ruler to get me back on track.
Rest assured, Eduflack is back online. Despite the travel and the work demands, I’m making the early New Years resolution to ensure that I’m getting at least three posts a week up, starting this week. So if you see me slacking, please rap my knuckles with the electronic ruler to get me back on track.
Eduflack’s 2007 Seventh Inning Stretch
The temperatures are heating up again in DC, the Mets are now only two games up on the Phillies, and we may actually see NCLB reauthorized this calendar year (if George Miller and Buck McKeon have anything to say about it). So instead of getting too giddy or too anxious about any of these or similar developments, Eduflack is going to rest the ole pitching arm for the next week as he and the family take a little time away to rest, regroup, and recharge.
Postings will resume September 10. Let’s Go Mets!
Postings will resume September 10. Let’s Go Mets!
Why Ed Reform is So Important
Why is education reform so important? To answer that question, all you need to do is look at the kids school improvement affects. Case in point — a shameless plug for Eduflack Jr.
Eduflack-ito just completed his 15-month well visit. At 15 months and 11 days, here’s the tale of the tape. 23 pounds, 8 ounces. 30 5/8 inches long. 18-inch head circumference (no Barry Bonds here). Five or six spoken words. Dozens of words of receptive speech, in both English and Spanish. Now if only Mama Eduflack can teach him books are for reading, and not for throwing.
I know why we need to improve our schools, get more effective teachers in the classroom, and know how to measure exactly how our kids are doing. Eduflack Jr.
Eduflack-ito just completed his 15-month well visit. At 15 months and 11 days, here’s the tale of the tape. 23 pounds, 8 ounces. 30 5/8 inches long. 18-inch head circumference (no Barry Bonds here). Five or six spoken words. Dozens of words of receptive speech, in both English and Spanish. Now if only Mama Eduflack can teach him books are for reading, and not for throwing.
I know why we need to improve our schools, get more effective teachers in the classroom, and know how to measure exactly how our kids are doing. Eduflack Jr.
The Eduflackiest of Apologies
In transferring my blog over to my new website (www.eduflack.com), I managed to “mis-place” my original entries. All have been restored to the site, with the original posting dates at the bottom. I’m all about words, not technology. But I definitely know such a gaffe doesn’t send the right message. Mea culpa.
Eduflack By Patrick R. Riccards 