I’ve been a Cincinnati Reds fan since I was a little kid.  Tonight they’re playing the Pittsburgh Pirates in the final series of the season.  Both teams will meet Tuesday night in the first game of the post-season.

I thought about the baseball season often this past week.  Major league baseball has a 162 game season.  That doesn’t include post-season, or pre-season games.  My school year includes 185 days.  So, if a team goes to the World Series, they play about as many games as I have days in a school year.  What an interesting comparison!

If you play 162 games, you’re going to have some bad days…if not weeks.  Baseball commentators often put player slumps into perspective, “It’s a long season.  He’ll come around!”

Well…I’m trying to treat myself with similar compassion.  Some days, I just don’t have it.  Some periods are successful, others, not so much.  I’m going to attempt to program my self-talk to say, “It’s a long school year.  You’ll come around!”

I take unsuccessful periods seriously, but I’m trying to think more of the long game.  All star baseball players do this.  Amazingly, hitters who achieve a 300 batting average, are only successful 30% of the time they step to the plate.  Teachers certainly perform better.

I like to take an inventory at the conclusion of each day, sort of like a major league box score. Each period was either a hit, or an out.  There are no gray areas, and rest assured, my standards for success are high.  Today, I started out strong, but I slumped mid-day.  My 3rd and 5th periods were a bit flat.  I just didn’t connect as strongly.  The students were not as engaged.  But I rallied and finished strong in my last two periods.  If an administrator would’ve observed my 3^rd or 5^th period classes today, I’m quite certain she would’ve come away impressed.  But I’m determined to bounce back on Monday and jack a home run in both classes!

September 27, 2013 Box Score

Totals                                    6                                                4                                    .667

Socratic Circle #2 took place this past Friday at Big Walnut University. Students discussed the Vedas, the Epics, and the Upanishads

In 1500 BCE, the Aryans poured through the Khyber Pass and fanned out into the Subcontinent. With them, came Brahminical Hinduism (Hinduism dominated by the Brahmin caste). The following questions unleashed discourse:

1. If one embraces reincarnation, Is the caste system fair?

2. The Bhagavad-Gita stresses dharma (duty) and karma. Do you believe in either?