Earlier, I wrote I saw a Gregg Doyel tweet... and I was kind of, very nonchalant on the outcome with ProjectShanks.com.

Now, here's the real reason why I did it: complacency.

I don't want to be a complacent teacher. I don't want to be completely comfortable. I have a good gig with good kids. But I've worked really hard to get them to be efficient and to work on authentic publications and tasks to create for the school and a global audience.

One knock on teachers I've heard is, "If you can't do, teach." I've always hated that. Even before I was a teacher. Here's how it works: I went to college for a job (hmmm... let's make it realistic, I went to college to be a journalist), worked in the field (I had a radio and a TV job), then got into teaching (I didn't like the hours / time away from family; became a journalism teacher). It's not because I couldn't do the job... right?

Some of my kids working on a video project.

Well, I've been teaching for five years now (I have the key chain that has already fallen apart to prove it). I love working with kids, I really like coaching (I'm the new boys golf coach), and the schedule is pretty worth it (extra hours for all of the above, but it's not like I'm always getting home at 11pm).  But can I still be a journalist? If I were plopped into a job right now, could I do it? I'd like to think so.

I'd really like to think that the skills I learned in undergrad (and the cost associated with that) is relevant to what I'm teaching kids today. I have first-hand, real world advice I can give to students that potentially want to be in the field.

So, I saw the tweet from Gregg Doyel (from Chris Stuckey). What a great opportunity to prove to myself that I can still do the job; and that what I'm teaching is relevant. Within 10 minutes I had a response (you can see the details in the post linked above) and by 11pm (go figure) I had sent him my article draft.

I forgot a headline.

So last night, I had an email exchange asking if my article can be published (yes), if I wanted to contribute regularly (sure), and when my next article can be submitted (oh jeesh!).

I suppose this is what I wanted. Apparently, what I'm doing should have some credibility because wit a response to a tweet (I love Twitter for professional purposes) I am now a contributor to ProjectShanks.com.

I'll probably get paid about as much as my first journalism internship, but that's not why I got into this field.

Yesterday I had a moment. Well, yesterday and today.

First, let me explain that I hated the movie Office Space until I saw it for the 4th time, and it's hilarious. And now I repeat the title of this post in my head when I have a good day.

My audience knows what a teachable moment is, but I saw it differently yesterday. I have a student teacher, and will for the entire year; and he has taken over about 80% of everyday activity in my class. This allows me moments to reflect on my own teaching, which is wonderful.

Wow, a lot of jumble to get to my point (I don't listen to myself sometimes). I have had my yearbook editor for two years now, and she is great. She does all of the hard work, puts in all of the extra time, does everything that is expected of her and more. It's great to have a student (or more) like this. And now as my tenure grows as the Journalism Adviser, I start to see more and more students starting to take on more of the responsibility. My yearbook editor is starting to rub off on them. Same goes for the newspaper editor: she's always working on the paper. And even though (both editors) have more than just my classes to work on, and I can see others taking notice.

As I watch, evaluate, and guide my student teacher I ask him, and some of my younger students, to start to take on more responsibilities as the year has gone on (as any good teacher does, right?), and then it dawned on me. While I have done what I have needed to, I could afford to praise a little more. I'm not much of an over-the-top praiser. I really feel that I shouldn't give a gold star for doing the minimum. I have told my kids, "Good enough' is not good enough." But here is why I had the epiphany.

I recently sent an email to my yearbook adviser just to say thanks for clearing-up-something. To my surprise, I received an email from her in regards to me telling her "good job, and keep up the good work" on some specific pages:

"And thank you, it means a lot when you acknowledge it. Thanks for putting up with me :)"

It was a quick, welcome-back-from-winter-break rejuvenation. I decided to send my student-teacher and other editors from broadcasting and newspaper a similar email. I wasn't fishing for a response, but I wanted all of them, that I sometimes forget to praise, to get that positive feedback.

And as a teacher, it's as much about helping kids realize that they are doing things the right way, and they're on the right track, as it is to help those that struggle.

Oh, and it felt good to give positive feedback.

Damn, it feels good to be a teacher.

If you got here "by accident", check out our Journalism Twitter account @TJHSJournalism to see more of the hard work kids are doing.

As mentioned in my previous, brief, post: school has started. I wanted to wait just a little bit so I could get a legitimate feel for what the kids were like before I posted. And I think we're off to a great start. Well, the kids are:

Students during a Google Hangout on the 4th day of school.

I took advantage of my summer just like I should have, but I overestimated my ability to get back into the flow of things as quickly as I should have. I felt, going into my fourth year, that I knew what I was doing... especially since I was teaching all of the same material as last year. Quick story, then I'll come back.

I used to work in life insurance. Not the door-to-door, or even "come into my office and we can talk" type. I was customer service. They called me. I had worked customer service in other types of jobs, and I enjoyed it, but there was something about working for an insurance company that eventually got to me: the monotony.  People called me, had an issue (from a missed payment to making claim on a policy), I helped them to fix it, and we were done. Most of the time.

There were horror stories from this job, but I worked because the money was decent while I did my broadcasting thing on the side. The hours were solid, too. 7:30 - 3:30 and I was done; I could leave everything at the door.  I took advantage of the schedule by getting my teaching certification and calling high school sporting events for a nearby radio station. But the monotony of the job just drained me. Seriously, ask my wife. I was a clock-watcher, and a whiner (I still am a bit), and it was painful. And when I started teaching I knew one thing at the very least: I would never have another monotonous job - the kids would always change! Back to the original focus for the post: apparently in the back of my mind I forgot that I had to prepare for a new year because I thought it would be the same as before.

Add to that: preparing for a 1:1 classroom, a new system for updating Macs, a student-teacher, and the joys of completely new staffs for both newspaper and yearbook (a combined seven students that were in either class for their second year), and I found myself trying to keep my head above water.

But, I now think I'm ready. An observation from @dschoening reminded me that I'm on the right track. And my (internal) whining lessened. Thanks. So far, I've had no real issues with the technology (other than network problems, and they seem to have been smoothed out as of Friday). The kids seem to be used to the expectations for using the computers, and the procedures are becoming the norm. It's getting better.

My philosophy has always been that if you do the little things well, the big things come easy. I'm starting to get the little things done. Unfortunately, maybe a week too late. Lesson learned.

Oh, and I started my next grad class: Intro to Research. This should be thrilling!

I'm baaaack! Well, school's is back in session (179 contact days to go - but who is counting?) and I am totally ready to rock and roll. The reason for the delay between posts was the flurry of preparation... or something like that. The beginning of the year enthusiasm is awesome; so many new things to try, so many ideas to roll with, and things to look forward to, and....

And I have a student teacher! That's not even the kicker:

He's here all year!

I am excited about this for two reasons. One -  I will get one thing most teachers need more of: time. Well, not yet, but I will (or so I'm told). And two - he comes from a journalism background geared more in Public Relations and Advertising; not my strong suit.

It will be an exciting year: lots of new ideas, lots of teaching moments, and even better, lots of good kids!