Once-in-a-lifetime … We hear that phrase and there are still those “once-in-a-lifetime” moments.  Well, here is one that many of us directly share and indirectly share.  The death of an aunt.  On June 23, 2016 the most special Aunt in our country died:  Anne M. Flynn.  Yes, you have the most special aunt, also.  So, […]

Once upon a time, in a land not too far away, there once was a high school music teacher named Mr. Edwards.  Now, Mr. Edwards was unlike any other or let’s say unlike most high school music teachers.  He realized long ago that Johnny-student was more important than the Key of B-Flat.  Mr. Edwards truly

Since 1989, I have been teaching high school music.  High school.  Teenagers (I call them “Young adults” but I get admonished (which stresses me out), “they’re children, Mr. Everts”) and their midlife crisis parents.  Twenty-seven consecutive years.  Wanna talk about stress?  Teenagers?  Midlife crisis parents?  Yes… that is stressful and just think … high school

Since 1989, I have taught high school music.  No breaks.  No sabbatical.  Well, there were those two times when lies and evil took me out of the classroom.  I continue to work on forgiving those who did not believe me and chose to believe others who did not like me or really — did not

Parenting is an easy job?  A simple job?  Having had experience being a father since 1994, not once but doubled that responsibility in 1996, I can tell you it is one of the most challenging and BEST jobs in the world.  I bring to your attention to a recent article that actually has me concerned

Well, it happened again.  May have been the 617th time this calendar year.  I don’t know.  I am just being a smart-ass, but certainly this “happening” wasn’t the first time.  I don’t understand how smart people can be so lazy or possibly stupid.  However, I am going to give leaders the benefit of the doubt

Again, the purpose / focus of my blog is:  EDUCATION & FAMILY.  Being a fifty-year-old Caucasian man; happily married to Diana (since March 30, 1991); Christian; personally conservative (do my best to work with folks who are liberal; DO NOT BELIEVE / SUPPORT THEOCRACY OR RELIGIOUS DOGMA RUNNING OUR GOVERNMENT); a musician; high school music teacher

I love T.D. Jakes and I cannot give a higher recommendation for T.D. Jakes.  If you haven’t been truly blessed to listen to him, please go to youtube and listen to him.  I am going to use his “CHANGE HAS COME” sermon to help me share this blog with you.  I am going to spend

As a high school music teacher, I have experienced numerous in-services in regards to what I believe our “societal issues.”  Racism. Drugs. Sex. Genderism. Bullying.  And following every in-service that deals with “societal issues” I raise the question:  WHY?  Why did I sit through this in-service?  How did it make me a better teacher and even possibly,

“Hey, nice job Fred.” So, in the music, we return to that FRED-VICTORY – measure D. Guess what happens?  Following that well placed-outstanding example of POSITIVE REINFORCEMNT, Fred performs measure D worse! Fred just received PRAISE for performing this difficult part in the music correctly. “Fred, what happened? I just gave you POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT; something us teachers are supposed to do and you