Derek L. McCoy

This is fun!

Earlier this week, Dwight Carter, PLN member and inspiration, forwarded me a fun challenge. Dwight has always been a great example of leadership and a great representative of the potential of our growing digital community. I’ve got mad respect for him as an #edleader and eagerly accepted this blogging challenge. This will be a great way to get to know the members of my PLN and have some fun at the same time.

The first part of the challenge is to share 11 random facts:

My 11 Random Facts

1. I am the last of ten children. [I grew up on a farm and this was a great way to ensure continued farm help ; )]. Great history here, my parents had a simple mission – EVERY child will graduate high school and EVERY child will go to college [mission accomplished]
2. I love comic books – LOVE THEM! DC and Marvel! Grew up reading them and still buy them [digital versions though – you should see my garage]
3. My wife’s mom introduced us! My mother-in-law and I worked at an H & R Block in Savannah and she invited me to dinner – history was made!
4. I eat my best when I’m at school – 1 serving of protein, lots of veggies at at least 2 liters a water. But this is at school – I come up short at home and the weekends!
5. I was a break dancer growing up – Ozone and Turbo had nothing on me and my friends [let’s see who gets that reference]
6. I’ve never lived close to any of my K-12 schools I’ve attended as a student [always at least 75 minute bus rides in the country] or worked in [for five years, I lived in Charlotte NC metro environment and worked in Montgomery County NC, very rural environment – I regard this as the best growth time in my life]
7. Because I lived so far from school, I never had the opportunity to play sports or do after school activities until I could drive.
8. I’ve studied Jiu Jitsu, American Freestyle Karate, and Muy Thai Kickboxing but I am dying to study and learn the ‘sweet science’ – boxing!
9. One of my best friends in the world is Richard Greene. He and I took every class together K-8 and at least one class together 9-12. He is also a middle school principal
10. As deep as I am on social media and began adopting early on, my wife only recently joined Facebook and Twitter, both late in 2012.
11. I was a Political Science major in college but when I got chance to teach, I fell back to my one true love in K-16 – Math

My Answers to Dwight’s Questions

1. What’s the best book you’ve read in the last year? ‘Fair Isn’t Always Equal’, Rick Wormeli, ‘The Will to Lead, The Skill to Teach’ Dr Anthony Muhammad, ‘Ten Minute Inservice’ Todd Whitaker and Annette Breaux  [Dude, I’m a co-moderator on #edfocuschat]
2. What person in history would you want to have dinner with? W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T Washington. When I was in college I did a lot of reading on the two of them and their ‘philosophical’ differences. At the end, both stressed the advancement of African Americans through education but with slightly different purposes. I think hosting a dinner and discussion with the two of them on Google+ and having some conversation today would be a enlightening.
3. What’s the one thing you care about the most? God and family
4. Who is your all time favorite cartoon character? Mr Terrific – 3rd smartest man on the planet, 13 PhD’s, ‘a natural aptitude for having natural aptitudes’ [like I said, comic book nerd]
5. What was your favorite extracurricular activity in high school? Track and Field, 400 meter run. Like I said earlier, because of where we lived I didn’t have to opportunity to participate in a lot of extracurriculars. I ran track my last year and found a strength.
6. Growing up, were you a nerd, jock, teacher’s pet, loner, or extravert?  Nerd! I embrace my nerdhood! I had a great time growing up because of my close friends though! They are great!
7. What’s your dream vacation? At least 8 hours away by plane, incredible beach, world-class spa [for the wife], free wifi for catching up on some digital reading [DC and Marvel]
8. What’s one thing you would invent that would positively change lives? – Two inventions for teachers, ‘Engage-ometor’ and the ‘Rigor-m0-rator’ [These are works in progress]
9. If you weren’t an educator, what would do for a living? –  Upward Bound Director, this is an easy one. Upward Bound is a TRIO organization that is committed to helping first generation college students go to college! UB was a fundamental part of my life and a big reason I went to college. Being a UB Director is the one job I would give to serious consideration to leaving K-12 education. Fun, purposeful, incredible experience.
10. If you were to give a TED Talk, what would be your topic? – ‘It starts in the middle!’ [There won’t be TRUE EdReform until we really GET middle school education!]
11. What’s your sentence – We can always do a better!

Here are your questions:

1. What is one of your guilty pleasures?
2. What is an awesome thing you do to get yourself motivated, really pysched up!
3. What education movie really inspired you?
4. What is the one thing you do that your close friends would say is unique to you?
5. What would you different in the classroom today than when you first started?
6. Favorite dessert?
7. If we could get you a ticket to anywhere in the world to taste true, authentic cuisine, where would you go and what would you eat?
8. What do you miss most about high school or college?
9. Droid or iPhone?
10. Why education?
11. Best vacation with the family?