Super Bowl Ads

From: itnetwork.us

Guess I should be talking about the Super Bowl at some point.

Freakanomics (one of my favorite web sites) and the NFL teamed up to produce a video about what Super Bowl ads are worth.  I'll be playing this in my class on Tuesday.

The Commish

"60 Minutes" had another great segment on the business of sports Sunday, this time with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

My students and I discussed whether they would be interested in having Goodell's job.  Most didn't--too much responsibility, and I'd have to agree.  Working for one boss can be enough; I can't imagine having 32 of them.

It was nice to point out that Goodell started out as an NFL intern and worked his way to the top.  So many of my students don't want to do internships because they want to get paid for every job.  Guess what, kiddos?  That's not the way the sports and entertainment industries work.

Workin' It, EduBlogs!

From: my blog

I had started using EduBlogs at the beginning of the school year with the intent of having my Sports Marketing I students use to write their own blogs, instead of just commenting on mine.  That didn't work out the way I hoped--I never even got student blogging off the ground last semester.

This semester, I jumped right in and had my Sports Marketing II students try their hand at blogging during our first week of class.  The result so far:  phenomenal!  I thought it would take my charges about 2-3 weeks before they got the hang of blogging, but they're even quicker studies than I thought.  It was definitely one of those moments that only teachers get.

What went right?  Several things:

• These students had read a year's worth of blogs from me last year, so they were at least familiar with the concept.
• I have a small class (10 students), so it's easier to ride herd on them and get them started.  Don't think they would get blogging this quick if I had to explain it to 25.
• Nearly all of the students in the class are super sports fans, and are very eager to share their opinions, which is great for an online discussion.

Out of Your Hands

I just noticed that I hadn't posted in five days.  Guess the start of a semester will do that to you.

Saw an interesting video today at my monthly technology facilitator meeting about sexting.  There a lots of stories out there about teens and naked photos gone wrong--I warn my students at the beginning of every semester about the dangers of doing stupid stuff online.  Sadly, I saw that one of my former students (whom I had three times) has a raunchy Twitter bio.  What can I say?

90 Down, 90 To Go

From: mytutorblog.org


We just finished our fall semester on Friday.  I'm not a big fan of being evaluated by the results of my final exams (of course), but since I have a chance to reflect:

• The percentage of students who reached proficiency in my Sports Marketing class was 70%
• Ways to get that number higher
• Have students put together a PowerPoint with pictures of terms
• Have students answer the review questions without the answers
• Incorporate review material into current events
• Ask for help!

Best Movie Review Ever!

From: mdprincing.wordpress.com

Can't say this any better than Mr. Teachbad.

I Love Final Projects!

 

From: my twitpic account

The first of my two classes gave their final project presentations on Friday.  Since my second year of teaching, I have used a final project in all of my marketing classes.  For Sports & Entertainment Marketing I, they create an expansion franchise based on the objectives in our course.  All semester long, they turn in parts of the project as we go over that competency in class.

Then, at the end of the year, they present the final project to the rest of the class, and turn in a binder with all of their old papers.  I require business attire on the day of the project presentations, and this year, three principals and three guidance counselors sat in on the first class's presentations.

I believe final projects are great for several reasons:

• They require students to explain the concepts they learn in class
• They require students to stay organized
• They require students to use presentation skills

I can't emphasize enough the benefits of doing final projects!

"The Wrestler" in Real Life

Showed my students this story from ESPN's e:60 today, about former WWE wrestler Scott Hall.  It was the typical rise-and-fall story, but what highs and lows!

Know When to Hold 'em

Teaching Sports Marketing puts a lot of athletes in your class, football players in particular.  Many of them believe they're going to the NFL, of course.

Before the NFL comes college football, though.  The question for my kids: how to get from high school to college.  Getting into college requires decent grades, and if you don't have decent grades, you have to go to a prep school, such as Fork Union or Hargrave.

ESPN's Outside the Lines show found one of these prep schools right down the road in Charlotte.  After teaching ethics in sports marketing last week, this is a perfect video to show.

Oops, They Did It Again

Unbelievable!  I'm sitting in front of the TV watching one of my shows, Hawaii 5-0, when I stopped in my tracks.  The episode's plot contains an investigation at a high school, and wouldn't you know it--the principal is sleeping with one of the students.  What's worse, he claims it's legal because the girl is 17 and the legal age of consent is 16 in Hawaii.

Wait, what?  Because some girl's a certain age, it's still OK to have sex with your students?!  Are these guys stealing a page from the Glee playbook?

Cheating 101

The last competency in my class deals with ethics on the workplace, and the above video about a young man being paid to take the SAT for fellow students fit perfectly with the lecture.

We had a good discussion in both classes about why students do this, how successful they're likely to be in college and more.  When I made the comment that I wouldn't hire this kid because I wouldn't trust him, I got the most disagreement from my class--shocking, right?

Posting on Tumblr

A couple of weeks ago, I created a Tumblr account.  I wasn't sure how to use it, and at this point I'm still trying to figure it out.  Today, I authored my first real posts.

One of the things that helped me figure out how to use Tumblr is following what others are doing.  I'm quite impressed with what Sports Illustrated is doing with their Tumblr, and I think that's direction I want to go with mine.

With a class of Sports & Entertainment Marketing II students on the way, I think there will be plenty of things to post.  In fact, by tying in this account to Twitter, Tumblr may turn out to be a good way to publish all of the articles and photos we plan on producing this spring.

Goals for 2012

From: newyeartextmessages.blogspot.com

Resolutions don't do me much good.  I make the same ones every year, and then don't follow through on them.  However, if I'm going to tell my students to set goals, then I need to have some myself, at least professionally.  So here we go...

• Have my SEM II students write their own blogs (already have the accounts set up!)
• Be more proactive and communicative with parents of failing students
• Find a better way of keeping my SEM II students producing content work
• Incorporate more textbook reading in my classes
• Become a more effective technology facilitator

It's not too much, but it's a start, at least.