Craig Ruvere

05Jun 2013 by CJ

Teacher evaluations are still a matter of opinion

Chances are if I mentioned the name Charlotte Danielson in passing, you wouldn’t know who I was talking about. While she’s not the kind of popular celebrity you’ll find gracing the cover of People magazine, in the educational community she has certainly made a name for herself of late. Danielson is the internationally recognized “expert” in teacher effectiveness – creating an evaluation system that dozens of states have instituted throughout their school districts. I have a great deal of admiration and respect for the teaching profession, and truly applaud a system that will help weed out individuals who only choose this career for the summers off. My association with many fine educators has allowed this outsider a rare glimpse into Danielson’s evaluation system. And while I commend her on the…

03Jun 2013 by CJ

A message for this year’s graduates

Information & Education, Life & Living, Youth

Isn’t it funny how time always seems to escape us? Case in point – this June marks 20 years since my high school graduation. Two decades have passed by – and while filled with memorable highlights, it still surprises me that so much time has elapsed. I’ve come to understand that in our youth we’re determined to prove to everyone that we’re independent and wiser than our years might suggest. But as I sit here today at the age of 38, I can tell you that there is no greater value in life than learning from the experiences of those who’ve come before us. I’ve told this story before, but it begs repeating during this graduation season. While watching a documentary focusing on the familial bond some animals have in…

02Jun 2013 by CJ

What is the true measure of a man?

Life & Living, Youth

What is the true measure of a man? I myself have pondered this question for years and years now, and I’m still trying to determine the real qualities and attributes that comprise the male species. Like so many, my research often turns to societal stereotypes, which somehow have become the deciding factor – the judge and jury for the true measure of a man. Entertainment platforms also add their own spin on the subject – though it often strays little from the stereotypes so many of us are all too familiar with. What I’ve come to discover from being a “man” myself and living in a world filled with them is that men feel as though they always need to defend and even prove their masculinity to everyone around them.…

29May 2013 by CJ

Setting aside your pride

Life & Living

Pride has been defined as “a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority” – and whether we like to admit it or not, we all harbor this unflattering quality in varying degrees over our lifetime. It seems to creep up on us in our families, at our jobs and even amongst friends, especially when we’re faced with the reality that we’re not the perfect person we thought ourselves to be. But there is no one perfect person roaming the earth – no matter what people might tell you. We all have our share of faults, though many of us fail to fess up to them. So what’s my point? Life is too short to allow the trivialities of life to become huge issues because of…

28May 2013 by CJ

With you I am home

Love & Relationships

I've posted parts of this blog previously, but felt it needed a little repeating - not only for those around me, but for myself as well. The term “walkman” refers to a portable audio cassette player, which was immensely popular in the 1980’s. Though now considered a relic and inferior by modern day standards, at its peak it allowed music lovers to enjoy their favorite tunes just about anywhere you traveled – as long as your AA batteries were fully charged. An avid music lover myself, I prolonged purchasing the latest portable audio technology for several years, while I tried to justify the cost versus the need. But eventually I succumbed to desire - aided greatly by a gift card I received for Christmas, which thankfully covered much of…