American Legion Post 50 SAL 50 New York USA
| May 11, 2009 WVOX 1460 AM WVOX.com The Sons of the American Legion Report Special Guest: Dr. Greg Gibbs Director Sons of the American Legion Detachment of New York Legislative Committee Discussion of Dr. Gibbs' April visit to the US Marine Base at Paris Island, SC with a group of educators. |
The "Sons of the American Legion Radio Report" can be heard live on WVOX
1460 AM in Westchester County and around the world on WVOX.com. The show is
held every Monday from 2:30 to 3:00 PM.
The host of the program is Kenneth G. Kraetzer, Commander of Sons of the American
Legion in Pelham, NY; Historian for Westchester County, and Vice Commander for
New York State. Please contact Ken at 914-450-9554 with any questions or
comments about this radio and Internet production.
The intro music, "To The Colors" has been provided courtesy of the US Navy band
based at Newport, RI.
The co-host on this segment was John Chuhran, a New Rochelle based PR executive
and Sons of the American Legion member.
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Dr. Greg K. Gibbs has been a SAL member for 12 years now, squadron commander
several times, County Commander, currently District 8 Commander, and the State
Detachment Legislative Chair into my 3rd year now. He is responsible for the formation
of the William P. O'Connell ROTC Scholarship at the State of New York level.
Dr. Greg K. Gibbs, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair
Educational Leadership
Plassmann Hall B-42
St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure, NY 14778
ggibbs@sbu.edu 716-375-2363
several times, County Commander, currently District 8 Commander, and the State
Detachment Legislative Chair into my 3rd year now. He is responsible for the formation
of the William P. O'Connell ROTC Scholarship at the State of New York level.
Dr. Greg K. Gibbs, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair
Educational Leadership
Plassmann Hall B-42
St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure, NY 14778
ggibbs@sbu.edu 716-375-2363
Outsider’s Point of View….Dr. Greg K. Gibbs, Assoc. Professor of Educational
Leadership, St. Bonaventure University, Olean, New York
April 2009
I had the pleasure to attend the four-day Educators’ Workshop on 14-17 April 09 at Parris
Island. As a previous teacher, principal, and central office administrator and now a
university professor I was intrigued by the invitation to attend.
Although the jargon may be different the Marine Corps is doing the very things we
educators strive to perfect. The concepts of intellectual curiosity, life-long learning, and
constant improvement towards excellence are all elements that are common to both our
missions.
In some of the initial words from Commanding General Laster, it was clear how much he
values educators, as well as families, in the degree to which we all prepare today’s youth
to serve society and our country, be productive members of our society to value and
guard the freedoms we all enjoy.
It was obvious right from the details of the first days of boot camp that the recruits are
schooled in the concepts of discipline, spirit, and teamwork. These concepts not only
would help students in all our schools but seem to be the very traits employers are looking
for in new hires as well.
The first weeks of boot camp clearly are helping the recruits erase bad habits and clear
their minds and bodies for effective, efficient operation. The building of their skills through
discipline and a keen sense of spirit all ready begins early on.
Elements of “The Crucible”, where recruits get to actually put together skills and abilities
they have in real world problem solving fashion while dealing with elements of physical
stress, provides an interesting capstone to their training. This scenario simply sounds like
high quality instructional methodology to some of us experienced educators. What better
way to make learning authentic and useful than to apply it to a real-world situation where
they get to reflect and evaluate their own performance.
We have statewide performance assessments in both New York and Pennsylvania that all
of us as educators are concerned about and we try to prepare our students for these
tests. We want 100% to pass these assessments regardless of their level of achievement
and we do everything including individual interventions to prepare them for these exams.
The Corps also has assessments they prepare the recruits for and the D.I.s clearly do
one –on-one interventions to help those in need get their level of performance up to that
standard. They recycle a recruit as needed. All these elements are similar. We hope
and plan to have all our students pass the assessments in public schools, so does the
Corps. We have mastery skills in public schools that all students must achieve. The
Corps does as well the largest difference in those mastery skills is that the USMC mastery
skills may be the difference between life or death in a combat environment.
As educators we look forward to graduation time and often times we are the most proud of
the student that has struggled and eventually meets the grade in order to be promoted, I
sense that the D.I.s have that same level of pride in all their recruits, not just the
outstanding performer but the one that was recycled and now has got it together and has
successfully met the challenge. Drill Instructors clearly resemble master teachers in many
ways, their levels of knowledge of the curriculum, their personal commitment, the level of
caring for each student/recruit, and the steps to which they go to help that student/recruit
met even the most rigorous standard of performance.
It seems to me that if you subscribe to the Thomas Jeffersonian philosophy about an
educated citizenry being the basis for a strong democracy, this was ultimately the basis for
the educational system in the U.S., then the Marine Corps and our schools have more in
common than you may previously have thought.
It is unfortunate that we all still live in a world where might is necessary and where the
military is still needed to protect our democratic values and way of life. But realistically in
this world we need to prepare our youth for many roles within our society to keep it strong,
vibrant and allow for freedom to make choices, one of the hallmarks of a true democracy.
It is the Marine Corps that focuses on the development of this strength in not so different
ways than educators in a good school prepare their students for productive roles in
society, enjoyable careers, and life-long pursuits. Although the ultimate goals may be
slightly different many of the most effective methods are clearly evident in recruit training.
It is not the intimidating, break everyone down, and see who survives image that may be
regularly portrayed in the media, but as Colonel Jefferson put it to us in one of our
debriefings, they provide an element of controlled failure where recruits get to test their
skills and abilities in a real world, learn from failure, and move forward to become even
stronger not only as individuals but also as a team. Honor, courage and commitment are
not only talked about but soon become ways of everyday operation for the recruits,
mirrored by everyone they come in contact with.
I was proud to be a part of this organization, if even just for just a few days. From
Commanding General Laster on down, you can clearly sense the commitment to
excellence and the degree to which the Corps goes to not tear recruits down but to build
them up and try to make sure that everyone has the opportunities to develop and gain the
skills they need to become a United States Marine.
The recruiters begin the process by looking for great candidates, those drill instructors
mentor them and move them forward to really hone their skills, develop their aptitudes and
give them the confidence they need to become the very best warriors our country has.
This is an educational system that may be different from your public school but as in any
great school, it shares the most positive student-centered instructional strategies that we
all should constantly strive for.
Graduation day is a time when you see the faces of the parents and the changes in the
recruits in a short 12 weeks. As an outsider viewing that ceremony and the reactions of
the parents it is clear that boot camp is transformational in the most positive fashion you
can imagine. Any great educational endeavor could strive for no less.
Semper Fidelis truly gains meaning throughout this process, not only for the recruits but
also to outsiders like me.
Leadership, St. Bonaventure University, Olean, New York
April 2009
I had the pleasure to attend the four-day Educators’ Workshop on 14-17 April 09 at Parris
Island. As a previous teacher, principal, and central office administrator and now a
university professor I was intrigued by the invitation to attend.
Although the jargon may be different the Marine Corps is doing the very things we
educators strive to perfect. The concepts of intellectual curiosity, life-long learning, and
constant improvement towards excellence are all elements that are common to both our
missions.
In some of the initial words from Commanding General Laster, it was clear how much he
values educators, as well as families, in the degree to which we all prepare today’s youth
to serve society and our country, be productive members of our society to value and
guard the freedoms we all enjoy.
It was obvious right from the details of the first days of boot camp that the recruits are
schooled in the concepts of discipline, spirit, and teamwork. These concepts not only
would help students in all our schools but seem to be the very traits employers are looking
for in new hires as well.
The first weeks of boot camp clearly are helping the recruits erase bad habits and clear
their minds and bodies for effective, efficient operation. The building of their skills through
discipline and a keen sense of spirit all ready begins early on.
Elements of “The Crucible”, where recruits get to actually put together skills and abilities
they have in real world problem solving fashion while dealing with elements of physical
stress, provides an interesting capstone to their training. This scenario simply sounds like
high quality instructional methodology to some of us experienced educators. What better
way to make learning authentic and useful than to apply it to a real-world situation where
they get to reflect and evaluate their own performance.
We have statewide performance assessments in both New York and Pennsylvania that all
of us as educators are concerned about and we try to prepare our students for these
tests. We want 100% to pass these assessments regardless of their level of achievement
and we do everything including individual interventions to prepare them for these exams.
The Corps also has assessments they prepare the recruits for and the D.I.s clearly do
one –on-one interventions to help those in need get their level of performance up to that
standard. They recycle a recruit as needed. All these elements are similar. We hope
and plan to have all our students pass the assessments in public schools, so does the
Corps. We have mastery skills in public schools that all students must achieve. The
Corps does as well the largest difference in those mastery skills is that the USMC mastery
skills may be the difference between life or death in a combat environment.
As educators we look forward to graduation time and often times we are the most proud of
the student that has struggled and eventually meets the grade in order to be promoted, I
sense that the D.I.s have that same level of pride in all their recruits, not just the
outstanding performer but the one that was recycled and now has got it together and has
successfully met the challenge. Drill Instructors clearly resemble master teachers in many
ways, their levels of knowledge of the curriculum, their personal commitment, the level of
caring for each student/recruit, and the steps to which they go to help that student/recruit
met even the most rigorous standard of performance.
It seems to me that if you subscribe to the Thomas Jeffersonian philosophy about an
educated citizenry being the basis for a strong democracy, this was ultimately the basis for
the educational system in the U.S., then the Marine Corps and our schools have more in
common than you may previously have thought.
It is unfortunate that we all still live in a world where might is necessary and where the
military is still needed to protect our democratic values and way of life. But realistically in
this world we need to prepare our youth for many roles within our society to keep it strong,
vibrant and allow for freedom to make choices, one of the hallmarks of a true democracy.
It is the Marine Corps that focuses on the development of this strength in not so different
ways than educators in a good school prepare their students for productive roles in
society, enjoyable careers, and life-long pursuits. Although the ultimate goals may be
slightly different many of the most effective methods are clearly evident in recruit training.
It is not the intimidating, break everyone down, and see who survives image that may be
regularly portrayed in the media, but as Colonel Jefferson put it to us in one of our
debriefings, they provide an element of controlled failure where recruits get to test their
skills and abilities in a real world, learn from failure, and move forward to become even
stronger not only as individuals but also as a team. Honor, courage and commitment are
not only talked about but soon become ways of everyday operation for the recruits,
mirrored by everyone they come in contact with.
I was proud to be a part of this organization, if even just for just a few days. From
Commanding General Laster on down, you can clearly sense the commitment to
excellence and the degree to which the Corps goes to not tear recruits down but to build
them up and try to make sure that everyone has the opportunities to develop and gain the
skills they need to become a United States Marine.
The recruiters begin the process by looking for great candidates, those drill instructors
mentor them and move them forward to really hone their skills, develop their aptitudes and
give them the confidence they need to become the very best warriors our country has.
This is an educational system that may be different from your public school but as in any
great school, it shares the most positive student-centered instructional strategies that we
all should constantly strive for.
Graduation day is a time when you see the faces of the parents and the changes in the
recruits in a short 12 weeks. As an outsider viewing that ceremony and the reactions of
the parents it is clear that boot camp is transformational in the most positive fashion you
can imagine. Any great educational endeavor could strive for no less.
Semper Fidelis truly gains meaning throughout this process, not only for the recruits but
also to outsiders like me.
On Providing Levity…. Dr. Greg K. Gibbs, Assoc. Professor of Educational Leadership, St.
Bonaventure University, Olean, New York
I was pleased to be part of the Educators’ Workshop on 14-17 April 09 at Parris Island
MCRD.
There we were a combination of educators from around the general Buffalo, New York
recruiting area ranging from 20 year olds to 60 year olds. We represented teachers,
administrators, police officers, judges, and me a university professor.
Most of us were a bit unsure about what we would participate in and how this would go, a
general bit of uncertainty. When we first met our drill instructors, we quickly new how this
would take shape. Staff Sergeant Stephanie Little was to be our group’s general guide
through the next 4-5 days.
Most of us did attempt to follow instructions and do what we were asked and told but I am
sure that we merely provided a great degree of levity for the D.I.s. To see this motley group
of various ages, physiques, and levels of preparedness attempt to march and deal with
instruction (although we are all educators in some sense) I am sure provided the drill
instructors with many moments of laughter while they were not in our presence.
I must admit I did catch a few of the D.I.s looking down and away from us from time to time, I
assume while attempting to maintain their demeanor. If I can speak for the 24 other
educators in our group, we all truly did enjoy the elements we were exposed to, but our lack
of discipline in the ways of the Corps could not be overstated. A few of our group were
Marines in their past and I am sure they had no problem with any of the activity and no
doubt laughed at the rest of us as well. However, I am certain that many of us took on the
persona of something more like “Sad Sack”, the old cartoon.
We were a pitiful group on that beginning Tuesday for sure. We actually did improve over
the course of those four to five days and by the time we were ready to leave for home we
actually seemed to be coalescing into some sort of functioning group. If we could show
improvement in 5 days I am sure the squads of recruits can do it in 12 weeks!
I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when we left Parris Island and the D.I.s
could get together and debrief that week. I am sure a few if us made memorable
impressions on the D.I.s just like we all have had students we remember forever. We
actually learned a lot and had some fun in the process, I am sure we provided a welcome
respite and an element of humor to the D.I.s as they go about their most important work,
making Marines.
On behalf of everyone in our group, thank you for the opportunity to learn more about the
Corps and see the level of transparency first hand. I think everyone of us went away with a
feeling of pride in what is going on there, in the recruits that graduate, and in the strength
of a system that continues to provide us with, and guard, the daily freedoms we so cherish.
Bonaventure University, Olean, New York
I was pleased to be part of the Educators’ Workshop on 14-17 April 09 at Parris Island
MCRD.
There we were a combination of educators from around the general Buffalo, New York
recruiting area ranging from 20 year olds to 60 year olds. We represented teachers,
administrators, police officers, judges, and me a university professor.
Most of us were a bit unsure about what we would participate in and how this would go, a
general bit of uncertainty. When we first met our drill instructors, we quickly new how this
would take shape. Staff Sergeant Stephanie Little was to be our group’s general guide
through the next 4-5 days.
Most of us did attempt to follow instructions and do what we were asked and told but I am
sure that we merely provided a great degree of levity for the D.I.s. To see this motley group
of various ages, physiques, and levels of preparedness attempt to march and deal with
instruction (although we are all educators in some sense) I am sure provided the drill
instructors with many moments of laughter while they were not in our presence.
I must admit I did catch a few of the D.I.s looking down and away from us from time to time, I
assume while attempting to maintain their demeanor. If I can speak for the 24 other
educators in our group, we all truly did enjoy the elements we were exposed to, but our lack
of discipline in the ways of the Corps could not be overstated. A few of our group were
Marines in their past and I am sure they had no problem with any of the activity and no
doubt laughed at the rest of us as well. However, I am certain that many of us took on the
persona of something more like “Sad Sack”, the old cartoon.
We were a pitiful group on that beginning Tuesday for sure. We actually did improve over
the course of those four to five days and by the time we were ready to leave for home we
actually seemed to be coalescing into some sort of functioning group. If we could show
improvement in 5 days I am sure the squads of recruits can do it in 12 weeks!
I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when we left Parris Island and the D.I.s
could get together and debrief that week. I am sure a few if us made memorable
impressions on the D.I.s just like we all have had students we remember forever. We
actually learned a lot and had some fun in the process, I am sure we provided a welcome
respite and an element of humor to the D.I.s as they go about their most important work,
making Marines.
On behalf of everyone in our group, thank you for the opportunity to learn more about the
Corps and see the level of transparency first hand. I think everyone of us went away with a
feeling of pride in what is going on there, in the recruits that graduate, and in the strength
of a system that continues to provide us with, and guard, the daily freedoms we so cherish.