Hanging up the cleats
Full Name:
Lance minimum goad Newberry
Forums:
I hate to break into the ongoing love-fest that all the threads have been lately, but I just now logged off from my final zoom class, so after 21 years with high schoolers and over 40 years in education overall I am now officially done, retiring and ready to fade into the sunset.
I could have gone a couple more years, I turn 60 late this month, and it's sad in a number of ways but I'm certain that this is the right time to leave. It's funny how sometimes you just KNOW when it's the right time for a change, or an ending. No doubts, no regrets, I completed my mission.
Being a teacher is a great thing to be and a great way to use one's time, and it's funny because for most of my years working in education it was not my career goal but just a day job while working in & pursuing a completely different path. I originally got into education because of my love of rock 'n roll, and it was a long and circuitous route to my earning a credential and teaching high school, but that is a long story I may tell another time; suffice to say here that I'm very happy about the way things turned out, I feel like I did a pretty good job at something that is important and extremely difficult to do well, and that I'm feeling good about ending it now and am ready to stop.
It will be interesting to see what happens next.
Anyway, I'm just sitting here feeling a little verklempt about it all at the moment, and the black screen has always been a good place to vent things out. Thanks for indulging me.
Now, back to your regularly scheduled arguing about politics, race, how stupid we thing the others are and what fucking insane thing Trump will do next.
(And no, I never let my personal thoughts about our heroic leader seep into my interactions with my students. Believe that or not, it's true)
Carry on.
- Log in to post comments
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: (~)};)StealYourFace
Congrats...
Congrats...
GTTS
Go Toward The Sunset
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: An organ grinder’s tune
Cheers Lance, congrats!
Cheers Lance, congrats!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MeditateontheQ
Congrats and thanks for your
Congrats and thanks for your service to young people. Important work!
Now schedule a spa day -- you deserve it!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sycamore Slough
Congrats on your retirement
Congrats on your retirement and long teaching career.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call"


Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: (~)};)StealYourFace
Lance, remember: cleats-up
Lance, remember: cleats-up when sliding into the second base of life...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Alan R
I have a feeling you had a
I have a feeling you had a very positive influence on (some of) your students.
Congratulations on your life change.
Now you need a hobby.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Briank
Congratulations! You have
Congratulations! You have made some sort of an impression on thousands of lives, and although you probably heard "thank you" very rarely, you have earned all sorts of accolades.
From all those students who never said it, "Thanks, Mr. Heathen. I remember there was one time you said something, and it has resonated with me for decades. You made a difference."
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: long live the dead
spa day!
spa day!
( perhaps drum pounding day would work for you)
strong work friend, when last seen, you were very clear about today, and I know you be fine, and you will find additional paths on your journey.
thanks and congrats - (class of 2020!)
>>just retired, and already typo in your post! jfc
I am intent on buying you a beer at the Warfield, whenever that day comes - maybe two if you still call me either jammin or jumpin joel ( and i am not in wheelchair - then three)
peace, Happy Trails
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Across
congratulations!
congratulations!
more time for long winded viva posts ;)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sound and Vision
Congratulations!!
Congratulations!! Substantial accomplishment.
Did your students ever catch on to you being a deadhead?
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Denny
Congrats, been retired from
Congrats, been retired from teaching for 6 years.
I saw that they are predicting 20% of teachers will not coming back this fall. You are one of the 20%.
Enjoy retirement, beats working by a long shot.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Lance minimum goad Newberry
>>>Did your students ever
>>>Did your students ever catch on to you being a deadhead<<<
This photo (a clearer version) has been framed and on my desk since I started.
And these lyrics were on a poster in my room...
The storyteller makes no choice
Soon you will not hear his voice
His job is to shed light
And not to master
Those lines always resonated with me, and I took them as inspiration on how to do my job.
I used to tell my students that I was a storyteller more than a teacher, and that it was my job to show them the doors but not to tell them which ones to choose.
I talked about Jerry and the GD all the time, about all the things I learned from them.
They thought the stories were interesting, but not so much the music.
Kids these days.
And thanks for the kind words folks, and thanks BrianK. As a teacher one has to know that most of our work goes unnoticed, but hopefully not lost.
If you're in it for the thanks, you're not in the right job.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
I know you were one of the
I know you were one of the best teachers ever! Your students got what you could give them, what they needed to help them with the world waiting for them. On behalf of people everywhere, thanks.
Sincerely,
~ me
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sound and Vision
Well, that's a resounding yes
Well, that's a resounding yes. Good for you!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: skyjunk
Live that life lance
Live that life lance
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Philzone Refugee
Hello, little man. Boy, I
Hello, little man. Boy, I sure heard a bunch about you. See, I was a good friend of your dad’s. We were in that Hanoi pit of hell together over five years. Hopefully, you’ll never have to experience this yourself, but when two men are in a situation like me and your Dad were, for as long as we were, you take on certain responsibilities of the other. If it had been me who had not made it, Major Coolidge would be talking right now to my son Jim. But the way it turned out is I’m talking to you, Butch. I got something for you.
This watch I got here was first purchased by your great-grandfather during the first World War. It was bought in a little general store in Knoxville, Tennessee. Made by the first company to ever make wrist watches. Up till then people just carried pocket watches. It was bought by private Doughboy Ernie Coolidge on the day he set sail for Paris. It was your great-grandfather’s war watch and he wore it every day he was in that war. When he had done his duty, he went home to your great-grandmother, took the watch off, put it an old coffee can, and in that can it stayed until your granddad Dane Coolidge was called upon by his country to go overseas and fight the Germans once again. This time they called it World War II. Your great-grandfather gave this watch to your granddad for good luck. Unfortunately, Dane’s luck wasn’t as good as his old man’s. Dane was a Marine and he was killed, along with the other Marines at the battle of Wake Island. Your granddad was facing death, he knew it. None of those boys had any illusions about ever leaving that island alive. So three days before the Japanese took the island, your granddad asked a gunner on an Air Force transport name of Winocki, a man he had never met before in his life, to deliver to his infant son, who he’d never seen in the flesh, his gold watch. Three days later, your granddad was dead. But Winocki kept his word. After the war was over, he paid a visit to your grandmother, delivering to your infant father, his dad’s gold watch.
This watch. This watch was on your daddy’s wrist when he was shot down over Hanoi. He was captured, put in a Vietnamese prison camp. He knew if the gooks ever saw the watch it’d be confiscated, taken away. The way your dad looked at it, that watch was your birthright. He’d be damned if any slopes were gonna put their greasy yellow hands on his boy’s birthright. So he hid it in the one place he knew he could hide something. His ass. Five long years, he wore this watch up his ass. Then he died of dysentery, he gave me the watch. I hid this uncomfortable hunk of metal up my ass two years. Then, after seven years, I was sent home to my family. And now, little man, I give the watch to you.
<<<<<
Enjoy your gold watch, Lance, you earned it!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Localcountyline
Well done Lance.
Well done Lance. Congratulations.
I think most of us had one or two teachers that we look back on and remember fondly, those who taught us life,
not just facts. I image you were one of these type of teachers for many of your students, and they will take what you
taught and go forward, and think of you well, 30 years later.
Enjoy your "retirement", but I'm sure you have much more to do!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Racketinmyhead
Congratulations on your
Congratulations on your retirement.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MarkD
Congrats Tom! Knowing you, I
Congrats Tom! Knowing you, I know what a great teacher you must have been in your career. Teaching is the most under-rated service there is. And a very tough one to do well. Thank you for your service.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mice elf
Awesome job man,
Awesome job man, congratulations and thank you for your contribution to our future. I think you were probably an awesome teacher and certainly the rare kind that I would have actually learned something from as a kid.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: jazfish
Congratulations, Lance.
Congratulations, Lance. Enjoy and get some onya.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: intentionally blank
Congrats on your retirement.
Congrats on your retirement.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: DNB - Best band & fans in the land!
Congrats, Tom!
Congrats, Tom!
GTTP = Get That Teacher's Pension
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: drkstar
a selfless, albeit long
a selfless, albeit long winded profession fits you perfect, Lance and I bet like the rest have said above you made an amazing impression on many in 40 years
congrats Lance. it speaks volumes of the quality of your character that you provided 40 years of your life to the teaching profession
I am sure this provides you more time to zone. I expect a through analysis from time to time to keep us dummies honest
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: _
Far out and very righteous.
Far out and very righteous.
Congratulations!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sun so hot, clouds so low
Great news on your retirement
Great news on your retirement! Thanks for your dedication to future generations.
My mom was a teacher. She always said part of the job was not so much to be a teacher, but a motivator. I should have taken her advice and gone into teaching. I'm always proud to say I should have listened to my mother. She turns 80 this week. May you have a splendid retirement and many years to enjoy!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Dave
Congratulations! Having
Congratulations! Having retired two years ago, I'm here to tell you (IMHO) it is the best.
There is this whole beautiful world outside of work. Even in this day and age. Enjoy.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mylar
Congrats, Mr. Chips!
Congrats, Mr. Chips!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: JP (J Bomb)
It will be interesting to see
It will be interesting to see what happens next.<<<<
DBMB moderator.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Rasputin O'Leary
40 years inspiring young
40 years inspiring young minds, well done my man. Time to relax a bit
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: ogkb
congratulations man. that's
congratulations man. that's amazing.
i bet you were one of the teachers that kids actually wanted to have.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Zzzzzz
Does this mean longer posts?
Does this mean longer posts? ;)
Congrats Lance, appreciate everything you and all teachers do.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: gypsy tailwind
Congrats man, public educators like yourself are few and far between these days.
I've got 2 retired and 1 still teaching in my family.
Mostly thankless service, but I'm sure in your case, many, if they haven't already are thankful they had
you as one of their teachers.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Woz
Congratulations Tom, enjoy
Congratulations Tom, enjoy retirement!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Jay
Hey Lance- congratulations.
Hey Lance- congratulations. That's great to hear. I'm sure you didn't envision ending on such a weird note with Covid and everything but it sounds like you're happy regardless. Enjoy the time- you deserve it.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Mike Dalton
Congratulations Lance. I'm
Congratulations Lance. I'm guessing they are going to miss you at the old homestead
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: the obvious was clear
Hey Lance,
Hey Lance,
This is great news, you made the right decision to start enjoying more free time and the ride into the sunset.
Cheers!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: MarkD
The Zone at it's best.
The Zone at it's best.