S38: Ron Clark

[Whimsy]

Meet Ron

Age: 46

Hometown: Chocowinity, North Carolina

Current Residence: Atlanta

Occupation: Teacher, Ron Clark Academy

Personal Claim to Fame: I co-founded the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, where we teach using passion, innovative strategies and creative methods to inspire all of our students to reach success. Each week, we also train educators from around the world so that they can incorporate our strategies in their schools. To date, over 50,000 educators have visited RCA to receive training, and we are starting a revolution! I hope that doesn’t overshadow the fact that back in 2002 I won the showcase showdown on The Price is Right.

Hobbies: Life doesn’t get any better than giving my Chow Chow pups belly rubs! I also get a kick out of watching the roulette ball spin and land in the single zero, but I think my main hobby is surprising people by making really unique moments for them. When I was a kid, my family didn’t have money, but my parents put a lot of effort into making simple moments magical. I now try to follow in their footsteps and try my best to do that for my students, friends and family. I also like telling stories and participating in anything competitive such as poker, pool, trivia, basketball, tennis and “Bamboo Stick Speller,” a game my friends and I created. 

Pet Peeves: I’m a sore loser. Like really sore. I’ll stew over a Monopoly loss for weeks, wondering, “just where did I go wrong.” Also, I hate when people slurp food (like soup) or smack chew gum. People, we can hear you!

If You Could Have 3 Things on the Island What Would They Be and Why? A recording device that I could leave under the shelter so that I would always be in the know. A returning player that others would focus on voting out so that the target wouldn’t be on me. My wedding ring, so I’d be inspired by the love waiting for me at home.

SURVIVOR Contestant You Are Most Like: I’m a compassionate person, but everyone who knows me well says that during competitions I turn into a villain. I also overanalyze everything. For those reasons, I don’t think there’s a past contestant that is a perfect fit for me, but I think my game play will be most like Spencer Bledsoe.

[marys1000]

So maybe he really is a genuine fan.  Why does this seem like some big promo for his Jim Baker like school?  

[Bryce Lynch]

On 2/11/2019 at 11:12 AM, marys1000 said:

So maybe he really is a genuine fan.  Why does this seem like some big promo for his Jim Baker like school?  

I am trying to decide whether he school seems shady or not.   I was leaning toward skepticism, but I think he might be OK.

[LadyChatts]

On 2/11/2019 at 8:20 AM, Whimsy said:

If You Could Have 3 Things on the Island What Would They Be and Why? A recording device that I could leave under the shelter so that I would always be in the know. A returning player that others would focus on voting out so that the target wouldn’t be on me. My wedding ring, so I’d be inspired by the love waiting for me at home.

Well, he's got 4 to pick from this season.  Also, past history would tell us that returning players aren't always early boots in seasons like this.

And is he saying his pet peeve is himself because he's a sore loser?  Again, not sure how that will go over if his tribe is a Ulong or Matsing.

Not digging this guy so far.

Edited February 12, 2019 by LadyChatts

[Lamb18]

What bugs me when I look at his picture is that his face and body don't match up. He looks so soft.

[AuntieDiane6]

Quote

I am trying to decide whether he school seems shady or not.   I was leaning toward skepticism,

Hell, no!!  Ron Clark was the Disney NATIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR several years ago when he taught in one of the worst-performing schools in NYC.  He said the core of schools' problems is the disconnect between the home and school. His principal said the reason she hired him was that he was late for his interview because he was in the hallway breaking up a fight between two boys by talking them down from their anger ... He set up rules for his classroom including looking people in the eye when they ask you a question and responding to polite inquiries (like "How are you?") with a response back to them, "And how are YOU?" He made a point of visiting every child's home during the school year.  Disney sent him on a nationwide school tour and then he wrote a book on teaching.

It was after that he went to Atlanta to open his own school (in a low-income area) and said one of his goals was to have his students get a chance to travel abroad and see how other people in the world lived.   He was on Oprah a few times as well.

I hope he wins.  

[Bryce Lynch]

On 2/14/2019 at 4:03 PM, AuntieDiane6 said:

Hell, no!!  Ron Clark was the Disney NATIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR several years ago when he taught in one of the worst-performing schools in NYC.  He said the core of schools' problems is the disconnect between the home and school. His principal said the reason she hired him was that he was late for his interview because he was in the hallway breaking up a fight between two boys by talking them down from their anger ... He set up rules for his classroom including looking people in the eye when they ask you a question and responding to polite inquiries (like "How are you?") with a response back to them, "And how are YOU?" He made a point of visiting every child's home during the school year.  Disney sent him on a nationwide school tour and then he wrote a book on teaching.

It was after that he went to Atlanta to open his own school (in a low-income area) and said one of his goals was to have his students get a chance to travel abroad and see how other people in the world lived.   He was on Oprah a few times as well.

I hope he wins.  

Well, you cut off the part where I wrote, "but I think he might be OK"

I heard Rob and Nicole go through some of his 55 rules on RHAP and that has nudged me more towards thinking he is probably a good guy.  He definitely preaches courtesy, which I appreciate.  

[Nashville]

For some reason I keep getting the feeling no form of address or reference for this guy will be correct except his full name - probably in all caps.  Not “Ron”, not “Ronnie”, not “Mr. Clark”, not “Lance Armstrong Jr.” even - just RON CLARK.

(Maybe RONCLARK in a rush)

😉

[violet and green]

He seems pretty nice, so far. I'm glad it was him getting that advantage, versus that cocky firefighter, for example.

He is also way old - way olde - and given the "old lady" (also 46, grrr) got the boot first tribal, I am very glad this ancient bag of bones has some way of keeping his tired, broke-down old ass in the game for the next few tribals. I do hope his tribemates can refrain from calling him Dad, though...

Hope he goes far, and teams up with the woman with the red-gold hair, and Aubry maybe; and later on adopts Wendy into his alliance, saving all the nicer people and teaching politeness as he goes along.

[Bryce Lynch]

On 2/21/2019 at 8:16 PM, violet and green said:

He seems pretty nice, so far. I'm glad it was him getting that advantage, versus that cocky firefighter, for example.

He is also way old - way olde - and given the "old lady" (also 46, grrr) got the boot first tribal, I am very glad this ancient bag of bones has some way of keeping his tired, broke-down old ass in the game for the next few tribals. I do hope his tribemates can refrain from calling him Dad, though...

Hope he goes far, and teams up with the woman with the red-gold hair, and Aubry maybe; and later on adopts Wendy into his alliance, saving all the nicer people and teaching politeness as he goes along.

Well, so far, his tribe won the only immunity challenge, he was alert enough to spot the secret advantage clue, and he hasn't messed with anyone else's personal belongings, so I think he is doing OK.  

[marys1000]

On 2/21/2019 at 2:43 PM, Nashville said:

For some reason I keep getting the feeling no form of address or reference for this guy will be correct except his full name - probably in all caps.  Not “Ron”, not “Ronnie”, not “Mr. Clark”, not “Lance Armstrong Jr.” even - just RON CLARK.

(Maybe RONCLARK in a rush)

😉

Yea, who names their big school after themselves?

[Bryce Lynch]

1 hour ago, marys1000 said:

Yea, who names their big school after themselves?

I read somewhere that he said they named the school after him because of all the publicity he had received, including he movie about his experience teaching in NYC.   I'm still not sure if he is an attention hound, a great educator or both.   At this point, I think he is probably a good guy.  

[Nashville]

2 hours ago, marys1000 said:

Yea, who names their big school after themselves?

RON CLARK does!!!  😄