Staying MotivatedFirst-year students are usually pretty easy to spot this time of year. Theyre the ones roaming around in packs or looking lost. Given a little time, the freshmen will find their way around campus. But heres a sobering thought: Many of them will never be more academically motivated than they are right now.

Two-thirds of fourth-year students surveyed for the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education saw their motivation stay the same or decline during college. Its a finding that Josipa Roksa, co-author of Academically Adrift, has described as much more disturbing than the small gains in critical thinking detailed in that book. So why does motivation flag? And is there anything professors can do to turn it around?

One culprit is grades or at the least the evaluative grades (think letters or percentages) used in most classes, as discussed in this recent article. Students who get low grades may become less engaged; those who get high grades may focus on keeping them up rather than on learning. One way to boost motivation, then, is to provide descriptive feedback instead.

Theres more to motivating students than how you grade, of course. Students motivation is closely tied to their sense of a courses intrinsic worth, research has found. Thats something professors can cultivate by giving students autonomy, for instance by letting them tailor assignments to their interests. Motivating students isnt just a warm, fuzzy thing to do: Gains in motivation predict retention. And whatever else happens to this years freshmen, colleges definitely want them back as next years sophomores.

How have you helped students forge a deeper connection to your course? Are there strategies youve used to help students maintain or even increase their motivation? Send an example to beckie.supiano@chronicle.com and I may include it in a future Teaching newsletter.

Education and Polarization

Education is often touted as an effective way to counteract our increasingly polarized climate. But it might not always help, according to researchers at Carnegie Mellon University who studied the interaction between education, political and religious identity, and attitudes about polarizing issues.

For certain topics, people who had taken more general-education courses and had more-extensive science knowledge held more-polarized attitudes. Specifically, when these highly educated people were asked about stem-cell research, human evolution, and the Big-Bang theory, their religious or political identity came into play, and their views became increasingly polarized. When they were asked about climate change, their political identities were activated, which also increased polarization. In contrast, nanotechnology and genetically modified food didn't trigger the same kinds of polarization.

When it comes to controversial issues, the authors wrote, "the gap between beliefs among political conservatives and liberals widens as education increases."

These findings bring to mind the work of Dan M. Kahan, of Yale, about whom our former colleague Paul Voosen wrote a few years ago. Mr. Kahans theory is that tribal biases, or what he calls "cultural cognition," often govern how we perceive scientific knowledge.

Another Use for the SyllabusA few weeks ago, we asked you to share ways that you use your syllabus as a teaching tool. Catheryn J. Weitman, dean of University College at Texas A&M International University, uses hers to model how students can complete an assignment that she often gives in her organizational-leadership course.

In this assignment, students select and submit a quote that, in some way, relates to each chapter they must read. The assignment allows her to see who understands the reading and helps her start the discussion of each chapter.

In her syllabus, she models how the assignment might be completed, by including quotes that relate to various parts of that document. For example, in the part of the syllabus thats about deadlines, she quotes the writer Douglas Adams: I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make when they fly by.

Beckie and Dan

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Teaching Newsletter: The Motivation Cliff, 8/31/2017 - The Chronicle of Higher Education

FOREST CITY Michaela Clark, 82, has always loved to read.

Sometimes I have three books going at once, said the Forest City resident.

Now she is encouraging others to develop a love of reading.

A few weeks ago she opened a Little Free Library in front of her house at 130 Westgate Drive. She thinks its the first one in Forest City.

A Little Free Library is a wooden box thats filled with books. The box has a door with a window so passers-by can see the titles of the books that are inside before they open it.

People are encouraged to take a book and return it, or keep the book and replace it with another book.

The more than 50,000 Little Free Libraries around the globe are maintained by volunteer stewards like Clark.

Clark said she had heard about Free Little Libraries here and there and mentioned it to her daughter Theresa Giradi, who lives in the Des Moines area.

Theresa told her husband, Tony, and he looked up the directions online on how to build a Little Free Library.

Clark, who had forgotten she had even told her daughter about the Free Little Libraries, was at their house and saw Tony building something.

I asked if it was a birdhouse and he said, No, its for you. Its your library, she said. Hes such a sweetheart.

Theresa painted the library for her mom.

Clarks other daughter and son-in-law, Lorie and Doug Bolinger, who live south of Forest City, installed the Little Free Library box on top of a post on the lawn next to the curb in front of her house.

Clark put some books from her huge collection in the box. She said she checks the library once in a while and can see people have removed books and replaced them.

One day she saw some children open the door to check out what was inside.

They were so cute standing there and going through them all, Clark said.

The youngsters came back and put some childrens books in the Little Free Library. Clark said she appreciates that because there werent many books for kids in the library originally.

Last Wednesday the Little Free Library contained novels by Danielle Steel, Tom Clancy, Herman Wouk and Gillian Flynn, as well as the classic childrens book The Story About Ping and the more contemporary Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

She plans to switch out some of the books in the box with others she owns.

You never know what people like to read, she said.

Clark has plenty of books to choose from.

I have quite a stash downstairs, she said.

Clark said her library, which is registered with the Little Free Library non-profit organization, is in an ideal spot, with lots of single family homes and apartment buildings in the neighborhood.

We have a lot of little kids from across the road, she said.

Its not difficult to start a Little Free Library of your own, she said. All the information is available online at littlefreelibrary.org.

The hardest thing was getting a building permit and all the stuff that goes with it, she said.

Clark hopes her library will encourage others to read, and maybe start Little Free Libraries of their own.

I hope it catches on and someone gets some good out of it, she said.

More:
Forest City woman shares love of reading through Little Free Library - Mason City Globe Gazette

The beginning of a new school year always feels like a new chapter, with students from preschool to college starting fresh on a year full of learning and growth. Theyre working toward goals like reading independently, conquering quadratic equations, creating a website or writing a research paper.

Whatever a students level, the public library has resources and tools to help them be successful.

If you have a child who is learning to read independently, and find you dont have enough books at their reading level, the childrens librarian at the public library is ready to offer assistance with the librarys supply of leveled readers for children. For older students who may be looking for their next great read, or who need to choose a good book for a school assignment, Central Rappahannock Regional Librarys Book Match and My Librarian services provide personalized reading recommendations based on the readers interests. Both services can be found under the Explore tab at librarypoint.org; simply fill out the online form and click Submit.

All you need to have full access to the online tutoring via Credo Online Reference database is a CRRL library card. Credos Homework Help offers online tutoring in science, math, social studies, reading and writing for students in grades 3 through 12.

With tutors available Monday through Thursday and on Saturday, Homework Help connects students with trained teachers through a live chat where students can ask questions and show their work on a virtual blackboard. Credo Online Reference database can be accessed on CRRLs website at librarypoint.org and then clicking the Research tab.

For high school, college, grad school and other post-secondary students, CRRLs Testing and Education Reference Center is a goldmine of test prep help with online tutorials, question banks and practice tests for AP, SAT, ASVAB, GED, LSAT and more. Simply have your CRRL library card handy, click on the Research tab at librarypoint.org and select Testing and Education Reference Center to begin studying.

While older students may be accustomed to the routine of starting a new school year and dive into studying, younger children may want some help easing into a new school year. These picture books can help by providing some reassurance and humor about their new school experiences.

Here Comes Teacher Cat by Deborah Underwood. When Ms. Melba has to go to the doctor, Cat needs to fill in as teacher for the kittens. Things dont go quite as planned. Cat is not excited about kittens, especially when it means interrupting nap time. Cat doesnt have a plan for what to do with the kittens all day, so makes due with inspiration from the supply closet. Ms. Melba comes back to find both Cat and the kittens had a day filled with fun and learning (which involved making a bit of a mess).

Tool School by Joan Holub. Five cool tools head to school with their super building skills. They find each of their skills is impressive, but they can only do so much alone and can accomplish much more by working together as a team.

Fall is for School by Robert Neubecker. Sister is excited for fall because that means it is time for school to start, but brother is not excited at all. He wants the running and playing of summer to continue. Sister tells him how fun school is, learning about the planets and the stars, and dinosaurs and mummies, and reading about fascinating people. His sisters enthusiasm finally convinces brother that summer might be a little too boring, and that he really is excited for school to begin.

The Teachers Pet by Anica Mrose Rissi. After the class science project hatches, Mr. Stricter decides to keep one hatchling, Bruno, as a class pet. Little does he know how big and out of hand Bruno will become. Mr. Stricter loves Bruno so much he cant see all the problems the class pet creates, so the students try to show their teacher just how troublesome Bruno is. A farcical story about a science experiment gone wrong.

Darcie Caswell is youth services coordinator at Central Rappahannock Regional Library.

Continue reading here:
Book Corner: Books are picture perfect way to start school year - Fredericksburg.com

ARKADELPHIA The Clark County Library has been a fixture in downtown Arkadelphia for more than 100 years. It is showing its age.

The roof leaks in several places, one of the four iconic columns that define the front of the building is in dire need of repair and the windows no longer hold a seal.

The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, recently awarded the Clark County Library a Historic Preservation Restoration Grant of $26,666 for roof, window and column restoration.

The library was one of 31 projects statewide that shared $960,853 in Historic Preservation Restoration Grants, which distribute funds raised through the Real Estate Transfer Tax to rehabilitate buildings listed on the Arkansas or National Register of Historic Places. The Clark County Library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Nov. 5, 1974.

Repairing the roof is the No. 1 priority, said Ashley Graves, library director. We have several leaks in the roof, particularly around where the old fireplaces used to be.

We also want to focus on the front of the building, in particular, on one of the columns that has deteriorated, she said. As I understand it, that column will have to be reconstructed. It is made of multiple pieces of wood around a metal pole. It will have to be made by hand and rebuilt in place.

Graves said a local architectural firm Twin Rivers Architecture has been contacted.

The grant has been approved but the architect has to submit a work plan before the grant money can be released, said Graves, who was hired as the library director in February. The plan has to be approved by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and has to maintain the historical integrity of the building.

Graves served nine years as director at the Malvern-Hot Spring County Library prior to coming to Arkadelphia. She holds a bachelors degree in English and history from Henderson State University

and a masters degree in library science from Texas Womans University.

Graves said the front of the library features four wooden columns that are original to the building.

They all need to be restored, but one in particular is in bad shape, she said. We will have to ask for additional funding in the years to come to restore them all.

Graves said the library applied for $40,000 from AHPP, but by the time we pay our matching part of the grant, which is 33 percent, we will receive $26,666 from AHPP.

We will pay our percentage from our regular budget from funds allocated for capital outlay, she said.

Graves said the Clark County Library Board has been brainstorming for some fundraising ideas.

Without additional funding, we cant afford to do much, she said. We have been told [by AHPP] that another grant cycle will probably open up at the end of the year.

With this current grant, we hope to be able to repair the roof and the one column, she said. Then, depending on how far that money goes, we hope to have the entire outside of the library painted.

Graves said the windows in the library need restoration as well.

Due to moisture, they are starting to separate at the bottom, she said. They need to be redone to seal out the moisture.

She said some problems are evident in the back of the building, also; the back of the building is an addition to the original building.

Some of the masonry is beginning to pull away from the building, she said. The windows in the back of the building also need to be replaced in accordance with AHPP guidelines.

That is the least of the problems right now, she said. Structurally, that part of the building is OK right now.

Graves said the Clark County Library is funded by a dedicated millage 1 mill, she said. To date, that is our only source of funding. That 1 mill does not go very far.

This AHPP grant is just getting us over the hump, Graves said. This building is over 100 years old and will always require maintenance. We hope to work with the Department of Arkansas Heritage in helping us develop a long-range plan to maintain this building.

Working with Graves at the Clark County Library are Danella Metcalf, childrens coordinator; Linda Jones, circulation manager; and Tionna Carter and Destanie Nelson, library clerks.

According to information found on the AHHP website, the Clark County Library was built at 609 Caddo St. through the efforts of the Womens Library Association, which was formed in 1897. The building was completed in 1903. Charles L. Thompson designed the library in the Classical architectural style; James Pullan was the builder.

From its 1903 opening until 1939, the library was owned and operated by the Womens Library Association, which continues to meet monthly at the library. In later years, the building and its contents were donated to the city of Arkadelphia. In 1974 the deed was transferred to the Clark County Library Board, which now manages the library and operates under state and county codes and the guidance of policies established by the American Library Association; board members are appointed by the Clark County Quorum Court.

Allison Echols, chairman of the library board, said the AHHP grant is fantastic.

The library needs so much, she said. It is hard to keep it up. Lots and lots of things need attention. The board appreciates all grants and donations. We would love to be able to re-do the whole building to bring it up to par.

Echols said she has been a member of the library board off and on for 20 years or more.

I love the library, she said. I went there as a child and have never quit going.

The Clark County Library is part of the Clark County Library System, which also operates the Cabe Public Library in Gurdon. The Clark County Library System is a department of Clark County.

Read the original:
Clark County Library receives restoration grant - Arkansas Online

The lower level of the McDowell County Public Library in Marion will be closed this month due to recent water damage.

We first thought it was sewage but it was chlorinated water, said Steve Taylor, systems administrator for the library.

The water got into the Abe Simmons Genealogy Room & North Carolina History room, lower level staff offices and the IT section of the library. It did not get into the Childrens Area of the library or the downstairs meeting room, but those areas will remain closed during cleanup. The main level of the library was not affected at all.

The water was first seen entering into the lower level Monday morning.

Taylor added the water rose to about a couple of inches before it stopped. It only managed to get into the genealogy/N.C. history room, some staff offices and the IT room. Taylor said the water damage did not affect the librarys computer system. Patti Holda with the genealogy/N.C. history room said very little of the materials and books inside her section got any damage because most of them were off the floor.

The water entered into the library because the swimming pool at the nearby McDowell Rec Center was being drained. The amount of water from the Rec Centers pool being emptied overwhelmed the city of Marions sewer system and this caused the backup into the lower level of the library, according to Maintenance Director Terry DePoyster.

The librarys downstairs section is below street level and it was the closest to the Rec Center.

Both DePoyster and Taylor said chlorinated water got into the library rather than sewage.

The furniture and equipment from the genealogy room, the offices and the IT section have been moved into the Childrens Area and the meeting room, which suffered no damage. The carpet has been removed and the floors of the areas that were damaged have been scraped. New flooring will need to be put down there.

DePoyster said he does not yet know the cost of repairs.

Were still in the assessing mode, he added.

Because of this, the entire lower level of the Marion branch is closed until further notice including the parts that suffered no damage. It will be closed for the month of September.

The main level of the Marion branch will continue to operate as normal and the public can still make use of it. Taylor said the staff members on the main level were not aware anything was happening when the water came into the buildings downstairs.

Library patrons are encouraged to use the Old Fort branch for researching genealogy or local history or enjoying childrens activities, said DePoyster.

They can also continue to use the N.C. Cardinal, which is a consortium of North Carolina public libraries that share an online catalog and an integrated library system (ILS), and share resources with other member libraries. McDowell County Public Library is a member of this consortium.

Holda and other staff members said they are sorry the Childrens Area had to be closed since so many parents and their children look forward to coming there. For example, the Paws for Reading program has been popular for young people and is particularly effective for those youngsters with autism, said Holda.

Local civic groups and organizations which use the meeting room have been notified it is now closed until further notice.

See the article here:
Library's lower level closed until further notice - McDowell News

The Board of Pensions and Retirement was charged under the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter with the creation and maintenance of an actuarially sound Retirement System providing benefits for all City employees. The Ordinance (Bill No. 907) implementing the present Retirement System was formally approved by City Council on December 1956, and the System became operational effective January 1, 1957. The enactment of Bill No. 907 superseded the Act of Assembly approved May 20, 1915, P.L. 566, under which the Pension Fund had previously been governed.

The Board, as defined in the Home Rule Charter, is composed of the Director of Finance, who serves as chairperson, the Managing Director, the City Solicitor, the Personnel Director, the City Controller and four members who are elected by the Civil Service employees of the City Philadelphia. The elected members serve a four-year term of office.

The 9-member Board formally approves all benefit applications, but its major role is that of 'trustee', to ensure that the Retirement System remains actuarially and financially sound for the benefit of current and future benefits recipients. The Board, with the assistance of its professional consultants, develops the policies and strategies which will enable the Board to successfully execute its fiduciary obligations.

The Executive Director, aided by a staff of 75 personnel, administers the day-to-day activities of the Retirement System, providing services to over 64, 000 members.

Membership

The Public Employees Retirement System provides benefits to police, fire and civilian workers of the City of Philadelphia through the administration of 18 separate plans adopted from 1915 to the present. In addition, the Board of Pensions administers (but does not fund) a pension plan for the employees of quasi-public agencies (the Philadelphia Parking Authority, the Philadelphia Municipal Authority and the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation.

Originally posted here:
City of Philadelphia: Board of Pensions

Ben Askren will step inside the cage for the last time in November.

The ONE Championship welterweight kingpin will take on former lightweight champion Shinya Aoki at the promotions upcoming event in Singapore on Nov. 24, Evolve MMA founder Chatri Sityodtong announced on his Facebook page.

According to Sityodtong, this will be Askrens last MMA fight before he becomes an executive at ONE.

Aoki (39-7, 1 no-contest) will compete at welterweight for the second time in his career, eight years after losing to Hayato Sakurai at the DREAM welterweight tournament. The Japanese star holds a 5-1 record under the ONE banner.

Askren (17-0) is a former Bellator 170-pound champion with three title defenses inside the ONE cage. Funky's" latest bout took place Saturday in Shanghai, when he dominated and finished Zebaztian Kadestam.

Sityodtong also announced a rematch between strawweight champion Angela Lee and Mei Yamaguchi, who meet again a little over a year after the first bout, a five-round classic that ended with Lee taking the title from the Japanese veteran.

Lee (8-0) has already fought twice in 2017, defending the belt with a pair of finishes against Jenny Huang and Istela Nunes, while Yamaguchi (16-10-1) enters the title bout coming off a second-round submission victory over Huang.

Link:
Ben Askren set to take on Shinya Aoki in retirement fight - MMA Fighting

12:29 AM ET

Adam Schefter

John Keim

Washington Redskins safety Su'a Cravens told some within the organization this weekend that he is planning to retire, but a meeting with the team's coaches and executives has changed his mind for now, according to league sources.

Cravens, 22, who was nursing a knee injury, was put on the team's exempt/left squad list later Sunday. His roster spot was taken by offensive tackle T.J. Clemmings, who was claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings.

Cravens must sit out for a month, at which point the Redskins will have to make a decision about his status.

Cravens informed the other defensive backs in a group chat Saturday night that he was going to retire and then exited the session by saying "Peace out," a source said. They were upset with him and what they heard.

Cravens is one of the league's youngest players, a second-round pick last year, and he is struggling with his transition to the NFL. Washington officials want to help him through his issues rather than have him walk away from the game, which would make him one of the youngest NFL players to date to retire.

One person who played with Cravens in the past and considers him a friend said he was not surprised when he heard the news Sunday. He added that you never know if a player loves the game until he faces adversity.

Cravens' only comment came via a post to his Instagram story later Sunday evening that read, "Thank you to those who showed their true colors today. Both positively in support and negatively in misunderstanding and frustration. Either way my response is the same to both groups, I love ya! and thank ya! God Bless."

An article on SI.com this spring stated that Cravens left teammates wondering about his desire when he didn't push through harder with a bruised biceps injury. In training camp, linebacker Will Compton was miked for CSN Washington and was heard prodding Cravens about his motivation for being on the field. Compton told him, "I haven't felt it from you. The last two [practices], you haven't gave me anything."

Compton wanted to know what helped him push through the tough part of camp, and Cravens later told him, "I can't fake it, though."

Washington did not respond to questions about the safety.

"Shocking," Redskins safety D.J. Swearinger said upon hearing the news. "He has to handle what he needs to handle, whether mental or with his family. We're here to support him. That's tough. I'm not in those shoes, so I can't speak on him, so whatever he's dealing with I'm praying for him, and hopefully he'll be back.

"If it's family issues, personal issues, whatever he's dealing with, I'm supportive. Hopefully he'll deal with what he has to deal with and be back out here."

Linebacker Mason Foster said he was surprised by the news.

"Definitely. He's a great player, a great person," Foster said. "People have lives outside of football, and sometimes you have to handle that first. Hopefully he gets that resolved and comes back and helps us win games this year. I'll try to talk to him later on, tell him I'm praying for him, but I'm going straight to the iPad and watching Philly."

"You never know what's in anyone's life, so you make sure that's fine first and foremost before you get back to your job," Redskins cornerback Josh Norman said.

"This game tests your wits in every form, every facet of your body, your mentals. Everything. If you're not ready to come back and play and give it your all, and your heart isn't in it, then you'll seriously go out there and get hurt."

After practice, multiple players said coach Jay Gruden addressed the players about Cravens' situation and said to stay focused on the season opener when discussing it with the media. Gruden did not address the media Sunday but will do so Tuesday.

Several days ago, a source close to Cravens said he was anxious to return from his injury and he was confident he'd be ready for the opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. The past few weeks, there had been some unease in the building about Cravens' missed time and what the team could expect from him. Indeed, the Washington Post reported that he had been talking to some members of the coaching staff about retiring the past few weeks.

View original post here:
Su'a Cravens of Washington Redskins, 22, pondered retiring - ESPN

Question: I am 60 and my husband is 56. Does it make more sense for me to begin collecting at 62 instead of waiting until I am 66? I figured I could be collecting for eight years because when I turn 70, he will be 66 and at that time I can collect 1/2 of his which is much more than mine would be at my full retirement age. My math shows it is beneficial but I would like your advice. Also, if I did collect at 62, what is the maximum I can make at my job to continue working?

Answer: So, heres what David Cechanowicz, a senior financial planner with REDW Stanley Financial Advisors, had to say:

The question of when and how to file for Social Security benefits is linked to a host of issues that are unique to each claimant. In your question you gave me a slight glimpse of some of the data, but not enough to give you a definitive answer.

To set the stage, all of the following can have a significant impact on the retirement claiming question.

Health The issue of health and longevity is foundational to answering the question of when should I claim my Social Security retirement benefits. Closely linked are questions that focus on the state of your personal finances, your willingness and or ability to work, and the amount of other assets or sources of income that you might have to supplement your income in retirement. Also, the amount of your own retirement benefit, and the amount of possible spousal and or retirement benefits that you may be entitled to factor into the equation.

Assuming that you were born in 1957, your full retirement age is 66 and 6 months, and your husbands full retirement age is 67. For both of you, claiming early will represent a significant reduction in benefits from those available at full retirement age, or afterword, for those who can wait for delayed retirement credits.

From what you have told us, you will reach your own full retirement age during the year that your husband turns 62. At that time, if he has filed for benefits, you will be eligible for 50% of his primary insurance amount, or the benefit that he will collect when he turns age 67. It is important to note that you will be eligible for half of his full retirement benefit, even if he claims his benefits at age 62. That is because you will have reached your own full retirement benefit at that time. However, if he waits to claim his benefits at his full retirement age, you will not be able to claim a spousal benefit on his work record.

A financial planner that I reached out to suggests that your instinct about claiming early is probably going to be your best choice. Since your husbands earliest retirement age coincides with your own full retirement age, and if you dont run into the earnings test, then you will probably be best off claiming early, especially if he claims early as well.

The earnings test that you asked about is indexed for inflation and will be higher than the number for 2017. For this year, for every two dollars that you earn over $16,920 would require you to give back one dollar of Social Security benefits. Sometimes it will still make sense to be subject to the earnings test for individuals who end up giving back only a small part of their Social Security benefit.

For example, assume a retirement benefit in 2017 of $600 a month and a worker who is between the ages of age 62 and 65. (In other words, working in other than the year that he or she reaches full retirement age. In that year the exempt amount rises to $44,880. Additionally, a worker gives up one dollar of Social Security for every three dollars of income above the exempt amount.) In that case, you could work for the entire year and earn $23,000, and end up still getting Social Security checks for the last six months of the year of approximately $600 a month.

Original post:
Collect Social Security at 62 and spousal at full retirement age? - MarketWatch

Its as if hes a rookie, as opposed to a quarterback who spent the last 11 years in the NFL.

Jay Cutler is once again adjusting to the speed of the game.

With no offseason program or minicamps, hes had to hit the ground running in Miami, coming out of retirement and dumping his plans to be an on-air football analyst to step in for the injured Ryan Tannehill.

Coming from a place youve been for eight years, you kind of know everybody, said Cutler, 34, who spent his first three seasons in Denver and the next eight in Chicago. Theres a new influx of people from year to year, but for the majority, you know everybody.

He said his first few days with the Dolphins were a whirlwind, and that its getting easier and more comfortable by the day.

Of course, Cutler is quite familiar with the offense of coach Adam Gase, who was his offensive coordinator with the Bears in 2015 when the quarterback threw for 21 touchdowns with 11 interceptions, and had a career-best passer rating of 92.3.

He has the offense down pretty good, Gase said. Hes a quick study.

Its just really knowing what it is and seeing it in your head on paper and then all of the sudden youve got four guys rushing at you or they bring some kind of exotic blitz and the processing speed of all that. And then still trying to figure out the receivers body language or run courses and play-action fakes. Theres a lot of little things that go on just besides saying, Hey Im going to execute this like its on paper.

The Dolphins are looking to finally reshuffle the power structure in a division that has been dominated for so long by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Brady, who turned 40 this summer, is on the verge of all sorts of records. He led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes last season and is tied with Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers with a record four seasons of at least 35 touchdown passes. Four more regular-season victories would move Brady past Manning (186) and Brett Favre (186) for the most in history by a starting quarterback.

Whats more, Brady and Manning are the only two players with 11 seasons of 12 or more wins. One more, and Brady would stand alone.

Hes not getting too far ahead of himself, though. Hes almost annoyed by all the 19-0 talk thats buzzing around the powerhouse Patriots.

This team is so far from where we need to be, and we have so far to go, Brady told WEEI radio in Boston. Its really unfair to set expectations, to me in my mind. Its really a setup, you know?

At the opposite end of the quarterback spectrum are the New York Jets, who have the underwhelming trio of Josh McCown, Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty. There was much speculation this summer about why the Jets would pass on signing Colin Kaepernick, who is better than any of those three.

In Buffalo, Tyrod Taylor is missing two of his favorite targets, receivers Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods, both of whom are now playing for the Rams. He does have former Philadelphia receiver Jordan Matthews, but he is injured (sternum).

This is a critical juncture for Taylor. The Bills are committed financially to him through this season, and they have the option to pay him a $6-million roster bonus in March to keep him for 2018 at $18.08 million. Or, they could save $14 million by releasing him. His deal was restructured during the offseason and expires after the 2018 season.

Here is a capsulized look at each team in the AFC East in predicted order of finish:

1 | NEW ENGLAND

2016 | 14-2, 1st in East

Last year in playoffs | 2016

Going all the way: With Tom Brady turning 40, the Patriots are clearly loading up for another Super Bowl run. They signed Buffalo corner Stephon Gilmore and traded for New Orleans receiver Brandin Cooks. They re-signed their defensive leader, Donta Hightower, and Super Bowl hero James White. Rob Gronkowski is healthy again. They are rolling.

Theyre doomed: Theyre thin on the defensive line after letting Jabaal Sheard and Chris Long go. Their top draft pick (a third-rounder), defensive end Derek Rivers, is already done for the year because of a torn ACL. They didnt have much of a pass rush last season, but they didnt play many top-notch quarterbacks. This year they face Matt Ryan, Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Derek Carr

Now hear this: This team is so far from where we need to be. We have so far to go. Its really unfair to set expectations. Tom Brady.

2 | BUFFALO

2016 | 7-9, 3rd in East

Last year in playoffs | 1999

Going all the way: LeSean McCoy looks great in his third training camp with the Bills, and he might be the best running back in the NFL. Hes got a lot of mileage, but hes not breaking down. Buffalos defensive line is intact with Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus, Jerry Hughes and second-year defensive end Shaq Lawson.

Theyre doomed: They are light on receivers. Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin left via free agency, Sammy Watkins was traded to the Rams and Anquan Boldin retired. The team picked up former Philadelphia receiver Jordan Matthews, but he suffered a chipped sternum in his first practice. It remains to be seen if Tyrod Taylor is the long-term answer at quarterback, and the odds are against him now that hes been stripped of weapons.

Now hear this: This is not a throw-in-the- towel thing at all. You dont know me if you think Im throwing in the towel. Brandon Beane, general manager, on Buffalos big-name talent purge.

3 | MIAMI

2016 | 10-6, 2nd in East

Last year in playoffs | 2016

Going all the way: Quarterback Jay Cutler had the best year of his career when he had Adam Gase as offensive coordinator in Chicago, so that bodes well for the Dolphins. Receiver DeVante Parker had a terrific summer, and this looks like it will be a breakout season for him. Running back Jay Ajayi is coming off a tremendous year. Linebacker Lawrence Timmons should help fortify a porous run defense.

Theyre doomed: Cutler is who hes been over his 11-year career not a proven winner, and a difficult teammate. The offensive line is filled with health questions. The run defense was ranked 30th last season and probably didnt do enough to make dramatic improvements. The Dolphins were 8-2 in one-score games last season, and the law of averages are due to catch up to them.

Now hear this: Those are tough. They wear you down. But that wasnt the sole reason. I mean, they released me, so it was kind of end of the road at that point. Cutler, on all the losing in Chicago.

4 | NEW YORK

2016 | 5-11, 4th in East

Last year in playoffs | 2010

Going all the way: At this point, going all the way for the Jets would mean getting the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft. The arrow is going up in a handful of spots, however. The team has some building blocks in defensive lineman Leonard Williams from USC, and rookie defensive backs Jamal Adams (first round) and Marcus Maye (second).

Theyre doomed: The quarterback situation is a disaster with Josh McCown, Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty, and the situation at wide receiver isnt much better. The Jets cut veterans Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. Quincy Enunwa was going to be their No. 1, but he suffered a bulging disk in his neck at the start of camp and is out for the season. So now the top guys are a collection of unknowns from the class of 2016: undrafted free agents Robby Anderson and Jalin Marshall, and Charone Peake, a seventh-round pick.

Now hear this: I really dont have time for a bunch of ... that happened a year ago. Todd Bowles, coach, on Sheldon Richardson criticizing former teammate Brandon Marshall.

sam.farmer@latimes.com

Twitter: @LATimesfarmer

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AFC East preview: Jay Cutler, after coming out of retirement, gets uo to speed in Miami - Los Angeles Times