Tag Archives: education

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Always a teacher. . . .

First of all, I would rather teach all year than have 12 weeks off in the summer. Sure- it’s great for the first 3 or 4 weeks and then . . . I’m done! This is when I start noticing all the things that should be cleaned. You know – the baseboards, the light bulbs, the ceilings, the window sills, the “Monica” closet (see Friends reference here). Not only do I see projects everywhere, but I see the messes my son walks away from everywhere! Towel on the floor, milk on the counter, socks all over! Poor kid is eight and really does try to pick things up, but he still doesn’t “see” what he leaves behind. Teacher mode activated.

Attempted Solution
We have tried job charts and check sheets, but as soon as we forget to keep up on them, they lose all credibility. I have tried apps and reminders, but as soon as I open my phone to update, I check Facebook, Twitter, email and . . . . there was something I was supposed to check. . . Oh well!
I need something physical. Something that is visible to us all but not creating more clutter.

Awareness Jar
A jar of glass rocks. We are starting it half full that way there is room to move both directions. Rocks will be added as a visual to note increased awareness and removed for lack of awareness. I’m not really wanting to attach rewards or consequences, so I am working on how to make it relevant and meaningful. Continue reading →

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Cultivate . . . .

“Il faut cultiver notre jardin” ~Candide by Voltaire
Cultivate your own garden.

My friend Paige first introduced me to this sentiment in the fall of 2013. We were both working on transitions happening in our personal and professional lives. As Brené Brown refers to it, we were in the middle of our “Breakdown – Spiritual Awakening.” Trying to remember who we were at our core, who others believe us to be, and who we are when we are most happy, we began a journey that has led us to deeper experiences and relationships. 

Welcome to my garden.

My plan for planting includes an abundance of creativity! When is the last time you picked up a crayon, colored pencil, paint brush? There is something remarkably simple and rejuvenating about the act of applying color to a blank canvas. It seems that, as teachers, in order to increase difficulty and formality in education, we cut out the creativity. The color. The fun. Without sacrificing the integrity and objective of an assignment, what can be included in lessons for this opportunity for creativity? I don’t mean just coloring the front of a brochure- but real, inspired creativity.

Continue reading →

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Beginnings. . . .

A glass of wine and surrounded by the best people I know, we lay out our personal aspirations that scare us the most. One, a math specialist, has been hired as an instructional coach for two elementary schools. Terrified of teaching anything remotely ELA, she is jumping in. Another, encouraged by a college professor, is embarking on a journey to write a book about Chinese immigrants in Idaho – specifically the women involved. Jumping in. My mother, dedicated to her work for over 20 years, has been drawn towards doing her work on a larger level as well as her current position This leaves me. . . . . 

They were shocked. My closest friends and my own mother were shocked by what I was scared of most. I am scared to start this blog. My mind runs with insecurities and yet, at the end of the day, I know this much is true: I don’t propose to know more than anyone. I only know differently. A bit of tech, a lot of writing, and a need to organize it with other random information. 

So – I’m jumping in. Both feet. Eyes open. No expectations of grandeur or success. Just the hope that I can learn from others and that here, on this blog, I can have a voice.

**splash**