TL;DR: A pen teaches students that mistakes are learning opportunities. It gives students time to pause and think before they write. It empowers students by providing them with skills they can use throughout their lives. Every December, I gave a present to my students. Yes, I taught middle school. Yes, I had over 100 students each year. And yes, it … Read More
The Gift of Cultivating Joy: It’s Like a Boomerang!
TL;DR: We CAN cultivate more joy in our lives. A CORE belief is that relationships are gifts to value and treasure. Uplifting others brings joy to ourselves and others. Learn how to notice, name, and nuture AND how words are gifts. Your joy can grow and thrive from others too. Learn how to throw your joy boomerang out and how … Read More
The Gift of Passion
TL;DR: When you enter your state of flow, the passage of time does not seem to feel accurate. Discover your passion and allow yourself to pursue it. It’s a great avenue for self-care. The goal is for students to discover and pursue their passions through Passion Projects. The passion for learning is a gift we hope to instill in students … Read More
The Gift of Love: A Piece of Our Heart
TL;DR: We give our students many things but the greatest gifts we can give are our love and our heart. Give students a piece of our heart by giving them a visual reminder as a gift. Put your heart into what you do and share your love with students. There can be a lasting impact. Speak life through the words … Read More
The Gift of Happiness: 6 Keys to Cultivating Happiness
TL;DR: Happiness can be cultivated in simple ways in the classroom. There are 6 keys to cultivating happiness. Happiness is a mindset and a heartset. It is a gift you can give to yourself and others. Happiness is something you can protect. In my experience, when I ask young children how they feel, many will say “happy.” When I ask the … Read More