TL;DR: Keep the little notes students write you in a file for when you need a smile. Focus on the small sparks of joy you get throughout each day. Write down the great things that happen to you! Keeper File Over the holidays, I received a handwritten card in the mail from one of my 2nd-grade students, Abby. It was … Read More
Reactivate the Pause Button
TL;DR: This post shares a trip down memory lane, creating mixtapes of favorite music. One touch had the power pause or stop the tape. There are four things to live by: (1) Examine who you are and live by your values (2) Keep yourself open to beauty and adventure (3) Adopt a practice of observation (4) Fill your cup. As … Read More
Reconsider Your Expectations
TL;DR: Believing in students and setting high expectations for them can help them be successful. Find ways to get your students interested. Make sure the lessons and activities you are teaching are relevant. Know what your end goal is and makes sure it is clear to your students, too. Provide opportunities for your students to reflect on their own work. … Read More
Reevaluate Grief With Joy
TL;DR: There are days that are going to be overwhelming and full of pain. We have a right and need to feel those days and experience grief. With time, healing begins and you experience joy in your life again. Although our hearts may still ache, joy is much more powerful than grief. Three letters. J-O-Y. Small word. Tremendous effect. Having … Read More
Redefine Your Rules: Flexibility and Self-Compassion
TL;DR: Set flexible standards for yourself to increase self-compassion. Celebrate who you are. Focus on your successes throughout each day. Pause and think about your response before acting. Redefine Your Rules On any given day, I could list a few things that bother my inherently natural “I’M A RULE FOLLOWER” instinct. Things like: people standing in line on cell phones … Read More