Category: Kindness

Stormy Weather: Celebrating Poetry Month

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I loved stringing words together.  I loved the way they formed in my mouth and rushed out into the air.  Poetry was magical, and I felt I had some of that magic in me. Now, as a poet and teacher, I enjoy bringing that love of the spoken word to children.  This month, Deborah, my friend and dear librarian at the school where I teach, invited me to be the guest poet during her library times with 1st through 4th graders.

Support Stuffies: Managing Test Anxiety

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There was a lot of anxiety in the room even though we had tried to make the students as familiar with the test as we could possibly do.  We also did not place a lot of importance on the test, but the children sense it is important, it does reflect on how smart they are, and it does matter.

Lessons from Lunch: Connecting with Students

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In my long teaching career, I knew that lifting kids up with kind words and a patient ear, was so very important. It made the difference between success and failure. I know that teachers have such an important impact on their students and that if we take time, see their strengths, and let them know we believe in them,

Spring Break Artifacts

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It is my last couple of days on spring break.  I’ve slept late, ate good food, written poems about food, and took long walks capturing the beauty I saw with my camera.  I am trying to do things that nourish me, that uplift me, that help to better understand my purpose. The sunshine and warm weather has definitely lifted my spirits, and I hope I have absorbed enough of its healing energy to bring back north to our muddy March season.

Mindfulness in Teaching: Be Where Your Feet Are

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The author, Suzanne Dailey, noted that she and her girlfriends play a game called “Where are your fee?” in which they send each other photos of their feet to check in with each other about what they are doing and how they are feeling. This game helps each person consider where they are in the present moment.  It helps them reflect and shift their attention. It’s a gentle reminder to “Be where your feet are.”

Sew Easy: A Heartfelt Journey

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Many things that my mother loved, I love - teaching, making art, reading, eating cheese and crackers, putting on bright lipstick, and sewing.  My mother was an amazing seamstress and dress designer well before she had kids and became a teacher.  She would hold a piece of fabric in her hand, fold it, cut it without a pattern, and make something wonderful to wear.  She had a gift, and it was magical.

One Last Pearl of Wisdom

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Since the moment I met my mother-in-law, we talked about books.  We would speak of various characters as if we had actually met them and knew them like we knew family.  I loved that about her.  She was always exposing me to ideas and events that were new to me.  She used books as breadcrumbs to show me the way and expand my thinking.