In October, I’m a charged particle frantically going in one direction hoping not to overload my circuits and short out or go up in flames. So, I know I must take out a little time for myself to hideaway and enjoy autumn’s splendor.
Tag: encouragement
Putting in Pencil Miles
I know to get good at anything, you must put time into it. “Practice makes permanent,” as the saying goes. Recently, I read David Sibley refer to his development in drawings birds as "putting in pencil miles.,” which is a term used by nature journalist to describe the practice that goes into honing their craft.
Leaf Peepers
As soon as I saw the mountains, my shoulders dropped and my spirits soared. The beauty I saw was healing and restorative. I was reminded just how wondrous our little planet is, and that no matter how busy we are, our little blue and green Earth keeps on spinning. The rotating seasons and give us a splendid art show.
Refill Your Cup: Finding Balance in Teaching
This week, my joyful moment came in the form of a little second-grade girl named Victoria. Victoria rarely smiles and usually speaks in a whisper. Her writing, however, is full of sophisticated humor. I know that there is a sparkly little girl inside her somewhere.
Look up! A Supermoon!
This week the moon is on the rise. It is a full harvest moon and a lunar eclipse. It is magical and wonderful to take a moment and gaze up into the night sky as the moon ascends. I told a group of kindergarten students to be on the watch for it, and they came back the next day to tell me what they saw.
Let’s Play!: “You be the Granny!”
Play will help us think outside the box, work collaboratively with others, and spark new ways of doing ordinary things. I was given these gentle reminders several sweet and assertive Kindergarten girls during recess time one afternoon.
What Makes You Happy?
I know I must start every day with gratitude, blessed to work in a place with such lively spirits. So many times, it is the children who have shown me the way to happiness. So many times, their fresh way of seeing things has given me pause and made me laugh.
Earth Gratitude
I immediately started reading “Returning the Gift” by Robin Wall Kimmerer the author of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. She is also a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Kimmerer noted that in today’s modern world we often miss Earth’s gifts and need to pay closer attention to truly feel part of her to adequately protect her.
Practice Makes Permanent
I was especially interested in how the brain retains information and how best to strengthen students’ working memory. We learned that if teachers use both visualization and auditory methods to teach new material, the better students will remember the material.
Cultivating a “Make Lemonade” Mindset
Cultivating a “Make Lemonade” mindset is very appealing to me. I work with children who have learning differences and developing this kind of mindset is essential to them keeping motivated and engaged. I want to provide them with a path that says, “Okay, it’s hard for you to do this one way. What other ways can you create to help yourself? What can you do with what you know to be successful?” Presenting children with a “Make Lemonade” path, is very empowering.
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 