Witnessing & Choosing Joy

A few months ago I had to run to the grocery store to pick up a cake to celebrate a fantastic first week of school with our staff.  I was in a rush trying to get back quickly.  When I got to my car I noticed a guy sitting in the passenger seat of the car next to mine.  He was rocking out... I mean really rocking out to the music blaring from his car radio.  The world around him didn't seem to exist.  I can just imagine the face I must have made... I probably raised my eyebrows making a strange "what in the world are you doing?" kind of face.  To be honest, my first thought was - 'what a weirdo' and then quickly put the cake in the car and headed back to school.

 

 As I pulled away I started thinking about the guy in the car and instead of raising my eyebrows, I smiled and thought, "Wait.  Why did I think he was a weirdo? The guy wasn't hurting anything.  His actions did not impact me or anyone else in a negative way whatsoever.  He was having a good time.  He was being - joyful."

This occurrence has encouraged me to look at a lot of things differently.  I think many of us, me included, sometimes rush to judge others a little too quickly and what's worse than being judgy is being judgy about things that don't hurt or impact us.  It's important to recognize that everyone doesn't find joy in the same things or in the same ways; but that's okay. 

 

This is a silly example but it's an example I used when talking to my boys about this topic.  When you drive around during the holidays you will see lots of festive lights and decorations.  Most are not my style or taste but instead of saying, "Ugh, that's so gaudy!" or "Over do it much?" I choose to remind myself, and my boys, that someone else's taste in Christmas lights and decorations has no negative impact on us and obviously it must bring them joy or they wouldn't have put them up. So now, when we find ourselves being judgy we just say, "Christmas lights" to each other.

 

I guess it's similar to a 'live and let live' attitude but I elect to take it a step further.  I want to be a witness to other people's happiness and choose to find my own joy in witnessing theirs.  I find myself stopping and smiling when I notice others being joyful.  It's a  good feeling.  It makes me feel connected with others and getting the opportunity to share in the joy they are experiencing is pretty special.  It reminds me that joy is all around us - even if sometimes we need to look for it, create our own, or soak in some that someone else is experiencing.

 

Yesterday I was traveling by train and sat across the aisle from a man who, with about two hours left of our 16 hour trip, put a video on his laptop.  He started bursting out laughing at funny parts in the movie.  A few other passengers started looking and shaking their heads- probably thinking he was weird... but I sat back, smiled, and thought to myself, "Christmas lights" and choose to soak in the joy he was experiencing for the last stretch of our trip. 

 

This new year, go out into the world and witness & choose joy!  Spread some, too, if you can!  #beingkindmatters

Instant Study Cards

Just Sharing...
When I taught special education I found that many of my students struggled with identifying important information they needed to study so I created study cards (and eventually taught them how to make them themselves) from the study guides they received from their other teachers.  Below is an example of a quick, easy, and neat way to create study cards.  You can provide them to students with the information already generated, post them to your teacher page for all students to access, give them just to the students who may struggle with identifying the important information, or you can create a template and have students make their own by typing the information into the template.  What do you think?

Just Sharing...
 

Why can't interesting, important work be fun, too?  We think it can! My colleague and friend, Kira, and I facilitated a three part flex series based on the book The Essential 55 by Ron Clark. The first session consisted of watching the movie, The Ron Clark Story, based on the book. We discussed the connections Mr. Clark made with his students and what practices we feel are 'essential' to enhance the positive culture in regards to behavior and respect for everyone in our building.

 

Over the past few weeks, several of us read the book, explored each of the Essential 55 Rules, and chose/tweaked the ones we feel will benefit our Middle School community (we chose 5).  We then created a proposal to share with our colleagues at a later date. We hope to have the opportunity to discuss and agree to implement these "rules" consistently across the board in every classroom in our school.

 

Some individuals and teams were unable to make it on the dates that we met but they watched the movie, read the book, and provided input on their own time anyway!

  

During the session that we watched the movie we moved the lobby couches into the Large Group Instruction Room (LGI) and ate popcorn! Just a few fun things to make the session more enjoyable- in addition to the great company and discussion!
 

 

Leave your titles and tenure at the door...

Just Sharing...

Today was pretty cool.  We had a rough winter that left us with TEN snow days to make up.  That meant losing days of our spring break, students attending school instead of being off on in-service days, and staff having to make up THIRTY hours of professional development by attending flex hours after school.  I facilitated several sessions and today's was one of my very favorite. 

Today 8 of us met for a "Think Tank."  We all brought articles, book excerpts, and/or video clips to share with the group and discuss.  We talked about making connections with students, ADHD, changing education paradigms, rubrics, programs that address student needs, technology, how to stay motivated as a teacher, and learning difficulties.

Our Think Tank Rule: "Leave your titles and tenure at the door.  When you enter this room we are all just educators and colleagues."  Everyone was encouraged to be honest and share their perspective and to be open and respectful to others' views.  We learned a lot about the topics we discussed, each other, and had a really good time!  You should try it!

Using Music as a Teaching Strategy

Just Sharing….

A few years ago when my son, Ben, was in 5th grade, I attended their Poetry Café at his elementary school.  His teachers shared with the parents how they use music to reinforce how they teach story elements and figurative language. I’ve attached the YouTube videos for you.  They are quite catchy and it was really cute listening to the kids sing along! There are lots of resources on the web, just like these, that you can find for almost any subject or concept.

Elements of a Story

"Five Things" - http://www.flocabulary.com/fivethings/

This song is about the five main elements of a story: setting, plot, characters, conflict, and theme.

Figurative Language

“Figurative Language” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPiVfdwAsUg

This song is about personification, alliteration, assonance, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, metaphor, and simile.

Using music in our classes and learning environments has several benefits, such as promoting a relaxed emotional state, stimulating the brain to be creative, or aiding in memory formation. Studies done by F. F. Cripe , L. Morton, J. Keshner, and L. Seigel conclude that music has a beneficial effect on students. They suggest that music with a prominent beat stimulates an increased arousal in students which overrides the effect of environmental distracters…repetitive beat produces a reduction in muscle tension, thus reducing hyperactivity… (there was) significant reduction in distractibility among students after being exposed to music. Short term memory was also beneficially affected by having to listened to music.

 

My colleagues, Noah and Kristin’s performed a Math Rap to help their students remember the rules of rounding. Noah reports that at first, the students were trying to act “so cool” and not crack a smile but they really latched onto the concept and some even joined in up in the front of the classroom!

 

Even a marking period later, one of his students was overheard singing lyrics from the song, “Move to the right and underline, get it!” when doing an activity that involved rounding!

 Thanks for sharing, Noah and Kristin! Share ways YOU use music or other active engagement activities. Have fun!

I am...

A great way to introduce yourself...

Krista

Kind, witty, and motivated

Wife, mom, daughter, sister, aunt, granddaughter, niece, cousin, friend, teacher

Who loves to learn, be with family and friends, and eat hummus & carrots

Who feels happy when those I love are "safe, happy, healthy, & together" *

Who needs sleep, time to exercise, and more hours in the day

Who gives back to my community, too many treats to my dogs, and lots of smiles

Who fears the cost of college over the next 15 years

Who'd like to see the Pacific Northwest

Who dreams of a world where everyone feels cared for and has enough

A person who wears many hats ~ and loves it

Krista, Mom, Mrs. V.

* Part of a prayer my boys and I have said before bedtime since they were very little.

"Sometimes you have to believe in the belief others have in you before believing in yourself." ~ Hector Araujo

While eating my lunch today, I tuned in to the GradNation Summit that was being live streamed.  I was very inspired by Hector Araujo, a former Gear Up member.  Gear Up is a grant program that is designed to help low-income students prepare for and succeed in post-secondary education. Mr. Araujo spoke about his experience and how his Gear Up mentor, Mrs. Johnson, made a difference in his life by believing in him. 

Something that he said really struck me, "Sometimes you have to believe in the belief others have in you before believing in yourself."

Wow!  How many times have we doubted ourselves and didn't do something that would stretch us or push us out of our comfort zone?  Maybe its time we look to those around us who support and encourage us and see ourselves through their eyes and... take the plunge.  Jump in with two feet and try something we never thought we could do!

Mr. Araujo also reminded teachers and students that, "Every day you have the ability to be a role model for someone else." 

This is so true!  Every day we have the responsibility to act in a way that inspires others by being kind, helpful, hardworking, and responsible.  This is so important for our students to know, too!