 Photo by Lance Grandahl on Unsplash I think I am feeling unframed. Been sitting at my computer all morning. Hulu in the background. Watching touching videos. Trying to figure out WeChat. Marcopolo-ing with my family. Getting up for lunch. Eating two cookies. Staring out the window. Sending "The Pets will Thrive" video to my partner and son. Figuring out my finances. Planning for my online classes tomorrow. Wait. I'M not unframed. |
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"I found this game called Interland...can we play it?"
Why, yes you can. I've been meaning to roll that out. Let's post it on Seesaw so everyone can play. Student figures out how to take a picture in Nearpod. "He should make a screencast about that." Can't do fluency on our regular platform. "We could screencastify it." That's a great idea. "Can we put this into Google Slides?" Of course. That would be awesome. "Can we put this into Book Creator?" Sure! Go for it. One of my favorite things that kids say is: "I have an idea..." What I love about this time of year is that I can really see my students blossoming in three ways: 1. Students help and encourage each other spontaneously. 2. Students feel confident to share their ideas with me and their classmates. 3. Students know the tools available to them and know that they will be encouraged to use them. . 5 or 6 years ago I got to do a tiny 8 week pilot with Acer computers in my classroom. In that short amount of time, I noticed how students intuitively helped one another. There was something about the computers and the way we implemented them that encouraged connections and support in the classroom. But it isn't just the computers. I give my students choices whenever I can. My students know I love a variety of learning tools. (paper and pencil being one of them). My students know I will gobble up their ideas and if I can, let them run with them. These somewhat simple things that I believe in and allow for hold space for my students to fly. It's not a coincidence. I've created a safe place for students to explore and be heard. It is a humbling and inspiring thing to know that I am a positive force in their learning environment. So often there are metaphorical dogs nipping at my heels saying things like, "Will you EVER be good at leading small groups?" "Can't you even remember dates?" "S is not growing and I have failed them." You know the list. It can be daunting at times. So that is why I am here to celebrate my students and myself. (It definitely feels weird to say that!) We have grown together because our collective ingenuity, wisdom, and creativity, has been nurtured, valued, and embraced. Because of my PLN on Twitter, I have been encouraged to be positive, take risks, and live into the teacher I am. Nothing happens in a vacuum. I have gained confidence this year like never before. It may be a coincidence, but this is the year I have started blogging on a regular basis and being active on Twitter. My PLN does for me what I have done for my students. Given me a safe and encouraging place to share ideas and explore different tools. Happy January to everyone. It's a beautiful time of the year. PS Guess who learned to make her own GIFs and post them on her Weekly website? :) |
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My word of the year is INTENTIONAL. This evening I went out with a searchlight to find ideas for what intentional actually means. I'm happy to say that my word lines up with my intentions. First step towards embracing intentionality: figuring what in the world I mean by that.
Now we're getting deep, folks. This is not new information to me, but since it is popping up, maybe it is time to figure out what my core beliefs, values, and long-term vision is. Another idea that keeps springing up is the idea of finding what you love and doing more of it. If you were to ask me right now if I love my life, I would give you a hardy YES. That said, I am not without stress, worry, and anxiety. So I would like to uncover if there are more ways I can frame my life to make choices that align with my personal beliefs, values, and goals. I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty excited about my word choice. It is definitely something I can get behind as I focus on my personal and professional growth this year. |
This idea from Chrysta Bairnne's blogpost resonated with me:
What does it mean to be intentional? It means you are purposeful in word and action. It means you live a life that is meaningful and fulfilling to you. It means you make thoughtful choices in your life. Being intentional means you actively interact and engage with your life. You respond instead of react. You love instead of fear. And in a video from Anthony of Break the Twitch, he says that being intentional means that your short term goals line up to your long term vision. It means your life aligns with your core beliefs and values. (See video below) 
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Possible Core Beliefs and Values
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I totally forgot to write my Saturday blogpost. I'm going to blame the puzzle. This post is for me and anyone who needs a little encouragement.
Learn
We are a learners. We are rivers. Flowing over what we learn, taking some things with us and leaving other things behind. We will slow down at times to soak things up and reflect. Other times we will go at a rapid rate and not have time to ponder. No matter. All of our learning matters, even when we forget.
Learn
We are a learners. We are rivers. Flowing over what we learn, taking some things with us and leaving other things behind. We will slow down at times to soak things up and reflect. Other times we will go at a rapid rate and not have time to ponder. No matter. All of our learning matters, even when we forget.
Photo by Tom Gainor on Unsplash
Forgive
We must be as forgiving of ourselves as we are of the people in our lives. Every now and again letting things be good enough. Everyday forgiving ourselves for not meeting our incredibly high expectations. Know that all the million of tiny things we do in a DO day matter. Our students may not remember most of their year with us. But we are pouring our hearts, love, energy, knowledge, guidance, and spirit into them. Our students are rivers, too. We are part of the rain that makes them who they are becoming.
We must be as forgiving of ourselves as we are of the people in our lives. Every now and again letting things be good enough. Everyday forgiving ourselves for not meeting our incredibly high expectations. Know that all the million of tiny things we do in a DO day matter. Our students may not remember most of their year with us. But we are pouring our hearts, love, energy, knowledge, guidance, and spirit into them. Our students are rivers, too. We are part of the rain that makes them who they are becoming.
Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash
Breathe
Breathing is a literal and figurative word. Taking time to take deep breaths will make us calmer and more focused. Metaphorically breathing means taking things in. Pausing. Being where we are. Telling us to allow ourselves to breathe sounds ridiculous. But we do have permission to breathe. To be. To live in the moments. We must breathe to be alive.
Breathing is a literal and figurative word. Taking time to take deep breaths will make us calmer and more focused. Metaphorically breathing means taking things in. Pausing. Being where we are. Telling us to allow ourselves to breathe sounds ridiculous. But we do have permission to breathe. To be. To live in the moments. We must breathe to be alive.
Photo by Kyndall Ramirez on Unsplash
Create: to bring something into existence
To create is to live. Our students need to create and so do we. What are we creating that excites us, drives us, gives us a sense of accomplishment? It may not be what we think...sure we create killer lessons and memorable experiences and loving communities. Yes, we create and share on Twitter. But what about in other realms?
This is not one more thing we must do. It is one more thing we allow ourselves to do. We are all creative souls. We do and something comes of it. Cooking. Reading. Playing. Conversing. Cleaning. Painting. Writing. Walking. Breathing. We are always creating. Our space. Our bodies. Our minds. Our hearts. Sometimes we create quiet by doing nothing at all. We are created to bring things into existence.
To create is to live. Our students need to create and so do we. What are we creating that excites us, drives us, gives us a sense of accomplishment? It may not be what we think...sure we create killer lessons and memorable experiences and loving communities. Yes, we create and share on Twitter. But what about in other realms?
This is not one more thing we must do. It is one more thing we allow ourselves to do. We are all creative souls. We do and something comes of it. Cooking. Reading. Playing. Conversing. Cleaning. Painting. Writing. Walking. Breathing. We are always creating. Our space. Our bodies. Our minds. Our hearts. Sometimes we create quiet by doing nothing at all. We are created to bring things into existence.
Photo by Edgar Castrejon on Unsplash
Share
Sharing builds a strong web around us. When we share our ideas on Twitter, in the teacher's lounge, or with our administration it feels like a risk. But is it? Hoarding ideas may be way more riskier. We need to have an openness to receiving what others share as well. To allow our pride to stop us from sharing is a small, sad thing. When by put our ideas our there, they either come to life or turn back into dust. Either way, we are better for bringing our ideas to life. Hopefully others are, too. So we must not fear what others will think. We share and we encourage others to share as well. And our web becomes not impenetrable, but stronger.
Sharing builds a strong web around us. When we share our ideas on Twitter, in the teacher's lounge, or with our administration it feels like a risk. But is it? Hoarding ideas may be way more riskier. We need to have an openness to receiving what others share as well. To allow our pride to stop us from sharing is a small, sad thing. When by put our ideas our there, they either come to life or turn back into dust. Either way, we are better for bringing our ideas to life. Hopefully others are, too. So we must not fear what others will think. We share and we encourage others to share as well. And our web becomes not impenetrable, but stronger.
And most of all, remember that we are in this mess together and there is no perfect way.
We are in our own spaces; learning, forgiving, breathing, creating, and sharing. Each one of us needed just where we are.
I firmly believe that having a grateful stance makes me more positive and happy. If you're not in agreement with me, check out this article, "Giving thanks can make you happier."
Another belief of mine is that reflection strengthens my learning muscles. An article from Harvard Health highlights reflection as a strategy in its article, "4 Ways to Become a Better Learner."
This year I decided to take these beliefs into my classroom in a systematic way. Here's what I did:
1. My students worked collaboratively in Book Creator to create a template. I gave them questions to choose from and they could also create their own questions.
2. I created a Gratitude and Reflection Journal Library in Book Creator. Every student made a copy of the template and made it their own.
3. During a "dead" period right after recess, students write in their journals. They can write, draw, speak, or take a video.
It has become a habit of action, and I hope it is becoming a habit of heart, too.
Here is our template as an ebpub book!
1. My students worked collaboratively in Book Creator to create a template. I gave them questions to choose from and they could also create their own questions.
2. I created a Gratitude and Reflection Journal Library in Book Creator. Every student made a copy of the template and made it their own.
3. During a "dead" period right after recess, students write in their journals. They can write, draw, speak, or take a video.
It has become a habit of action, and I hope it is becoming a habit of heart, too.
Here is our template as an ebpub book!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1p_3InexgDceDQhaqzL9ck7Ruo44FUXFk
Today I took time for a little morning retreat. I turned off my phone, got cozy in my study and curled up with my journal and a pen. I'm not gonna lie, it gave me great pleasure to just sit there in the sunlight. Insight #1: Let yourself sit with a pen and paper more often. My walking buddy put it this way, "Let yourself just sink in today."
Here are the steps I took to reflect. They just evolved as I listened to myself, but I am going to put them down in this post. Mostly because rewriting things helps me remember and think through the words. But also because my process may support someone else in his or her goal setting journey.
Step 1: What skillset am I using when I am the most inspired/excited/joyful? (taken from Ted Talk by Ashley Stahl)
Step 3: Brainstorm Ideas from What I Love:
Step 4: Who am I?
I am a Jill of all trades.
I create. I learn. I share. I reflect.
My goal is to:
Step 5: Thoughts
Step 6: Organize
Here are the steps I took to reflect. They just evolved as I listened to myself, but I am going to put them down in this post. Mostly because rewriting things helps me remember and think through the words. But also because my process may support someone else in his or her goal setting journey.
Step 1: What skillset am I using when I am the most inspired/excited/joyful? (taken from Ted Talk by Ashley Stahl)
- Creating Lessons
- Visual creativity and design skills
- Knowledge of best practice and curriculum
- Students Creating
- Planning skills
- The skill of letting go of control
- Screencast Tutorials
- Speaking skills
- Creativity
- Knowledge of topic
- Learning
- Curiosity
- Investigative skills
- Teaching
- Conversation skills
- Curiosity
- Writing
- Writing skills
- Creativity
- Sharing
- People skills
- Speaking Skills
- Children's literature
- Reading skills
- Thinking skills
Step 3: Brainstorm Ideas from What I Love:
- Put books into Nearpod with a think aloud and insert questions.
- Screencasts FOR kids BY kids.
- Sharing my learnings from my reading.
- Create audiobooks for teachers.
- Read more blogs.
- Along with the How To videos, create What to videos.
- Build up books section of my website.
- Investigate vocabulary games to put on site.
- Find quality resources to share.
- Try new/old things like Mystery Hangouts.
Step 4: Who am I?
I am a Jill of all trades.
I create. I learn. I share. I reflect.
My goal is to:
- support, listen to, and encourage others
- live by what I trust, not by what I fear
- reflect on my craft and my learnings
Step 5: Thoughts
- Schedule in more time for reading and learning.
- Read blogposts, consider sharing a consolidated version of the blogposts you read.
- Dive in deeper to the applications where I am an Ambassador.
- Create videos with animation for kids to learn applications.
Step 6: Organize
Step 7: Possible Action Steps
Step 8: How to focus? Use hashtags to keep myself focused.
Step 9: Tentative plan
It's not perfect and it is not exact, but I feel better having a plan.
To recap in a different sort of way:
I love interacting with other educators who are mavericks in their own rights. One way I do this is by posting things on Twitter and responding to different posts.
I am going to give myself permission to read. I listen to books all the time, but to sit down seems like a luxury I can't afford. Not true.
I love learning and I want to share what I learn with others. Especially those who do not have the time to read, but still want to learn. That's why I am focused right now on #tiny.
Sharing with others has an added benefit---it helps me hold myself accountable. Big thanks to all of you who are encouraging me on my journey, share freely on Twitter, have a heart for teaching, growing, and expanding.
- Look up blogs to follow and create a Wakelet.
- Choose the book you want to read first.
- Research animation for screencasts.
- Break down different applications into tiny bites.
Step 8: How to focus? Use hashtags to keep myself focused.
- #onetinytip
- #onetinyquote
- #onetinypodcast
- #onetinytutorial
- #ontinyreserouce
Step 9: Tentative plan
- DO Step 7, Possible Action Steps to guide #4 below.
- Write blogpost on Wednesday night.
- Read for 15 minutes each day after dinner.
- Dedicate 20 minutes every morning to work my projects.
- Set short-term goals once a month on the first Monday of the month. .
- Break those goals into weekly goals.
It's not perfect and it is not exact, but I feel better having a plan.
To recap in a different sort of way:
I love interacting with other educators who are mavericks in their own rights. One way I do this is by posting things on Twitter and responding to different posts.
I am going to give myself permission to read. I listen to books all the time, but to sit down seems like a luxury I can't afford. Not true.
I love learning and I want to share what I learn with others. Especially those who do not have the time to read, but still want to learn. That's why I am focused right now on #tiny.
Sharing with others has an added benefit---it helps me hold myself accountable. Big thanks to all of you who are encouraging me on my journey, share freely on Twitter, have a heart for teaching, growing, and expanding.
tI was on a #pd4uandme chat this morning and Dave Black asked, "Anybody else have a learning reading or planned learning over break to share?"
I replied, "I hope to work on my website, adding ideas, etc. Also want to dig into Nearpod more."
Dave responded, "What kinds of things do you want to add to your website?"
I was stumped for a second and realized that I don't have any kind of plan plan. Oh, plenty of lottery balls bouncing around in my head, but not an actual plan.
I replied, "Basically it is a time for me to get organized and make a plan for the year."
What do I want to share? What do I want to do? Basically, what are my hopes and dreams for the year? I am taking Monday to think about my Messy Tech journey. I am going to take this post to do some pre-planning. In my heart of hearts, what am I passionate about and what do I want to do?
Wait. I remember seeing a video teaser this morning for a Ted Talk called, "How to Figure Out What you Really Want." I'll be right back. How to Figure Out What You Really Want | Ashley Stahl | TEDxLeidenUniversity
I replied, "I hope to work on my website, adding ideas, etc. Also want to dig into Nearpod more."
Dave responded, "What kinds of things do you want to add to your website?"
I was stumped for a second and realized that I don't have any kind of plan plan. Oh, plenty of lottery balls bouncing around in my head, but not an actual plan.
I replied, "Basically it is a time for me to get organized and make a plan for the year."
What do I want to share? What do I want to do? Basically, what are my hopes and dreams for the year? I am taking Monday to think about my Messy Tech journey. I am going to take this post to do some pre-planning. In my heart of hearts, what am I passionate about and what do I want to do?
Wait. I remember seeing a video teaser this morning for a Ted Talk called, "How to Figure Out What you Really Want." I'll be right back. How to Figure Out What You Really Want | Ashley Stahl | TEDxLeidenUniversity
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Okay! Wow. That was good. I thought my pre-plan was going to be a list of technicalities, but instead I have a plan for some heart-work.
1. Do a self- audit.
Sounds like a plan! Some serious self-reflecting before specific goals. A colleague of mine said she was going to make specific goals for the different subjects she teaches. This simple gesture of sharing inspired me to think about my specific goals, too. I'll be back next Saturday with a report. Best to you in your end of the year reflecting!
#bettertogether #inspireoneanother
1. Do a self- audit.
- What is my end goal?
- What am I afraid of?
- What truth am I surpressing?
- When am I the most happy?
- "What skill set am I using when I am the most inspired?"
- What do I want to do and WHY?
- How am I going to get it done?
- What is my road map?
Sounds like a plan! Some serious self-reflecting before specific goals. A colleague of mine said she was going to make specific goals for the different subjects she teaches. This simple gesture of sharing inspired me to think about my specific goals, too. I'll be back next Saturday with a report. Best to you in your end of the year reflecting!
#bettertogether #inspireoneanother