Too Much of A Good Thing

In Do you have a chocolate problem or an oxygen problem? From Seth Godin's Blog by Seth Godin mentions,

“And sometimes we confuse the thing we want with the thing we need…”

Many times, people use the word “need” instead of “want” or they use the word too much and think it means the same.

Many times, the things we want are not necessarily the things we need.

I learned a hard lesson from my first backpacking trip. I read all the books that tell you to only bring what you need. So, I made a pile of all the things I needed. I needed extra clothing in case I got cold. I needed extra food in case I got lost. I needed extra books in case I got bored. I guess you can see the pattern in this. As you may imagine, I overpacked and the hike was pretty miserable.

I learned that I didn’t need extra clothing and that if I layered, my clothes were appropriate for any weather. I never used the extra clothing. I carried too much food that I never touched such as a huge bag of cookies, a huge bag of M&Ms, and a bottle of wine! What was I thinking?! I brought 2 huge books about the area and hiking trails, but I was so tired and sore when we arrived at our campsite that I never looked at either book.

Looking back, I see that all that wasted and wrong things that I brought were not things that I needed but were just things that I wanted.

So now I have a new system to make my brain think more realistically. I ask myself what would happen if I don’t have it because I forgot it or I lost it. Will I die without it? If the answer is no, then it is not a necessity and is considered a luxury.

On a recent trip to Europe, I switched to a smaller suitcase and brought half as much as I normally take on a trip. I had plenty of clothes and everything I needed. In fact, I realized I could have streamlined even more if I needed to.

When students are learning new things, they tend to confuse need and want also. When they say they need my help, I tend to delay my help for a few minutes and sometimes they are able to help themselves. This is when they realize that they didn’t necessarily need my help, but they wanted my help. It can be very empowering when they learn that sometimes they can solve their own problems and really don’t need my help.

When my students want to do something, I help them figure out what they need to learn in order to achieve their goal. This helps them focus on the need before the want. It is also motivational when they hit obstacles and are struggling.

How do you teach students to differentiate between their needs and their wants? Please share.

Photo by Tyson Dudley on Unsplash

The Fisher House

While we were in Florida helping my dad transition to his placement at the VA Hospice Facility, we were offered a place at The Fisher House. We had never heard of it and cautiously agreed to it because we wanted to be close to my dad.

“A Fisher House is “a home away from home” for families of patients receiving medical care at major military and VA medical centers. The homes are normally located within walking distance of the treatment facility or have transportation available.”

We originally planned on staying at a hotel near my parent’s house which was 30-40 minutes away from where my dad was. This would be really exhausting to go back and forth but because we were within walking distance of my dad, we were able to see him whenever we wanted because the facility had 24-hour visitation. We were able to be with him during most of his meals and in between, we could get him in a wheelchair and take him around the facility.

The house was just like a bed and breakfast inn! Our room was spacious with two beds, a desk, a reclining chair, and a large smart TV. The common rooms were the kitchen, dining room, living room, and laundry room. The kitchen was well stocked with coffee, tea, and a huge variety of food for every meal!

Shelley, the manager of The Fisher House was the perfect hostess for this place. She was so warm and welcoming that we felt instantly like family rather than an outside guest. We couldn’t have asked for a nicer person to make us feel comfortable. Sam, her sidekick, made sure we were well stocked with food. On the Friday before Father’s Day, they threw a dinner for everyone at the house and their family member at the medical facility. The food was delicious! On Saturday, we met Dawn who also worked there cleaning and preparing rooms for incoming guests. She helped me figure out how to use the washer and dryer.

It seemed like at every turn, they were there checking that we had everything we needed.

I’m so grateful for The Fisher House and everyone involved in making our stay so awesome! We were already under a lot of stress dealing with my stepmom’s death and then having to admit my dad here on the same day. Everyone at the VA worked hard to make this transition easier for all of us and it was truly comforting during this traumatic period. It is such a comfort to be able to check on my father whenever we want to and not be exhausted with worrying about traveling to and from the facility. We are able to spend a lot of quality time with him! 

Thanks to the VA and The Fisher House!

If you’ve ever stayed at a Fisher House, please share your experience.

Original Photos by Pat Hensley

Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 6/14/19

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found this week, thanks to my PLN. As a teacher, I feel we have to keep up to date concerning research in our field and current issues in the education system. I hope some of these inspire you, inform you, and even have you asking questions. Thank you for coming by and visiting!

Note: Each resource is labeled with a level and subject area to make it easier to use.

Levels:  E: Elementary; M: Middle; H: High; G: General, all levels; SN: Special Needs; T: Teachers

Subject Areas: LA: Language Arts, English, Reading, Writing; M: Math; S: Science; Health; SS: Social Studies, Current Events; FA: Fine Arts; Music, Art, Drama; FL: Foreign Language; PE: Physical Ed; C: Career; A: All

Glue or Tape – “The oldest glue in the world is over 8,000 years old and comes from a cave near the Dead Sea. Today, we have enough types of tape and glue to build and repair almost anything. But what gives glue and tape their stickiness? And is one stronger than the other? Elizabeth Cox explores the world of adhesives.” (L:G;SA:S)

Padlet – “Padlet is a software people use to make and share content with others.

Somewhere between a doc and a full-fledged website builder, Padlet empowers everyone to make the content they want, whether it's a quick bulletin board, a blog, or a portfolio.” (L:G;SA:A)

Britannica Insights – a Chrome extension; “Enhance your search experience and your knowledge with Britannica content in the top-right corner of your search results page.

Facts matter & Britannica Insights with Merriam-Webster makes them easier to find them.” (L:T;SA:A)

Fun Summer Science – a YouTube video by SciShowKids: “The sun is out and Jessi and Squeaks are ready to perform all kinds of fun outdoor science experiments! Let's take a look at some of the fun activities they've done before, like making a kite, building a solar tower, blowing bubbles, and of course, making ice cream! (L:E,M;SA:S)

The Reason for the Seasons – by National Geographic; “Students use polystyrene foam balls and light bulbs to investigate the sun's intensity on the surface of the Earth.”  (L:E;SA:S)

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Am I Kind?

In 7 Questions to Reflect on Kindness from @DavidGeurin Blog, David Geurin asks,

“What are other ways you can think of to show kindness?”

Last week my father was admitted to a VA Hospice Facility in Riviera Beach, Florida. From the minute he was headed to the facility, there were unlimited kindnesses shown to us.

As we traveled a long distance to be with my father on the day my stepmom died, I was notified that they would be admitting him to this facility. Soon after that, Dr. Miller called to talk with me and let me know he was coming. She told me things and asked if I had any questions. I thought it was so kind that she would talk to me even before he arrived!

When we got to the facility, we were shown to my father’s room. We met the nurses who were cheerful and welcoming. We met the doctors, the social worker, and the chaplain also. Everyone seemed to care so much about my father and even us. It has a family atmosphere. I found their attitude that my father’s happiness was a priority to them very comforting.

On the morning after he arrived, they had a small ceremony where they presented my father with a certificate of appreciation, a pin, and a flag as a thank you for his service. It brought a big smile to his face!

One afternoon, we wheeled my father around the buildings in his wheelchair so he could explore areas. We found a recreation room where they have scheduled activities every day. The recreation therapist was so accommodating and brought my father a newspaper and a deck of cards.

When my father received some VA paperwork in the mail, the social worker said she would help take care of the paperwork for him. I thought this was so kind instead of just telling me how to figure it out! The social worker even helped us arrange for accommodations while we were there to see about my dad.

When we had to fill out tons of paperwork for my stepmom’s cremation, the funeral director said that she could email the forms to me and then I can get my dad to sign them. Once they were signed, I could take them to her. The only problem is that I received the email but had no printer. The wonderful chaplain let me forward the email to her and she printed off the pages so we could have my dad sign them and take care of the arrangements.

Every nurse who has helped care for my dad has been smiling and so upbeat. They seem to love their job and the patients they care for and you can tell that they are true to heart and not just doing this as an act.

We have met only kindness from so many strangers and it truly warms my heart.

Yet, as I look at these kindnesses, I start to look at myself and ask myself, “Am I kind enough?”

Do I show others this unconditional kindness that has been shown to me?

Have I stopped to take the time and see how I can help others before they have to ask for help?

Do I see a need that others may have but are afraid or don’t even know that they can ask for help?

I know that now I will be doing a better job of looking for ways to be kinder to others. I think this is something that you need to make an effort to do. I’m not sure that I’m as kind as I thought I was.

Thank you so much to the VA Hospice Facility in Riviera Beach! Y’all are awesome!

How have you shown kindness to others lately? Please share.

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Why All the Questions

In But what is this question for? From Seth Godin's Blog,  Seth Godin states,

“If you are asked a question in a job interview, on stage or even on a date, there’s probably a reason, and the reason might not be because the person asking wants to know your answer.”

Sometimes you may think you are asked a crazy question and even think the person asking it is crazy but usually most people have a reason for asking the question.

I know a friend who was a manager at Cracker Barrel and would interview people at a table in the dining area. After looking over the application, the manager would ask them if they could move to a table in a different area because he forgot that they are doing some cleaning in this particular area. As they walk to the new area, the manager can observe and see how quickly the applicant moves and the body language as they move from one area to another. The manager told me that he can learn a lot just from observing body language and movement. He can see if the person will hustle in the dining room or sluggishly move around. He needed someone who was agile and a mover.

Sometimes you are asked about your hobbies in an interview. An interviewer can learn a lot about the applicant this way. Are the hobbies risky and would they possibly cause the employee to miss work a lot? Do the hobbies require the applicant to be out of town a lot? If the hobby consists of using their hands to build or manipulate things, an employer might see this as an asset for a specific position in the company.

A question about volunteer work might be asked. This would show an interviewer how well you take the initiative and whether you like helping others even if you don’t get paid. It tells about your character also.

You might be asked to fill out a form in front of the interviewer. This will show them how legible your handwriting is, how well you spell, and if you can read.

Remember to think about the questions you are asked and that your answers and body language may reveal more than you think.

What other questions are deeper than face value? Please share.

Photo by Ken Treloar on Unsplash