Looking Back or Forward

In Packing Up the Old... Headed to the New from Sioux's Page, Sioux Roslawski asks,

“Are you stuck in the past or are you plodding forward?”

I have to confess that I sometimes get stuck in the past. It is so easy to do things because that is the way I’ve always done things or that is the way it has always been done. It is easier to do things that way because I know what needs to be done and usually the outcome can be predicted.

Plodding forward involves risks. I may be trying something new that I don’t know how to do. This opens the possibility of mistakes or failure.

But the keyword is possibilities.

I don’t know what possibilities may occur for the positive as well as negative. So many more good things could happen that I’m unaware of. Opportunities may present itself that wasn’t an option by getting stuck in the past. I need to get past the fear of failure and look towards the future.

Moving forward can be a scary thing. When a child takes their first steps or a teenager gets behind the wheel of a car or leaves for college, these moments are scary!

Many of my students have experienced this firsthand and are not anxious to repeat the process. It is my job to help the students get past this feeling. I want to show them that in the past, they didn’t have my support and knowledge. They are not alone, and I will help them move forward by being with them. I will be their safety net. Even if mistakes happen, or they are not successful on the first try, it will not affect how I feel about them. I want my students to feel that we are in this together and there is safety in numbers.

How do you help your students leave the past and move forward? Please share.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Another Fisher House Story

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Recently my friend saw a post I had written about my dad on the Fisher House Blog. I can’t say enough great things about the Fisher House but I was given permission to share my friend’s story with you. It just warms my heart that there is something like this for those who need it!

“Not sure if you knew that I stayed in a Fisher House both at Walter Reed in DC and Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio for 6 months!! when our son lost his legs. We are so grateful to Fisher House Foundation for that time spent close to him while he was recovering. I was under Army orders to remain as his advocate until he was deemed independent. Can you imagine the bills if I had stayed at a hotel? Or even rented something? After several surgeries, he got to spend 4 months actually rooming with me while he went thru his rehabilitation. It was a wonderful experience for both of us. My family makes donations to Fisher House every Christmas since 2010. And we have donated frequent flyer miles to the hero miles program as they flew my husband back and forth and both our daughters for visits. Flew me home for a change of wardrobe when fall finally arrived. Our house was one of 4 on the BAMC property and each one housed 21 families!! It was a wonderfully supportive atmosphere staying with people in the same situation. I got to meet so many outstanding wounded warriors and couldn't believe their uplifting attitudes thru their suffering and rehab. What a wonderful vision Zachary Fisher had!!”

Screenshot from the Fisher House Blog; original photo by Pat Hensley

Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 8/23/19

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

10 Cybersecurity Lessons to Teach Kids – “Whether you’re the parent of a Girl Scout who is working toward the cybersecurity badge or want to teach your daughter about the importance of cybersecurity, we have tips and tricks to help you teach them how computers work and how to stay safe online. Each lesson also includes an activity that should be suitable for all ages.” (L:G;SA:A)

56 Simple Printable Conversation Starters to Teach Kids About Money – “Money management is an essential life skill that takes time and patience to master. That’s why it’s important for parents to instill basic financial concepts in their children at a young age. By teaching your kids about the fundamentals of money and finances, you can establish a solid financial foundation that positions your children to be successful later in life.” (L:M,SS;SA: E,M)

Where on Google Earth is Carmen Sandiego? – “To celebrate the global explorer in all of us, today we’re introducing The Crown Jewels Caper, the first in a series of Carmen Sandiego games in Google Earth. Created in collaboration with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, the home of Carmen Sandiego, our game is an homage to the original. It’s for all those gumshoes who grew up with the chase, and for the next generation feeling that geography itch for the first time.” (L:G;SA:A)

ProProf’s Brain Games – “Create or play exciting online puzzles and mind games.” (L:G;SA:A)

Ict Games – “Welcome to the tablet and desktop friendly page. Here you'll find free educational games aimed at children between 5 and 8 years old.”

Original photo by Pat Hensley