I love sunrises!
I love the thought of a new day, a new beginning.
Each day is a fresh new start.
I won’t worry about the past or the future. I won’t worry about obstacles or possible disappointments. Instead, I plan on enjoying today and I will start by enjoying the sunrise.
Sunrises fill me with joy and contentment. I want to hold on to it as long as I can.
I know people who squeeze the life out of me and have done it to me but it wasn’t fun or productive. Then I feel like I’ve dug a hole that I can’t get out of but I really can if I stop and think about it. I just hope that I’m not one of the vampires that she mentions.
Then I thought, once I identify the ones that are doing this, what steps can I take to avoid these feelings of helplessness and hopelessness.
Here are some options I have:
If they are family, I need to remember that I can’t change the way they act but I can change my own behavior. I can’t choose my family so I need to accept them for what they are. I need to think about my own actions and what they do to cause me to act this way. Then when they push my buttons, I need to behave differently. I also don’t need to subject myself to having to be around these people unless absolutely necessary. I have tried this recently and it really works for me!
If they are friends that I really want to keep, then I need to talk about this with them. I need to explain how their actions make me feel and how I need to do something differently. This might mean being around them less or it might mean that we need to interact differently but maybe together we can solve the problem.
If they are more like acquaintances rather than friends, then I need to distance myself from them. Sometimes I find their drama entertaining and better than TV but then I realize this drama tends to bring me down. It is better to limit my contact with these people.
If they are coworkers who I have to deal with on a daily basis, I need to try to be more positive around them. Hopefully I can influence them into being more positive people. I might even share that for a new yearly goal, I’m going to work on being more positive and would appreciate their help and support.
For those coworkers that I really can’t get along with, I try to deal with them mostly through email and not in person. This really helps when personality conflicts stand in the way of progress.
Build new friendships with more positive people. I’m not talking about those that think everything is wonderful all of the time (which is impossible!) but the ones who are more positive than negative in their outlook on life. Positive feelings are catching!
What other suggestions do you have? Please share.
Image: 'A tight squeeze Project 365(2) Day 357'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34673186@N03/5389756390
Found on flickrcc.net
"Take a moment to recollect your happiest memories as you learned something new. Where were you? What kind of activity did you undertake?
I learned to knit about seven years ago. I was at home alone and decided to teach myself to knit by watching YouTube videos. It is amazing how many videos there were out there on knitting and seeing different people using different techniques really helps to find one way that works for me. I loved being able to create something new that looked nice. It is so rewarding when others see the finished product and say how much they like it. I also found a local group who helps and supports me when I struggle with a problem. I learn so much from being a part of this group too.
I need to remember these memories and good feelings so I can help my students feel the same way.
Try to make the learning relevant. If there is a certain skill I want them to learn, can I find a way to teach it while focusing on a topic that they are interested in? If it is a topic they are interested in, they will be more engaged and willing to learn something new.
I want them to learn new things but they may to see different ways in order to find the best way that works for them. By expecting them to learn only one way may end up frustrating them more than helping them. Allow them to explore different ways until they find the way that works. This means I have to step back and give them time and space to find it.
Creating new things feels so good that I need to encourage my students to do the same thing. When they are creating things, I don’t have to worry about cheating and puts the burden of learning on the student. Besides that, creating is fun!
Allow students to get in groups to help each other. Sometimes students learn better from each other than from me. Sometimes they can explain things differently than I can. It never hurts to get a different perspective.
What happy memories do you have about learning? Please share.
Image: 'All That Matters'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11248435@N04/11854424755
Found on flickrcc.net
In 3 Keys to Happiness.from Boji’s Blog, Boji (a dog who writes about his adventures as a therapy dog), asks,
In John: Where’d All the Good People Go? John asks,
Well, I didn’t share this with John in the comment section because I tend to be wordy (who would have thought!). I thought I would share my thoughts here.
First of all, I don’t think I can depend on others to find the positives I need to keep going. I have to look for them myself and squirrel them away for a rainy day. Just thinking positive thoughts wasn’t enough for me even though it helped.
John had a great idea of keeping a journal which I did the first year. I kept a daily notebook and wrote about each student every day. It was really wonderful to go back years later and read this notebook. Not only did I see my own teaching practices in a different light, but I was able to see how much I had grown and take satisfaction in that. I have started keeping a Joy journal and writing down each day the things that bring me joy. When I am feeling down or discouraged, it is fun to read this journal.
Another thing I did was keep in close contact with the parents of my students. I called them every 2 weeks or so, which helped keep the phone calls short and sweet. By calling often, I established a wonderful rapport with many of the parents and they appreciated me for keeping in touch. Many of them would tell me how much this meant to them. When I was feeling discouraged or frustrated, I would call some parents to brag about their child’s work, behavior, and/or general attitude. This always thrilled the parents and worked as a pick-me-up for me and I always felt better after these calls.
I developed a few hobbies such as hiking and gardening. This really helped relieve a lot of stress as well as took my mind off my classroom. My husband could tell you that he thought I had my classroom on my mind 24/7 and would constantly talk about how whatever we were doing and how I could use it in the classroom. All during the summer, I was thinking about new lessons and things that would make my classroom better. Having hobbies helped me decompress and give my mind time to relax and take a break.
I also like trying to improve my teaching practices every year by researching current trends and new strategies that are being used. This involved attending conferences and training sessions during my personal time. When possible, I would ask colleagues if I could observe them to learn something that they were doing that seemed special. Many were flattered and allowed me to do this. I tried to avoid getting in a rut and teaching the same way every year and doing the same things over and over (because let’s face it, it is easier and not much work is involved). I would read magazines, watching educational podcasts, and even developed a personal learning network online. Connecting with others and sharing ideas and strategies is truly energizing!
Facing the reality that being a teacher isn’t going to be happy and fabulous all of the time also helps. Like anything in life, there will be ups and downs. Talking (or ranting) about the down times with a colleague helps me but then I need to let it go. I can’t harp on it constantly every day and let it consume my life or there won’t be any room for the “ups” to come in. I have to admit that I will make mistakes, I don’t know everything, and I can’t be perfect no matter how hard I try but I can learn from my mistakes, learn more every day, and try to be better each day. In the same respect, I have to see other people in the same light and not expect others to be error-free, know everything, and be perfect.
So, how do you find the positives in your profession? Please share!
Image: 'Explosion of positive energy'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22558336@N06/2372487324
Found on flickrcc.net
(Today’s post is for the letter H in the A-Z challenge.)
