Need for Hope and Inspiration

In 11 Ways to Increase Hope and Inspiration @DavidGeurin Blog, David Geurin shares,

“So I wanted to share a few thoughts on ways to inspire others, some ways to offer hope. If it seems like you've experienced more despair and hopelessness recently, you're not alone. I think that's a common experience for educators right now.”

I read this article and thought it was great! There were great ideas and inspiration but I hope the author posts this again in the middle of the school year too.

It is easy at the beginning of the year to feel motivated and energized because you have had all summer to “rest” (even though I’ve never met a teacher who rested during the summer!). The beginning of the year is always exciting and new but by the middle of the year, things get slower and older. This is the time I think people need to be reminded of hope and inspiration.

So, if you find things that inspire you, bookmark them, file them, or print them out and put them in a file to be looked at in the future. Many people share things that can be very inspiring but right now you don’t have the time to really look at them and get what you need from them. Don’t forget about these things or throw them away. They may come in handy in the future.

When you are discouraged and feeling down, it is time to pull out that file or bookmarks and remind yourself that there is hope for success. These things will help pull you out of the doldrums just when you need them.

There is hope and inspiration out there!

Photo by Dayne Topkin on Unsplash

3 Aspirational Words

In Three Words to Have More Success in The Classroom and in Life from Success In the Classroom, Sam asks,

“What are your three aspirational words?”

I really had to think about this and it was harder than I thought it would be. I finally came up with my 3 words: Positive, Happy, Inspirational.

Positive:

I want to start out each day being positive and optimistic. I think I can control how I see my life around me and if I see it as negative, it will be negative. If I am positive and look for the good things around me, my life will go smoother and I will be able to handle any obstacles that come my way. I will have a better frame of mind to problem solve and problems if I’m looking at the positives than the negatives.

Happy:

I want others to see me as a happy person. I like to smile and laugh. I see too many people with frowns on their face and they look so unhappy. I don’t want to be around unhappy people and I would not want people to avoid me. I think people like to be around me because I’m a relatively happy person.

Inspiration:

I hope by writing this blog about my classroom experiences, travel experiences, and opinions, that I can be an inspiration to others. I hope that I make people think about how they feel about different topics. When I write and opinion, I don’t want people to just agree with me but would rather open up a dialogue for why they would disagree with me. When they read about my travels, I hope it makes others want to visit the same places I’ve been and that it helps them with their planning. When I write about my classroom experiences, I hope that it helps teachers not make the same mistakes that I have in the classroom and that their experiences can be successful. 

Now, I have to ask you, what are three aspirational words that describe yourself?

Unplug for Inspiration

In Unplug from this. Plug back in to that #28daysofwriting by Ewan McIntosh | Digital Media & Education,  Ewan McIntosh shares,

"At the weekend I make every attempt to unplug from technology. Most of my best ideas do not happen while staring at a screen, small or large, but from doing the opposite: experiencing life around me."

I make sure that I enjoy the life around me in addition to my digital life. I can easily stay plugged into to technology all day without missing a beat. But I notice that when I stay plugged in, I do not get as inspired to write blog posts as much as when I unplug frequently.

Here are ways that I “unplug” during the day:

Photos – I am looking throughout the day for photos for my Photo A Day project. These sometimes trigger great ideas to write about.

Discussions – When I talk to others about a current news story, I can get different perspectives about the story. Sometimes I agree and sometimes I disagree. These discussions help me clarify my ideas before I put it in words.

Shopping – I can’t tell you how many ideas I have gotten from shopping. These may come from interactions with sales people, other customers, products for sale, or even tags on clothing.

Solitary Activity– Things such as spinning on my spinning wheel, knitting, or even gardening. They are a time of meditation and thought and I find that many ideas are spinning in my brain. Sometimes I can’t wait to get them written down in words.

Church – many times the sermons I hear on Sunday will trigger a great blog post.

Groups – I belong to several groups of common interest and I learn so many new things from different people. Many times these interactions can inspire further learning.

Reading – I like to read a “real” book now and then. It is a great form of escapism and relaxation. This makes me feel energized and inspired when I’m ready to write.

What ways do you unplug from technology? How do you feel it helps you? Please share.

Image: 'My UNPLUG Poster (with Jake)' 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41894165897@N01/123539373
Found on flickrcc.net

Facing the Obstacles

In Confronting the Brutal Facts of Reality from Angela Maiers Educational Services, Inc., Angela Maiers shares,

“Many times I’ve read that people who enjoy success rarely enjoy an obstacle-free ride to the top; they simply learn to overcome whatever challenges they came across. The most successful people are the ones who never believe that they have “won;” they follows Kipling’s admonition that if you ‘meet with Triumph or Disaster, treat these two impostors just the same.’”

This is so true and you can look back through history to know this is true. If you look at people who have become President or other famous people, you will see how each person had individual struggles.

Henry Ford went broke 5 times before he started his Ford Motor Company.

R. H. Macy started several businesses before he started his popular Macy’s department store.

Soichiro Honda was turned down for an engineer’s job by Toyota. While jobless, he worked on scooters at his own home. Eventually he founded the now billion dollar Honda Corporation.

Harland Sanders had his chicken recipe rejected over 1000 times before a restaurant accepted it. Eventually he found Kentucky Fried Chicken.

After our latest visit to Disney, I found out that Walt Disney failed at several ventures before Mickey Mouse became popular.

Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was four and didn’t read until he was seven.

Thomas Edison failed over 1000 times before he got the light bulb to work.

Abraham Lincoln lost several elections before he finally got on the road to the Presidency.

Dr. Seuss’s first book was rejected 27 times.

Stephen King’s first book Carrie was rejected 30 times when his wife talked him into resubmitting it again.

Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.

These are just some of the things I’ve found and I’m sure there are many. There are probably a lot of local well known people who have their own stories to tell. I think it would be great for students to find and interview local people for their own inspirational stories.

Do you have or know someone who has overcome obstacles to get where they are? Please share.

Image: 'Overcoming obstacles'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/35703177@N00/6999691421
Found on flickrcc.net

Driving out the Darkness

(Today’s post is for the letter D in the A-Z challenge.)
I believe that teaching my students how to learn is helping them drive away the darkness.
Many of my high school students were beaten down and frustrated by the time they got to me. I always felt like they believed they were in the land of darkness without any light. Many of them had extremely low self concepts and were biding their time until they were of age to quit school. They saw no reason to even try any more. Many of my students were objects of ridicule by their peers and were often bullied. Even some of their parents felt their children were just lazy or plain stupid.
That is why I introduced the class motto: I am a born winner! I felt that every person is born with a purpose and God doesn’t plan on them being losers. I asked every student to write that on their papers they turned in. I asked them to say that sentence aloud when asked. The class repeated it over and over again. It was time to turn their perceptions around. I needed them to start to believe it.
I started giving them work that was not baby work but I knew that they could be successful at. This built up their confidence levels. The more they were able to do, I slowly increased the difficulty. At times they wanted to slide back into self defeat but I wouldn’t let them. I pushed them over and over again. Slowly they began to realize how capable they were.
When we began to study a novel that students in the general classes were studying, they were amazed at what they could do. Of course, we read the novel together slower than they did in other classes but the discussions were very similar. My students were able to participate in some of the conversations at lunch that mentioned this novel. Suddenly they were on the same playing field as their peers.
Slowly my students began to stand straighter and hold their heads up higher. Slowly they realized that they were capable of so much more than others expected. Slowly they stopped allowing others to bully them and stood up for themselves. Slowly they began to see the light at the end of the tunnel and darkness was receding.
Suddenly they began to believe!
Many times over the past few years, I have come across former students who still remember our class motto. Some of them showed me that they have written it down and even still carry it in their wallets today. Some have even mentioned how it has helped them through difficult times of their adulthood. I’m so proud of them!
Do you have a class motto? If so, please share.
Image: 'Tunnel View... [Explored]'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41346951@N05/5481225210

Let the Sunshine In

In I Like Teaching You from siobhan curious: classroom as microcosm, Siobhan Curious shares,

“Whenever I’m writing final notes to students, I need to acknowledge the enjoyment those students have given me.”

It is winter time here, and cold, and sometimes the skies are dreary. Valentine’s Day is now over and many are either experiencing the sugar rush from all the candy or dealing with the disappointment of a lonely day past.

This is a good time to think about the positive. No matter what anyone says, everyone loves to be on the receiving end of a positive thing.

I need to bring a little sunshine in the classroom and there are any ways that I can do this. Here are some things that I can do:

1. Start each class with a smile. It helps create the tone for the class that day.

2. Greet each student at the door with a handshake. I think this helps both of us feel good about ourselves.

3. Tell students how much I enjoy being there and teaching them. (I need to forget about the most annoying student or the things that aren’t going right in my classroom at this time. I need to remember why I went into teaching to begin with and share my gladness.)

4. Find something positive to say to each student at some point during the week. I can find at least one thing if not more to say to someone that is positive.

5. Decide not to be negative and say negative things that day. This is a conscious effort and can also be a great model for the students. Sometimes I even let them know that is my goal.

6. I will think of ways that I can help someone else even though they didn’t ask for my help. Sometimes just by helping others, I feel better.

7. Write positive statements on papers that I grade and return.

8. Call parents and brag about the student. This really gets a lot of mileage and the return is exponential!

9. Let colleagues know how much I enjoy working with them. Give an example of how they inspire or motivate me to be a better teacher.

10. Share positive stories that have impacted my life. Hopefully one of these stories will impact others too.

What suggestions do you have to bring sunshine into the classroom? Please share!

Image: 'El sol!'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44126975@N00/420415554

How Full is Your Bucket? Notes

I have just finished the book How Full is Your Bucket by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton. The website with more information is found at http://www.bucketbook.com. I thought The Theory of the Dipper and the Bucket was very powerful!

Here are some notes and quotes from the book

• “Everyone has an invisible bucket. We are at our best when our buckets are overflowing-and at our worst when they are empty. Everyone also has an invisible dipper. In each interaction, we can use our dipper either to fill or to dip from others’ buckets. Whenever we choose to fill others’ buckets, we in turn fill our own.” (Chapter 1)
• “The most enjoyable part of spreading positivity for Ken is to ‘watch the energy move through the network’ once he sets it in motion.” (Chapter 2)
• “According to the US Department of Labor, the number-one reason people leave their jobs is because they ‘do not feel appreciated.’” (Chapter 2)
• “9 out of 10 people say they are more productive when they’re around positive people.” (Chapter 3)
• “…negative emotions can be harmful to your health and might even shorten your life span.” (Chapter 3)
• “The magic ratio: 5 positive interactions for every 1 negative interaction” (Chapter 3)
• “If you want people to understand that you value their contributions and that they are important, the recognition and praise you provide must have meaning that is specific to each individual.” (Chapter 5)
• “Five strategies for Increasing Positive Emotions: Prevent bucket dipping, Shine a light on what is right, Make best friends, Give unexpectedly, Reverse the Golden Rule.” (Chapter 6)
• “…try to catch yourself in the act of bucket dipping – then stop it.” (strategy 1)
• “Each interaction gives us a chance to shine a light on what’s right – and fill a bucket.” (strategy 2)
• “…your best approach is to fill a person’s bucket in your very first interaction.” (strategy 3)
• “Expected gifts do fill our buckets, but for some reason, receiving things unexpectedly fills our buckets just a little more.” (strategy 4)
• “…bucket filling must be specific to the individual.” (strategy 5)

It was truly a wonderful book and I would highly recommend that every teacher read it. I can see this helping in the classroom with how we deal with students. By filling their buckets, we can make a difference in students’ lives as well as our own.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word – Book Review

I recently won a copy of Teaching is Not a Four Letter Word: How to Stop Worrying and Love the Job by Tom DeRosa by entering his blog contest (Check out his awesome blog I Want To Teach Forever). I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this book and I’m ashamed to say I might not have if I hadn’t won the contest.

I would like to encourage my readers to find a copy of this book and read it. It is a fast and easy read but it is absolutely inspirational. I think many new teachers would benefit from reading this as well as those teachers who need a reminder about how wonderful teaching is. Mr. D. gives lots of great suggestions and strategies that make a teacher’s life easy. Some of the lessons mentioned are ones that I do but had forgotten how important they were and that others needed to know about them too.

I also think it would be a great book for a faculty to use as staff development. At the end of the 70 lessons, there is a self assessment to find out where the reader stands. After doing the self assessment, it would be a wonderful way to open discussion as a faculty. I feel self assessment should be done on a regular basis so can make sure that we are doing the right things for the right reasons.

I plan to share this many of my friends who are teachers and hope they pass it on to others. I hope those that do not have a copy of this book consider getting one. You can find it on Lulu for $12.99 or file download for $6.25. It is also available for the Kindle for $6.25.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Dark Clouds or Sun?

I found another great blog post “ Which Are You? Transmitter or Transformer? Light or Dark? by TJ Shay.

He asks, “So, which are you..... The dark rain cloud, or the light?”

When I first read this, I immediately thought that I wanted to definitely be the light all of the time. I mean, let’s face it; no one likes the dark clouds. And I don’t want people to see me as a dark cloud, right? I want everyone to see me as the sunny positive person all of the time.

But in reality, I know that it isn’t possible. I want to be the sunny person most of the time. I want to have a positive outlook on the future. I want to hope that I am making a difference by sharing my knowledge and expertise with others. Hopefully, this positive outlook will be infectious to others and grow like a ripple in the water.

Yet, at times it is necessary to be the dark cloud. Just like in nature, without the dark clouds, we wouldn’t appreciate the sun as much. Sometimes we need the dark clouds to make us realize where we need to improve or what we need to change. Real life isn’t sunny all of the time. Being the dark cloud can put the big picture into perspective. Nothing is perfect and there is always something that can be changed to improve the current situation.

I see the dark cloud part of me as the part that questions and doubts what I hear, see, or read. I should not just be accepting of what is shown to me or told to me. This is the part where I need to use my critical thinking and analyze what is being given. Eventually I might decide that what I am learning is worth believing in or it clarifies my thoughts better, but by blinding believing everything, is not what is best for anyone. The dark cloud does not have to be seen as a negative force in my life.

I need to make sure that the dark cloud is not THE driving force that gives my life direction. There needs to be a balance between dark clouds and light. Too much of anything is not good for anyone. I guess that is why I like living in the south so much because I feel nature has this balance that influences my life.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: 'Retreating thunder'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28734213@N00/2966962033 by: Niklas Sjöblom

Anything is Possible

I have been following the Official Jessica Watson Blog and read Life Back on Land.

Jessica Watson is a 16 year old girl who has sailed around the world alone. I have been drawn to reading her blog entries because I have admired her courage and determination. This past week, she finally arrived home and has been sharing about the fanfare that she has been receiving. But in this entry, she writes,
“But more than anything, I love hearing about other people’s dreams and how my voyage has showed them that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!”

I think I have felt that way as I followed her blog. I have been amazed how she handled difficulties and bad weather and repairs and a multitude of other obstacles with faith and belief that she could conquer anything.

This is the kind of feelings that I hope to impart in my students with my words, actions, and teaching.

I hope that people who read my blog or meet me in person feels like after being around me, that anything is possible. I hope I encourage students to dream and work towards a dream. I want to help students figure what they need to do to achieve their dream.

I don’t want to discourage them or make them feel like their dreams don’t count. I learned the hard way with my own children that they could not live the dreams that I wanted them to dream. They had to live their own.

Like Jessica, I love to hear about other people’s dreams and how they accomplished it. If you have a story, please share. Thanks for reading!

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: 'Lorain sunset'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38729188@N00/2129555467 by: Rona Proudfoot

Office Politics

In Ellen: Overwhelmed from CEC Blog, the author states,

“I’m drained by the politics. Not petty lunchroom stuff, but top-down stuff. I’m frustrated by what I perceive to be a lack of accountability for teachers who aren’t making things work and a lack of support for teachers who are. It’s difficult for me to be an advocate for my students when I feel that my school’s practices are sometimes not in their best interests.”

I hear this so often from many young teachers and it makes me sad. I think this feeling of helplessness causes many new teachers to pack it in too early. This feeling of office politics can be overwhelming and cause new teachers to feel powerless.

I know this is no excuse but over the past thirty years, I have had many different jobs and you will face these office politics, no matter what job you have. It doesn’t matter if you are a salesclerk, or an entertainer, or a construction worker. If you thought teaching was any different, you were wrong. Maybe Surviving Office Politics is a course that we need to teach in Teacher Prep courses because it would be of practical use.

I had one new teacher ask me about how I survived office politics and it made me think of the things I did. Maybe if I share it with you, you will find something you need in order to cope with what is going on around you.

1. Remember not to take the politics personally. I have felt that I was moved to different schools unfairly for different reasons and felt a lot of bitterness and resentment. I had to learn that these changes were not usually against me personally. Later, I learned that the change actually turned out to benefit me and without the change, my growth as a teacher would not have happened.

2. Be willing to stand up for what is right. I needed to think about how my actions would affect me in the long run; the big picture. Was I willing to sacrifice what I’ve accomplished to stand up for my beliefs?

3. Remember that I do not have the big picture. Many times the administration has to make decisions that benefit the school as a whole even though it might not be to my advantage. Sometimes decisions have to be made that affect the most people and not just the ones that I teach.

4. Open the lines of communication with my administration. If I feel that the school practices are not in the best interest of my students, I need to let my administration know how negatively this can affect the school in the future. I need to be loyal to my employer and I can do this by showing how acting in the best interest of my students is in fact what is in the best interest of the school.

5. I need to stop dwelling on the negative politics and letting it become the central focus of my thoughts. As long as I am doing this, there will not be any room for positive thinking which will enable me to cope with the way things are.

6. I need to be able to accept that what I believe in may not be the only way to solve a problem. I need to be open to other suggestions and show a willingness to try other options.

7. If I’m not happy with the way things are, I need to think about ways to change it. Then I need to be willing to approach those in power with my suggestions. If I’m not willing to be part of the solution, I need to stop whining about the way things are.

8. I cannot expect the school to develop a support system for me. I need to do it on my own. I need to make time to do this. I can find colleagues who I work with, either in my own school, or my own district. Or I can find people online for support. I need to actively do this for myself.

9. Remember the ultimate reason I became a teacher – to make a difference in a child’s life. When all else fails, I need to ask myself if I am achieving my goal. If I am, then I know that I’m doing the best I can and that I shouldn’t beat myself over the way things are.

How do you deal with the politics where you are? Do you have any other suggestions with coping with these? Do you disagree with any that I have given? If so, please explain why.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: 'That went down well......'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15868489@N00/828559971 by: Karen Brazier

Passport to Success 2009

On Friday we held the Passport to Success 2009. It was a successful experience and I think most of the students really got a lot out of it. The purpose of this event was to give insight to 11^th and 12th grade students with identified disabilities that will provide them with information to be successful in post secondary education and training. Our keynote speaker was Jordan Sorrells, who is the quarterback for the Furman Paladins. Even though I didn’t tape the very beginning of his speech (I had the camera on the wrong settings), I got the rest of it which was truly a magnificent speech and I think it reached many of the students. I hope you enjoy the speech!

Failures are Not All Bad

In Determination and Perseverance from Clif's Notes by Clif Mims , he shows a video on
Famous failures: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6hz_s2XIAU


Then I started to look at a couple of others that might be motivational and inspirational for my students. I remember when I was in fourth grade and terrorized by an abusive teacher because of making mistakes. I knew then that I wanted to become a teacher so students would not think that an error is a terror. These videos reinforce that thought and I thought you might enjoy these too.

Secret to Success: Famous Failures - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta-Y76uwjgY
Interview with Harrison Ford


Michael Jordan “Failure” Nike Commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45mMioJ5szc

Miracles Do Happen

Today it seemed as if I kep running into things that screamed Miracles! Christine shared on plurk this video: Success Stories. Then I saw this Baldo comic strip for 2/15/09. When I went to church, the topics were miracles and healing lepers.

As I drove home I began to think of all the miracles that happen in our schools. As I mentioned before, winter months are hard on me. I don’t know if it is light deprivation from the lack of sun or if it is the cold that makes me miserable and down in the mouth but I’m always looking for ways to combat these feelings. When we think as teachers that we aren’t doing much or making a difference, we need to think about the miracles that happen every day. I began to think of the miracles that have happened while I was teaching.

As a new teacher, I was very concerned about my fifth grader who still couldn’t read at the end of the year. I didn’t think he should go on to middle school and would have to share this with the parent. It was my first year of teaching and I was scared to do this but I knew it was in the student’s best interest. When I finally told the mother, she hugged me and thanked me for caring about her son. She didn’t feel that anyone cared enough about his lack of skills and just kept passing him on. I never thought about it that way so I’m glad I stuck by my decision.

During my first year of teaching, I gave a student a failing grade the first nine weeks and his mother was furious. She threatened me by letting me know her husband was in law enforcement and would make my life rough unless I passed her son. I was so scared I didn’t know what to do but I really hate to be threatened. So I went to my substitute principal who I didn’t know very well (my principal went on extended sick leave right after he hired me) and she was magnificent. We called a meeting to confront both parents and the father was horrified as he apologized profusely for his wife and promised it wouldn’t happen. In fact, he had to file a report and was transferred far away from me. For a first year teacher, this was a miracle!

My first year of teaching high school was a treat. Apparently I made a student very upset with me and he promised to beat me up. He planned for some kids to stand outside the room and watch for adults. Instead of doing what he wanted, they ganged up on him and dragged him to the adminstrator’s office to tell their story. I was so proud of them!

A boy, who didn’t know the alphabet in 9th grade, learned to read and fill out job applications. He got a full time job when he graduated and even brought his new truck he bought to my house to show me. At graduation he bought me a dozen long stem red roses to thank me for helping him. It’s been almost 20 years but we still keep in touch.

When I had a house fire and had to move to a new house, some of my special ed students showed up at my house to help me move. I was so thankful because it would have been an overwhelming job for my husband and me but I hate to ask for help. I had mentioned that I was moving that weekend and they were there for me. As I thanked their parents for letting them help me, I was told that I had been there for their children and their children would be there for me. What an honor!

These are just some of the miracles that I have seen in my teaching career. What miracles do you see going on around you? If you don’t see any, maybe you just need to look harder. I think it is these miracles that have helped me be successful in the classroom.

Original image: 'god's office' http://www.flickr.com/photos/68175415@N00/323674659 by: Steve Johnson

My Sources of Inspiration

I have seen a few posts out in cyberspace about who or what inspires people. In 21st Century Collaborative, snbeach talks about What Inspires you? She is inspired by community. In Ramblings of a Technology Coordinator by Christine Archer, she refers to Sir Ken Robinson and his sources of inspiration in her post Who Inspires You?

Sometimes I would reach a phase (and yes, it is just a phase that everyone goes through) where I feel as if I’m in a rut, or I’m tired, or I’m bored. I start to wonder why I am doing this or I feel as if I’m not making a difference. Sometimes the frustrations about the paperwork or the regulations can really make me feel bogged down. When I feel overwhelmed by deadlines or upcoming projects, I want to run away. This is the time that I reach into my bag of inspiration for some help. Here are some of the things that I do.

I will watch a movie about teaching. I loved the movie To Sir With Love or The Freedom Writers. It helps to remind me why I went into teaching and helps me remember that I want to make a difference. I also like the fact that these teachers do not give up even though they would be justified if they did. Are there any movies that inspire you?

I will read books about teaching. I love the Torey Haydn books. I love to read about the different situations she has to deal with and how she never gives up. I also start to think about what I would do if I had been in the same situation. What books about teaching inspire you?

I will go observe a good teacher. There are so many good teachers out there and they are a wonderful resource right at our fingertips. Even though I feel like I don’t have the time to do this, I will make the time to do this. If I didn’t, I would just sit at my desk and be unproductive anyway so what could this hurt? I might even ask my students which teachers they like and why. Then I will share these positive statements with that teacher and ask if I can observe him/her. Sometimes this helps to jump start me into action. I might notice a strategy that this teacher uses that is successful and I want to try it with my class. Do you know someone where you are that you would like to observe?

Read blogs by other educators to see what they are doing in their classrooms or their schools. Sometimes by entering a debate or a discussion, it helps to energize me. By reading their blogs, I feel a connection which makes me feel less isolated. Sometimes I feel so alone in my feelings and wonder if I’m the only one out here who cares or feels or worries. There are so many blogs out there by other educators who know exactly what I’m feeling.

Learn something new so that I can share it with my class. It doesn’t have to be anything big, just something fun or different. You could teach yourself, take a class, or find someone else to each you. One year I got a book and learned how to juggle. This was a lot of fun and my class was impressed. I found out another teacher crocheted and asked her to teach me, which she did and my students looked forward to seeing how much progress I made on my afghan. They loved the thought of me learning something new right before their eyes. It also gave me something to be excited about that took my mind off of my problems. This year I am learning to speak Mandarin Chinese. What would you like to learn and how could you go about learning it?

Original image: 'butterfly 9' http://www.flickr.com/photos/35188692@N00/83775147 by: Alan L