Teacher Appreciation Week 2021

I had this hope that each day this week on facebook I was going to send some notes of appreciation but then I.... didn't, ha. But, I have been thinking about all the people I wanted to appreciate this week and so I thought I should compose this before time slipped away again!

To recap from Monday, when I did write an appreciation, the first one I sent out was to LeeAnn, a friend from my first year of teaching. That year, I was so lucky to cross paths with LeeAnn, she was on my team! She was passionate then about technology (and as you can see, she still is today!) I remember that I got my first Mac at Creighton and learned about digital video cameras (this was 2003, people) and all things tech from LeeAnn. She inspired me with gaggle net (I think it was a kid friendly search engine?) and I was quickly learning about digital pictures and videos and iMovie and blogging too! I can’t imagine a teaching life without technology and LeeAnn, you led me in that direction with love, patience, and constant reflection. That and showing me how to teach with firm, yet loving classroom management. Thank you for inspiring me and happy teacher appreciation week, friend!

A few years after that, I had two amazing teachers at Arizona State for grad school - Charlotte and Susanna. Their class was Reading Assessment, and it was the two of them and their curriculum that changed my whole philosophy of education. Prior to knowing these two beautiful people, I was very behaviorist in my approach with kids. But, with their knowledge I realized how much better a social constructivist perspective is as far as learning for students go. They introduced me to Lucy Calkins and Nancy Atwell. Kelly Gallagher and Ralph Fletcher. And of course Yetta Goodman and Louise Rosenblatt. Their impact will be felt for years to come, and I can't imagine where I'd be without them!

And next, Christine Jantz - girl, you taught me so much about literacy. You helped me turn theory into practice! Thank you for for all of your knowledge in reading and writing that you generously offered me (anecdotal notes...hello authentic data collection!), and also, the ear when I was just learning about how to be a coach. I'm so glad we had those few years together when we shared an office. It was really some of the best moments spending them together with you!

Emerson teachers, a note of thanks to you as well. Working with you gave me a tiny insight into all the things elementary teachers do so well, especially your knowledge about differentiation. You all had one of the biggest impacts on my instruction; I learned how to do conferring best from all of you! Thank you for all you do for your students, and super big hug from me for being so impactful on my view of highly effective instruction.

Leah and Amy, I offer an appreciation to you two next. You were there for me as I transitioned from the classroom to the coaching role. Still to this day, we learn together, problem solve together, and lean on one another. I have learned so much from you working at your side on various projects, and I'm just really excited about what will come next. Thank you for all you do for the teachers in our district, and especially for me!

Heritage teachers, major props for all your work on one of the strangest years ever. Without skipping a beat, you changed the whole format of teaching and made it remote, and then hybrid. You took the already amazing work we have been doing the past few years and found ways to innovate it on zoom and then on zoom *and with kids in front of you. Thank you for talking lessons through with me (you know I love those learning progressions!) and showing up for me when I needed you. And making me laugh on the daily. There's not another school I think I could feel more home at, and it's not lost on me that it's the people that make you feel that way. Love you guys!

Wouldn't be my blog without a nod to an educator I'm learning from via PD books, and this year, it's Elena Aguilar. Thank you for all the work you do to teach and inspire coaches. Your book, Coaching for Equity, is one of the best books I've read in a few years. Thank you for sharing the ways you have coached others around implicit bias and racism. As teachers, we are lucky to serve others in ways that can leave a lasting impact on others, and I so value the work you've done and then shared with us. I'm on the path, and looking forward to learning more about this important work in the months and years to come.

Finally, Allison and Michelle, my principals who are teachers at heart. I want to send a note of gratitude for the way you taught me through your leadership. From you I learned that sharing leadership is such an effective method for building collective efficacy. You've taught me how to lead groups and you've constantly modeled a calm and loving demeanor to all of us here at HMS, and these are lessons I carry with me day-to-day. This year, thank you for all of the little notes and the staff check-in surveys, and the treats in our mailboxes. (The "pooped" emoji pen right before thanksgiving is still my fave!) I love HMS and that is in large part to the way you lead our Ohana each and every day!

Honestly, I could go on and on about teachers near and far who make a difference every day, thank you for the work you do to make our world a better place, one lesson, one conversation, and one day at a time!

Who are you thankful for? Send them a note and let them know!

Miracle Morning

Happy Monday Friends! Awesome to be home today on a snowy Monday, three day weekend. On deck today are all the chores I didn't do yet, like laundry, more meal prep for the week, planning out some things for school tomorrow, and getting paperwrok in line for my taxes tomorrow night. BUUUTTT, that stuff isn't fun, so instead I'm listening to Ariana Grande and blogging :-) Today I'm going to share a routine that is all about self care and putting yourself first. If you want to earn some of those self-care reward stickers, read on!

Today, like all my other days, I got up and started with Miracle Morning. This is a habit I've been working on since January and it's making such a difference in my life. It gets my mind set straight before any of the stressors of life enter. Let me tell you what it involves, and then tell you what I'm finding.

Six steps, order then as you wish, but remember "SAVERS" as an acronym to get all the benefits.

Silence
I'm talking meditation, prayer, breathing. Just be. Work on calming the mind and your thoughts so you can learn to be more fully present. I use the Calm app for this which has awesome, daily 10 minute meditations. If you're a teacher you can get a free account, just go here. No matter how you choose to do so, find some quiet silence to begin your day.

Affirmations
Tell yourself some encouraging words to live out your life's purpose. Think in terms of gratitude! Every day, I write down five things I'm thankful for as a way to affirm the good things that have already come into my life. When you get in the habit of looking for things you are thankful for, you start to see more and more of that as you go about your day.

Vision
To start with this, you need to get your goals down. They can be yearly goals, or goals for a 3-5 year plan, or even 10 years. Some people make vision boards as such a way to visualize them. Once you know your goals, you will write them every morning in present tense. Mine start out like this:

10 dreams I made happen (this is a la Rachel Hollis and her Start Today Journal, currently sold out, but pop to that link to get your name on the list!) Okay so in my journal, this Vision part looks like this:

10 dreams I made happen 
1. I have impeccable health, in mind, body, and spirit.
2. I have $10K in savings.

and they go on like that, all 10, written every day. By hand writing them, you spend a little bit of time on each, and if you have a vision board, have that close so you can visualize. Law of Attraction. It's the thing!

Exercise
Not a whole production, either. Just five minutes to get your blood flowing. I set my timer for 5 min and do the following, mostly yoga:

Sun A flow a few times
High Plank
Down Dog
Sleeping Pigeon
Pushups
Supine Twist
Happy Baby

No matter what you choose, just get five minutes of movement in to get your day going. While you're doing that, you can work on calming the mind. If you have a hard time with that, focus on deep  breathing.

Reading
Read some cool stuff to fill up your mind with positivity. I love The Book of Awakening for this. It's a day book with short passages each day to inspire you. Sometimes they inspire you to let stuff go. Sometimes they inspire you to reconsider some limiting beliefs. Sometimes they reaffirm a belief you hold. Sometimes it's poetry, sometimes its a quote, sometimes it pushes your thinking. No matter what, it's good stuff to begin a day and get you thinking.

Scribbling
Scribbling, a synonym for Writing so the "SAVERS" acronym works. Get to some writing. Sometimes you don't even know what ideas of yours are lurking beneath the surface because you need to take time to write, and in doing so, things come out unexpectedly that really illuminate where you are in life.

So that's it!

Like I mentioned earlier, I've been practicing this for about six weeks. I wake up at 5:00 and get to this first thing. My routine is as follows:

1. Write five things I'm thankful for (Affirmations)
2. Write the 10 dreams I made happen (Visualizing)
3. Read a bit
4. Write a bit
5. Exercise flow
6. Meditate

If I have to wash my hair, I usually do the exercise part first, hop in the shower, and then let my hair air dry a bit while I work though the rest.

If I'm running late, I do the meditation in the evening.

Sometimes I miss a day, or sometimes I miss the meditation.

I can tell you that my days are way better when I have this practice happening. I am in a happier mood, I see all the good in things, I am much more calm and collected in my moments of anxiety throughout my day. I've learned to slow down in those stressful moments - significantly. This practice will really make a difference for you if you can get up and get though the early-morning grind.

I have a little something for you! The little cheat-cheat picture at left is available here for you to download and print in case you'd like to have a reference point to get started.

Do you already practice Miracle Morning? The person who taught me is Faith, you should totally follow her if you're on Instagram! Thank you, Faith, for the inspiration and great habits you bring into my life!

And, connect with me on Instagram, too, if you're not already! I'd love to have you tag me in some awesome routines like this that set up some awesome self care! Or, leave a comment and let's hear what you're up to!

10% more chill

You guys, can you surrender? Try not to control everything? In moments of anxiety, try and be more chill? Even just 10% more?

Something happens with your travel plans and it's stressing you out.
10% more chill.

The guy you've been talking to on Bumble flakes out.
10% more chill.

You're upset with someone you love. Call them, but in the mean time,
10% more chill.

You're running ragged, teacher style, end of the school year.
10% more chill.

You forgot your favorite ingredient for your stir fry.
10% more chill.

You overdraft your bank account.
10% more chill.

You thought your BFFs birthday was the 20th, but it's actually the 16th.
10% more chill.

The rain ruins your plans.
10% more chill.

What if in every moment of anxiety, you surrendered a bit, you chilled a bit, even just 10%? How could that improve your day?

Thanks to my fave HPF yoga class for this reminder today.

One Year Forward

2016.
Over in a flash.
Anita tells me all the time that time goes by too fast, I can see why.

I stopped setting resolutions last year. Instead, I picked a word, a One Little Word, to guide me through the year.

So in what ways did I move forward?

Career
2016 took me back to my middle school roots, and I love being with the older kids. However, it didn't unfold exactly as I had thought it may have. There were some distractions and anxiety there, too, but I have to remember I'm on year one again as a coach in a building that is new to coaching, and that in my first year as a coach at Emerson things weren't roses and butterflies, either. I've pretty much spent the last five months stressing my own self out, and I need to be done with that. It's just that I don't like to be mediocre at things, and that is how I've felt in a lot of ways this school year. So, granting myself a little grace in the coming months to close out this 14th year of teaching.

On the flip side of that was that I was nominated for a Golden Apple Award. I have no idea who nominated me - all the people I have asked have said no, so not really sure what started all that. It's kind of lengthy process, but I did all the application essays and got the letters I needed, so we'll see at the end of February if I advance to the next round. Wouldn't it be strange if the year I find I'm doubting myself the most was the year I actually moved closer to such prestigious honor? The world works in mysterious ways.

Professional Development
Finally finished my ESL Endorsement - I had done 5/6 of it in Undergrad - can you believe it? In 2003! But here in Illinois, I needed one more class, so I got that done with this semester.

I was also fortunate enough to attend the Illinois Reading Council Conference again. This year I met Ralph Fletcher and Kelly Gallagher. I know you may be thinking I"m such a nerd, but I don't even care. The two of them have shaped my teaching career in ways I can't even describe, so it was so nice to get to meet them and share that with each of them.

Dating Life
Moved forward a bit here. Met a few different guys, including a few guys I liked. Bad timing on some, Douchbaggery on other accounts, not wanting to settle on another front. But, I could have done better, too. You know, it's hard to move forward when you're looking back all the time. So, need to cut that out. I'm hopeful for a beautiful 2017 in this department, especially with my new One Little Word to guide me... more to come on that :-)

Friendships and Relationships with Family
I made so much progress moving forward with many of them. I attribute this to a lot of things, but a catalyst for it was most certainly Landmark. I am so thankful that I finally said yes to Landmark because it has made a profound difference in my relationships, most notably with my sister who I love so much.

Spirituality
Moved forward in a big way this year. Found Old St. Patrick's and was confirmed Catholic. I can't even tell you how many Sundays I found myself stressed out but sitting in the pews for the 5pm mass. Each time it's like a wave of peace washes over me. And the choir is amazing, like, I could listen to them all day. I'm so thankful to have found this community!

Finances
In some ways, this is not an area of strength for me. Definitely some setbacks, but also some progress. The setbacks have helped me to see where I need to put forth some effort. And, in the spirit of that was Arbonne. I got my first promotion in December, which should help me see a slightly larger income in the coming months. Initially I started Arbonne because I'm seeking financial freedom, but I can't wait until I have the funds I need to take care of all the people who have helped me out this year, namely, my parents. I'm so thankful for them, for their support not only financially when I needed it, but also for my emotional well being as we all know it's so easy to spin stories and make things "mean" something they really don't. (Another lesson I attribute to Landmark.) Anyways, ended the year sitting down with a financial planner and have a plan for 2017. Action - that's what makes things happen! Looking forward to more financial independence, because what I really want is to do things for the people I love most!

2017
Stay tuned for my new word, I'm so excited for it. Working on updating my vision board and doing a decluttering to start out the new year with lots of space to reach for new milestones. Amazing to think of the possibilities we can create in the short amount of time that is one year!

Did you have a OLW last year? How did it go?

Cheers and sparking wine to you on this New Year's Eve day,