Planning Day

Today was a planning day for me and my team. We were incredibly productive. Plus I learned something from last time we met. Evidently, at the end of that meeting, I made a big pile of stuff and promptly lost it. Oh goodie.

Needless to say, this caused problems.

So, this time, when I returned to my classroom, I made a to do list and put everything where it should go for future reference.

Will that solve all the problems? Not on your life but some will be smaller and fewer. And, that is something.

SOLC15 - Day 2

Standing in line at the burger joint in town, I saw a former student walk up with his dad and brother. We chatted and checked in. I asked him about his older sister, now in middle school, who was also a former student. They got their ice cream cones and left while I was waiting for my order. A few minutes later, I saw two teen girls approach. Peering past wild hair color and black-lined eyes, I realized they were both former students and one was the sister of the earlier boys. We chatted and then they left, too.

Working in a small town gives one a chance for deep connections. It's my favorite thing about small town teaching.

(My least favorite is running to the hardware store in the midst of a project looking less-than-my-best and running into parents who want to have a nice, long chat with you!

DAY 1 OF THE MARCH SOLSC! #SOL15

One of the things that I try to do each day is reflect on my teaching practice.  Spending time thinking about what was working and what wasn't working is essential to my growing in my craft.  I love professional development.  Learning new things that help me be more effective fills my bucket in a big way.

I sat in a large round room flooded with light.  The wooden floor had blankets and comfortable back supports.  There were also chairs for those who didn't want to sit on the floor.  I sat in the center of the room and studied the panel of teachers who were sharing their knowledge.  I was there to learn about adding a mindfulness practice to my classroom routine.

Chime, focus on the moment.
Chime, close your eyes, focus inward
Chime, focus on your breath
Time passes in silence
Time passes in peace
Time passes in the moment
Chime, pull yourself back to now

I walked out of the room when the training was over.  There was a new excitement in my step.  My bucket was filled.  Plans floated in my mind.

#sol15

Amusing Commitments

I just signed up for the SOLC for 2015 (you can learn more about it here - https://twowritingteachers.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/prizes-galore/).  Basically, the amazing crew at Two Writing Teachers have challenged folks to share a slice of life story every day for the month of the March.  There are fantastic prizes but I think the real incentive is simply the experience of writing daily about real life.  Bring it on!