Showing posts with label affirmations. Show all posts
Thursday, October 20, 2016
The Map
This morning as we were sitting on the window sill before school, one of my new students surprises me with this affirmation:
Mrs. Gruener, you're like my map.
I'd never really thought about being a map before,
so I asked him what he meant.
He said he'd follow me anywhere.
He said that I can help him get where he's going.
He said he doesn't feel so lost when he's with me.
And I almost started crying.
October is kind of crazy for a counselor and this week has been really challenging. I've been assigned a few new jobs and I've been learning some new things, many out of my comfort zone, and all way outside of my skill set. And I'm trying to do some extra stuff, like write a grant for a new program that we want to try. So I've been seriously considering retirement, thinking someone younger could do a better job than I feel like I'm doing. Even my principal has noticed that I've been a little stressed.
And then this Bucket Filler reminds me why I love doing what I do.
I get to be his map even though I'm sometimes as lost as he is.
Maybe more lost.
But blessed beyond measure.
Our high school PALs also serve as a map; check out these new capes
on our super PALs Wall of Fame.
Their superpowers include
empathy,
compassion,
and kindness.
Isn't their artwork strikingly engaging?
They took their tour of our campus this week and they start their visits with their PALees on Monday. We can't wait.
Grandparents can serve as a map, too.
As can mentors.
And teachers.
Coaches.
Parents.
And friends.
Who's your map?
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Inspiring Connections Guest Post
Today, I'm excited because my friend and kindergarten teacher Heather Krail accepted my invitation to guest post about a promising practice I recently witnessed in her classroom. Thank you, Heather, and welcome.
***************************
As teachers, we often witness �cries for help� as acting-out behaviors from our students. This post about a South African practice inspired me to try something new in my class. Without isolating the students who might be struggling and allowing everyone to get a turn, we started giving compliments to every Student of the Day during our Morning Meeting time.
Our kindergarten students stand in front of the board and I write down the compliments as the other students give them aloud. This bucket-filling practice has turned out to be beneficial to the receiver of the compliments as well as to all the givers because we get to practice giving and receiving genuine affirmations.
It has been fun to witness the excitement and joy on each child�s face as they listen to and hear their peers compliment them, respect them, and cherish them. It helps them feel, trust, and know that they matter in our class. It has also brought a stronger sense of community as it encourages my students to find and acknowledge the good in all of their peers, even those who are crying for help.
**********************************
Becky Bailey from Conscious Discipline says that often it's connection rather than attention that our struggling students are craving.
Do you have a strong community connections practice you'd like to share?
Leave it in the comments section or contact me to guest post!
Friday, August 21, 2015
Building Relationships, Changing Lives
Today I'm excited because we got to spend this morning
Building Relationships with passion.
When the Mr. Whitlock asked me before my workshop if I thought it'd be life-changing, I wasn't exactly sure how to answer. My plan is always to plant seeds that will sprout and grow; it's always my goal to make a difference. And tonight, as I reflect, I'd have to say that yes, it was life-changing, because every time we're reminded to love a little extra on a child, with intention and on purpose,
it absolutely has the power to change a life.
Building Relationships with passion.
When the Mr. Whitlock asked me before my workshop if I thought it'd be life-changing, I wasn't exactly sure how to answer. My plan is always to plant seeds that will sprout and grow; it's always my goal to make a difference. And tonight, as I reflect, I'd have to say that yes, it was life-changing, because every time we're reminded to love a little extra on a child, with intention and on purpose,
it absolutely has the power to change a life.
We began our session with an inquiry ~ What do you want to remember about the 2015-2016 school year? ~ and a Minute to Win It competition:
Let's build goal posts to represent our end goal.
Let's build goal posts to represent our end goal.
Fun is the ticket to engagement, and challenges like these really are wonderful hooks to engage our learners.
We talked about what the year would look like as we connect our classroom families and we reviewed and reinvigorated our commitment to Capturing Kids' Hearts, conducting Morning Meetings, and empowering students with Kelso's Choices.
One activity resulted in two visual displays showcasing the treasures that we bring, one in the Westwood Cafeteria ...
the other just outside my office in the front hallway at Bales.
It was an action-packed three hours.
We moved.
We laughed.
We listened.
We circled up.
We played with balloons.
We buzzed with a buddy.
We reflected.
We colored.
We connected.
We cried.
And after we wrote notes to express our gratitude to someone who has positively influenced our journey, we shared them with one another, out loud, to practice publicly appreciating and affirming our loved ones.
We moved.
We laughed.
We listened.
We circled up.
We played with balloons.
We buzzed with a buddy.
We reflected.
We colored.
We connected.
We cried.
And after we wrote notes to express our gratitude to someone who has positively influenced our journey, we shared them with one another, out loud, to practice publicly appreciating and affirming our loved ones.
We launched with this clip from Parkway Schools in Missouri, to encourage them to experience school through the eyes of a child.
It's a passionate reminder that every day we get a chance ...
to step into someone's story
and change the trajectory of his or her future.
For good.
And that's a touchdown for both the gift giver and the recipient.
Click {here} if you want to see my slides.
Happy new year.
to step into someone's story
and change the trajectory of his or her future.
For good.
And that's a touchdown for both the gift giver and the recipient.
Click {here} if you want to see my slides.
Happy new year.
Friday, July 31, 2015
A Winner & A Gratitude Boomerang
Today I'm grateful and super excited about the chance to give away a copy of Carol Miller's Starbound. From the thirty-one comments, the random generator selected ... drum roll please ... comment #9.
Here's Amy's tribute to her Champion: My forever hero and champion was a special lady whose name was Amy Gilmore. She was one of the most genuine and loving educators I have ever worked with. She made school a safe place and gave her children experiences that made them want to come to school every day. Her room was warm and inviting, her love was unconditional, and her love of teaching led to love of learning by her students. She came to work even through chemotherapy and fought her cancer til the bitter end. She was an educational warrior, and she was one of my best friends. She is in heaven now, and forever in the hearts of many students, teachers, and me!!! She was and still is, a hero and an inspiration.
Congratulations, Amy, and thank you ALL for posting those beautiful testimonials about your Champions. They were touching and tugged at my heartstrings.
And speaking of heartstrings ...
Just look at the beautiful hearts and love that came in the mail from Sheila and her superkids from Pennies of Time. It made an ordinary day extraordinary to find these in my mailbox yesterday. It has been a gratitude boomerang between us ... I send them something ... they return the favor ... then the ball's in my court ... then theirs. It's like a ping-pong match that we're both winning. With each act of kindness, our hearts grow bigger because kindness begets kindness. And their warm affirmations make me want to do more, for them and for others ...
because I'm left feeling ... inspired.
To be better.
To do more.
Cape up!
Monday, May 11, 2015
When Learning Takes Wing
It has been a quiet week here at the Corner as I reflect on my time at Westwood Elementary and prepare to move to the Bales side of our combined campus.
What were my goals?
What did I accomplish?
Did I make an impact?
What would I do differently?
How could I have been better?
What will people say about my time there?
What did I reflect?
I keep this plastic heart and winter pen in my office;
tonight they worked together to form this butterfly
as a reflection of the challenge in front of me,
to spread my wings and fly.
The foil is supposed to serve as a make-shift mirror.
It's a tool to help my littles reflect,
because the real learning happens in the reflection.
Always in the reflection.
The other day, my friend Laura talked about a rockin' reflection exercise she used with her junior high choir kiddos. Students sat with their backs to a mirror while their classmates wrote their heartfelt affirmations on the white board behind them, all around the mirror. Then the student who was being affirmed turned around, looked at herself in the mirror and read those affirmations.
Out loud.
Uplifting words of kindness and love.
Their classmates' gift.
From the heart.
About him, about her.
Not a dry eye in the room.
And repeated requests to do it again. Soon.
Transformational.
Proof positive that learning takes wing
when we're willing to step out of our cocoons
and fly.
Something to think about from Jay Danzie:
What do you reflect?
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