Showing posts with label hope. Show all posts
Friday, March 18, 2016
My Name Is Blessing
Today is bittersweet, because it's our last official day of Spring Break 2016. What a glorious week of restoration and rejuvenation it has been. The sun shining through my window is calling me outside for some more Vitamin D, so today's post will be short and sweet. It's a bittersweet story about kindness and hope, one which was shared with me by my friend Jen Hammerle.
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| Click the book cover to go to the author's website |
Based on the true account of a Kenyan child with a physical disability, this tale finds a young Muthini living with a kind grandmother Mumo, who is struggling to make ends meet for him and his eight cousins. Check out this beautiful book's trailer:
Mumo, whose name means Grace, is forced with a difficult decision to journey to a Orphanage where Muthini might have a chance at a better life, but will they even allow a child whose name means Suffering to stay?
On my first reading, I wasn't sure I liked that the Orphanage was going to change the little boy's name, and I'm not sure my students will either. Use this as a springboard for a discussion about the importance of a name. What might, could, would be the difference in life for a child whose name means Suffering vs. one whose name means Blessing? Should the Orphanage take Muthini as he is or is there a benefit in changing his name? What does this have to do with mindset?
Create an empathy experience: After reading the book aloud, ask for a volunteer and tape that student's fingers down to recreate what it was like for Muthini Baraka to only have the use of two fingers on his one hand and none on his other. What skills might they still do handily? What things will be difficult to do without assistance? What is the experience of missing fingers like? How does it feel? What do you want or need to adapt and thrive?
Blessings are everywhere. As a follow-up activity, encourage students to make a list of their blessings. Can they get to 50? 100? 500?
For more engaging activity suggestions from the publisher, click {here}. For more information about the author's work at Creation of Hope, click {here}.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Recovering, Reflecting, Returning
We've all had 'em, those days, the terrible, horrible ones when you wish you could have a do-over ... or, better yet ... that you'd have stayed under the covers and not come out in the first place, right?
So how do we recover, relax, reflect & return gracefully
so that we can, in turn, help our children learn to reboot?
That was the assignment that Free Spirit gave me;
click their adorable graphic below to read my suggestions.
Our friend, ventriloquist Dennis Lee, lived through one of those days two weeks ago and is now recovering from that life-threatening collision. We were blessed to visit him in the Rehab Center yesterday and deliver this big box full of handmade get-well wishes, admiration and love from the school families at Ferguson Elementary, Westwood Elementary, and Bales Intermediate.
And talk about your growth mindset and optimism; we caught him with that signature smile and effervescent personality sketching notes for next year's show.
Despite the trauma.
Despite the many broken bones.
Despite the long, rocky road to recovery in front of him.
Resilience doesn't get much more graceful than that.
He expressed his gratitude to those prayer warriors who have been covering him as he heals and he assured us that he can feel the power of every one of those prayers. Then, with an unwavering faith that will only serve to strengthen his testimony, he promised that he will be back on stage one day.
We are so proud of you, Dennis Lee.
Thank you for being a beacon of hope, inspiration and light.
We're behind you as you rest, restore, recover & return.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Wise At Heart
Today I'm delighted because I spent most of it outside, enjoying the incredible weather and doing some work pulling weeds from the flowerbeds and yard. As I reflected on all of the happenings of last week, my heart and mind kept coming back to this gem that showed up on my desk, from my friend Zoe.
Some days are like that, aren't they?
You're struggling with something that seems insurmountable and then
someone says or does just the right thing to help turn things around.
Sometimes it's a drawing or a note of affirmation.
Sometimes it's a phone call or a text.
Sometimes it's a book, like this one, from my friend Annie.
It's a beautiful collection of inspirational pictures and words
about hope and kindness, about life and love.
Take a look inside, at one of my favorite pages.
It's chunk full of important reminders for and from
young and old alike,
about how we all matter
and how we can all make a difference.
Sometimes I get worn out and need to remember.
And then ... it's spring break.
And we're given a precious gift ~ time ~
just like the perfectly-timed picture that Zoe drew for me
and the book that Annie hand-picked for me.
If you're on break, how will you use your time this week?
Here's to some springtime relaxation, restoration, and rejuvenation.
Friday, October 23, 2015
PPBF: The Rechargeables
How was your Character Counts! Week? Since many pay-it-forward opportunities came my way, my heart is overflowing with delight. Next week is National Red Ribbon Week, our chance to spotlight saying no to drugs and alcohol and yes to healthy choices, perfect timing for today's PPBF pick.
Title: The Rechargeables Eat Move Sleep
Author: Tom Rath
Illustrator: Carlos Aon
Publisher: Missionday, LLC
Date: May 5, 2015
Suitable for: ages 3-8
Themes: healthy choices, energy, hope
Realistic Fiction
Brief synopsis: In the village of Verve (don't you love that name?), the people are running on empty. Can one little girl help them recharge?
Opening page: In the village of Verve, a mysterious thing has occurred ... all of the people are completely still.
*Compare and contrast the book with the people in this clip
from Pixar's Wall-E.
Why I like this book: In this clever reality check, brilliantly illustrated by Aon, children will journey through the pages with Poppy and Simon as they not only yearn to reawaken the life that they've slowly seen slip away in Verve, but actually look for and find ways to make it happen.
Today's pick beautifully complements Tom Rath's first picture book, How Full Is Your Bucket for Kids, which was all about taking care of our hearts and refueling our emotional reserve using a bucket-filling metaphor. This one's message about the health of our bodies is supercharged using the battery metaphor. Just like with a battery's power, our energy wears down and we need to recharge to stay in the game, to be fully present. When we start to run on empty, we owe it to ourselves (and others!) to plug in to healthy habits like eating the right foods, drinking plenty of water, getting adequate amounts of sleep, and engaging in meaningful movement so we can be the best version of ourselves that we can be.
To maximize learning.
And growth.
So that we can serve.
And lead.
There's so much food for thought in this little nugget; follow the read-aloud with a goal-setting session after discussing what steps your students think they (and their family members) could take in order to positively recharge and live life with more verve.
I'm super excited and grateful that my friend Shelley at The Write Stuff Teaching blog has generously donated one of her Mindful Bodies, Mindful Learning packets to one lucky reader of this post, so leave a comment and we'll randomly select the recipient from all of today and tomorrow's reflections.
This offer has now ended and the winners have been selected. Thank you all for your reflections.
Oh, and don't forget to check out today's other
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Strength, Comfort, Hope & Peace
Today is a somber Sunday for my extended family;
a season of sorrow enshrouds us as we say good-bye to little Jack.
a season of sorrow enshrouds us as we say good-bye to little Jack.
This is how I want to remember my young cousin,
ready to take on the world of Kindergarten,
with his John Deere lunchbox in his hands
and a sweet sweet smile on his face.
ready to take on the world of Kindergarten,
with his John Deere lunchbox in his hands
and a sweet sweet smile on his face.
That's why this isn't a post that's coming very easily to me.
In fact, I wasn't going to write it at all.
But I don't want to miss the opportunity to honor and thank everyone who prayed with us during Jack's short illness and share our gratitude for the compassion and kindness you have shown during this difficult time.
You've lit prayer candles to give us hope.
You've lit prayer candles to give us hope.
You've written heartfelt poetry to make us smile.
You've sent us beautiful music to lift us up.
You've hosted a bootcamp to support us financially.
You've unified to draw on strength that we don't have right now.
And you've found inspirational words to help us heal.
You've called, texted and emailed; all of these treasures wrap us in a huge hug and bring us strength, comfort, hope and peace.
We are grateful to everyone who is willing to journey through this grief alongside of us. Because it won't be easy, to wade through this season of sadness.
In fact, because we love so deeply, it's going to be painful.
Excruciatingly painful.
Heartbreakingly painful.
Some days, it may seem impossible,
especially for those closest to Jack,
to keep going now that he's gone.
We might look lost.
Or feel angry.
We might just need you to sit and cry with us.
But our family's faith is strong, just like little Jack was,
and it will get us through what lies ahead, until we meet again.
So today, we ask that you remember Jack's parents, Jason and Renee, his big sister Ella, and his extended family and village of friends in your thoughts and prayers.
We celebrate the gift of five years that this little angel was here,
to make us laugh and bring us joy . . .
and we take comfort in knowing that Jack's guardian angel made an appearance in the nurses' station monitor just as he was about to fly to his heavenly home.
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