Showing posts with label respect. Show all posts
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Pursuing Perfection, Catching Excellence
Happy Saturday; today I'm excited to have a day
with absolutely nothing to do.
Not one thing.
I slept in until 10 am. Decadent.
And I may meander to the salon for a pedi at some point.
But mostly, I'm just taking the day to breathe.
Breathe in the goodness of another miraculous day.
A chance to relax, restore, refresh, recharge.
No running around.
No rat race.
No chaos or confusion.
A chance to just BE.
And reflect.
with absolutely nothing to do.
Not one thing.
I slept in until 10 am. Decadent.
And I may meander to the salon for a pedi at some point.
But mostly, I'm just taking the day to breathe.
Breathe in the goodness of another miraculous day.
A chance to relax, restore, refresh, recharge.
No running around.
No rat race.
No chaos or confusion.
A chance to just BE.
And reflect.
Look what I found on Twitter as I was enjoying every last drop
of my morning candy bar in a cup coffee.
 |
| Click graphic for source. |
Perspective. From Peter Pan. Perfect.
Wait, did I just say perfect?
Okay, time to talk about perfection,
because the struggle is real.
At least for me it is.
Because I used to still want things to line up perfectly.
It may be part of how I'm hard-wired, that need for order.
And I'd like to say that I'm getting better at
adapting and accepting
when they don't align the way I'd
envisioned,
hoped,
dreamed
they would.
That is, after all, a huge piece of growth mindset.
Accepting mistakes as part of the process.
Embracing failure as a success.
Letting go of that perfection ideal.
But I still mix up catching excellence
with the pursuit of perfection. Practically every day.
That's why this Lombardi quote speaks to me, I suppose.
Because he's right; perfection isn't attainable.
It's not supposed to be.
So who's with me in the fight against those persistent perfectionistic tendencies
that threaten to thwart our propensity to practice grace
and our potential to maximize growth?
Because it's the journey that matters,
the chance to stretch and sightsee,
inspire and influence,
support and savor
as we keep moving forward.
Can I hear an amen?
Have I mentioned how grateful I am to be
on assignment with Free Spirit Publishing?
It's so kind of them to invite me share my
perspective,
reflections,
ideas
and activities
with their readers.
Monday, October 12, 2015
Kindness Online {And Off!}
Today was an inservice day, and we were treated to a visit by Sameer Hinduja, one of the cyber-safety experts from the Cyberbullying Research Center.
So much of what he said resonated with me because he addressed the social and emotional needs of not only the victim, but also the students who bully and the bystanders who freeze and don't know what to do or how to do it. He makes a great point when he says that we can put up fences, but they don't shape or change behavior. We must protect our kids from the inside out!
Check out these anti-bullying minis that
Ms. Defibaugh's 4th graders created to spotlight respect.
Check out these resources I've recently read, watched and listened to for our campaign to combat bullying behaviors online and in real life,
this month and all year long.
Common Sense Education: Digital Citizenship curriculum
Integrity Time: Stand Up Against Bullying film clip
Edutopia: Five-Minute Film Festival about bystanders & upstanders
Edutopia: Resources to Fight Bullying at school
Strength In Numbers anti-bullying clip
The Most Dangerous Apps of 2015
Blendspace: Anti-Bullying Resource round-up
Education World: Anti-Bullying Activities
Houston Chronicle: Character Counts! activities
Straight Talk about Bullying Behaviors podcast with Trudy Ludwig
Stop Bullying: At-Risk Warning Signs
Embrace, Engage, Educate: Bullying? Are you sure?
Huffington Post: Adult Bullying
Parenting Toolkit: Your Child's Online Behavior
Phew! What anti-bullying resource would you add to this list?
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Master Classroom Management
Today I'm excited because I've got three whole days {without too much planned} that I can spend digesting the treasures in this book I've been reading.
From the publisher: Dr. Jerry Evanski’s approach stems from a simple and practical idea: that classroom management is based on teaching methods that keep your students interested and engaged, not on disciplining students when they misbehave. As he says, “Poor teaching strategies can trigger behavior problems. You can prevent problems before they occur.”
Based on significant review of educational research that is sprinkled throughout the book, Dr. Evanski has developed a program that offers one simple skill a day to build a repertoire of classroom management techniques. After eight weeks, teachers have mastered 40 new skills that cover the key teaching areas of:
- Getting attention
- Keeping attention
- Engaging students
- Teaching the lesson
- Getting participation
- Giving directions
- Communicating
- Transitioning
Here is a sample of some of the skills covered in the book:
- Your Teaching Spot - Teach students to associate specific locations in your classroom with different messages—one spot for teaching, one spot for announcements, etc.
- The Big Picture – Help students establish the context for what you’re teaching by showing them how it fits into what they are learning throughout the year.
- Acknowledge the Effort – Encourage participation by teaching students how to enthusiastically acknowledge the effort of their classmates.
Why I'm loving this resource: The first thing that draws me to this book is that Dr. Evanski's ideas, many of which are backed by brain research,
exude engagement, motivation and fun. I have a feeling that educators like me will learn and grow by leaps and bounds as they tailor these tips to fit the needs of the students in their classroom families.
The second sticking point is how the book is set up, with an idea to test-drive every day of the week for eight weeks, to facilitate learning and implementation.
The third-and-equally-important reason I'm endorsing Dr. Evanski's work is that it's a tool that supports my firm belief in disciplining through proactive modeling, teaching and practicing of skills rather than with a reactive punishing of skill deficits. Isn't that what our students deserve from us? And isn't that how we hope they'll lead when they're in charge?
Check out this book; I predict it'll be a positive influence and support as you work with intention to create a culture of dignity, caring and respect in your
character building.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Empathy & Chocolate Milk, Por Favor
Happy Sunday.
What does empathy have to do with chocolate milk?
Make room for Chocolate Milk, Por Favor!
What does empathy have to do with chocolate milk?
Make room for Chocolate Milk, Por Favor!
Today I'm delighted because I get to introduce you to the beautiful
Maria Dismondy multicultural newcomer for your book shelves. |
| Check out the book's brief synopsis on the back cover, left side. |
Love Maria's tag line: Actions speak louder than words. Truth!
Our personal, classroom and community libraries simply can not have enough diversity titles as we help our littlest leaders learn about, appreciate and celebrate cultural and other differences. Check out this flavorful find and see what happens when two unlikely things ~ soccer and chocolate milk ~ connect these boys and help them speak one common language.
Dismondy's Gabe, Levine's Mei Mei, and Ludwig's Brian are all thrown into a situation where they're having to not only navigate a new culture, but also master a new language and/or different school situation. How are their stories similar? How are they different? How would you help each of them if they were in your class? What would you want? What would you need?
For other compare/contrast titles, my alma mater has made this list of 50 multicultural tales available. And check out my friend Shawna's refreshingly comprehensive extension and enrichment ideas for Maria's book {here}. Then read 5 Ways to Cultivate Empathy from our friends at Happify.
Use Maria's signature Tips For Teachers/Parents page, written by my friend Elizabeth from Fun In Room 4B, to connect with and assist English Language Learners like Gabe as they learn and grow.
Follow Maria for more inspiration:
And for the real deal, listen to Maria reading her newest delicacy!
Author Bio: Maria Dismondy is an award-winning author, specializing in books about challenges children face. A topic close to her heart, Maria�s own childhood experience inspired her first book, Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun. Maria�s dedication to empowering children with courage and confidence has reached new heights, touching the hearts and hands of children the world over. Grounded in her belief that all children deserve a voice, Maria�s latest book, Chocolate Milk, Por Favor, drives home the important message of celebrating diversity with kindness, inclusion and empathy. As a sought-after speaker, Maria spreads her message by presenting at schools and conferences across the country. She holds degrees in education and child development. Maria lives in southeastern Michigan with her husband, Dave, and their three book-loving children.
Are you still reading? If so, you just stumbled on the secret bonus: Maria has graciously offered to give away a signed copy of her delicious treasure to one of you, my fabulous readers. Just leave a comment below (or on my book's Facebook page) telling us your favorite children's book with a diversity theme for a chance to win.
{It will also help if you leave your email, but if I know how to find you, no need.}
We'll put all of the comments into the Gruener Generator and select a winner this Wednesday, April 15th (Tax Day in the USA) after school, at 4 pm CST, to be announced in my Wednesday evening blog post.
Won't you join me in lifting our glasses to Maria to toast her efforts in
elevating empathy and celebrating diversity
one kind act at a time,
one child at a time,
one book at a time,
to make our world a better, more peaceful place to be.
Oh, and don't forget to stop visit my friend Sylvia at
Learning With Mrs. Parker for tomorrow's tour stop.
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