New year, new mindsets...

I have been reading through some specific curriculum in order to update my lessons throughout this school year. Many of the things I've been reading have to do with brain research, mindfulness and our mindsets. These things fit in well with the scope and sequence of my developmental guidance program. They reminded me of a book I read a few years ago by Carol Dweck - regarding the growth mindset. It all ties in nicely with academic achievement. As I sit an research, this video pops up: 

Not enough time in a day to write anything more insightful today, but here's to learning about the brain and how we can grow our potential!

Mourning Summer, but not our Mistakes....

I know that we say it every year, but wow, Summer sure went fast! As we enter the new school year with new dress clothes, new hair cuts and new perspective, I think it's important to remember where we have come from. Reflection about the past school year can really add to the depth of the one that we are beginning.

Learning from mistakes is, by far, one of the most important lessons we can gain from year to year. This lesson has not always been an easy one for me... which brings me to the thought, "how do we teach our students to be wrong, to fail?" How can we teach that failure is okay, as long as you learn from it? In fact, failure can sometimes be a blessing; something we learn more from than if we had just kept succeeding at everything.

Educator effectiveness is another example that has brought about this "fear of failure" to many educational systems across the state of Wisconsin. Many educators fear an evaluation that could say anything negative. In my recent past, I would have feared that evaluation as well. Now, I am eager to know what I can improve - it helps to define my year, give me a purpose, set goals.

Time to buckle down in the midst of the "BOSY" (Beginning of the School Year) chaos! Let's make it count!

Educating minds and hearts, with hurting minds and hearts...

Each morning, I take a seat at my desk to sort out my emails. Some of the emails remain in the inbox, as the "to-do list" for later. Some of the emails get deleted right away, as the "junk" that would take precious time to read. And some of the emails fall into that grey area, as the "what do I do with this because reading it is probably important, but I don't want to" kind of email. (I am picturing a little kid jumping up and down, yelling, "I don't wanna!")

This morning was no different... except that the email to fall into the "what do I do with this because reading it is probably important, but I don't want to" category was from the Department of Public Instruction and included this particular article: Public Education in WI.

Now... I don't often get too "political" and I make a purposeful effort each day to refrain from getting wrapped up in the politics of the state. I'm not sure this is the right response, but I feel that when I start reading things like this, I get SO bogged down. It makes my brain and my heart hurt. My brain and my heart... the same heart that was cared for so wisely by teachers in a public school in Wisconsin. My brain... the same brain that was developed within a Wisconsin public school over the course of many important years. I was taught to question things in order to learn to challenge myself and become a global, mindful citizen.

There is no question that the Wisconsin teachers in my life have shaped who I am and who I will become. Many of those teachers, still teaching in our schools, will also read this article or get this same email. Many of my colleagues will read this piece of news as well. Please tell me how, when our minds and hearts are hurting for our profession, are we supposed to shape the minds and hearts of the children who sit in front of us? No doubt, we will continue to move forward... but the defeating feeling dwells. It stings.

The five senses...

Yesterday, I had a wonderful conversation with some wonderful people about taking the time to step back, be present and truly get in tune with our senses - all five of them. If you really think about it, how often do you really do this? How often are you keenly aware of yourself in the moment? I thought about that conversation on my run this morning, therefore prompting me to truly feel, see, hear, taste and smell my morning routine. What a blessing.

While proctoring an AP exam today, I had much time to think (as we all do when proctoring all these tests!)... and as I sat there today, I thought about how I most often do not stay "present" while I am at work. There is always something to get done next, something that I forgot to do, or a student that needs immediate attention. Even as I write this, I constantly flip back and forth between what I am doing and the things that pop into my mind - what I could be doing.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could be present and stay present... at work? Since that is not often possible, I thought I'd at least take a step back today to reflect on what I might be missing when I'm not always "all there" with my senses. There were so many that I though of, but a short list seems fitting for these purposes:

1. The sound of laughing and conversation in the hallways. This is the sound of students who are connecting with one another in positive ways.
2. The sight of my students, thinking hard - racking their brains for just the right response on a test or paper or homework assignment. This is the sight of learning. Isn't that what we're here for? I take this for granted way too often.
3. The taste of my morning coffee. What a treat in the middle of an otherwise chaotic day. Do I even taste this on a typical day, or just suck it down as a "necessity"?
4. The feel of my space heater blowing on me just when I've frozen my fingers off at a meeting outside of my office. What a blessing that I've been able to keep this in my office. My administrators know how "cold-blooded" I am!
5. The smell of the cafeteria... especially on the days when the kitchen staff makes coffee cake! Yum! I can hardly walk by without stopping to say something or wishing that smell was lingering down in my hallway too!

What are you missing when you don't take note? Something positive, I bet! :)

P.S. The conversation about senses was sparked after reading a really great book called "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats" by Jan-Philipp Sendker. Check it out here: The Art of Hearing Heartbeats - Book Link

Suffering from #toomuchpaperworkthatIamnotgettingtomystudentssyndrome

If there was such a syndrome, I think I have it! Testing, forms, papers, etc. Sitting in front of my computer is definitely not favorable for this school counselor! Do you have the same issues right now?

I am already creating that summer "to-do list" and it is filling up very quickly. This is just work stuff. Come to think of it, let's create a "summer FUN to-do list" too!

1. Laugh... a lot.
2. Get out on a pontoon... too many times to count.
3. Get some sunshine... more than just "some."
4. Smile... a lot.
5. Golf... even if I don't know how.
6. Go somewhere... go there twice, maybe!
7. Laugh some more... lots more.
8. Enjoy my family.
9. Train the dog... and enjoy doing it.
10. Don't forget to laugh... :)

Come to think of it, this article has an even better list: Click HERE to check it out!

Better get back to that paperwork....

Teaching Self-Reflection?

Often, I am reminded how extremely important it is to have the skills to reflect on our own behavior. This is something that I try to work on daily through journal writing, research and questioning my colleagues. I wonder, though, how can this be taught to our students? I have the ability to teach a variety of things. What can we do to ingrain these skills into children? If we were all able to step back and evaluate ourselves honestly, I truly think this world would be a different, better place. We would evolve more rapidly because we would always be working to be a better version of ourselves.

So what stops us from self-reflection? Are we scared of rejection? Scared to be wrong? 

Next week I fully intend to make a more conscious effort to not only reflect on my practice, but to model that self-reflection. If anything, I hope it just might rub off in the right place. I think I need to step up my game. :)

Sometimes we need a little humor... :)

What do they call it these days.... "Throwback Thursday"?? Well, I thought today would be a good day for some humor. I've kept a log for years now called "Kids Say the Darnedest Things."

It's true. They do. Some of my favorites over the years are below.... Enjoy the giggle! :)

“Once I had a Jewish person in my family” – girl while coloring a picture of her family

  B: “When did Martin Luther King Jr. die?”  C: “Probably back when Wii’s were first invented”

“You know what!? Brown cows make chocolate milk and white cows make white milk. Goats make both kinds of milk” –Kindergarten boy

1st grade girls to me: “Did you pass school yet?”…yes, ….. “are you married?” … No, … “well then how did you pass school?

Me to young girl:   “What’s new?”… “My mom’s changing my birthday… it’s going to be on June 3^rd instead of July 24^th.”…Me: "What? Can you do that?”… “Yes, if your mom wants to, you can.”