tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58274499174371287032024-02-19T00:57:13.117-08:00Connectionskimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-61042750734144621762024-01-01T19:30:00.000-08:002024-01-01T19:30:06.393-08:00Notice My #OneWord2024<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7RFvHW120DdEqfhBvOwXmOkWddmDUCnvqK7LeQPseZvvaPywTpZWypkzbTcayyXnrP4Ll1iuLbtaP1taXMEdNi7vT_5k4RDlBbkCWz5ICfzXz0tgC2bDBy5xo6W8a-wY2G2s6u5yzp5UsQMrjRIYE1r4fH8KstuEwLauBXgNRvaGhJEgMjrRh5qbL-pI/s940/Noticing%20things.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7RFvHW120DdEqfhBvOwXmOkWddmDUCnvqK7LeQPseZvvaPywTpZWypkzbTcayyXnrP4Ll1iuLbtaP1taXMEdNi7vT_5k4RDlBbkCWz5ICfzXz0tgC2bDBy5xo6W8a-wY2G2s6u5yzp5UsQMrjRIYE1r4fH8KstuEwLauBXgNRvaGhJEgMjrRh5qbL-pI/s320/Noticing%20things.png" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We live in a very distracted world where we are used to having our attention grabbed by our phones, computers, TVs, etc. Our children grow up feeling the need to be entertained every minute of the day. We function with divided attention daily under the name of "multitasking" and are proud of it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I am claiming "Notice" as my #oneword in 2024. I don't want to continue living a distracted life missing out on sunsets, rich personal relationships, and fulfilling work experiences. I want to actively take steps to pay close attention to the people and things around me. I am investing my time and attention in noticing what and who is important in my life.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">What will you notice in this new year?</span></p>kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-17811473383730846612023-12-31T20:18:00.000-08:002023-12-31T20:18:54.689-08:00Learning from Reflection<p><span style="font-size: medium;">"We do not learn from experience...we learn from reflecting on experience." ~John Dewey </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I chose Reflect as my #oneword for this past year. This is the time of the year that most of us reflect, or look back over our year in order to determine our level of success in reaching our goals or resolutions. My intent with this #oneword was to reflect on my personal, professional, and family life through my daily writing. I tracked my writing consistency in my bullet journal along with several other daily goals. Most of the time my writing consisted of the events of my day and included a sentence about "Good Things" and a sentence about "Room for Improvement". I found that just including those two elements made my writing more reflective. I do feel that I could have taken my reflection deeper if I had circled back and reread my writing at the end of each week or month. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">What have I gained through my #oneword2023? I have gained a daily writing habit through consistency that I would not have been motivated to do otherwise. What will I change in the coming year? I want to be able to translate that consistency in writing in my journal to writing with more frequency in my blog.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Reflection opens the door to change in habits, mindset, and actions. What door did you open this past year?</span></p>kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-41713470902459112082023-01-01T19:21:00.000-08:002023-01-01T19:21:02.176-08:00My #OneWord2023 Reflect<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0tUn9a6P9Khx0O0znaVNOqOdJkDDTK09MR4t796lCyEyoHf7lTUUcjvFoVAnE5AZkZeL37zjYUX6A2q5WVeQtdfk6rHkmaOKmn0xFAQ82sFNQizuCGZ3QN1UfpKmP3TkYEwFM79qzd_KGwhNoxFwPS10BbYTV161S9mLeyU51dEJTUygX37-sDx8PQ/s1640/Reflect.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0tUn9a6P9Khx0O0znaVNOqOdJkDDTK09MR4t796lCyEyoHf7lTUUcjvFoVAnE5AZkZeL37zjYUX6A2q5WVeQtdfk6rHkmaOKmn0xFAQ82sFNQizuCGZ3QN1UfpKmP3TkYEwFM79qzd_KGwhNoxFwPS10BbYTV161S9mLeyU51dEJTUygX37-sDx8PQ/s320/Reflect.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">At the end of summer I purchased my first vehicle in my name alone. This is my first vehicle to have a back-up camera and digital display. It is necessary to have a view of what is behind you in order to back the vehicle into a position where you can drive in the direction you want to go. But having learned to drive a long time ago, I still turn to look behind me and use my side and rear view mirrors for all angles of view. I don't know if I'll ever get used to having or using that back-up camera, but I'm glad I have the option.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>"Reflection. Looking back so that the view looking forward is even clearer." ~Unknown</i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Looking back is something most of us do at the end of a year or the beginning of the next. We look back at our past resolutions and goals to determine our level of success in reaching them. We reflect on the exceptional experiences we have had as well as the not so exceptional. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One of my favorite quotes is <i>"We do not learn from experience...we learn from reflecting on experience." ~John Dewey.</i> I have decided that I need to reflect on my experiences more consistently than I have in the past. REFLECT will be my #oneword2023. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="font-family: helvetica;">Reflect</b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">: </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>verb, 1. </i>(of a surface or body) throw back (heat, light, or sound) without absorbing it; (of a mirror or shiny surface) show an image of; embody, or represent (something) in a faithful or appropriate way. <i>2. </i>think deeply or carefully about. <i>3.</i> (of an action or situation) bring credit or discredit to the relevant parties.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I hope to reflect through my daily writing; to reflect on my day, my teaching, my relationships with students and other educators. Looking back and thinking deeply about them in order to continue in the direction that I want to go as an educator. I also want to reflect on my home, my family, and personal friendships. Looking back in order to redirect and balance my personal life. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">And lastly I want to reflect, or represent in a faithful or appropriate way, the light of Christ in me. I want others to be able to recognize the difference He has made, and continues to make in my life on a daily basis. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What is your #oneword ?</span></p>kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-57810355549969197572022-12-31T15:02:00.000-08:002022-12-31T15:02:12.603-08:00Action Creates Change<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKPKRVYxWX97xs1qU0v18qSOz8N-Ka1vA2mwowMnkF0ii9DzLdDQcgDsOtY_KbZlsFiAGa5jP6Jt48NHnZs0rvnzc7YQinDkN4vlW8UzJOW1Yvwey0HLzUomQzrKZA_-FJriAdAM7M_Hc_LFq7sNO_WNc5-R-dg79UpvdasH_SNeuT9rJEz9hwbbUBA/s2360/Action_Creates_Change.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="2360" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKPKRVYxWX97xs1qU0v18qSOz8N-Ka1vA2mwowMnkF0ii9DzLdDQcgDsOtY_KbZlsFiAGa5jP6Jt48NHnZs0rvnzc7YQinDkN4vlW8UzJOW1Yvwey0HLzUomQzrKZA_-FJriAdAM7M_Hc_LFq7sNO_WNc5-R-dg79UpvdasH_SNeuT9rJEz9hwbbUBA/s320/Action_Creates_Change.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I am glad I have moved away from New Year's resolutions. I was never successful at staying committed to my goals even when I wrote them down. If I had been more strategic in breaking my goals down into measurable steps and set up an accountability system, I might have seen more success. Committing to choosing a #oneword for the last six years has been much more helpful to me as I focus on one word that guides my thoughts and decisions for the year.</div><div><br /></div><div>My #oneword2022 , <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/5827449917437128703/8090697847240276994">ACT</a> , was not only about commitment, but more importantly following through with my commitments. I wanted my actions to speak for what I believe, for my goals, and for who I am. </div><div><br /></div><div>How well did my actions speak for my goals, my beliefs, and myself this year?</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I met my 2022 Reading Goal of 40 books that I set on Goodreads.</li><li>I attended #TCEA22 on my own dime since it was close by this year.</li><li>I attended #TCCA22 and introduced my daughter-in-law to her first educational conference.</li><li>I set and tracked five daily goals consistently beginning June 1st through to the end of this year.</li><li>I successfully met my five daily goals of Bible reading, two minute plank, Procreate quote creation, walking, and writing.</li><li>I presented two different after-school technology PD sessions for teachers to attend voluntarily.</li></ul><div>What did not go as well as I had hoped?</div></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I began reading several professional PD books and stalled out.</li><li>I did not blog as much as I would have liked.</li><li>I did not control my blood sugar as well as I had hoped.</li><li>I did not spend as much time with my husband as I needed.</li></ul><div>I feel that because my #oneword was ACT, I was empowered to set those daily, personal goals for myself in June. Because I had committed to action, I was motivated to track and meet those goals on a daily basis, even if it meant staying up late to get it done. I changed my routines in order to be successful in meeting those goals. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>My #oneword inspired me, reminded me to take action which in turn helped me to create change in my habits and myself. Simon Sinek said it well when he said, "Words may inspire but only action creates change."<br /></div>kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-59723580741575784192022-09-20T19:08:00.001-07:002022-09-20T19:56:17.737-07:00The Importance of a Name<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxkpA9zoE4GYBz6gehrv5FfZD4h6hGfTnCBXi_pZ-sPhQUricsbgxdcTC4FZYnWynb4SF6AmtrO1cQiG2_BxJupnjF1EWQLPrhdhL-gkfi7TvTXu6xFRlOiP0cDfoZYhx1wdiRN24mWQbDreGQSrbxApNnpWSz5zsVLk_dS2P1sCZBfwX3L1HivH1bw/s2360/49344BAD-7631-4569-B328-0863BED52207.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="2360" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxkpA9zoE4GYBz6gehrv5FfZD4h6hGfTnCBXi_pZ-sPhQUricsbgxdcTC4FZYnWynb4SF6AmtrO1cQiG2_BxJupnjF1EWQLPrhdhL-gkfi7TvTXu6xFRlOiP0cDfoZYhx1wdiRN24mWQbDreGQSrbxApNnpWSz5zsVLk_dS2P1sCZBfwX3L1HivH1bw/s320/49344BAD-7631-4569-B328-0863BED52207.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> How important is a name?<p></p><p>A name is one of the first things couples think about when they find out they are expecting a baby. We name our children after family members, or other people who are important to us. Names have meaning and we associate names with certain qualities or traits based on people that we have met throughout our lives.</p><p>A question was posed in our #4OCFpln group last week: "Would you rather somebody call you by the wrong first name or call you by the wrong last name?" How many of us have a first or last name that often gets mispronounced? I'll admit that my last name is many times a topic for discussion when I first meet someone, but for the most part, it's not an issue. Mispronunciation aside, I am often mistaken for our school librarian by our students because of our hair color and hairstyles. I thought it was just a kid thing, except one of our teachers who is new to our campus this year has made the same mistake more than once. It makes me smile to be compared to our sweet and gracious Mrs. Fowler.</p><p>I will not fault anyone for making a mistake in remembering my name, because I know how hard it can be for me to have everyone's name on the tip of my tongue. As a Reading specialist, I see around 60 different students in one day, and around 90 different students in a week. I carry with me a ring of cards each containing a class roll for each period I have during the day. I tell my students I will do my best to learn their names, but I also explain that I have around 90 student names rolling around in my head and any one of them is likely to pop out at the wrong time! </p><p>I really admire another Reading teacher with whom I work. She stands in the hallway each morning to monitor and greet students as they come in the building for the day. I am amazed at how many times she calls students by their name, and gets hugs for the recognition. Students make a connection with her that lasts throughout their years on our campus, and longer! Our students will never forget Mrs. Odneal (or Mrs. Oatmeal to many of them!).</p><p>As I stood in the hallway this morning monitoring and greeting students on the other end of the campus, I spent my time telling students "Good morning!", "How are you this morning?", and "Have a good day today!" As I remembered a student's name, I made an effort to include it in my greeting. One little boy must have noticed, because as he passed me by, he looked back over his shoulder and told me "My name is Joseph." and continued on his way. Judging by the way he took the time to share his name with me, I would say that his name is pretty important to him! </p>kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-80906978472402769942022-01-01T18:19:00.000-08:002022-01-01T18:19:21.632-08:00My #OneWord2022 ACT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1l25-dMVLMUmNFFcrAjU1owp38zZfL7Jl4DOUllrHJ4_Tp_bXozsJ8V_6zh48XaY9qSP7Yfj15k3tFzcq7zezBhpu4k8WLa9fFn6MAiVL0K406TMCChWJa8Ki-hcaZt4ojUMvpWA2iLrBZxItOpXcqsSyJBq0E54r7f442_PFQ_IFMraVLlTPi0SROQ=s1640" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1l25-dMVLMUmNFFcrAjU1owp38zZfL7Jl4DOUllrHJ4_Tp_bXozsJ8V_6zh48XaY9qSP7Yfj15k3tFzcq7zezBhpu4k8WLa9fFn6MAiVL0K406TMCChWJa8Ki-hcaZt4ojUMvpWA2iLrBZxItOpXcqsSyJBq0E54r7f442_PFQ_IFMraVLlTPi0SROQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Procrastination is one of the words that comes to mind as I reflect on my previous year, especially as I review my #OneWord2021 post. Being <b>intentional</b> was my focus last year. My intent in many areas of my life may have been good, but procrastination reared it's ugly head and I did not confront it!<div><br /></div><div>"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions" may sound harsh, but it paints a picture of how intentions must be backed by actions. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Act</b>: <i>to do something; exert force or energy; be employed or operative; to reach, make, or issue a decision on some matter.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>"Actions speak louder than words." Saying that I am going to be intentional doesn't mean much if it is not followed up by action. So I am following up last year's #OneWord with the word ACT. I want my actions to speak for what I believe, for my goals, and for who I am.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-17676536348846228912021-07-16T21:01:00.001-07:002021-07-17T05:46:33.733-07:00Drinking From a Water Hose<p>When summer time is upon us, I relish the opportunity to participate in professional development of my own choosing. In fact, I consider myself a lifelong learner. My husband laughs at me when I ask a question that he can't answer, because my response is to "google" it. My family had a set of encyclopedias when I was growing up. I loved to browse the volumes looking at the pictures, reading the captions, and pausing to read any entry that caught my interest. While this was not a bad way to occupy my time, my mother would often tell me to go outside and play.</p><p>I started this summer signing up for any free online PD that I came across, provided it would be useful for my Reading RTI classes. Even a couple of paid conferences ended up on my calendar because I could not pass up the excellent learning opportunities. The aforementioned calendar began to fill up quickly and I found myself having to check it frequently to make sure I didn't miss a thing! When I began logging each and every conference, webinar, and workshop, I realized that more than half of my summer days contained at least one one-hour training. I am scheduled to participate in an online workshop on my three and a half hour drive to my grandson's First Birthday party! When is the amount of PD too much?</p><p>I don't think my mother had a problem with me reading the encyclopedias at our house. That was why they bought them! She knew that I needed more than information and knowledge for me to learn and grow. I needed sunshine, friends, exercise, and fun. This seems to be a balance that I struggle to maintain. </p><p>Am I getting sunshine this summer? Yes! I am actually starting my weekdays with at least a two-mile walk. So sunshine and exercise, check and check! Am I spending time with friends and family? I eat at least two meals a day with my husband at the kitchen table. I see church friends every Sunday and Wednesday. I talk with my PLN on Voxer weekly. My daughter-in-law and my grandsons came down for a few days to visit. So family and friends, check and check. Am I having fun? Would you call recreational reading, shopping online, and sketchnoting fun? So fun, check! If all of these elements are present, why does it feel out of balance?</p><p>Looking back at my list of summer PD experiences, I am realizing I don't remember them all. I took notes, interacted with the presenters and attendees, and saved my certificates, so I know that valuable information was shared. So much was shared, in fact, that my memory is a little overwhelmed. What I am beginning to understand is that I need to go back and pick just one take-away from each experience. One thing that I can try, apply, or modify. Armed with that list, I don't have to remember everything I 'learned' over the summer. I can take the best of what I heard, saw, and experienced to make next school year more impactful for my students.</p><p>Kinda like drinking from a water hose when I was a kid. You only drink what you need and the rest is extra! </p>kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-31316270973767313692021-01-10T19:53:00.004-08:002021-01-10T19:53:51.367-08:00My #OneWord2021 #Intentional<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkYlJw06uod9Kh_NQ4yeteiXdO2g2AJkVA4OD_KlFtJ5iH7qldBaB3ZJGhhYk5GeObeTX75Dq5-8lBl9zkDKyFl6tArRJnt0_KeEjmBqae9_Edu1QcSPBp2mWOz51xxY0gWWzvLD-B8HX/s940/%2523OneWord2021+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkYlJw06uod9Kh_NQ4yeteiXdO2g2AJkVA4OD_KlFtJ5iH7qldBaB3ZJGhhYk5GeObeTX75Dq5-8lBl9zkDKyFl6tArRJnt0_KeEjmBqae9_Edu1QcSPBp2mWOz51xxY0gWWzvLD-B8HX/s320/%2523OneWord2021+%25281%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Looking over my last blog post, which was a year ago, I am disappointed in myself for not actively blogging this past year. My desire with my #OneWord2020 was to be very thoughtful and reflective. There is no evidence that this happened on my blog.<p></p><p>I could give any number of reasons for the lack of posts: a disruption in my normal everyday routines, a disruption in life in general, a decision to renovate a good portion of my house. None of these reasons would be the true. The truth would be that I did not make it a priority.</p><p>I have learned over the years that no matter what is going on in our lives, we tend to carve out time for those things which are important to us. Getting up early to spend time in God's Word, making sure there is enough gas in the car to travel to a conference, scheduling vacation time to go visit family, staying up late and losing sleep to watch a movie or finish a good book. None of these things happen by accident. You have to be intentional. </p><p>If I really want to be reflective through blogging, I need to set aside time weekly, make an appointment with myself to sit down and write. Whether with pen and paper or digitally, just write. </p><p>Intentional was one of the words I thought about choosing for 2020. It is a word I hear often from my director in my home-based business. She has reminded me many times that a goal without a plan is just a dream. I need to plan for those things that are important to me, those things that I want to make a priority in my life. Just wanting them will not guarantee they will happen.</p><p>Things I need to be intentional with: my prayer life, exercise, time with my husband & family, reading books, blogging, my home-based business. Making a plan and putting it into writing is just the beginning of my being intentional. I also need to share my plan with someone to give myself an accountability partner. Joy Kirr has often tagged me in reminders to blog and I appreciate her support and encouragement! This blog post is the start of a new year and a new #oneword for me. And I intend to be very #Intentional with it! #OneWord2021</p>kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-54016674365346395932020-01-02T15:21:00.000-08:002020-01-02T15:21:21.640-08:00My #OneWord2020 THINK<br />
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<b>think </b><br />
<i>vt. </i><b>1</b>. to form or have in the mind <br />
<b> 2</b>. to judge; consider <br />
<b> 3</b>. to believe; surmise; expect<br />
<b> 4</b>. to determine, work out, etc. by reasoning <br />
<b> 5</b>. to intend<br />
<i>vi. </i><b>1</b>. to use the mind; reflect or reason <br />
<b> 2</b>. to have an opinion, belief, judgment, etc.<br />
<b> 3</b>. to remember <br />
<b> 4</b>. to consider or be considerate <br />
<b> 5</b>. to invent; conceive of<br />
<i>synonyms </i>(not used above) muse, ponder, contemplate, deliberate, resolve, meditate, imagine<br />
<i>~ Webster's New World Dictionary, Second Concise Edition</i><br />
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This time of year is traditionally a time to <b>Think</b>. To <i>reflect</i> on the year that is coming to a close; what went well, and what did not. To <i>consider</i> all the dreams, experiences, and possibilities the new year will hold. The New Year holds joy for me because, just like every Monday, it is a fresh start! The start of a week, a month, a new school year, or a new calendar year, all are fresh starts! Everyone can benefit from a fresh start!<br />
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I have chosen a #OneWord for the last three years. <br />
When I chose the word <b>THINK</b> for my #OneWord2020, the first thing that came to mind was the acronym that educators and students alike probably see around their schools on a daily basis:<br />
<br />
Before you Speak: <b>THINK</b>.<br />
Is it <b>T</b>rue?<br />
Is it <b>H</b>elpful?<br />
Is it <b>I</b>nspiring?<br />
Is it <b>N</b>ecessary?<br />
Is it <b>K</b>ind?<br />
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James 1:19b "...But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger."<br />
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If we are taking the time to <b>THINK</b> before we speak, then we will be slower to respond! We need to <i>consider</i> our words carefully and the impact they will make once they have been spoken. Just like toothpaste cannot be put back when it has been squeezed from the tube, our words cannot be retrieved once they have left our lips.<br />
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Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, <b>think</b> on these things."<br />
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When my boys were younger, I tried to frequently remind them that what they filled their minds with would show up in their words and actions. Whether it was TV shows they watched, books they read, games they played, or friends they surrounded themselves with, my simple reminder to them was "garbage in, garbage out".<br />
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"Watch your <i>thoughts</i>, they become your <i>words</i>; watch your <i>words</i>, they become your <i>actions</i>; watch your <i>actions</i>, they become your <i>habits</i>; watch your <i>habits</i>, they become your <i>character</i>; watch your <i>character</i>, it becomes your <i>destiny</i>." ~Lao Tzu<br />
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Keeping in mind the definitions and the quotes above, I want to spend more time <b>thinking </b>this year.<br />
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* to <i>reflect </i>on my experiences and learning in order to grow.<br />
* to <i>determine </i>what course of action would benefit others.<br />
* to <i>imagine </i>the possibilities for my students. The <b>What If</b>....<br />
* to <i>consider </i>my words and actions Before I speak or act. To <i>consider </i>others.<br />
* to <i>believe </i>in myself, my family, my students, my colleagues.<br />
* to <i>intend </i>to make this a great year for me, my family, my students, my colleagues.<br />
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I would love to hear your thoughts on your #OneWord2020! When we share our thoughts, we are Better Together!kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-6903497654126987992019-12-28T20:39:00.001-08:002019-12-28T20:39:26.490-08:00Moving Forward with Diligence My third year of #OneWord is coming to a close. My #OneWord2019 , <a href="https://kimberlyisham.blogspot.com/2018/12/my-oneword2019-diligence.html" target="_blank"><i>DILIGENCE</i></a> , was about saying no as much as it was about saying yes. Giving constant and earnest effort. Prioritizing those things which I need to do well. <div>
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Was I diligent in being diligent? What did I do well? </div>
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<ul>
<li>I wrote more blog posts this year.</li>
<li>I read more books this year. </li>
<li>I let go of some Twitter chats in order to spend more time with my husband.</li>
<li>I attended #TCEA19 this year and shared my learning with my district staff.</li>
<li>I presented at #ISTE19 as part of a panel with my #4OCFpln.</li>
<li>I read and studied about #sketchnoting and shared my learning with others.</li>
<li>I was fairly consistent in walking and keeping up with my step goals.</li>
</ul>
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What did not go as well as I had hoped?</div>
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<ul>
<li>I was not as consistent as I wanted to be in my blogging.</li>
<li>I set a reading goal which I have not met.</li>
<li>I struggled at times to disconnect from technology in order to maintain a life balance.</li>
<li>I struggled to be consistent with working out.</li>
</ul>
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Despite not reaching a few of the goals I had set for myself, my #OneWord set the stage for growth that might not have otherwise occurred. I published more posts this year than in previous years because I was trying to blog consistently. I read more nonfiction books this year as a result of setting a reading goal for myself. I attended two major educational conferences this year in an effort to support my colleagues better. </div>
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The growth I have seen in myself this year is partly due to my #OneWord focus on <i>Diligence</i>, and partly due to the support of my #PLN. Without my accountability partners in my #PLN, I would not have been inspired to blog more consistently. Without the encouragement of my amazing #4OCFpln, I would not have set a reading goal or attended a major conference halfway across the country! Although my #OneWord for next year will change, <i>Diligence</i> will continue to be a part of my mindset moving forward!</div>
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Few things are impossible to <b>diligence</b> and skill. Great works are performed </i><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;" /><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> not by strength, but </i><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">perseverance. ~ Samuel Johnson</i></div>
kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-40926201580326705142019-09-30T18:45:00.000-07:002019-09-30T18:45:24.179-07:00Fingerprints"Who are your EduHeroes?" The question was asked. Who has made an important impression on me that has affected the course of my educational life in some form or fashion? I could go for the easy answer and give the names of several authors whose books I have read, whose Keynote speeches have inspired me, but can I honestly say that they have had the deepest impression on me?<br />
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Everyone leaves fingerprints wherever they go. Doors, phones, tables, chairs. But have you ever thought that you leave fingerprints on people, as well? Maybe not an actual fingerprint that can be dusted like you see on crime movies, but a fingerprint just the same. The smiles, words, interactions, and relationships that we have with other people on a daily basis leave an impression even if we are not aware of it!<br />
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A smile for a teacher that might be having a hard day, a hug for a student that is needing a comforting touch, a note of encouragement for a coworker that is having personal struggles, a suggestion to try something that they haven't tried before, a listening ear for a friend that needs to get their words out so that they can think clearly. These are the fingerprints that can leave the biggest impression when shared on a regular basis. The deepest impressions become bonds that can continue to support and uplift even after the initial contact is no longer present.<br />
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The EduHeroes that have left their imprint on my educational life include people like Carol Gunnels (@gunnels5G) who encouraged me to get on Twitter for Professional Development. Although originally hesitant, I made the leap and soon made connections through Twitter chats. The contacts that I had on Twitter helped me grow my professional reading library, learn about educational conferences and Edcamps, and extend my learning to Voxer!<br />
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I joined a Voxer book study on <u>The Four O'Clock Faculty</u> by Rich Czyz (@RACzyz) led by Matthew Larson (@mlarson_nj) and Ricardo Garcia (@rokstar19). The connections that I made through this book study were so incredible that at the end of the book study, no one wanted to leave! I talk on a daily basis with educators from all across the United States, from all levels of teaching (classroom, coach, specialists, administrators). Hearing the perspectives of others encourages me to examine my own beliefs, understandings, and my Why. This group, the #4OCFpln, has become, in a sense, a family. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXwbbSBDKLNBa84yOEjh702JT8E8VTyoCnlxrhRcJVGOBxnBmAdc1NHxMdLWT7TCf2lugeXuoYGny2ugA7McDnQCTP81onaSOA0-Hxyfs22eU6dNIQk9qkz5ZWMDajEMHB-3XiZDCx0vh/s1600/AllTogether+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="804" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAXwbbSBDKLNBa84yOEjh702JT8E8VTyoCnlxrhRcJVGOBxnBmAdc1NHxMdLWT7TCf2lugeXuoYGny2ugA7McDnQCTP81onaSOA0-Hxyfs22eU6dNIQk9qkz5ZWMDajEMHB-3XiZDCx0vh/s320/AllTogether+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This family has not only bonded together to encourage, grow, and support each other, but we have also made an effort to share our beliefs and our learning with others on Twitter, Voxer, Instagram, Periscope, Facebook, etc. Some of us had an opportunity to share our story with others at #ISTE19 in Philadelphia this past summer.<br />
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So when people ask me who are my EduHeroes, I would say they are the people that have made an indelible imprint on my educational life. Their fingerprints on my life have brought me to the path I am on today as a connected educator. And for that I am truly grateful!<br />
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Who has left their fingerprint on you?<br />
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<br />kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-59658244954621295302019-09-08T16:10:00.000-07:002019-09-08T16:10:53.373-07:00Student Voice Deserves to Be HeardIt has been a goal of mine to move toward a more student centered classroom. A room where students have more voice and choice. A room where they feel the freedom to speak their mind and be taken seriously.<br />
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Many of the 3rd-5th students that come to me for Reading Intervention a couple of times a week are already at the point in their school career that they act like they don't care, because it is easier than admitting that they don't know, or that they need help. They feel defeated and they compensate by being a distraction to the teacher and other students so that no one will notice what they consider to be a weakness. These students need their voices to be heard just as much as the other students that seem to be more successful.<br />
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One of the students on my class list this year has already been particularly challenging for our school staff. I prepared for him by having a personal chat with him before my classes began meeting. I asked him, "What do you want me to know about you?" I gave him the opportunity to share about himself and his personal challenges. He made me aware of how he demonstrates his anger and some of his coping mechanisms. We agreed on a plan of action if his anger became an issue, and I came away feeling great about the conversation.<br />
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What was not addressed was his tendency to talk over others, interrupt, and make negative comments which was evident in the very first class period he attended. I have several students with those same tendencies and it makes teaching very challenging. Keeping in mind that I want to give students more voice and choice, I plan on putting the ball in their court. I will put the problem out there for them to discuss and come up with a solution. If the solution comes from them, they will have more ownership in the implementation. I plan on having prepared questions to prime the pump of discussion, like:<br />
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How can your voice be heard?<br />
What kind of response is helpful to you?<br />
How can we learn from each other?<br />
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Whatever the outcome of the discussion, there are a few things that I want my students to understand this year:<br />
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You are important to me.<br />
Your voice deserves to be heard.kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-14408023530055903472019-06-19T09:18:00.000-07:002019-06-19T09:18:15.338-07:00Knowing Your Why"Knowing your why is essential when attending an educational conference. What is your "why" for this year's conference? What are you hoping to learn?"<br />
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This was one of the questions that dropped in the #isteten chat earlier this week. #Isteten is not a chat that I normally participate in, but I jumped in at the invitation of a friend. I quickly dropped in my response, which was "To help my #4OCFpln family share the message about taking charge of your own PD! Secondary, to connect face to face with my #PLN." <br />
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To be honest, my initial 'why' was just to be connecting face to face with a group of educators that has impacted me greatly in the last year and a half. I am not a technology teacher. Some people might question why I would even want to go to a technology conference like ISTE. I believe I can learn something from any conference I attend, but I would not be attending ISTE if it wasn't for my #4OCFpln. <br />
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We had discussed the possibility of submitting a proposal for a session at ISTE. When the deadline for proposals came around, one of us stepped up and submitted a proposal for a panel presentation on Taking Charge of your own PD. (Thank you @leachteach4 for doing that for us!) All of us were thrilled when we heard that our proposal had been accepted! I knew at that moment, I wanted to be there! With no funding from my school, I paid for my conference fee, housing, and travel expenses, because this was important to me.<br />
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And then this question of "why" comes up in this #isteten chat. I have become very familiar with the question "What is your 'why'?" because it comes up in our #4OCFpln chats every week! (Thank you for bringing us back to our "why" @emercedlearning !) It has also come up in a book study I am participating in with #2menandabook, <u>Divergent EDU</u> by Mandy Froehlich. She says that teachers need a why and then references a video on YouTube, <a href="https://youtu.be/LZe5y2D60YU" target="_blank">Know Your Why by Michael Jr. (2017)</a>. If you have not seen this video, take a few minutes to view it. I promise you it will be worth it! My favorite quote from this video, which Mandy uses in her book is as follows:<br />
"<i>When you know your why your what has more impact because you're walking in and toward your purpose.</i>"<br />
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I truly want "To help my #4OCFpln family share the message about taking charge of your own PD!". But looking back at the original question, I did not answer the last part, "What are you hoping to learn?" I am hoping to learn how I can more effectively implement the use of tools with which I am already familiar. If I learn about new tools while I'm there, that will be a bonus!<br />
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Do you know your 'why'?<br />
<br />kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-34101820304052039942019-06-14T18:09:00.000-07:002019-12-28T20:41:27.410-08:00Keep Sharing Your Passions!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Stumbling and sliding down the riverbank, I followed a small crowd of people all intent on keeping up with the man dressed in khakis, boots, and a floppy hat. His purpose was singular, to share his passion for hunting arrowheads and other artifacts.<br />
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The rubber boots that I had tucked my jeans into made my steps awkward. I struggled to catch up with the leader of the group as he began to disappear around a bend, his excitement increasing the pace of every step. I managed somehow to keep my eyes both on the water in front of me and the general direction of the group as they crossed the riverbed. The once clear water, made muddy by the foot traffic, hid rocks, ledges, and holes that I anxiously watched for wanting to avoid an unceremonious dunking in the cool water. The fear of missing out hastened my steps and resulted in a rushing cool sensation as I stepped off a ledge into water deeper than my boots. With heavier steps, I continued moving upstream hoping that we would soon arrive 'there'.<br />
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Our guide settled on an area roughly 100 yards upstream that was made shallow from the deposits of gravel, rock, and other debris. As I got closer I could hear him talking to whomever would listen of the history of this river, the artifacts that had been found here, and what we could expect to find today. He patiently answered questions as he walked slowly, head down, scanning the ground in front of him. It wasn't long before he bent down and picked up a rock that turned out to be an arrowhead with the tip broken off. He explained that he had seen the blade edge sticking up out of the rocks which is how they often land. His decades of arrowhead hunting experience had trained his eyes to notice things that other people would overlook, and often do! He handed the find to a child and continued walking, talking, and looking.<br />
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Choosing an area within earshot, I began to look carefully at the ground before me. Lots of gravel peppered with shale, river rocks, sticks, with the occasional glass, bones, and other debris. Several times I reached out to what I thought might be an arrowhead only to be disappointed by a sharp edged rock. Moving slowly as I searched, I overheard some excitement as our leader identified a shark's tooth. The small group around him leaned in for a look as he continued to talk about the history of this area. Another child was awarded the find as our guide resumed his hunt.<br />
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After a time of staring at the ground, occasionally depositing interesting rocks in my pockets, I began to look around me at the others that were on this hunt. Several young children were occupied with digging in the riverbed with shovel and bucket. One teenager could be seen sitting in the water swishing the water around him. A mother was documenting the day by taking pictures with her phone. A few young people were collecting sticks they found by the wayside and one was carrying an interesting piece of driftwood. Overall, most were walking with head down, scanning the ground for the next find.<br />
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At the end of our hunt, we were going home with shells, bones, driftwood, rocks, shark's teeth, petrified wood, and pretty rocks. The prize of the morning was a second arrowhead, also found by our guide who kept this one for himself.<br />
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On the way home I considered what our leader had accomplished by sharing his passion for hunting arrowheads and artifacts. Did everyone find an arrowhead today? No. He was the only one who actually located any arrowheads. Did everyone find some type of artifact? No. Some went home with dinosaur vertebrae and shark's teeth, but most went home with rocks, shells, and sticks. Will everyone become an arrowhead enthusiast because of this trip? No. Some might return for another try at an arrowhead find, but most will move on to something with which they think they can be more successful. Why would someone take the time to share their passion with so little return on their investment?<br />
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At the end of this day, his return on investment may appear to be small, but it will take years to determine the depth of his impact. Someone shared their passion with him decades ago, and that impact was felt on this day!<br />
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The next time you are sharing your passion with others, don't be discouraged by an apparent lack of interest. Consider that if you have influenced just one person, your impact can be more far reaching than you know! Keep sharing your passions!<br />
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P.S. Our passionate arrowhead hunting guide shares his passion on his YouTube channel, as well. His alias is Indiana Smith. Click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbZoE8p1m8E" target="_blank">here</a> for an example of one of his arrowhead hunting adventures!</div>
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<br />kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-51859039065908878772019-05-31T20:04:00.000-07:002019-05-31T20:04:15.889-07:00Falling in Love with Books"Mrs. Isham! I just fell in love with one of your books!" Nothing sounds sweeter to a Reading Teacher's ears!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMK42KEiOBqhdFXSjiyTl09TR1rnjHmmbBl-P8ALntdIcXWw05L0oZs3i9SZWIv8UrVSdTRqrmUWX2CwCErjMkhu6Iu-Y-huRHziRjlppVt1lYdhhFtQWJ5ZKQuIymEgVEtsidrvUZEAT/s1600/1558144243208_2475166928_a4bef594_v1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMK42KEiOBqhdFXSjiyTl09TR1rnjHmmbBl-P8ALntdIcXWw05L0oZs3i9SZWIv8UrVSdTRqrmUWX2CwCErjMkhu6Iu-Y-huRHziRjlppVt1lYdhhFtQWJ5ZKQuIymEgVEtsidrvUZEAT/s320/1558144243208_2475166928_a4bef594_v1.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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I would love more than anything to create the perfect parameters to repeat that scenario over and over again on a daily basis. What was present in this instance that was the catalyst that brought about this type of reaction in my student?<br />
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Lots of books. A wide variety of genres, authors, and reading levels.<br />
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Free choice. Students allowed to self-select the books they wanted to read.<br />
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Time to read. Time during school for students to get lost in a book.<br />
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Model reader. A teacher that models an active reading life. This year, as I have every year, I read aloud to my students. When students are reading in my class, I am also reading. I have also started posting the covers of the books I am currently reading outside my classroom door. <br />
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When I finish a book, the cover is moved to the cabinet door inside my classroom, which is a running list of books that I have read this year. I have also posted a reading goal of how many books I want to read this year.<br />
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I will continue to provide my students with large library of books, free book choice, time to read, and a model reader in myself.<br />
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My goal for my students is for them to become life-long readers. What better way to do that than to fall in love with books? <br />
<br />kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-89613391456464613072019-04-29T21:04:00.000-07:002019-04-29T21:04:02.458-07:00Accepting a complimentHave you ever refused a gift? Something that is given freely to honor you?<br />
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That is exactly what you are doing when you deflect or dismiss a compliment directed towards you. <br />
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I grew up watching my mother work outside the home, sew clothes for her daughters (as well as friends and family on the side), teach Sunday School, and cook. Whatever she did, she did well! Except for accepting compliments. It was not uncommon for her to receive compliments on her cooking, sewing, and her teaching. It was just as likely for her to deflect or dismiss the compliments given to her as though they weren't deserved. I was delighted that others saw what a talented mother that I had, but frustrated that she didn't see herself that way.<br />
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Recently I have found myself doing the exact same thing my mother did when she received compliments. Dismissing the value placed on my acts, deflecting the honor given to me as a gift. Even though it is something that I am learning that I struggle with, I feel that accepting a compliment gracefully is something we all need to know how to do. It honors both the giver and and the gift.<br />
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It has been said "It is better to give than receive," but I feel like everyone is on the receiving end when a something is given, especially when the gift given is a compliment.kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-56930417971703805132019-02-28T19:42:00.001-08:002019-02-28T19:42:57.543-08:00Sharing the Learning!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Love Isn't Love Until You Give It Away...</i></span><br />
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Would the same apply to Learning? Learning isn't Learning until you give it away?<br />
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I recently had the opportunity to attend the TCEA Conference (Texas Computer Education Association) in San Antonio for the first time. Let me state....I am NOT a computer/technology teacher. When my principal asked me if I was interested in attending, my first question was, "why me?" "Is the computer teacher not able to go?" My principal explained that they want different people each year to have an opportunity to go. She continued by saying, "I know that you will bring back what you learn and share with others." I was honored that she saw this in me, so of course my answer was, "YES!!"<br />
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Five of us had an opportunity to get to know each other better over the course of four days as we drove to San Antonio and shared rooms in a hotel on the Riverwalk. Three teachers and two technology directors each with a different perspective of learning and technology. I felt like a parched and thirsty person trying to drink from a swift moving river. I drank in as much as I could and let the rest wash over me as I enjoyed the atmosphere.<br />
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I also took advantage of the opportunity to meet up with some of my #4OCFpln whom I have never met in person! A few of us met up one morning for breakfast and fellowship. Later that evening, a larger group of us met up for dinner on the Riverwalk. We did not feel like strangers at all! It was just a continuation of the conversations we have everyday on Voxer!<br />
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I was thankful for the opportunity to attend such a rich learning experience and couldn't wait to share my learning with others! A coworker and I put together a Wakelet of presentations and notes that we collected from the sessions which we had attended, and set a date to share what we had experienced. We offered a voluntary, after school PD session that teachers could sign up for if they were interested. <i>Technology Tidbits from TCEA</i> was the title and a tasting was what we offered. We briefly touched on some of the tools we had learned about and asked for feedback on what they would like to learn more about. We had seventeen people that chose to stay for an hour after school to hear what we were excited to share.<br />
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The night before, I spent time reviewing the tools I would be speaking about. I know from experience that one way to cement student learning is to have them teach what they have learned to others! Being able to share my learning with others would not only benefit them, but me, as well. It also brought back a little bit of the excitement I felt when attending those sessions in TCEA.<br />
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I feel that I get more out of new learning when I share my learning with others. So, to me.....<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Learning isn't learning until you give it away.</i></span><br />
<br />kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-15985803532869561612019-01-21T18:30:00.000-08:002019-01-21T18:30:20.930-08:00Making the Most of My Time<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">This is one of the busiest times of the year for me, and despite that, I am participating in two book studies on Voxer this month. We make time for those things that we want to do most. But what if we want to do #allthethings? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;">I am constantly looking for time to squeeze in #allthethings. I listen to Voxer chats and messages in the morning before my family gets up, on my ride to and from school, and during my lunchtime when I eat in my room. With my book studies, I will read during class when my students are reading, and in the evening at home when my family is busy with other things. I try to pick a few Twitter chats to participate in that don't take too much time away from my family. Blogging is another thing I want to make time for on a regular basis. "Finding the time" is happenstance, "making the time" is intentional. I want to be intentional.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;"><i>"Time is what we want most, but what we use worst." ~William Penn</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;">My most unstructured time is in the evening after dinner and on the weekends. I will not deny that I find time for TV and movies. What I need to do when I find myself flipping channels, is to turn off the TV or walk away and use my time more productively. That is time that can be redeemed.</span></span><br />
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, </i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><b> making the most of your time</b>, </i><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Ephesians 5:15-16a</i><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;">Redeeming that time won't necessarily make it easier to get started putting words on the page. I have a journal that I intended to write in at the end of each day, while the day's events were fresh in my mind. As I have not been successful at making that a habit, I need to rework that idea. I think that I will start opening my blog page at the beginning of each school day, leaving it easily accessible to quickly jot down ideas and thoughts as they come my way. Even if I have not written anything by the time I am ready to shut down my computer, my page will be open to write a quick thought before I log out. I can save those thoughts as drafts, or a starting point to use when I make time to blog on the weekend.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;">I now have a plan to "make time" for blogging this week! What will you "make time" for this week?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.85px;"><br /></span></span>kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-17439992530668619192018-12-31T22:01:00.000-08:002018-12-31T22:01:34.577-08:00My #OneWord2019 Diligence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Diligence</b><br />
<i>noun</i><br />
1. constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind.<br />
2. the degree of care and caution required by the circumstances of a person.<br />
3. care; caution.<br />
(https://www.dictionary.com/browse/diligence)<br />
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This will be my third year to choose #OneWord to guide or direct my year. <a href="https://kimberlyisham.blogspot.com/2017/01/my-oneword2017-reach.html">REACH</a> was my #OneWord2017 and it exemplified a year of reaching beyond my comfort zone to where real learning occurs.<br />
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This past year I chose <a href="https://kimberlyisham.blogspot.com/2018/01/my-oneword2018.html">RELATIONSHIPS</a> which was perfect for 2018 considering I developed some pretty impactful relationships through the #4OCFpln . Through these relationships in this group I have read many books and my Wishlist on Amazon has grown immeasurably. The number of blog posts I have written and shared has more than doubled. I have participated in and moderated more Twitter chats. Sharing my learning through professional development training has become my norm even to the extent of sharing outside my district.<br />
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In and amongst #allthethings that I have done this past year, I have realized that I have focused on quantity and not quality. So this year I have chosen <b>Diligence</b> as my #OneWord2019. Constant and earnest effort should be applied to almost everything that I do.<br />
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<i>Whatever your hand finds to do, do it <b>with all your might</b>. Ecclesiastes 9:10a</i><br />
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Persistent exertion of body or mind are embodied in the words <i> "with all your might". </i>I know to be truly <b>diligent</b> in whatever I do, I will need to prioritize and even say no to some things.<br />
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<i>Watch over your heart with all <b>diligence</b> for from it flow the springs of life. </i><br />
<i> Proverbs 4:23</i><br />
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Saying no to some things will cause FOMO (fear of missing out), but in the end I will have more time to give to the tasks to which I have said yes.<i> </i>I will have the satisfaction of being more effective with my time.<br />
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<i> Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, </i><br />
<i><b> making the most of your time</b>, </i><i>Ephesians 5:15-16a</i><br />
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Using my time wisely will enable me to (hopefully) better balance home, health, school, and church. A good balance will help me work on my relationships with others.<br />
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<i>Be <b>diligent</b> to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need </i><br />
<i> to be ashamed, </i><i>accurately handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15</i><br />
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<b>Diligence</b> will help me stand unashamed not only before God, but my family, friends, coworkers, students, and myself. The care and caution I will give to each task should impact many in my circle of influence.<br />
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<i>Few things are impossible to <b>diligence</b> and skill. Great works are performed </i><br />
<i> not by strength, but </i><i>perseverance. ~ Samuel Johnson</i><br />
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Recognition for great works is not my goal in being diligent this year.<br />
My goals are to:<br />
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<ul>
<li>be selective in the tasks I choose</li>
<li>give constant and earnest effort</li>
<li>make the most of my time</li>
<li>produce effective results</li>
<li>be a positive influence on others</li>
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I can't wait to see what can be accomplished through <b><i>Diligence</i></b> this year!</div>
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What's your #OneWord?</div>
kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-61818794581124405752018-12-29T12:48:00.000-08:002018-12-29T12:50:58.363-08:00Reflecting on RelationshipsHow many of us can resist the urge to look in a mirror when one is present? We look to adjust our hair, makeup, clothes, etc. And then we look again. We want to be at our best physical appearance before others. Why then do we find it hard to look into the mirrors of our mind and reflect on ourselves professionally, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually? This is a struggle for me, not because I do not like to write, but because putting my mental reflections into words leaves me feeling exposed. Wait. I need to reframe that. I am making myself more open. Being open is essential to building Relationships.<br />
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My #OneWord2018 was Relationships.<br />
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I was inspired to choose Relationships as my #OneWord when revisiting the book <u>Innovator's Mindset</u> by George Couros. One of my favorite quotes from the book is:<br />
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<i style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> "If we want meaningful change, we have to make a connection to the </i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><i> heart before we can make a connection to the mind."</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>I wanted to be part of a spark that started meaningful change in my students, my colleagues, my school, my PLN. So I focused on Relationships.<br />
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Have I seen meaningful change this year? Not in the way I had imagined. As I reached out to others this year to make that connection to the heart, I found that I was the one that walked away changed.<br />
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Working to be able to call students by name has helped me to connect with students throughout our campus. In my classes, I make time for students to share what is going on in their lives and I <i>Listen</i>. I take time to have personal conversations when some students seem to be struggling in class. What I learn about them helps me to be a better teacher working to meet their individual needs.<br />
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My interactions with colleagues, whether in the hallway, during lunch, or in a meeting are more intentional. I make the time to connect on a personal level, asking about family, friends, and life in general. These connections have helped me to see other teachers' motivations or "Why". I have responded by sharing handwritten notes of appreciation and resources through email.<br />
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When planning a training on Personalized PD, I invited another teacher to present with me. Being able to collaborate on the presentation made it more well rounded and beneficial for all. I plan on seeking out others and helping them to share their voice, as well.<br />
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One of the biggest areas of change was in the relationships I found through #2menandabook Voxer book studies. I joined their <u>4 O'clock Faculty</u> Voxer book study in January of this year. Having the opportunity to hear so many voices and perspectives on the book and be able to share my own was an amazing experience. More amazing still is that the group we formed in January is still going strong!<br />
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At the end of the book study so many of us did not want the discussion to end! We agreed to stay connected and formed the #4OCFpln. We have the opportunity to share, challenge, question, encourage, and push each others' thinking on a daily basis. Topics of discussion range anywhere from personal sagas to pedagogy. It is not uncommon for any one of us to send out the bat signal for help on questions we need answered. We have become a family!<br />
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Because of my #4OCFpln , I have: <i>presented PD outside of my district for the first time this year, revived my blog, read more professional books, held a book tasting which lead to a <u>Teach Like a Pirate</u> book study on my campus, and guest moderated on a few Twitter chats</i>. I will also be connecting with a few of my Texas #4OCFpln while attending TCEA for the first time in 2019. I look forward to meeting even more of my #4OCFpln family in ISTE next summer as we present as a panel on the power of connections using Voxer!<br />
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Connections are powerful whether we make them on Voxer, Twitter, or in our daily lives. Even though I am choosing a new word for 2019, I plan to continue working on my relationships and hope to continue seeing a positive change in myself and others in the future!</div>
kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-18855800681218877002018-11-06T19:16:00.003-08:002018-11-06T20:01:03.570-08:00Thankful for All the Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Thankful for All the Things</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In case you have not followed my blog before, I am Kimberly, a K-5 Reading specialist from north TX, and a member of the #4OCFpln. We discuss daily everything from educational, to personal and sometimes the ridiculous. We question, push, and celebrate #allthethings, and we want to share #allthethings we are thankful for this fall season! Enjoy!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This past spring, my mother spent 2 weeks in a Critical Care unit about an hour away from my home. I am so grateful that we did not lose her. My parents have been some of my strongest supporters and most important critics. They have modeled hospitality and generosity throughout their lives. Their example and encouragement has been a big part of making me the person I am today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My husband is my biggest supporter, whether it be acting as my cheerleader when I take on a project I am not sure about, or letting me vent when I am frustrated with something at school. He makes me laugh and lets me know in a million ways how much he loves me and our boys.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My children (biological and school) have challenged my thinking as I strive to give them the best of myself in helping them to be the best version of themselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My co-workers have caused me to question what I know as I work within the box we know as the public school system.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My #4OCFpln has been a serendipitous group that not only gets me, but also pushes me to do more, learn more, and be more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am thankful that God has brought all these forces into my life to help me continue on this path of growth to be the person He created me to be.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Amy Storer, Instructional Coach, Montgomery, TX</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“I am thankful for every moment.” Al Green</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Every single moment that has occurred in my life so far has led me to where I am today. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Some of those moments were filled with love and laughter and some were blanketed in </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">sadness and fear. But each turn taken and road followed has helped to mold me into the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">person that I have become today and who I will be in the future. I am thankful for a mother </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">that fought for her daughters to have everything that the world could give them and more. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">She sacrificed so much for us, and everything we do as educators today is because of her </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and for her. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">I am thankful for a dad, who found his way back to us. We are so glad that </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">you did. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">I am thankful for grandparents and their love and endless amounts of cookies </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">and candy!</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">I am thankful for a sister who is truly my best friend. Thank you for giving </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">me one of my greatest gifts,</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Nancy and Finn. They crawled right into my heart and filled </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">in the hole that momma left when she </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">passed away. I am so incredibly thankful for them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">I am thankful for the love of my love, Tony. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Thank you picking up the phone when I </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">bravely called you in the fall of 1997. Thank you for being </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">my biggest supporter and for </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">loving me for over 20 years. Thank you to my campus family for loving </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">and supporting </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">me in everything that I do. I am so lucky to get to work alongside each of you! </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Thank to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">all of my former students. You truly schooled me on school. I learned all I needed to know </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">from each of you, and I am a better educator and human being because of you.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Louie Soper, 5th Grade Teacher, Philadelphia, PA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am so thankful for the opportunity to teach in the city of Philadelphia this school year. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Albeit some challenges, each day is an opportunity to learn and grow. Learning blocks </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">can be challenging. Days can be challenging. Weeks can be tough, but I am so </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">so</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">thankful for the relationships I have been able to build with many of my students. From </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Fortnite dances to slime, the fun doesn’t end. I am so grateful for this group of students </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I have this year. We are all walking side by side daily in our journeys together in </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">becoming the best versions of ourselves we can be. Lastly, I am so thankful for the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">regular reminders from the #4ocfpln for pointing out these daily opportunities for growth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><img height="300" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Sx0bLgeXpL5T8nrePwU-GvbT7MgdxPXEK2QBt7RprROrHOUO3AHBWxpETsuFlvHwTWQ_-k9VPHt3JHQkn_AqN_EvWP2YtHeUFPpbkA_ya0nidqT4hPkj8jDTw2O0y15AO9fyeRaF" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="272" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Kristi Daws, @kristi_daws, Technology Integration Specialist, Region 9 ESC</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am thankful for my journey. So thankful for the support of Bob Johnson who offered me an </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">amazing opportunity to practice my love of music. I left for college a music major switching </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">to </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">math after two wonderful years thanks to Dr. Linda Fausnaugh. She awakened a Math </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Teacher </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">inside me I did not know existed. After twenty, YES 20!!!, amazing years loving my </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">career I </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">stepped into the unknown and became a Digital Coach under the leadership of </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Brett Thomas. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">I was so fortunate to work alongside a leader who pushed, encouraged, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">challenged, and </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">supported me daily. I followed this leader into my current position as the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Region 9 ESC </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Technology Integration Specialist. I have learned so much in my first few </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">months at R9 and I </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">could not be happier. I don’t know where my journey will take me next, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">but I have faith that it </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">will be an adventure. #Thankful </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><img height="417" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/DWCvHloKXO0nQPJSMZMkH_Z9H0wZCmyopapO0LC0F3YV-08gGC5VLweAw69paDpmcxQITgy_2Zvk4TwS0Np4qGjfSZOv327f6y8xMXNasiNAcfl47a99Qi5E_wAJPvB2iaZZNr4u" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624" /></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;">~~~~~~</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Rachelle Dene Poth, Spanish and STEAM Teacher, Pittsburgh, PA @Rdene915</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.rdene915.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">www.Rdene915.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am thankful for all of the opportunities that each new day brings. Time to continue </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">to build relationships, to connect with students and educators from around the world. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">For so many years, I was teaching in isolation and did not truly understand the value </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">of being a connected educator and the importance of relationships. A tremendous </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">mentor in law school helped me to see what it truly means to be an educator and the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">need to focus on the relationships first. His guidance has made such a difference in </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">my personal life as well as my professional life and I will always be thankful for his </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">ongoing support. There are often challenges that come each day, and sometimes </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">it is the challenges we face as educators or it is something that our students are </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">struggling with. We need to connect. As much as our students rely on us to care </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">for and support them, we count on them to lift us up at times as well. Knowing that </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">together we are creating a welcoming and supportive classroom, where students </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">are comfortable asking for help and where they are willing to reach out and help </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">others, is something that I am thankful for each day. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><img height="343" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/yEa069HklhlAPbB9OI8NXFaiMW8jWgnMZDbPLOxmBTHJTMlo1lyHpeAVwV_w4qu1YAEwT4vpqN7EJEOdp7QgtB2AIV3emEvQCO2oPfDPqdGgkVnsauBuLf8Mm2SId0X1T8E34pZV" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="564" /></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;">~~~~~~</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">KathiSue Summers, Educational Mentor for 1st and 2nd year Teachers, Medford, OR</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Do You Believe Relationships Are Important?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">When I started teaching in 1986 in public education, I was a Lone Ranger. I was </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the only female teacher out of seven teachers in the small high school where </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I taught Business and Computers. I didn't think that being alone in the classroom </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">was uncommon in my educational career. Before coming to public education, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I taught for several years in the private sector; there you were on an island.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">What I learned quickly was that relationships with other educators and students </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">was very important to me as a person; as well as a professional. It was easy for </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">me to develop relationships with students, but it was difficult when I was the only </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">female on the high school staff. It was hard for me to relate to the male teachers </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">on staff.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I made it a point to become part of the community my first year. I developed </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">many positive relationships and eventually, dear friendships that I still cherish </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">after thirty-three years. There have been many times that a message, a visit or </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">call have made my day. I am thankful that these individuals are in my life.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">As years have passed, I have developed different relationships. I have </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">relationships with professional people I never thought would be in my circle. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I think about my Voxer group (#4OCFPLN), my Twitter #PLN and my local </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">face-to-face PLN. These people have helped me to grow professionally.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do I think relationships are important? Yes, Yes, Yes! And, I am thankful </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for all the relationships I have made along my journal.</span><img height="351" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/D4moYwUzGE8mXBSZoKm2r_DBmxl-QV3PMmIJWC3fPHHDA5UXIDu_VxBAhNnKeMiHOsau66EFurI-C9DJbXrQZuG_SntQ_fElCKeSthw6j4_9go2UrLJBUX5-JzwO8kOKKc8fOllS" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="313" /><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;">~~~~~~</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Heather Young, Kindergarten teacher, Seattle, WA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">@msyoung114</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I’m thankful for my students, who come to school with wide eyes every day, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">willing to dive into whatever we are going to learn.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I’m thankful for the families, who trust everyday to grow their children as </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">learners and humans.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I’m thankful for my in-building colleagues, always willing to give perspective </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">when my thoughts might be off track.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Lastly, I’m so thankful for my PLN, a crew of professionals from across the US. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">In close to a year, they have pushed my practice to new heights </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I never imagined reaching.</span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">This list is full of people who believe in me, they are the foundation, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the motivation and the joy in my life. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am so incredibly lucky.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><img height="312" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/FhBx7Om2vVuV4cZ9iXr2DlZn1BF2EfVpj0U9HkNlGjNcZOIad3mLjva4in5w2S-Im_MRBxo_PKnHP5I0QRlBdvb-3fbs3fglpVPe7mudzauCFuXkfImBlHiOkJGaMToN9XMxrRvZ" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624" /></span><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;">~~~~~~</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sarah Fromhold</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Digital Learning Coach</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">McKinney, TX</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">@sew1080</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">fromholdsblog@wordpress.com</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” ~African proverb</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">This quote sums up both my journey and my struggle, and I am grateful for both! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My personality is one that I prefer to work alone most of the time. Going through school, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I preferred finishing projects on my own rather than working in a group. Because of this, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I usually turned in assignments early and had plenty of free time. However, looking back, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I realize I was doing the bare minimum to satisfy the requirements of the assignment. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">There was no motivation to dig deeper into a topic. I was good to simply get it done. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It was hard for me to find people I trusted to work with because I honestly thought it </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">was better for me to do it alone.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My family, friends, coworkers, and the #4OCFpln have changed my view on the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">importance of relying on others. With two young daughters, a husband with odd </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">work hours, and everything I aspire to do personally and professionally, I recognize </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I cannot do everything by myself (and that’s perfectly fine!). My coworkers and my </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">PLN are constantly available for my questions and to bounce ideas around. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Without my tribe, I would still be moving along in life, but with them, I’m learning, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">growing, changing, and truly living my best life.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><img height="351" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/HaGNjl5MTeYmCh_N0k3J8ucWTm7jfFmBzbYt34NA9hrfs-eq-YEV7-2GCEdu6ahbVw-o0H5QVOPvysbxPKeLU9bopdVbDnupvn_0QRwmr74oZ6HdaRQOP86zlNSP0wLcMkqm-bzu" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Don Sturm</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Technology Integration Specialist</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Morton, IL</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Thankfulness is something that is easy to take for granted. I am guilty of looking at </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">situations and only focusing on those annoyances that get under my skin. This blog </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">post idea came at a perfect time for me because I was getting stuck in the rut of not </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">looking at the positives as much as I should. Honestly, I am thankful for those who are </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">willing to make changes. I have learned that many teachers have a genuine fear of </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">change and trying new things. It takes real bravery for some individuals to step out </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">of their comfort zone and, as Tara Martin says, “Cannonball in!” My goal is to be more </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">outwardly thankful to those who decide to throw caution to the wind and try something </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">new for the sake of their students. These teachers and administrators need to realize </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">that their willingness to conquer their fears sends a message to their students and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">staff that risk-taking is ok and necessary. Think about the domino effect of this risk </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">taking. Relationships will be built, growth mindset thinking will become the norm, and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">an overall positive culture will emerge. All of this is needed for schools to be places of </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">learning and inquiry. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><img height="348" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/8U_908LzGvB2ty4KAxIKIeWpI2uQIZ6dF4ij7TZTLEgP8H4_r7Eo5USZZlbP-Wmv1-k1n9HkjTptipD6XEJov9Igj8-QwL4DtkD5QKKMpkNXxV8UZo4R2Edp8itXjTD_qGC1q1Yj" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Laura Steinbrink, HS English, Tech Integration, District Communications Director/Webmaster, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Plato, MO </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">@SteinbrinkLaura </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">www.rockntheboat.com</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My life is busy. It seems like my family and I are always on the go, sometimes in separate </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">directions, for at least two of the three sporting seasons during the school year. Yes, you </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">read that correctly. I said sporting seasons because that is how my school year is divided </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">in my mind. Besides the titles of my job that I listed above, I am also the assistant coach </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">for our volleyball and softball teams, and this year my husband, the tech director for our </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">district, became the head cross country coach. So for the beginning of the school year </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">through this first weekend of November, we have juggled schedules for my volleyball </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">practices and games, my husband’s cross country practices and meets, and our son’s </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">junior high basketball practices and games. This alone is enough to overwhelm a family, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">but me? I’m thankful. I spent a lot of time with my volleyball team, making connections </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">with those students, watching them struggle, succeed, persevere, break down, and get </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">back up again. Did I miss my son’s games because my coaching duties? Just one. My </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">district honored my desire to be a mom first and a coach second. Did my husband regret </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">his choice to coach this year? He developed close relationships with his team as they </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">struggled and pushed themselves to get up and down the hills around our school and in </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">their personal lives. At our son’s games, we connected with families and students too. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">His teammates will be in my classroom in a few years, and when they walk through the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">door and become officially mine, I will already have a solid foundation for a relationship </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">with them. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Did we still attend other school events during our whirlwind fall season? Yes. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">We supported as many students and staff as we possibly could. Did we make it to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">everything? </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">No. But I am thankful for all the things we were able to do, relationships </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">we forged or </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">broadened, the impact we may have had on students, and the impact </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">those same </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">students most definitely have had on us. We may not always be able to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">do all of the </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">things we want to do, but I am very grateful for all of the things we can do.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">John Martinez, elementary school principal, Rowland Hts, CA </span><a href="https://twitter.com/jmartinez727?lang=en" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">@jmartinez727</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://betweenthejohns.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://betweenthejohns.com/</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">In 1963, my father Eduardo left his homeland to make a new life in America. At 31 years </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">of age he arrived in New York leaving behind his wife Maria, four children, and all the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">people he knew. When he arrived in New York he began the journey of finding work and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">earning enough to bring his family together. He didn’t speak English and did not have a </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">trade. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">So he took whichever job he could find: work in kitchens, factories, and more. He </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">worked two </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">to three jobs at a time and left one job for another if it meant he could earn </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">more or learn a </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">marketable skill. In the meantime, my mom was caring for her children </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">not knowing how the </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">venture would unfold. In six months my dad had earned enough to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">bring the family from </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Colombia to the United States. Seemingly overnight, my family’s </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">fortunes had changed. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Opportunities and life trajectories for my siblings, for my parents, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">and for myself were </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">transformed. My dad’s journey continued - finding different jobs, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">taking classes at night </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">to learn English, and connecting with other immigrants for support. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Then he did it all again. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">He packed his bags and traveled across the country to Los </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Angeles because he believed </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">there were more opportunities out west. My mom </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">continued to be the rock of our family in </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the way she supported my dad and nurtured </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">her children. My dad found more jobs, </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">continued learning English, and made new </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">connections with others. Not long after, </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">my mom and siblings made the cross country </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">trip by railroad and began their new lives </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">in Los Angeles. All of this happened before </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">I came along in 1968. By then, the the tireless </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">of efforts of my mom and dad had set </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the foundation for my family’s success. For the next </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">twenty years, they continued </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">building on that foundation. My dad worked as many jobs as </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">needed. My mom got </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">jobs as us kids grew a bit older and more comfortable in our </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">surroundings. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Throughout my childhood I saw countless examples of my parents’ </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">dedication to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">their family. The way they faced and overcame adversity taught me to </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">persevere. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">The way they modeled the the values of family, faith, and country taught </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">me to be </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">loyal and sustain my beliefs. I learned about teamwork, integrity, and courage </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">from </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">my parents. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am thankful to my parents for emigrating to the USA. Who I am, where I am, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">what I am, and why I am would not be had my parents not had their their vision </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and their courage. I am thankful to America, the fertile soil where my family </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">could boom.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><img height="350" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/KI4BhZGV5jAlK0aR1DAOA4jQ7N_4W6ZW4fLTizsPtCfvZ6CXZIr68lTEIsY0nab4q8-0VotWrLYW4bZAQf4F-ebdWqI9AtZpFyFIK8srSkznhRCA-6pvuYgy92lPA5PPFhC-tfFI" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="530" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Matthew Larson, PE teacher, Trenton, NJ, @mlarson_nj</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am thankful for one, all-encompassing thing...my support network. This network includes </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">personal, professional, and pseudo-family supporters.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My professional support comes from my place of work. I am entering my fourth year </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">teaching in an urban charter school and it has been quite the growing experience since </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">day one. Since beginning there I have started and finished a degree in Ed Leadership </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and been on the hunt to move into administration to pursue and accomplish my vision </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">of education. My colleagues and supervisors know of my search and aspirations and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">have been in my corner supporting my attempts every step of the way from writing </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">references to covering my class when I have to miss time at school in order to interview. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">For them I am thankful!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My pseudo-family of support comes from my PLF, professional learning family. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">This group came together as strangers around a book study in January of 2018 </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and has since stayed together, met in real life, presented at conferences together, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and truly become a support network both personally and professionally. Everyday </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">we continuously push each other to explain and rationalize thinking, challenge </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">long-held beliefs, and grow beyond what we thought we could accomplish. They </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">have truly helped my journey through the daily conversations as I have to constantly </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">verbalize my beliefs, values, and transformations regarding education, children, and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">working with adults. I can honestly attribute the nearness to my professional goals to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">this collective group. They are the individuals writing this blog collectively. For them </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am thankful! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My personal family is a group I am indebted to and thankful for beyond words. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I have twin 11-month old girls, a four year old son, my partner Jackie, two dogs, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and three cats. Four years ago I left North Carolina to be with Jackie and Hayden </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">as they moved back to New Jersey to be nearer Jackie’s family. Since then Jackie’s </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">family and friends have been the safety net for us young parents as we tried to build </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">careers and roots of our own in The Garden State. Without Jackie’s family and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">friends neither of us could being doing what we are doing. Without Jackie I could </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">not do what I do. Every day I am out of the house by 6am and don’t return until 6pm. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">During that time she is either at home with 2-3 kids by herself or she has childcare </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">taken care--something she personally puts together because I have no connections </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">within 400 miles to help with our children. Jackie knows and understands my</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> professional goals and supports me through every interview and through every</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">let-down. For her I am thankful.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am also thankful for you, the reader, for taking time to read our collective work</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">of #thankful thoughts.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><img height="253" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/PH0tR5W17LfBk4oqFl-Y5wjloJJPeaY1UMEVmPOccdltdYjAPTuyH9g0WuluEqI8m5VJIyS9A7uaecdKIkiMbcTMnexbxmq0Wz-cZo2rTvforOW1xeebz_8H2mrdVOBEJMHyK-d-" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="253" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Jennifer Ledford, 6th grade ELA teacher, Hammond IN</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">@MrsLedford6Eng</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> (</span><a href="https://theclassroomstage.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">https://theclassroomstage.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><img height="312" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/O1zWqHW9tlbDZGJCr1v6kUM4K0N1Y8eE6UefxQVS3ynlyRoUJbUWClTwSdOseyigA_Yj5Fa621tllOezWbmHv2IKZ6Hll9IE2CSqC4vRz0Satlw2-2ilT7YkI-manu-T7B1b_BaR" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My one word focus for 2018 has been “SHINE” and when I chose that word, I could </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">never imagine the journey that this year would take me on. I learned through these </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">last 11 months what it truly takes for me to shine. There are some days that my light</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">is easy to find and I simply project it at others and I am good to go. Yet there are other </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">days that my light is underneath a thick layer of grime and muck, which is caused by </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">stress and negativity. This is not the dirt you can simply wipe away but the kind that </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">takes back breaking scrubbing. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">This year has had its share of muck that has </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">attempted to cloud the light I have to shine, yet I am so thankful that in January, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">I met an incredible group of people that continually help me clean the grime away. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">They do this by helping me find the courage within myself to combat all the dirt and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">muck that may come against me in life.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> Many who know me know that I am a HUGE Wizard of Oz fan and the way that the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">4OCFPLN has helped me through this year can compare to that of the Lion. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The Lion lacked the courage to do much of anything and was even losing sleep </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">because of his irrational fears. He then meets a group that soon become his friends </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and along their journey, he is given opportunities to show the strength and courage </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">inside of him. When they finally reach the Wizard, the Lion realizes he does not </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">need the courage from the Wizard, for his friends have helped him find it in himself. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">While I may have not been afraid of everything, I would simply stand back and let </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">some things go even if I knew in my heart they were not what was best. I would let </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">negative words seep in and not do anything to redirect them. I was managing yet </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">not thriving until I found my group, my tribe, my edu-family. They helped me discover </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the power within me to roar at the negative words (in the politest way possible) </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and to stand up for what I know is best. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">As we enter this month of thanks and the last 2 months of 2018, I am very thankful </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">for my 4OCFPLN and for all my additional support on Twitter and Voxer. These </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">people have truly shaped me in the last year and helped me become a better </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">educator and a better person. I am also very thankful for this new found courage. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It allows me to do what I know should be done in all aspects of my life. While it is </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">not accepted 100% of the time, others have said they have noticed a change for </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the better in me. As I look forward to 2019, I am excited for the opportunities that </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">this courage can open for me.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I also want to encourage all of you to find your group. Find those people that will </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">allow you to uncover things within that you never knew were possible. If you are open, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">these changes can impact your life in the most amazing way. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Maureen Hayes, K-6 Humanities Supervisor in Lawrence Township, NJ </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">@mhayes611 </span><a href="http://kidsfirst-passionateleadership.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://kidsfirst-passionateleadership.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">As we enter the month of reflection and gratitude, I am thankful for those who </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">encourage and push me every day to be my best….teachers & staff, administrators, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">students & my PLN. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The teachers and staff members I have the privilege to work with each day </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">continually expect my best as an instructional leader. My job is to support them </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">as they plan for instruction and work to meet the needs of all students in our district. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">They hold me accountable for being a researcher and reader, and sharing the my </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">knowledge with them. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am fortunate to be a part of a district administrative them that is continually </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">pushing the limits and asking “why not” when it comes to serving our students. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Each of the building principals on our team are true PIRATE Principals, and my </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">fellow instructional supervisor team is a supportive group of instructional rock stars, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">especially my elementary counterpart Kristin Burke (kburke4242) who is the peanut </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">butter to my jelly, the carrots to my peas, the macaroni to my cheese…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am continually reminded of my purpose as an educator, and that is the students I </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">serve. Every decision I make needs to be in the best interest of the students in my </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">district. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Finally, my PLN/PLF, the #4OCFpln has by far been the greatest influence </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">on me as an educator and leader, thanks to the daily talks, monthly book studies, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and ongoing push-back and support they provide me. Each day spent in </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">conversation with them is the best PD I have ever had. </span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><br /><img height="261" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Up84V9lbfRX9jDb7T6D88F0YWvGyPDRd-uR6iJBFFlZIXkxZLQyq2VvgofVcjGE0HpCt8aDDJTuEwozkGH4x2zl31NeV_2M9oWobF_ARiHLHdYH88m80dZ82W7PPKQbxyiPsy08v" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: 4pt solid #000000; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="523" /></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Cathy Hink, Kindergarten Teacher & Technology Resource Teacher</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Washington @mshinksclass Website: cathyhink.com</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am thankful for relationships with…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the Trinity that gives all of life deep meaning and purpose empowers me with a strong faith, sense </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">of hope and teaches me everyday what it means to love and be loved.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">a daughter who has taught me the meaning of true love, courage and joy beyond measure.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">family that has nurtured and shaped my character. For a mom that taught me unconditional love. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">For a father who taught me to work hard and be a problem solver. For siblings that have taught me </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">friends who have added laughter, compassion, support as they accept me as I am and encourage, </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">young students who remind me of the power and wisdom found in wonder and play and who daily </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">model what it means to be resilient and trusting.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My #40CFPLN (a.k.a. My Tribe) who live out the honorable task of educating, loving and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">advocating for the children of this great nation. Their courage, intelligence, dedication, and </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "comfortaa"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><img height="312" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/aDurCtXCv-zmRkDgAQwkyicUVF3lCIUTHQMvTXv6Eqh_2XPUcR49wZ593-zN_W2IXdOjL2RkU2vNzbPHoyz3mlbublyuVr5BLRDN_KvG0n-paSx87EHNAXM_pjbgRvKOvl9LbtEU" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Elizabeth Merce- Kindergarten Teacher Virginia Beach, VA </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">@EMercedLearning EMercedLearning.com</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">As I reflect on all the things I am thankful for I keep coming back to the people. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Each person I meet has changed me in some way, they have left a part of themselves with </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">me. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am thankful for my amazing husband and daughter who have given me the strength to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">try all the things. The unconditional love they give me allows me to dream big dreams and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">chase them. I have been blessed with an amazing support at home.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am thankful for all the educators that have touched my life as a child and as an adult. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I have learned so much from them. Sometimes it was just as an example of what not to do, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">but more often than not it was what teaching can be.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">This year I also get to be thankful for my #4OCFpln. I have found my people in this group. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I have had more support and growth in the past year than in any time period in my life. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">There are no words to adequately describe how this group of strangers have become my </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">second family, my teaching home.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Mike Messner -- High School Teacher, Los Altos, CA</span></div>
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<a href="https://momentswithmike257577506.wordpress.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">https://momentswithmike257577506.wordpress.com/</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">This year, my thanks goes out in many, many directions…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To my wife Nancy, who sustains and accompanies me on my life journey and my teaching </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">journey, and who always reminds me what those journeys are really all about.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To my son Stephen, who calls me to reflect on the job I do as an educator, and who has </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">unflagging faith in his old man. Breakfast at Black Bear Diner this weekend, bucko.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To Snoopy, who is the single most loving creature with more than two legs that I have </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">ever met or am ever likely to. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To my closest companions at Los Altos High School, Seth Donnelly, Chris Phipps, and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Katherine Orozco, who have seen me at my most distraught and exhausted, and still </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">take the time to fellowship and collaborate with me.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To the teachers who touched me most deeply and influenced my practice most </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">profoundly: Dave Squellati, Mark Shaull, Wynne Satterwhite, and Jerry Messner </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">(save me a seat in heaven next to you, Dad).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To my students at Los Altos and at Skyline College for allowing me to try out new </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">ways of teaching and who forgive me when they go awry -- and especially the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">members of Future Business Leaders of America for letting me take a fun and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">exciting ride as your adviser!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">To the members of #4OCFPLN for their support, their exhortations, and their </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">relentless drive to make our education system better; I cannot imagine where </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I would be as a teacher without this group of voices, and I can’t wait to see you</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">all in person.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And to my Father in Heaven: Thank You for allowing me to shed burdens that </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">might have destroyed me, for giving me a future that I think I understand, and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the promise of an eternity in Your presence.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">God bless us, every one. Happy Turkey.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><img height="351" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/AyI_zzG9nOoOGNs_w1vw_XH1C-bdNlkxucwy9kAMnXWk2kExCPKdyXOkGf8rlHg_wS8tixtsHZZGS-6wG4bfIM2ZbNqI8NXBYA05RA4Rq0CZFTBXYyLaQkob0RYdJ6eho4MxinKj" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="624" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Debbie Holman, Science 8, AVID, Wellington, CO.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I have so much to be thankful for. I truly feel as if I am blessed by all those who support, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">encourage me and help me learn.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I'm thankful for my family including my awesome sister my amazing parents my nieces </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and nephew and all of my extended family, that support me day in and day out and make </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">sure that I am at my best. I would not be who I am without these people who have </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">supported throughout my life.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I'm thankful for my husband who deals with the frustrations that come with being the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">husband of an educator. He constantly supports all of my Endeavors and all of the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">things that I use our hard-earned money for to bring things into my classroom to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">support the Science Education of all my students. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I'm thankful for my colleagues who understand the way I work and work with me </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">as I am always challenging myself to try new things to make the instruction in my </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">classroom new and better. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I'm also thankful for my tribe, my professional learning network, or my professional </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">learning family, The #4OCFPLN They encourage, inspire, and challenge my thinking </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">on a daily basis. I am so thankful to be part of such an amazing, brilliant group </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">of educators. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I'm also thankful for my two fluffy amazing Great Pyrenees dogs, Bear and Taos. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">No matter the day I have, they always listen and are available for a good snuggle </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">if necessary! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">~~~~~~~</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">What are YOU Thankful for?</span></i></b></span></div>
kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-3043503627555108042018-10-28T17:47:00.000-07:002018-10-28T17:47:25.751-07:00When Doubt ComesEven though I created this blog about a year and a half ago, blogging is still relatively new to me. Until this past summer, when a #4OCFpln member challenged us to blog at least twice a month, I had a total of three blog posts. Since the challenge I have faithfully posted my two posts a month. So what made the difference? Why did I not post more regularly than before the blog challenge?<br />
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Bloggers Wait for Inspiration<br />
I am really good at waiting! After I made my first post I waited. I kept my eyes open and looked for things to inspire me to write a really good post. When an idea came, doubt came right along with it. What if my post was not good enough to publish? What if my post went unread? What if others can say it better than I can? What if.....? When the questions came, I waited for a better post idea to come along.<br />
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Bloggers Aren't Afraid to Share<br />
On the occasions I wrote a blog that I was particularly happy with, it was easier to hit Publish. Once it was out there, doubt was out there right alongside it. Who should I share it with? Would anyone take the time to read it? What if they did not like what I said? What if.....? Sharing was almost harder than hitting Publish!<br />
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Bloggers Post at Regular Intervals<br />
I had already blown the regular intervals! I went ten months between my second and third blog post! Who would take me seriously if I only blogged sporadically? My #4OCFpln would! When Jamie Leach threw down the blogging challenge it became apparent to me that I was not the only one struggling to post on a regular basis. I jumped at the chance to have some accountability.<br />
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My PLN Made the Difference!<br />
The challenge persuaded me to get back to writing! My PLN stepped up to the challenge and shared their blog posts and read mine. Seeing others publishing their blogs motivated me to keep on writing and sharing mine. The feedback that I have received from my posts has been encouraging. It has validated my thoughts and eliminated some of the doubts that have been holding me back. Will the doubts ever completely go away? Probably not, but I have the support and encouragement that I need to push past the doubts and continue reflecting on my own learning. Thank you, Jamie Leach and #4OCFpln!<br />
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<br />kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-55640556237664521122018-09-30T17:50:00.000-07:002018-09-30T17:50:47.771-07:00A Taste of BooksHow do you get a group of teachers interested in doing a book study on their own dime?<br />
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Since there was no money set aside in our school budget to purchase teacher books, I needed a way to get teachers interested in purchasing their own books. I know from experience that people are more likely to purchase an item if they see and touch it ahead of time. So my solution? A book tasting!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik81gJmPfeleMKNLxYmEbK6yPMWto0ZUPb1UOOSqZq0pbd2zRE0kLav3eYpuACTjeyGzivBmhRAjvPD96C3vBtvPulaPl7oyPOF3SNNsPIH61QNFbeeQw77jA44wqkW6j6VQvxCni97MzG/s1600/Booktasting+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik81gJmPfeleMKNLxYmEbK6yPMWto0ZUPb1UOOSqZq0pbd2zRE0kLav3eYpuACTjeyGzivBmhRAjvPD96C3vBtvPulaPl7oyPOF3SNNsPIH61QNFbeeQw77jA44wqkW6j6VQvxCni97MzG/s320/Booktasting+6.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I invited our Director of Technology to join me in leading a Book Tasting Lunch and Learn for our teachers on our campus. They wouldn't have to stay after school to participate, they could come in during their lunch period and browse the books that we had laid out. Between the 2 of us, we chose 10 of our own books that covered Content, Pedagogy, and Motivation.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2KXTIDrlHWZg0AES5uDBxXz442XLG7XAAH10XVr9AF-1oxSfnMolE8ab-GPzw3LjyAigD51htqo3rGloBBwNCbpN7Qf6AyfsS8JpDTrsTkdDE7vyzPLo8EqlDdwQeqjodjC4bdY8UN6D/s1600/Booktasting+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2KXTIDrlHWZg0AES5uDBxXz442XLG7XAAH10XVr9AF-1oxSfnMolE8ab-GPzw3LjyAigD51htqo3rGloBBwNCbpN7Qf6AyfsS8JpDTrsTkdDE7vyzPLo8EqlDdwQeqjodjC4bdY8UN6D/s320/Booktasting+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We advertised with flyers around our campus. A menu of books was prepared for each place setting, along with bookmarks and pens for teachers to record the titles of the book in which they were interested. A Google Form survey was created, asking teachers if they were interested in a book study, what their top three book picks were, and their preferred format for a book study.<br />
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On the day of the Book Tasting, we decorated our Library with checkered tablecloths, menus, bookmarks, and pens. Our book choices were grouped by categories on different tables. With baited breath we waited to see how our Book Tasting would be received. As teachers from different grade levels trickled in during their scheduled lunch times, we invited them to look at their menus of books and to feel free to pick books to flip through as they ate their lunches. Coke floats were offered as a sweet surprise to top off their lunch.<br />
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Fourteen teachers visited our Book Tasting. We were encouraged to hear conversations that showed interest in doing book studies. The survey gave us lots of good information on which books were popular with our group. I am happy to say it looks like we have a core group of about 7 teachers that are interested in doing a book study on <u>Teach Like a Pirate</u> . We will be offering it up to any of our teachers in a few weeks in order to give them time to purchase their books. Overall, I think our Book Tasting was a small, but definite success. One that might be repeated in the future!<br />
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<br />kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-61948001546782560782018-09-10T19:51:00.000-07:002018-09-10T19:51:08.557-07:00Serendipity<h3>
Serendipity is looking for an old favorite and finding a new one!</h3>
One of my favorite places to be is in a bookstore. Living in a rural town, I have to drive half an hour to get to a Half Price Bookstore, and almost an hour to get to a Barnes & Noble. I recently went in search of a copy of The Rainbow Fish to read to my Third, Fourth, and Fifth graders. Not finding what I came for, I kept browsing because that is what you do at a bookstore! Three gems I uncovered that I had never read before! <u>Milo and the Magical Stones</u>, <u>Sydney's Star</u>, and <u>Serendipity</u>. This last one fascinated me with its simple pattern and wonderful way of illustrating the glorious happenstance of Serendipity! I couldn't resist the opportunity for a great vocabulary lesson!<br />
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Serendipity is buying a book for a read aloud and being inspired to write a blog post based on the book.</h3>
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My life is sprinkled with many serendipitous moments. </div>
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My husband and I had tried for two years to start a family. I was working on my Masters degree while teaching Reading Recovery in a small but growing school district. The month after I had my diploma in hand, we learned that we finally would be welcoming a little one in few short months. </div>
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While I was teaching Third Grade in another district, I was offered the opportunity to take the Reading Specialist position at another campus. This campus was in between the Middle School and the High School which my boys were moving to the following year! My boys would be able to walk to my school when they got out in the afternoons!</div>
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Serendipity is winning a door-prize at an Edcamp that has three books that are on my wish list!</h3>
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I have mentioned before that I was reluctant to becoming a connected educator. Once I started making connections on Twitter my wish list of books began to grow! I also learned about events called Edcamps that I quickly became addicted to! I attended my first few edcamps with a coworker, but soon began to branch out on my own. One summer edcamp yielded me a great door-prize of a tub stuffed with t-shirts, books, and more. One of the books I received was <u>The Four O'Clock Faculty</u> by Rich Czyz; a book that I couldn't wait to read!</div>
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Serendipity is joining a Voxer book study and finding my tribe!</h3>
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In amongst all the people I had connected with on Twitter was a PE teacher in NJ who was going to start a Voxer book study on <u>The Four O'Clock Faculty</u>. I had already given Voxer a try and was following the #leadupchat group on that platform. A book study sounded like a great way to go deeper and get more out of the book. I told @mlarson_nj to sign me up! </div>
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That was back in January of this year. The book study lasted one month, but this group is still going! We talk to each other daily, encouraging, challenging, informing, questioning, pushing, and asking for help. We talk about education, challenging the status quo, families, weather, fitness, food, jobs, and any multitude of other things. We have challenged each other to blog, started our own hashtag #4OCFpln, participated in and hosted Twitter chats, and have been interviewed on a podcast. We have a photo shopped selfie which we take to conferences to get pictures with of some of our Edu heroes. We have had meet ups with our PLN members all over the country. Plans are in the works to meet up at the next ISTE. We have all grown as a result of being with this group. </div>
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"As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." This is one of the sharpest groups I have ever known! I am proud to be a member of this wonderful PLN family! </div>
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kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5827449917437128703.post-77835207556605037502018-08-30T20:28:00.000-07:002018-08-30T20:30:22.039-07:00Postcards and Photographs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I received a beautiful postcard in the mail the other
day. I have been collecting picture
postcards since I was in high school. I
mentioned my collection to a friend a few weeks ago and she sent me one from
her state. It had been awhile since I
had even looked at my collection. I keep it in one of two beautiful photo albums
on a bookshelf. I pulled them both out,
not remembering which one contained the postcards. Flipping through each page, I smiled at the
photos and messages from friends and family in nearby places such as San
Antonio, Eureka Springs, and Santa Fe. States from all corners of the US are
represented, too, with Florida, New York, Washington, and Nevada, and several
states in between! Islands are
represented in Alcatraz, Hawaii, and Okinawa.
Japan, Mexico, Guatemala, Australia, Jerusalem, and the Ukraine round
out my foreign postmarks. I enjoy my collection and the time and thought that
was put into each message that was sent through the mail.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Turning to the other photo album, I was curious about the
photos it contained. Since the world has gone digital, I have not been as
intentional in taking and developing my photos as I used to be. These photos were taken more than a decade
ago. My boys were still small and
delighted in having their pictures taken.
As I looked at the photographs, I was reminded just how much they had
grown. My oldest just got married this summer, yet in these pictures he was playing
with Hot Wheels, remote control trucks, and Legos. My youngest just graduated from high school
this spring, yet in these pictures he is learning to roller skate, and letting
big brother read picture books to him at night. I have pictures of them playing
dress up with their dad in a children’s museum, as well as climbing into an
Airforce fighter jet at an airplane museum. (My boys could tell you which kind
of plane it was, I can’t!) One of my favorites is from a trip we took to
Dinosaur Valley State Park. We walked up
and down all kinds of trails with my oldest leading the way. His younger brother was struggling to keep up
and follow in his brother’s footsteps. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Both of these albums are full of reminders. Reminders of
trips taken and messages sent. Snapshots
of milestone events and wonderful vacations.
I know my boys have grown, but these photos remind me of how far they
have come! Wouldn’t it be great to have
these kinds of snapshots of our students throughout the school year? Not
necessarily photographs, but some kind of evidence of what students’ strengths
and interests are at a particular time during the year. When we are in the day to day with our
students, we often lose sight of how much they are learning and growing unless
we periodically stop to look back at where they were to begin with. How much
could our students benefit from that kind of reflection? Such reminders might give us more cause to
celebrate the small successes that our students have had that often get lost in
focusing on our end of the year goals.
That kind of reflection could also help guide us in our next steps as we
make daily decisions that affect our students’ learning.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the photo taken at Dinosaur Valley State Park I notice that
my oldest never looked back while on the trail. At that point in his life, he
was very bold in pushing forward in anything he wanted to do or explore. He was
not concerned with going off course, or whether we were behind him, he simply
wanted to see what was ahead. If he had stayed back with us, he might have seen
many interesting things we could have pointed out to him on the way. What do students miss by not looking back and
reflecting on their own learning? That
is a journey that we need to take each of our students on. Giving them opportunities to stop and look
back on what they did well, what didn’t work, and asking themselves what they
could do differently next time. Looking
back at things they have written or created over the school year would be one
way to help them see their own growth and success. This could be just the motivation that some students
need to be bold in pushing forward in their own learning.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Teachers and students alike can benefit from reflecting on
their school year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I plan on being more
intentional in taking more snapshots of student learning this year and using
those snapshots to guide the decisions I make about my students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also plan on creating opportunities for
students to reflect on their own learning in order to help them see themselves as
successful learners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking back at
those photographs of my boys made me smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of my #4OCFpln Voxer group have said that reflection is where real
learning happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would say that it
also is where we are reminded of our Joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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kimberlyisham@blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01680234139545785861noreply@blogger.com0