My #OneWord2022 ACT

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 intentional 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!

"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. 

Act: to do something; exert force or energy; be employed or operative; to reach, make, or issue a decision on some matter.

"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.

Drinking From a Water Hose

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.

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?

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.  

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?

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.

Kinda like drinking from a water hose when I was a kid. You only drink what you need and the rest is extra! 

My #OneWord2021 #Intentional

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.

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.

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. 

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.  

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.

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

My #OneWord2020 THINK

think 
vt. 1. to form or have in the mind 
     2. to judge; consider 
     3. to believe; surmise; expect
     4. to determine, work out, etc. by reasoning 
     5. to intend
vi. 1. to use the mind; reflect or reason 
     2. to have an opinion, belief, judgment, etc.
     3. to remember 
     4. to consider or be considerate 
     5. to invent; conceive of
synonyms (not used above) muse, ponder, contemplate, deliberate, resolve, meditate, imagine
                    ~ Webster's New World Dictionary, Second Concise Edition


This time of year is traditionally a time to Think.  To reflect on the year that is coming to a close; what went well, and what did not.   To consider 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!

I have chosen a #OneWord for the last three years. 
When I chose the word THINK 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:

Before you Speak: THINK.
Is it True?
Is it Helpful?
Is it Inspiring?
Is it Necessary?
Is it Kind?

James 1:19b "...But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger."

If we are taking the time to THINK before we speak, then we will be slower to respond!  We need to consider 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.

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, think on these things."

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".

"Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny."  ~Lao Tzu

Keeping in mind the definitions and the quotes above, I want to spend more time thinking this year.

          * to reflect on my experiences and learning in order to grow.
          * to determine what course of action would benefit others.
          * to imagine the possibilities for my students. The What If....
          * to consider my words and actions Before I speak or act. To consider others.
          * to believe in myself, my family, my students, my colleagues.
          * to intend to make this a great year for me, my family, my students, my colleagues.

I would love to hear your thoughts on your #OneWord2020! When we share our thoughts, we are Better Together!

Moving Forward with Diligence

My third year of #OneWord is coming to a close. My #OneWord2019 , DILIGENCE , 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. 

Was I diligent in being diligent? What did I do well? 

• I wrote more blog posts this year.
• I read more books this year. 
• I let go of some Twitter chats in order to spend more time with my husband.
• I attended #TCEA19 this year and shared my learning with my district staff.
• I presented at #ISTE19 as part of a panel with my #4OCFpln.
• I read and studied about #sketchnoting and shared my learning with others.
• I was fairly consistent in walking and keeping up with my step goals.

What did not go as well as I had hoped?

• I was not as consistent as I wanted to be in my blogging.
• I set a reading goal which I have not met.
• I struggled at times to disconnect from technology in order to maintain a life balance.
• I struggled to be consistent with working out.

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. 

The growth I have seen in myself this year is partly due to my #OneWord focus on Diligence, 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, Diligence will continue to be a part of my mindset moving forward!

Few things are impossible to diligence and skill.  Great works are performed 
     not by strength, but perseverance.  ~ Samuel Johnson

Fingerprints

"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?

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!

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.

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!

I joined a Voxer book study on The Four O'Clock Faculty 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. 

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.

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!

Who has left their fingerprint on you?

Student Voice Deserves to Be Heard

It 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.

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.

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.

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:

How can your voice be heard?
What kind of response is helpful to you?
How can we learn from each other?

Whatever the outcome of the discussion, there are a few things that I want my students to understand this year:

You are important to me.
Your voice deserves to be heard.