Action Creates Change

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.

My #oneword2022 , ACT , 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.  

How well did my actions speak for my goals, my beliefs, and myself this year?

• I met my 2022 Reading Goal of 40 books that I set on Goodreads.
• I attended #TCEA22 on my own dime since it was close by this year.
• I attended #TCCA22 and introduced my daughter-in-law to her first educational conference.
• I set and tracked five daily goals consistently beginning June 1st through to the end of this year.
• I successfully met my five daily goals of Bible reading, two minute plank, Procreate quote creation, walking, and writing.
• I presented two different after-school technology PD sessions for teachers to attend voluntarily.

What did not go as well as I had hoped?

• I began reading several professional PD books and stalled out.
• I did not blog as much as I would have liked.
• I did not control my blood sugar as well as I had hoped.
• I did not spend as much time with my husband as I needed.

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. 

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."

The Importance of a Name

 How important is a name?

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.

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.

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! 

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!).

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! 

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