Just Fifty Cents

Today I'm excited because my brother Mark and his friend Shawn are in town for the Super Bowl tomorrow, so they're staying with us. It was great fun to sit around the breakfast table this morning, listen to the story of how they ended up getting into the ESPN party alongside Green Bay Packer Eddie Lacy . . .

and enjoy pancakes and bacon with them

 while laughing and reconnecting.

I'm also super satisfied and bursting with joy

 that our SOS (Sweets for Our Soldiers) care packages

filled with home-baked goodness and homemade Valentines 

are on their way to the hearts, hands, and tummies 

of the sixteen deployed service men and women we adopted.

This long-standing tradition started years ago as an Operation SOS campaign to send much-needed supplies to our soldiers with notes of thanks as a way to show our patriotism and citizenship while expressing our gratitude for their heroism, service and sacrifice.

A few years back, we switched gears and decided to encourage our families to work together for a cause so we could send kindness from our kitchens, something our military heroes have coined hugs from home. 

This week, a picture of exactly what we were going for.

Every year, the Friendswood Rotary sets aside funds to help us pay the postage on these flat-rate boxes, which cost $17.35 each to ship. At this year's Rotary luncheon, a month before our project would even begin, one Rotarian felt called to give us a $20 from her purse, so their donation would be $520 in all. It really helps to not have to worry about how we'll possibly pay for this project on a school budget and we are so very grateful to the Rotary for their generous partnership.

I started out just taping up seventeen large boxes because we never know how many families will be able to carve out time to make something tasty for our troops. As we filled one table, then two and three with these delectable delights, I knew that this would be yet another successful service project.

Student Council reps met Thursday afternoon to fill each box to the brim with the yummy donations that had rolled in as I taped up thirteen more boxes. By 4:30 that afternoon, our thirty boxes were packed full and taped shut, ready to go.

Because the Rotary provided the funds for shipping, it wasn't until I got home that afternoon that I wondered how close we'd come to using their donation. I couldn't believe what I saw when I punched the numbers into my calculator. 

Wait, what? Just 50 cents?

Was it a coincidence that my brother needed my car on Friday so I caught a ride to school with my friend Caryn? Was it a coincidence that she just happens to have a brother on deployment getting two of our boxes? And was it a coincidence that Caryn's children were the first to hear the story about how beautifully our box count aligned with the Rotary's donation?

After helping me carry the boxes to the front and stack them into a patriotic pyramid display, these superheroes each brought me a quarter, the fifty cents that we would need to complete this year's SOS kindness campaign. 

It doesn't get any sweeter than that.

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Pray For Peace

It's a big day in America, the Inauguration of our 45th President.

And since this election was so controversial and emotionally-loaded, Free Spirit Publishing asked me to write this post with suggestions for helping children who might be experiencing some uncomfortable or difficult feelings. 

Because of the sensitive nature of the subject, I will freely admit I hesitated momentarily when they pitched the idea, wondering if maybe it was a little too controversial for me and not necessarily a topic I'd like to tackle. But only for a split second, because when I visited with one of my third-grade girls shortly after President Trump was elected to assuage her fears about a wall that might separate her from family members, her anxiety was palpable, those tears real. 

So I agreed to write it, even though some might ask,

"Are you kidding me right now?"

or think to themselves,

"Our kids don't even care about the Inauguration."

Some might even say,

"It's the parents, not the kids, who need these suggestions."

And they might be right.

But as riots continue into the darkness of the night,

I'm super glad I did.

In an ideal world, we wouldn't need to worry about processing through tough emotions with these strategies,

but the truth of the matter is, 

it's difficult to shield our children from current events,

so we do need them.

Even if we have the television turned off in our homes,

kids go to school with children who are plugged in,

who know things that are way beyond 

their developmental age and stage.

And children talk.

Because they're curious.

And they want to know what's going on.

So they ask questions.

And sometimes they get misinformation.

Maybe yours won't; I sincerely hope that for you.

Please keep your children as far away 

from hate

and corruption

and violence

for as long as you possibly can.

Because they deserve a peace-filled, hopeful childhood

of wide-eyed wonder and innocence.

No question.

But if they do have questions

or are exposed somehow to the

tantrums of the people whom the media are showcasing, 

I hope you'll find a way to calmly assure them 

that they are safe and that we will be okay.

Ask them to come together for peace,

to pray for peace.

To be catalysts for peace.

Without ceasing.

Encourage them to be on the side of America,

our home of the free and the brave.

Maybe even use today as a teachable moment to find out

what cause they might consider a peaceful protest for.

What would their end goal be?

How would they make sure it stayed peaceful?

What might they do were it to start getting out of hand?

In the meantime, let's join Reba in song, 

and Pray for Peace.

  

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Aaaargh You Up For A Kindness Party?

Today I'm excited because I've been re-reading Dave Burgess' treasure,

 Teach Like A Pirate, and it beautifully dovetails with something adventuresome. creative, and daring that we're trying tonight on FB: A Kindness Party!

Consider it a hook, to engage our readers by sharing stories and strategies for making kindness an intentional, purposeful ritual in our homes, our school and our communities. And it's your chance to chat with some ordinary individuals who are doing extraordinarily kind things.

Door prizes include a copy of my book, What's Under Your Cape?, and two Carol McCloud titles, Have You Filled A Bucket Today? and Growing Up With A Bucket Full Of Happiness. Just click either graphic above at 8:00 pm {CST} and be transported to the fun.

We'll swap ideas like the Which Wich? #FlagYourBag campaign. If you decorate the back of your sandwich bag, they will recycle it by filling the bag with goodies to send to the troops. Isn't that AmAzInG? So, here's mine. It was a blast to color. All it took was a Penny of Time, and it creates such a citizenship win-win.  

I'm just delighted that we're reading Pirate as a faculty because I connect personally and professionally with so many parts of Dave's pirate treasure, especially the engagement, passion, and movement pieces. 

In fact, I used this quote from his book in mine.

 Shelley makes the best graphics!

Then I sent him a copy of my book, to thank him for his ins-pirate-ion, and he invited me to host a #tlap chat last September, on Labor Day. In case you missed it, here are the questions we discussed. 

My friend Jen and I are planning to channel our inner pirates and host a practice chat in the second part of our Hashtags and PLNs and TweetChats, Oh My! workshop in our August Tech Symposium, so we're going to use these questions.

And last, a story from yesterday. I was driving the carpool when I saw a homeless man on the corner of 288 and Binz. At the red light, I gave him $5 to help him out a bit. After he thanked me, he introduced himself and told me that he'd be happy to help me if I were ever in the area and needed anything. 

Isn't that thoughtful, his offer to lend a hand, to pay me back.

Because kindness matters, 

even when things aren't going very well. 

Maybe especially then.  

See you tonight!

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A Citizenship Win-Win

Today I'm excited because I had the best day yesterday!

Our forty packages to the soldiers have arrived.

Here's a picture from Qatar; my friend Laura, whose son-in-law received the boxes there, calls it a "hug from home."

This batch of letters stayed Stateside

and made this soldier's week!

Yesterday we got to watch as these servicemen

opened their boxes from their base across the ocean.

One of them is on his eighth (8th!) deployment.

The other was in his first month with eleven to go.

Away from home. From family and friends.

For birthdays. And holidays.

Martin Luther King Day.

Valentine's Day.
St. Patrick's Day.

Easter.

Memorial Day.

Mothers' and Father's Day.

Independence Day.

Back to school time.

Labor Day.

Halloween.

Thanksgiving.

Can you imagine?

So we sent them some holiday cheer.

And they returned the favor by opening the boxes

in front of the 968 students who salute, thank, and appreciate them.

They were kind enough to give us permission 

to share our special Skype session with you.

And afterward, we got these gracious gifts from abroad:

Thank you – you made my day!!

Please reiterate to the children how much their support means to us.  When times get tough and the days get long, it is packages like these that make us smile and remind us what it’s all about.

Warm regards

You have no idea how much we were blessed. We were both pretty moved with the pledge and the moment of silence. We were extremely impressed with how disciplined and courteous the children were as well….and that is a testimony to the work you and the staff there are doing.

Again, thank you, your community, the school administration and teachers, and the students for all you did. It really motivated us and provided us an often needed reminder of why we are out here and what those of us who wear the cloth of our Nation signed up to do. It also reminded us that we are not forgotten…

PS. Please pass our thanks to all the parents who sent homemade treats. Honestly, we don’t get homemade treats in the boxes very often---so that was an unexpected bonus! Also, please thank the Friendswood Rotary Club for paying the postage for it to get here as well. I know the boxes are not cheap, so please pass on our thanks to them as well.

Seriously, they ended up thanking us.

Can you imagine?

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Sweets For Soldiers

Today I'm excited because our families are taking citizenship into the kitchen and the baked goods for our servicemen and women who'll be away from home at holiday time are rolling in. Brownies? Check. Rice Crispy Treats? Check. Pecan Pie Bars? Check. Sugar Cookies? Check. Chocolate Chip Cookies?

Oh, I can practically see the smiles on their faces and totally feel

 the happiness in their hearts as they devour our homemade goodness ...

and read our students' wonderful notes of admiration and thanks.

It's one of my favorite service-learning projects each year, 

because we get to give back to those who are giving up so much,

to serve and protect, 

to keep us safe and free.

I hope they feel pampered, appreciated and loved.

We're hoping to chat by Skype with a few of those heroes

on the Monday that we're back from break, so stay tuned.

On another note, I'm so grateful to character.org {formerly known as the Character Education Partnership} for filming and sharing the video footage of my Kindness keynote.

They also posted Mary Gordon's keynote on empathy and Eduardo Briceño's presentation on growth mindset, so check those out, too. You'll be glad you did.

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Thank You, Veterans

It's Veterans Day, 2014, a chance to pause, 

to honor, to reflect, and to thank.

To those who have served to keep us safe and free,

thank you. And to their families, thank you.

We will be forever grateful for your selfless service and sacrifice.

How does your school or community celebrate Veterans?

I sat in on our Veterans Day program rehearsal Monday afternoon and it brought me to tears to hear our first graders singing Patriotic songs, reciting the Preamble to the Constitution, and saluting their heroes, our Veterans. It perfectly complements our World Kindness Week celebration, to express gratitude to those who have served.

We're also celebrating, honoring and thanking those who are currently serving and will be away from their loved ones during the upcoming holidays. We're collecting names and addresses of our deployed servicemen and women so that we can send them a hand-drawn note of thanks and a care package filled with home-baked goodness and love. If you have someone overseas whom you'd like for us to "adopt" and treat, please email me their information between now and November 17th so that we can share our gratitude and some goodies with them.

  

We must never forget.

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PPBF: I Pledge Allegiance

Happy PPBF! It's so good to be back after a week off.

Look what's in the character case as we launch into Veterans Day:

Today's pick perfectly complements our citizenship focus this month.

Title: I Pledge Allegiance

Author: Pat Mora & Libby Martinez

Illustrator: Patrice Barton

Publisher: Knopf Books For Young Readers

Date: April 22, 2014

Suitable for: K-3rd grade

Themes: citizenship, patriotism, pride

Brief Synopsis: Libby and her great-aunt Lobo practice the Pledge of Allegiance together, but for very different reasons. Libby is a young child who gets to lead the pledge in her classroom; Lobo, her adult relative of Mexican descent, is studying to become an American citizen.

Opening page:

Resources:

*Check out a review from Publishers Weekly {here}

and a review on Mundie Kids blog {here}. 

*Download the Educators' Guide at the authors page {here}.

*Learn the Pledge of Allegiance in sign language.

*Download the Pledge of Allegiance Cut 'n Paste Activity

from Lori at Teaching With Love and Laughter {here}.

*A pledge is a promise, so use this as an opportunity to review your classroom constitution or social contract. Discuss or write about what's working well in your classroom community so far. What needs more work? How do we hold one another accountable for the promise that we make when we say the pledge?  Challenge students to imagine an instance in which we might no longer be able to uphold the promise that we made in a pledge. What might that experience be like and what would we need in that situation?

*Make a patriotic visual display thanking soldiers for their service;

here are a few in our first-grade hallways celebrating the Veterans who've served to protect our country and keep us safe and free.

Why I like this book:  Whether you're born into America or you've moved here, like Lobo, and been a resident for awhile, citizenship is a big deal. It's all about making wherever you go better because you're there. In this heartwarming, intergenerational tale, Lobo explains to her young niece why she'd want to become an American citizen despite her love for her native Mexico and its Spanish language and culture. As the two practice the pledge side by side, it becomes clear that there's something very special about gaining Citizenship.

Use this gem to find out from your learners what makes them a good citizen. How do they make where they go better? How is their class better because they're in it? How are the Scouts or their sports team better? How is their family better? How about their community? Discuss and map the ways that citizens can work individually and in concert to make the world a better place.

For today's other PPBF selections, visit Susanna's blog {here}.

8

Constitution Day 2014

Today's thought, a quote by Keshawn Noir seen hanging 

at FHS in Nathan Roher's AP History classroom: 

With courage, you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.

It was courageous of our founding fathers to gather

and to agree on our promises to one another,

otherwise known as the Constitution.

Here are Mrs. Limmer's students reciting the Preamble

at last year's Veterans' Day program:

As seen in Karen Hillier's English classroom at FHS,

John Wayne said it this way: 

Courage is being scared to death ... and saddling up anyway.

Can you tell that we just had Open House at the High School?

What have you been up to lately that's courageous?

What techniques do you use to "saddle up anyway" when decisions get tough and could cost you more than you'd like to pay?

Don't forget to comment on Monday's post for your chance to win a download of The Adventures of Ai before 9 pm central tonight!

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Service & Sacrifice

As you may know, I have a soft spot in my heart for the military.

Every year, we support a group of men and women who are deployed and serving on active duty away from home through our Supplies for Our Soldiers project. A few times we've actually Skyped with the soldiers as they open our care packages and thank-you notes. Sometimes, the troops send pictures.

We love knowing that our gratitude will ease their burden ... 

if only for a bit.

Sometimes we get notes back, like this one from early January:

Greetings from Afghanistan!

I just got your package of goodies today. I'm glad we decided to check mail today (even though it usually only comes in on Thursdays). Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do that for me. It truly brought tears to my eyes to know that your whole class participated in putting together the package. The letters that they wrote remind me of my own daughter's writing (she's 8 and in 3rd grade).  

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and blessed New Year! Again, thank you so much for your package of goodies.  I will be sure to share them with the rest of my team.

First, this soldier is a mom. On deployment. In Afghanistan. Can you imagine? Second, it's humbling that she's thanking us, for something so small, when her gift to us is ginormous! Then, we find out that she's got a daughter in the third grade. Quite common, I'm sure, but so hard for me to fathom. That's why I can't help but get jazzed when there's a new resource 
for Children of Military Families.

Because it's their service and sacrifice

that often goes unnoticed and unrecognized.

Here's what some of the children on the ProfessorChild DVD had to say as they expressed their thoughts back at home while their parent is away. 

Service and sacrifice never sounded so real ...
watch for yourself ... prepare to feel their stories.

Honestly and quite candidly, these precious children share their feelings, give advice to peers as well as to parents, tell us what they'd do if they had a magic wand, and describe themselves and their experience.

And it's a powerful 46 minutes! 

Share it with the military kids on your campus to validate their experience and with the others to elevate empathy.

There's even a free workbook download available {here}. 

Need a military-themed book or two to go with this DVD?

Sometimes We Were Brave by Pat Brisson
Hero Mom by Melinda Hardin
Night Catch by Brenda Ehrmantraut
The Year of the Jungle by Suzanne Collins
America's White Table by Margo Theis Raven


On a related note, congratulations to our friends at ProfessorChild for their award-winning Children & Grief DVD. Click {here} to see the American Library Association's prestigious list of 2014 Notable Children's Videos.

1

Tell A Bigger Story

Today I'm thinking about unity ... 

Perhaps you've seen the poster.

You know, there is no I in TEAM.

And then this cool project came across my FB page thanks to my brother Mark and I knew I had to carve out some time to share this with you. What Clear Channel Outdoor did was pretty cool, but in isolation I'm not sure it made much sense.  

Watch it {here}.

Isn't Ingrid Michaelson's voice AmAzInG?

So basically, the lyrics to the Star Spangled Banner 

flashed across digital billboards all over the country, 

phrase by phrase, 

simultaneously, 

in unison. 

But to the passerby, do the phrases "Oh, say!" 
or "fight" or "of the free" really mean much?

As I watched, it got me to thinking about parts of the whole. 
How seemingly insignificant a part can be ... until the whole isn't complete and doesn't work without it.

And then, they nailed it with the video montage.

United, we tell a bigger story.

 And it made perfect sense.

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