What They've Taught Me

So I was recently on jury duty, for FOUR long days, so my

student teacher sent me this picture of my lovely learners!

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Inspiring Gratitude Tears

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week 2022; today I'm feeling grateful for this invitation to share my reflections around gratitude and grief, around empathy and kindness on The Kindness Podcast with Nicole J. Phillips.

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Fueled By Loyalty And Love

Today I'm thinking about the idea that everything happens

for a reason, as it's supposed to, in its own time. On purpose.

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Her Heavenly Home Run

Today I'm thinking about the life and legacy of our aunt, Sister Rosanne.

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PPBF: Dear Teacher,

It's National Let's Laugh Day; so grateful for this laughter and love.

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Reimagining School

Today I'm excited to share that the eBook I've been working on with Dr. Jean and our teacher friends Laura and Toni will be completed and available for purchase by mid-July. 

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In Your Element

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week.

Words don't seem sufficient to thank our educators

for everything they do every day, in their element,

but here's my attempt at expressing my gratitude.

Thank you, teachers; YOU are cherished and loved.

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Expectancy & Value

Today I find myself at once exhausted and energized after experiencing three days of passion and inspiration at our Technology Symposium, so here's our #futurenow15 in review.

Tuesday kicked off with a keynote by George Couros, an administrator and lead learner from Canada. We're cyberspace collaborators on Twitter, so the coolest thing was that he recognized me Jen and I headed to the front to welcome him before his talk. He grabbed Jen's phone and we took this group selfie:

His message? Let's stoke curiosity, not compliance.

George challenged us to remember why we became educators in the first place, to change the trajectory of a child's future. He encouraged us to remember that if we want to inspire meaningful change, we have to make a connection with their hearts before we can connect with their minds. And he emphasized that innovation is the big game changer in education.

He also fostered a growth mindset with the Be More Dog clip.

After his session, Jen and I presented a TweetChat workshop; 
click {here} for our slides.

Jen and her daughter made these cool shirts for us!

After our Twitter orientation, we hosted a mock chat that you can find in the #futurenow15 feed if you're interested. The best part was the Scavenger Hunt we sent our Tweeps on to encourage them to use Twitter after they left our class. I Tweeted out some clues and the first one to reply with the correct answer won and got to go to that person's door to find and claim their gift card. Tweet! 
Here's a sample clue:

Gift card found on Mrs. Reed's door.

Day 2 brought Erin Klein of Kleinspiration fame from Michigan to Friendswood to talk about learning spaces and writer's workshop.

 She, too, talked about reaching our students before teaching them. Why we especially connected with Erin is that she's not just an expert, she's a practitioner, a second-grade teacher in the classroom, doing what we do. Priceless!

  

Secondary teachers got to experience Amy Mayer while we in Erin's keynote. I enjoy a Google Docs breakout with Amy later that day.

Today we were treated to Dr. Curtis Chandler. The thing that endeared me to him was that he was on stage playing piano as we entered the auditorium. I knew instantly that I'd connect with what he had to say.

His first point was to connect with each of our students. 
Even the prickly ones. Especially the prickly ones.

Then he talked about Expectancy Value Theory that so very closely parallels what it says on our Character T: I Can. I Will.

I came straight home and made this slide.

It parallels this Effort Chart that a Twitter contact recently shared:

Then I ran some errands and took a nap.

Because I am all techered out for today.

 How are you preparing for this year's superheroes?

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Raise A Hand For Teachers

It's mid-July, and you know what that means.

We'll be headed back to school {gasp} before we know it.

That's why today I'm excited to announce that 

ThredUP (my favorite online like-new clothing stop)

is celebrating by honoring our favorite teachers.

Why? From our friends at ThredUP:

According to AdoptAClassroom.org, teachers spend an average of $500 of their own money each year to equip their classrooms. 70% of teachers have even purchased apparel items like jackets, socks and shoes for their students. Teachers are extremely generous with their time as well as their money.

How? From today until August 23rd, nominate a teacher who has positively impacted your world. Then go back every day to vote!

Who am I nominating? you ask.
Well, that's a tough one!
We have been blessed with great teachers too numerous to count,

both with our own children and in my Westwood family.

But for this #raiseahand campaign, 

I've selected first-grade teacher Jennifer Quigley.

Mrs. Quigley truly has a heart of gold.

I know this because I have been blessed with an office right across the hall and, for fourteen years, I've watched in awe as she nurtures hearts while stretching minds and sparking curiosity and creativity.

I've stopped in to sing along as she and her firsties proudly proclaim what they firmly believe, that they've got the power to change the world. 

And I've experienced the warm and welcoming climate in which her can-doers plant, blossom, bloom, grow and thrive. 

Moment by moment,

year after year. 

Like magic. 

Only better.
Because it's real.

Thank you, Jennifer, for using your superpowers

to change the world ... for good!

Now, it's your turn. 
Go ahead; pick someone.
That favorite teacher.
The one who changed your world ... forever.
Click the graphic above to nominate him or her. 

Then join me in sharing the good news about this #raiseahand campaign with all of your social media connections so that we can honor and celebrate the world's 
amazing superheroes, our teachers.

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Service Above Self

Meet Anna. I knew her before she was born, because her mom, LeAnn, works with me at Westwood-Bales. Anna, a soon-to-be second grader, came to the book launch in her blinged-out superkid shirt, which, by the way, suits her to a T, and with that beautiful card she made for me. What I want you to pay special attention to is their matching hair styles.

Ever since LeAnn came to work at our school ten years ago, she's had long hair. Not super long, but let's say ten inches longer than her now-shoulder-length do. It's just been her look, how we know her. So I was surprised to see her the other day with a bobbed-off cut. When I stopped her to compliment her beautiful new style, 

she told me how it happened.

You see, we have this Ponytail Club at school, and her little angel, Anna, wanted to donate her hair in this year's event. It was a goal she set for herself at the end of Kindergarten, after last year's event, when her locks weren't quite long enough. All throughout the year, her mom tells me, Anna kept encouraging her to follow suit, 

to cut and donate her hair, too.

Well who can refuse that sweet smile and special invitation? So, encouraged and urged on by her daughter's compassion and love, LeAnn cut her hair and this mother-daughter duo shared their locks with love. 

Isn't that just the best, when a child is at the root of such generosity?

Service Above Self, the essence of the Rotary International all around the world. I had the pleasure of being invited to a meeting with the Friendswood Rotary yesterday and left there thinking that I want to be a Rotarian when I grow up. Have you ever been to one of their meetings? Such camaraderie and brotherhood ... with lots of sisters thrown in for good measure, of course! Like Anna and her mom, they're superheroes crusading for good. That's why I'm especially touched and honored that they would choose me for their 2014 Vocational Service Award.

 Just as I finished up my 30th year and launched into a summer of savoring, I was presented with this beautiful plaque and a monetary gift that helped me purchase an iPad to travel with me on my book tour. My first device {shocking, I know!} and a distinction that I will treasure for a lifetime from an organization whose members walk the talk by putting character into action, every day.

As I start to savor my summer, I'm certainly walking on sunshine ... 

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Teaching Is The Future

Have you seen Gradeable's terrific tribute to teachers? 

Teaching is ... how would you complete that?

As I wander the hallways this morning and check in on our teachers and their classrooms, my heart soars with delight.

The students have grown by leaps and bounds.

And the teachers teach on.

It's not just academics they're covering, either.

They're teaching all of the time.

Modeling.

Advocating.

Nurturing.

Loving.

Unifying with a kindness.

Validating with a nod.

Smiling with eyes that look right at a child

and say "You can do it" and "I love you"

even when I don't like how you're behaving.

A teacher gets a package of looseleaf paper each year, 
some with lines (wide and college ruled), 
some without, and,

like a paperclip, she finds a way to bond them as one

and hold them together while they write their stories.

Then that same teacher who loved and cared for those blank sheets

that she worked so hard to unify and complete

has to be courageous enough to let them go out 

into the world and apply the skills they've acquired.

To write another chapter.

And then to help others do the same.

And so it goes ... a teacher is love.

And that's a big job.

Thank you, teachers, for your investment in our future

and for providing a safe haven for our students as they write their stories.

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