Hello again and happy Tuesday, world of slicers! It's been a while. I really do value this community of writers and I miss it when I skip a week or two or twenty.
The past couple of days have been more relaxed, lazy kinds of days. And to feel better about myself, I need to be more productive. I just have to. That has seemed to translate into me watching a movie on Netflix, blogging, clearing off my desk, unpacking my suitcase from my big East Coast trip, doing some laundry, and maybe heading to the park with a book. Only a couple of these things have already come to pass, and I'm not going to tell you which ones.
I guess the conundrum I'm facing now that school is out for the summer and I'm back from my trip is the fact that I have SO many ways (all great ways too) I could spend the rest of my time this summer and no clue how to efficiently and effectively use that time. How can I balance all of the planning, reading, crafting, adventuring, cleaning, exercising, and socializing I want to do? It's all great. But how do I decide which are the more important items I should place on my days' dockets?
The second part of this conundrum is that I also don't want to feel like I'm so incredibly busy like I do during the school year. The glorious feeling of having more freedom with how to spend my days is something I've been waiting for and it's finally arrived! But how do I keep that freedom (staying away from feeling overwhelmingly "busy") while still accomplishing all I want to do?
Summer will quickly come and go. Like a flash on a camera. I just want to make sure that whatever lasting picture that flash helped to capture is expressive, inspired, and gratifying.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
What I Needed
There are so many hard things in life. Of course in varying degrees of hardship. Lately, it's been pretty rough for me, but the kind of rough that's not life or death. The persistent, nagging hardship of the day to day life. Getting this 1st year teacher thing down is even harder than I could've imagined. It's impossible to stay on top of things, and dealing with unappreciative, rude students is just salt in the wounds.
Juggling the four million and one thoughts that go through my mind each day is near impossible, and sometimes I wonder if I can do it. If I've made the right choice.
But then little moments, like what just happened less than an hour ago, occur. I was letting my 2nd period class out, when one student paused for a minute at the door and handed me a note. "This is for you," she said. I took it with a gracious "Thank you!" even though I had no idea what it was. I have my prep period next (now), so I sat down at my desk to read the note once the students had cleared out.
Tears immediately started to well in my eyes as I read the sweet, kind words of this single student. Phrases popped out like "I learn so much in this class," "I honestly wouldn't ask for a different teacher," I think kids my age don't realize the impact teachers have," among other thoughtful words. This cognizant and caring student was observant enough to recognize disrespect for what it's worth. Pain and frustration for both student and teacher.
I share this because this really is a message for all of you teachers out there. If you ever have a day when you feel unappreciated and worthless, like you're spinning your wheels, remember the words of this one student of mine projecting to the whole lot of us. "I think kids my age don't realize the impact teachers have." At least one student has realized that, right? And for now, today, in this moment, that's exactly what I needed to keep going.
Juggling the four million and one thoughts that go through my mind each day is near impossible, and sometimes I wonder if I can do it. If I've made the right choice.
But then little moments, like what just happened less than an hour ago, occur. I was letting my 2nd period class out, when one student paused for a minute at the door and handed me a note. "This is for you," she said. I took it with a gracious "Thank you!" even though I had no idea what it was. I have my prep period next (now), so I sat down at my desk to read the note once the students had cleared out.
Tears immediately started to well in my eyes as I read the sweet, kind words of this single student. Phrases popped out like "I learn so much in this class," "I honestly wouldn't ask for a different teacher," I think kids my age don't realize the impact teachers have," among other thoughtful words. This cognizant and caring student was observant enough to recognize disrespect for what it's worth. Pain and frustration for both student and teacher.
I share this because this really is a message for all of you teachers out there. If you ever have a day when you feel unappreciated and worthless, like you're spinning your wheels, remember the words of this one student of mine projecting to the whole lot of us. "I think kids my age don't realize the impact teachers have." At least one student has realized that, right? And for now, today, in this moment, that's exactly what I needed to keep going.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
A Dose of Enthusiasm
Hello again to the world of bloggers!
It has been over 9 months since I last sliced. Or even blogged for that matter. A whole person could have been created and born in the amount of time I've been missing from the scene. Of course realizing this comes with a twinge of guilt, but what can I say other than "I've been busy?" I know that's not a good excuse. We're all busy, yet most of us bloggers don't stop. I've come to feel even more guilty when I realize this. Not only guilty, but self-deprived.
Only part of this experience is for you, bloggers, and the rest (and probably most important part) is for me. I need to get my words out. It's a release! I'm sure most of you reading this would agree. There's something about writing (and being enthusiastic about it) that can change your whole perception. How you view the world. How you view the little things in your daily life. It's almost like putting my thoughts to paper make them more real to me.
So that's what I came to write about today. I hope to rekindle the spark I once felt for blogging and recommit myself to it, because who cares if I'm busy? We all are. I need this. I've missed it.
I'm reinvigorated today by enthusiasm. It's not always the easiest thing to come by, especially as a teacher waking up early every morning and running off of a pinch of sleep. But today in my earlier classes I tried something that I should be doing every single moment I teach. However, it doesn't always happen. Be enthusiastic. About everything. It's been amazing to see the change in my students today when I just let loose a little bit and belted out School House Rock's Preamble song with them, because, for goodness sake, I love that song and I wanted to! They were probably the most excited about class I've seen in a while. They mirror my enthusiasm, so when they aren't excited really I'm the one to blame. It's at least caused me to think and reevaluate things this morning, including my leave of absence from blogging. So I'm here to say, I'm back. Enthusiasm and all.
It has been over 9 months since I last sliced. Or even blogged for that matter. A whole person could have been created and born in the amount of time I've been missing from the scene. Of course realizing this comes with a twinge of guilt, but what can I say other than "I've been busy?" I know that's not a good excuse. We're all busy, yet most of us bloggers don't stop. I've come to feel even more guilty when I realize this. Not only guilty, but self-deprived.
Only part of this experience is for you, bloggers, and the rest (and probably most important part) is for me. I need to get my words out. It's a release! I'm sure most of you reading this would agree. There's something about writing (and being enthusiastic about it) that can change your whole perception. How you view the world. How you view the little things in your daily life. It's almost like putting my thoughts to paper make them more real to me.
So that's what I came to write about today. I hope to rekindle the spark I once felt for blogging and recommit myself to it, because who cares if I'm busy? We all are. I need this. I've missed it.
I'm reinvigorated today by enthusiasm. It's not always the easiest thing to come by, especially as a teacher waking up early every morning and running off of a pinch of sleep. But today in my earlier classes I tried something that I should be doing every single moment I teach. However, it doesn't always happen. Be enthusiastic. About everything. It's been amazing to see the change in my students today when I just let loose a little bit and belted out School House Rock's Preamble song with them, because, for goodness sake, I love that song and I wanted to! They were probably the most excited about class I've seen in a while. They mirror my enthusiasm, so when they aren't excited really I'm the one to blame. It's at least caused me to think and reevaluate things this morning, including my leave of absence from blogging. So I'm here to say, I'm back. Enthusiasm and all.
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