The Power to make someone's day

You have the power to make someone's day, and it doesn't even take that much effort. When is the last time you received some words of encouragement or gratitude? How did you feel? Words are powerful. Use them for good. Fire up your computer, log into your email, facebook, text tool, etc. and send a message to someone telling them how much you appreciate them or some words of encouragement. How powerful of a thing to do, and so easy! Literally, one sentence is all you need to totally change someone's outlook on life on any particular day. Even more so, you have no idea (possibly) what type of day that person is having. Maybe they really need to hear some positive words and you can be the one to do it. Every day is an opportunity! Sometimes people feel like they are not appreciated, like nobody cares about them, or they are a nobody. Let them know they are wrong.

Glow Kids: Screen addiction

"That’s right — your kid’s brain on Minecraft looks like a brain on drugs." -Article in the New York Post

I came across an interesting article the other day about kids and screen addiction. The quote above is chilling. Think about that quote which is based on research and is fact. A child's brain who is addicted to screens looks the same as someone is who is addicted to cocaine or heroin. That should make you stop and think. That should make you stop and think that maybe you should limit the screen time for your kids. I know I need to. I can also relate. I can feel the tug of the screen, even when I have no reason to go on it. I see myself grabbing for my phone, just to check it, knowing there's no new messages or notifications. But there's that pull. That pull in your brain that is making you do it, even when you don't want to or have no reason for it. It's an addiction. I don't feel as if I have a full blow addiction to screens, nor do I think my brain looks like a crack addict, but I can definitely see how it can happen. With unsupervised children "cranking" out the hours, becoming addicted is real. (Pun intended). As the article states, breaking an addiction to drugs and alcohol requires you to get rid of all that stuff. How do you break a technology addiction? How can you go 4-6 weeks without using or looking at any type of screen? I would say it's close to impossible unless a major life change happens (quit job, move to the mountains, crawl under a rock, etc.) Prevent your child (and self) from becoming a Glow kid, who you begin to think their face actually does have a blue glow to you because the only time you see their face, it's with a screen 5 inches away.

Read Article Here

Politics and Social Media

It seems this election year, with the two candidates we have to choose form, politics is as polarizing as ever.  So what's the role of social media when it comes to politics, opinions, and debate?  I don't know. But I do know that it is a rare occurrence that you will change someone's mind through a facebook post, picture, or video in terms of trying to get them to "see the light" and agree with you. Especially those who solely get their political information from Facebook and articles people post. Being a polarizing political Facebook user or Twitter user will definitely turn people away, so maybe we shouldn't bring our political views and opinions into social media. But what about standing for what you believe in and standing up to falsehoods and inflammatory remarks?  What about those Facebook users who post their opinions/material every day which is drastically different than what you believe in? Do you comment back and start a Facebook argument that has no chance of ending in anything productive? How do you act if you see them in person? Just ignore the fact that what they post on Facebook is drastically different than what you believe and sometimes offensive? I do think in this election year, with the unique nature of this presidential election, the worst is being brought out in people. It seems more than ever, people are trying to tear the opponent down with negative posts, rather than trying to build their candidate up with positives and valid points. No matter what side of the spectrum, entering the election year with love, kindness, and an open mind, I think, will make for a better process. A healthier process.  A process in which we get solutions, rather than problems. Progress rather than ignorance. Hope rather than fear.  It is your right to free speech and that certainly means social media too. But take a step back. Look at what you post and how you share your beliefs. Are you part of the problem or part of the solution? 

A good chuckle, sometimes, is all you need

You may find yourself down and out or depressed or bloated or scared or nervous or anxious or bored or frustrated or trapped or fearful or cowardly or dejected or morose or brooding or vengeful or spiteful or any number of other negative feelings. So if you do find yourself in that emotional and mental state, perhaps all you need to do is watch a couple of Philippino high divers. Despite their efforts, they still get applause. So, too, can you still get an applause, no matter how bad it gets.

Eagle Vs. The Goat

Sometimes, you might feel like there is this giant burden on your back, like the talon's of life have sunk into your shoulders so far that there is no chance for escape. You might face seemingly never-ending obstacles, insurmountable challenges. The struggle might be real. You may have lost hope that there will ever be a way to shake your plight. But like the goat, if you keep fighting and fighting and running and running and rolling and rolling and battling and battling, eventually you will free yourself and defeat those demons.

The Role of the Teacher

August has arrived and that means another school year is getting ready to launch. It's an exciting time of the year. Students are dying to see their schedule, see who they got for a teacher, see if their friends are in their classes, school supply shopping, perhaps get a few new pieces of clothing, etc. Teachers are excited as well: to see their class roster, get their room ready, organize their materials, plan that first week, and try out new ideas they came up with during the summer.  August is the perfect time of year to think about what the role of "Teacher" is, exactly. It sets the foundation for a great year. An impactful year.

First, what the Role of Teacher is NOT: 
*The role of the teacher is NOT to simply raise test scores.
*The role of a teacher is NOT just to bust kids for chewing gum or leaning back on their chair.
*The role of a teacher is NOT simply to show up, hand out worksheets, and collect a check.
*The role of the teacher is NOT to dish out pages upon pages of homework.

The Role of the Teacher
*The role of the teacher is first and foremost to build relationships with their students. I send my own kids to school, expecting their teacher to put forth the effort to get to know them and care for them.

*The role of the teacher is to make kids (or keep kids) curious. I send my own children to school expecting them to be more curious than when they started. Sure, I want them to learn skills and content but the MAIN thing I want is for my kids to be curious. I want them to ask questions and wonder about things.

*The role of the teacher is to encourage their students. I send my own children to school, not to be praised for any little thing they do but to be encouraged and pushed to do their best and built up to reach their potential. False praise and praising them for something they are expected to do can stay home.

*The role of the teacher is to inspire. When I send my kids to school, I want them to be inspired to do something great. I don't want them to be told "no, you can't use Twitter" but rather taught how to use Twitter effectively to increase their learning. Don't tell them No. Teach them "how."

*The role of the teacher is to care for their students. When I send my own kids to school, I want them to feel safe. Safe to learn, safe to ask questions, safe to make mistakes. If my daughter comes home and says she wasn't willing to try something because she was afraid she would fail, I will not be a happy camper.

*The role of the teacher is to build a culture of learning. NOT everything needs to be graded. Grades are not important. Grades are not why we do things. Learning is the goal. I want this to be talked about in class daily, that it's the learning that is important not whether you get an "A" or not. I don't want my daughter coming home with pages and pages of busy work homework night in and night out, crushing their spirit and making them hate school. They are kids who need to play and run around and be free, not homework robot machines who are victimized by grade-happy teachers who love to fill up their grade book.  It's okay for them to do school work at home, as long as it's "home learning" and NOT "homework."

*The role of the teacher is to be a leader. Show students by example how to try, how to risk, how to make a mistake, how to innovate, how to be passionate, how to put forth effort, how treat others, how to work together. When I send my kids to school, I want their teacher to lead them to be better people.

The Role of the Teacher is deep and meaningful and complex. It is an honor. It is one to be taken seriously, yet one to have a lot of fun with.
Own your Role as Teacher!

So Long Owner's Manual!

I recently had a problem. The drain to my sink broke. Though I installed the sink to begin with, it had been a while so I had forgotten exactly how to do it. So, I found a tutorial on Youtube. Three minutes and thirty-five seconds later, I knew how to install a new drain. I had another problem. My dryer was not drying clothes properly. It would either run through the sensor dry cycle and still have wet clothes, or it would quit a few minutes after I started the cycle, thinking the clothes were dry (they were not). Manual dry worked and dried the clothes, but whenever I used the sensor setting, it didn't dry, so I figured that was the problem. So I called Sears (where I bought the dryer five years ago). Sears said they could send out a guy to look at it. It would cost $80, plus whatever he had to do to fix the problem (parts + labor). Or, as the polite phone operator informed me, I could pay $400 to get all my appliances covered for the next year. So I did some thinking and decided that both options seemed rather pricey and that there had to be a better way. A cheaper way. So, I checked YouTube. I had a pretty good idea the sensor setting was the problem so I "youtubed" Samsung sensor problems. Sure enough, I found a video showing how to replace the sensor bars. Piece of cake. I then looked up online how much sensor bars cost. $1.50 per sensor bars. Perfect. I ordered the sensor bars and eventually fixed the problem. All it cost me was $3 and 4 minutes of time watching YouTube. I was driving down the road and I had another problem. I wanted to customize the control panel on my dashboard. Did I pull out the thick owner's manual, locate the correct 'chapter' and figure it out? Nope. I went straight to Youtube and found what I needed. 

In our world, technology and in these examples YouTube specifically, creates a more efficient way of doing things. It saves time and money. If you have a problem or want to know how to do something, sifting through a big owner's manual or waiting for someone to show you in person is a thing of the past. You have a gazillion tutorials at your fingertips on YouTube, just waiting to be watched. Just waiting to teach you how to do something or help solve a problem. 

We want our students to have this mindset and equip them with the skills and knowledge to know HOW to find the best way to solve a problem. YouTube creates active problem solvers. They have a problem-they seek out the solution via Youtube-and problem solved. New thing learned. They do not just sit back and wait for someone to show them how or just give up because it's "too hard." 

Feel free to leave a comment on this blog post of how YouTube has helped you solve a problem. If you do not know how to leave a comment on blog posts, then look up a tutorial on Youtube! :) 

The Goodbye Letter

Each year, on the last teacher workshop day, I would write a "goodbye" letter to my students, then post it on my website for them to read. I would reflect on the school year and share my thoughts and feelings with my students. It was therapeutic. I thought it was a good way to bring closure to nine months of working together. Plus, I wanted my students to know how much they meant to me and that I would miss them. So I would sit at my desk, at my computer,  in my vacant classroom with my iced caramel latte and write to my students about highlights from the school year, things I learned, things I hoped they learned, wish them luck in the future and let them know that I would always be there to help them, if they needed it.  I would get sad knowing they wouldn't be my students again and that even though they would stop by and keep in touch, it wouldn't be the same. The "goodbye" letter was also a good way to reflect on the school year and think about if my class was the experience I wanted for my students. Did I inspire anyone? Did I challenge anyone? Did my students have fun? Did they think and create and discover on a regular basis? Did they enjoy my class? Did I work hard enough on building relationships? Many questions I asked myself and nowhere in that list did I mention standardized test scores. So, as the year ends, I would encourage you to write a 'goodbye' letter to your students. It would mean a lot to them. 

Moving on!

The school year is about to expire. With it, I will end my time as Instructional Coach with Sioux Falls and be moving on to a new challenge in my educational journey. I will be an instructor at Dakota State University, in Madison, SD. I will be teaching social studies methods, geography methods, Native American studies, and The Middle School. I am excited for the challenge and the opportunity to work with college kids. I hope I can bring fun, engagement and excitment to these students and show them that school should be fun and exciting! It should be emotional and something you look forward to. To show them that school isn't just a building or a classroom, it's just learning and growing as a person, whether that's in social studies, math, or just as a person. Whether that's in a building or a coffee shop or a football field or walking down the street. School is a place that we want students to grow and be curious and to think and to wonder. My goal for my daughter's teachers is the same every year: Make sure they like school at the end of the year. If, by the end of the school year, they don't like school, then the teacher failed. Make sure they continue to be curious. Nothing would upset me more than for a teacher to crush my kids2-year-oldy. Kids are born naturally curious. Hazel, my 2 year old daughter, is curious about everything. How something works, how something feels, what happens when you touch something, what happens if you throw something, what something looks like, what her sister's are doing, what's happening on t.v. or the ipad or outside. I didn't teach her that. She was born that way. Not because she's special, but just because that's how it works. Kids are born curious, then at some point, they lose that or it's taken from them or it's crushed. School should be a place that grows curiosity and a place filled with emotional attachment. So how do we foster curiosity in our students? Be curious yourself. About a new topic. About life. About anything. It will spill over and ooze out into your classroom and your students will know what it means to be curious. 

Cincinnati Zoo Video

Check out this video of the little boy who fell into the Silver Back Guerilla enclosure recently at the Cincinnati zoo. How frightening for the mother and the child. The child wanted to go "play in the water" in the enclosure so he scurried off and jumped into the enclosure. He is only 3 (or 4) so he perhaps didn't quite understand what he was doing. But the video is fascinating to see how the guerilla treats the boy and the panic that must be going through the mom and boy. Though the boy emerged unharmed, it's a sad story because the guerilla, 17 years old and an endangered species, was shot and killed to protect the boy. Tranquilizers were an option but the zoo staff feared the tranquilizers would cause the guerilla to lash out against the boy and/or possible pass out on top of the boy, thus crushing him.