I hope I can follow through on this. [subtitle: Gratitude]
I was talking about journaling with a coworker today and realized that with as much time as I spend at the computer, I could try to make it a point to at least record a thing or two that made me happy each day. I mean, some days you just... Well, I thought it would be nice to be able to look back at yesterday's or the day before's or last week's things, if only to smile weakly and hope it comes again. It's times like these that I forget about how much I have - and it's mildly hypocritical of me to inwardly criticize my daughter for being so negative all the time when I have to put forth a herculean effort to stave off the negativity myself. It's also mildly hypocritical of me to be upset that my daughter has no concept of money and always wants more, never satisfied and never even trying to be happy with what she has now... Because I don't really spend all that time being happy with what I have, either.
Anyway, here are today's things:
1. A male student randomly complimented my scarf in the middle of class today. I kind of blinked and said, "Wait, you meant me?" And he said yes. I laughed and thanked him - it's not every day a middle school boy will do anything like that, so I can't help but be amused.
2. I organized an activity in my Language Arts class today that went off smashingly. Considering I just thought of it this morning while planning with my colleagues, I have to be thankful that my brain has the ability to do that. Honestly, pressure and stress just seems to put my synapses into high gear sometimes; it's the times I feel most desperate to think of or rework something that some of my best ideas have popped into my head. This activity involved them folding a paper into 8 boxes, writing the number for each critical thinking question at the top left corner of each box, and then passing the paper around to classmates. The catch was that they were first instructed to read the answer to the question before theirs and provide feedback, positive or constructive, THEN answer the next question. Thus, all students had to answer all the questions, but they got to read the viewpoints of several different classmates on several different questions as they were passed around. All students were engaged and putting time and effort into it - I think they definitely felt like answering with thoughtfulness was important because their peers were going to see what they wrote. Yay!
3. I also got a compliment from my assistant principal today. I asked her a question quick before I left the building, but before I turned around, she said to me: "Thank you for your hard work on this." The "this" she is referring to is my constant pushing to get an ESL student some support and cohesive goals established. I got this kid in my Language Arts class because I speak Spanish - but he barely speaks any English and can hardly do anything that we do in class unless I give him the Spanish resources. Anyway, the point is this: He's been here for more than a school year and has made ZERO progress on his English. All I could think was: What the hell were they doing with him all last year? Why are we only trying to adjust his supports now? We met with him and his father today (who also does not speak English at all, yet has been here in the country for 25 years). Anyway, when she said that, I said, "I think the meeting went really well; I am really glad we sat down and it seems like his dad is really on board now." But she then said: "No, I mean, thank you for pushing to get him the help he needs." It felt really good to be affirmed for that, because I have often felt like people aren't willing to go far enough for certain students and that is why they fall through the cracks. This kid... Was definitely falling through the cracks. We'll see if he holds up his end of the bargain (because he also has it in his head that he doesn't need to learn English because he is just going to return to Mexico), but it is good to know that we all got together to make that push and that things are finally happening.
4. I love visualizing choreography in my head while listening to songs. I especially enjoy doing so when I feel stressed. I will pop in a chosen song in the car or at school and just picture what it would look like if 1, 2, or an entire troupe of dancers were performing it. Different dancers doing different things, different patterns, rhythms, angles, timing... It just seems to relax me. I used to dance by myself to de-stress back in the day, too, but I suppose that's something I just don't make time for anymore nowadays. I should, though, considering how much time I spend thinking about it.
Okay, back to work.
Anyway, here are today's things:
1. A male student randomly complimented my scarf in the middle of class today. I kind of blinked and said, "Wait, you meant me?" And he said yes. I laughed and thanked him - it's not every day a middle school boy will do anything like that, so I can't help but be amused.
2. I organized an activity in my Language Arts class today that went off smashingly. Considering I just thought of it this morning while planning with my colleagues, I have to be thankful that my brain has the ability to do that. Honestly, pressure and stress just seems to put my synapses into high gear sometimes; it's the times I feel most desperate to think of or rework something that some of my best ideas have popped into my head. This activity involved them folding a paper into 8 boxes, writing the number for each critical thinking question at the top left corner of each box, and then passing the paper around to classmates. The catch was that they were first instructed to read the answer to the question before theirs and provide feedback, positive or constructive, THEN answer the next question. Thus, all students had to answer all the questions, but they got to read the viewpoints of several different classmates on several different questions as they were passed around. All students were engaged and putting time and effort into it - I think they definitely felt like answering with thoughtfulness was important because their peers were going to see what they wrote. Yay!
3. I also got a compliment from my assistant principal today. I asked her a question quick before I left the building, but before I turned around, she said to me: "Thank you for your hard work on this." The "this" she is referring to is my constant pushing to get an ESL student some support and cohesive goals established. I got this kid in my Language Arts class because I speak Spanish - but he barely speaks any English and can hardly do anything that we do in class unless I give him the Spanish resources. Anyway, the point is this: He's been here for more than a school year and has made ZERO progress on his English. All I could think was: What the hell were they doing with him all last year? Why are we only trying to adjust his supports now? We met with him and his father today (who also does not speak English at all, yet has been here in the country for 25 years). Anyway, when she said that, I said, "I think the meeting went really well; I am really glad we sat down and it seems like his dad is really on board now." But she then said: "No, I mean, thank you for pushing to get him the help he needs." It felt really good to be affirmed for that, because I have often felt like people aren't willing to go far enough for certain students and that is why they fall through the cracks. This kid... Was definitely falling through the cracks. We'll see if he holds up his end of the bargain (because he also has it in his head that he doesn't need to learn English because he is just going to return to Mexico), but it is good to know that we all got together to make that push and that things are finally happening.
4. I love visualizing choreography in my head while listening to songs. I especially enjoy doing so when I feel stressed. I will pop in a chosen song in the car or at school and just picture what it would look like if 1, 2, or an entire troupe of dancers were performing it. Different dancers doing different things, different patterns, rhythms, angles, timing... It just seems to relax me. I used to dance by myself to de-stress back in the day, too, but I suppose that's something I just don't make time for anymore nowadays. I should, though, considering how much time I spend thinking about it.
Okay, back to work.