Back to the Future: Resetting Your Mindset in the Classroom

Don't you just love those movies? Classics! 

I had the privilege during our IC Institute this week to listen to Kristine Mraz speak. If you have not had a chance to read some of her books "Purposeful Play" and "A Mindset for Learning", you need to get on Amazon NOW! Today I will be focusing in on this particular book:

Go ahead and jump in your Delorean and reset your mindset for your classroom! 

I left the session after hearing her speak with a sense of validation, excitement, and realization.

Validation that the feeling that had been stirring in my heart and practice was true.

Excitement to share it out.

Realization to the fact that I had been doing some things a certain way for awhile I "thought" were best, but a realization that I can and need to continue to grow.

During the session we focused quite a bit on classroom management and behavior. For as long as I can remember this has always been a topic of concern and intrigue for teachers. 

"What do you use to manage your class?"

"How does it work?"

"Does it work for all?"

"What about _________ kids that _______?"

There are a million different stances on this topic. It can also turn into a very heated debate. However, what I took away from this week was a renewed sense of purpose for the "WHY" behind what we do to manage our classrooms and behaviors. 

Society today speaks for itself. I don't have to tell you our culture and environments around us have become very startling and in fact saddening. Hurt people hurt people. Many are always looking for the next best thing, or quick fix. I don't know that there really is a quick fix...except for Jesus ya'll! 

But for real, these kids in the here and now will grow up to lead us. The question is: How will they lead? And do we want to follow?

Well teachers, I'd have to say that it is up to us to cultivate a mass of future leaders that we feel secure knowing are leading. We also need to educate parents as well in the process. It takes a village right?

Now I don't live in denial land and I realize we can't change the world all at once, but what we can do is change our immediate environment. 

One thing that was brought up in the session was: sticker charts, clip charts, DoJo, etc. I am sure you have heard of these or even have used them in your own classroom. I know I have. Why? It's what were learned from someone else, what was safe, seemed like a positive way to reinforce good behavior. 

But if you stop for a moment to think about what we are reinforcing...things that should already be a base expectation? 

Now, like I said, I have used sticker charts, a clip stick and Dojo all like a boss. There is always the discussion of well if you don't use that then what do you use? We feel like we have to constantly bribe the kids. But what if we just explicitly taught behavior/social skills like we teach our content (reading, math, science, etc) 

What if we taught kids what was acceptable, expected, and right throughout our days and integrated it into our planning just like any other activity? Will it take time and some thought? Probably. Can you do it? Absolutely! 

Is it being said you need to go rip your clip chart to pieces and scrap DoJo and any other management technique to have in place? No. Just start somewhere. 

It truly will have to start with the mindset of the teacher. You are the model.

 You can plant that seed and help it to grow. 

Keep in mind SAFETY is the key to unlock the potential of your classroom. You have to make the kids feel safe to make mistakes and be alright doing so. 

Be honest with yourself, your colleagues and with your kids. Questioning the "why" behind things can get a conversation started. It can help lead you to your ultimate goal.

This particular feeling had been stirring inside of me for a few years now, especially in the last two years. I have always had this little, let's say, mindset angel sitting on my shoulder. I would often ask myself if there was a better way to manage my class each year without having to use the clip stick or give prizes for good behavior all. day. long. So I challenged myself. I took away those sticker charts. Guess what? We all survived and learned other new ways to achieve desired behaviors. 

I started integrating teaching those social skills and expectations much more frequently and with more fidelity than ever before. I spent A LOT of time building that community. I had always tried to build community in the classroom, as I think most teachers want to. But I REALLY made it a priority instead of the "Oh you cleaned up!" "Here is a sticker" Ummm cleaning up is an expectation in a community. You do it as an adult (well some do lol)  I started taking more time out in the mornings to set the tone for the day (another post for all that later) I focused on spreading the JOY about each other. Kids now days need to be taught how to gain pleasure and reward intrinsically. And yes, sadly today we have to teach that. 

Kristine said, "Compliance and control are short term solutions." We need to be teaching and cultivating the WHOLE child.

Another piece I started that paid me back ten fold was morning meeting and starting the day to rate our day for how we wanted it to go. I taught them the scale of 1-3. 1 being I have no positive expectations/struggle bus (maybe something happened on the way to school, etc) and 3 being "We are going to Disney World" (it will be epic and I am going to word hard today)! 

This gave me a good chance to glance around and maybe a kid that was holding a 1 or 2 I might spend some time one on one figuring out why they came in like that so early in the day and finding a solution to turn it around. Even if a kid held up a 3 doesn't mean we need to forget about them but can help us lead their day to stay at a 3 or help others throughout the day as well!

We discussed how sometimes our day will change and can go up and down like a roller coaster and that is okay. It is all how you manage the changes and being open to feedback and learning how to be in control. 

The second part of that is ending the day to debrief. Now I taught 1st graders and they were modeled what that was, looked like, and sounded like and they rocked it! 

Basically I would have them pack up maybe 5-10 minutes early and we sat together as a community and discussed our day. 

-what was positive?

-what was new learning?

-what maybe was not so positive and how do we deal with that?

-what can we change for tomorrow?

They would then rate their day again on the same scale and we could debrief that as well. 

The list can go on  and on! Basically diving into that Growth Mindset shift. Did we get to it every. single. day. ? No...life happens, fire drills happen, bleeding happens, throw up happens, getting really into your teaching happens; but if we didn't get to it I made sure they all tried to leave feeling accomplished about their day. Maybe a whisper quickly, a high five, a thumbs up, something to show them they matter. 

How you start their day and end their day can have a major impact. 

Another amazing piece of advice I got was: when you are planning for your weeks make sure you ask if there is a:

1. Content goal (that's automatic when teaching right?)

 2. Language goal  

3. Social Goal 

If you plan that meaningfully then your behavior and social goals can be met. 

Be personal when choosing mentor texts and read alouds to use in reading and writing workshop. Can those be connected to the behavior/ social side as well as content?

In writing workshop you can teach and write about social stories. 

-How to solve a problem w. friends, teachers, etc

-How to speak to each other

-dealing with failure

-building each other up

-how to tell someone to stop

-what does empathy look like

Model and teach "self talk". Talking becomes thinking. A kid has a meltdown because they can't draw or get their color crayon how can they be taught to self monitor and self talk their way through it?

Here are some anchor charts she showed that could be created in your own classroom.

 Are all kids created equal? Is what works for me what will work for you? Will you have perfect days yourself? I'm going to say no to those questions. 

Can you adjust and make it your own? Can you take a leap and try one or two things? Can you be more meaningful in making those connections for social behavior in your teaching? I am going to answer YES to all of those questions. 

There will always be kids (and adults) that certain strategies are not working for them. Welcome to real life right? It is not being said everyone will always fit into the same box. That's when you as the teacher sit down and reflect, get creative, seek council and try other things. 

Another thing that moved mountains in my classroom once I decided to be more finite in my community, was taking the time to have those discussions with my kids. Whole group, small group, one on one, walking down the hallway, stepping out, at recess. I made a much more concerted effort to "be there". Sometimes curriculum was paused for a bit. 

As a teacher I understand all too well the "Time Game". We all play it day in and day out, most of the time losing, never passing GO, sometimes getting thrown in "jail" so to speak. Time is fleeting. Time won't slow down and it never stops. It's the fact and once you accept that then you can move onto changing your mindset and shifting your thinking to shift your kids thinking. Baby steps. Rome wasn't built in a day eh? 

It was also said, "Self esteem is the outcome of good habits." 

If we can build those habits, especially when they are young, the world opens up. Interactions open up. Leading opens up. 

Remember when I said it starts with YOU. It really does. 

It takes self awareness too and honesty with yourself. 

When you want to say "Ok I can't draw so don't laugh at me." or "I was never really good at math either." What is that showing them? 

Instead be aware of your own mindset and words. Maybe say, "I know this is hard, but I can get better at it. It may take time."

This is such a vast topic I totally understand. I could go on and on. I also know we are creatures of habit. We need to break our own habits and comfort levels to be able to step outside the box for our future. 

How do you start?

Well this is the perfect time because it is the beginning of the year with a fresh start! 

If you are like, Ashley I can't let go of my clip chart! It's a part of me! Ok keep it...put it somewhere you can see it but maybe don't introduce it to the kids. Maybe it's a comfort thing for you, but those kids won't know any better. Start strong with teaching behavior expectations, social skills, building that amazing community and I bet you won't even need or remember you had that clip chart. 

Or if you are a sticker chart person don't even put them on the tables. 

Some things I like using and see an effect:

-Table points (helps reinforce tally marks and team building)

-BIP/VIP system (you can see that here and here)

-Growth Mindset teaching (see my resource here)

-Coupons (be choosy which ones you incorporate)

-Positive notes home/picture sent via email/Bloomz

-Positive verbal feedback

-Morning meeting/Afternoon wrap up

-My time & attention (simple as that)

-Whole Brain Teaching

-Think time reflection

-Constant communication with parents

Some things to let go of:

-Sticker charts

-Clip chart or clip stick

-_________ (insert others not listed)

All the while fostering a community of safety, expectations and growth! 

I kept my clip stick for 8 years. But this past year I also experimented with not relying on it as much once I built that little community of family. Did I feel like I was missing something every time we walked out the door? Or a kid had an issue? At first yes...I was used to this. Did I get over it? Yes. I actually found myself not even noticing anymore. Did the kids notice and over throw me? No! They were ok as well because they had been taught and modeled with other positive mindset strategies. They knew I was going to be there to support and give space when needed. To love and laugh. To give feedback and spend time working through. 

Will you encounter bumps along the way? Kids that it doesn't "seem" to reach or work for? Days it seems like a bear you are wrestling only to be defeated? Again, yes to all of this. Should you give up? No! Will you want to? Maybe. That's where an accountability buddy comes in handy! Find at least one that can help pump you up, be honest with you, and you can trust! After all, how can we teach little minds to believe us if we aren't walking the walk and talking the talk ourselves? 

Is there WAY more to be said on all of this? Of course! This was just the tip of the iceberg. It is up to you to start those conversations and get geared up to start somewhere! 

I am going to leave you with some resources already in my Amazon cart! Keeping informed and knowledgeable helps tremendously when trying to give feedback to parents and keep them informed as well about how your classroom runs. 

Books for educators:

In my next Back to the Future post, I will address the 5 most powerful attributes to incorporate into your classroom community! Stay Tuned!

One last thing: A quote I have clung to:

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."

 John 4:11-12

I love that this verse can be easily weaved into this post today. Love those kids enough to show them the way. Use God's gifts he has given you to spread Joy throughout your communities (personal and school). Plant that seed of hard work and perseverance. The end result is more enjoyable even through failure. 

Have a BLESSED weekend!

Ashley

Are your anchor charts a hot mess?! Here's a solution!

Anchor charts! Love them! A definite helpful resource for the kiddos throughout the year. But also can be a pain to store. They can be big and slippery and good heavens don't roll them or you'll be sitting paper weights on them for a week to flatten them! 

EEK! seeing that picture gives me hives! Now I realize some teachers may not "keep" their anchor charts once they are made. However, I like to do a mixture of both keeping and re-making. I make a lot of charts in the midst of teaching and may end up "raffling" them off to the kids and not keeping them. But I also make a lot of "templates" ahead of time, laminate them, and then add in the info with dry erase or wet erase with the kids. 

SO what have I done? Saved those clear plastic hangers I get when I go shopping haha. 

I hole punch the posters I am keeping and put the rings through them to hang them on the hangers.

I categorize them by content area and then by objectives we teach together or back to back. 

Of course I need it to be color coded as well. 

I use these amazing labels:

They fit perfectly in the empty space on the hanger. I then tape over it to secure it a bit more.

Here are some close up's:

Now I can easily access all my posters and just pull the hanger I will be needing that week or month.

Phew! Anchor chart madness averted! Hope this helps! 

Have a BLESSED weekend! 

Five for Friday...Freebies, Videos, End of year!

Ever feel like you're part of a three ring circus juggling balls that clearly can't be juggled!?

Enter my happenings right now! I am not complaining by any means, just saying there is a lot to be juggled right now. Thank goodness I have a God who will juggle with me and always FOR me! 

First up, Mother's Day activities!

We made cards for our moms to start. 

Look at this sweeties!! Exactly how I feel about my mom too!!

Then I was at home like two days before the end of the week and boom! Idea!!

I used the scrap book cardstock papers you can buy at Hobby Lobby like 50% all the time and put their picture on it! I made little banners to hang at the top, laminated, cut, and there we go!

Then upon making these the next day I was like AHHH! another idea!! So this happened. 

I know I can be a hot mess when it comes to ideas last minute but  hey, you can go download this FREEBIE now for next year! 

We have been working on Nonstandard Measurement in math the past two weeks. They love this so much because they get a lot of hands on experience. I made a template a couple of years ago for their recording and will be redoing it soon and posting it among other measurement items on TPT. 

We work a lot on making reasonable predictions/estimates and being ok with them not being correct! Everyone take a deep breath.....it's ok to be wrong ;) 

This little owl is mastering the ability to make a reasonable vs. unreasonable prediction based on her object and tool she is measuring with!

-ill, -ell, -all were our word families for the week!

When we go to the word "cell" immediately I heard...."You used to call me on my cell phonnnnneee" 

Um, ya'll are listening to Drake, friends? haha

Anyways, I challenged them to create a sentence using as many of the ill,ell,all words they could.

EX: I called you on your cell so you can come over and grill while we chill, you know the drill!

Here's what he had to say!

Place value has been important the whole year but especially now that we are learning how to represent it past 100. 

Please excuse the smartboard "do-over" it was  not cooperating with me that day, and I had to draw my own lines. OCD in full explosion mode.

I also posted a Teacer appreciation FREEBIE idea this past week. Once again, I know it is now over but there is always next year! 

Also, I post daily on my FB blog so you can snag these type of things when they are relevant. 

Even though it is the end of the year, we are still trying super hard to incorporate our WBT gestures and teaching each other all that we know! 

Here are some videos of what we did this week pertaining to Habitats. I promise if you try this with your kids you will love it! I sometimes pre-plan the gestures but the best is when the kids help me and make up their own!! They take the learning onto their shoulders and fly with it! 

First, is buddy teaching.

Desert habitat:

Ocean Habitat:

Arctic Habitat:

Rainforest Habitat:

Well that is all for now!! I hope you all have a BLESSED weekend! 

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." 

Revelation 1:8

Because you've gotta have FAITH!

Hello Friday!

Well I am returning with some of my famous artwork again! Please forgive me now haha!

I opened to Hebrews last night and found myself diving into Hebrews 11. This was all about great examples of faith.  First lets define faith: Faith is the conviction based on past experience that God's new and fresh surprises will be ours. Complete trust or confidence. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.
Do you remember when you were little and you were so anxious and excited as your birthday approached? You were sure you'd receive gifts and maybe other special treats, but some things were going to be a surprise. It combined assurance and anticipation. This is exactly what we experience with faith. Of course as you get older it seems our birthdays get a tad more boring lol, but it's all in what you make it! As we get older our faith becomes more vast. We are pushed in ways we never even knew of when we were little. This is why it becomes so pivotal in being able to cope with the struggles of life.

So as I was reading, it just named off so many people in the bible that relied on their faith. (Noah, Sarah, Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, Moses...)It is what got them through, it's what helped create the amazing example we have of them to live by.
Hebrews 11:6 "So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and he rewards those who sincerely seek him."

But what about those who haven't heard of Christ and have not been given a bible to read?! What about their fate? God assures us that all who honestly seek him, who act in faith on the knowledge of God they possess will be rewarded. When we share the message with others it gives them an opportunity to make that choice. To honestly and sincerely seek out more. I also feel that people in desolate places of the earth, that may not have access to the bible or others that can share the good news, I pray and feel that God has inserted a desire within them, a natural instinct to know there is a creator. That is why it is also so very important to have missionaries and speak the truth to others. 

Throughout Hebrews it does talk about the people of faith that died without receiving all that God had promised here on earth. But they never lost their vision of heaven and eternal life. 

That is tough sometimes as sinners. We become expectant sometimes that what we ask for and pray for has to happen. We put our stock into earthly possessions and temporary feelings. But sometimes we feel that God is not answering these things for us. That does not mean he has abandoned us. We may want to get impatient and want to quit, but these recounts of the people in the bible that may have felt the same way should give us hope. Take courage that these heroes of faith, who lived and died without seeing the fruit of their faith in earth, yet they continued to believe. They lived their faith!

"It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red sea as though they were on dry ground." Hebrews 11:29

I don't know about you, but can you say you would have conquered that so bravely?

Talk about faith that God was not going to let you down and you'd die by drowning in the Red Sea. 

Life is tough. But so is the God we worship. He is tougher! Having a steadfast faith in God does not guarantee a happy, carefree life. Actually, our faith almost guarantees us some sort of abuse from the world. While we are here we may not see the purpose of our suffering. That makes this so much more difficult. But we know that God will keep his promises to us. Do you have faith in that?

When we face hardship, it is easy to get discouraged and lose sight of the big picture. But we are not alone. Many have already made it through this life enduring far more difficult circumstances than we have experienced. Suffering is the training for Christian maturity. It's what makes our final victory so sweet. 

I will leave you with one last thing I read and sat with. 

The beginning point of faith is believing in God's character. He IS who he says. the end point is believing in God's promises. He will DO what he says. When we believe that even though we may not see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith. 

I hope you have a BLESSED and FAITHFUL weekend! 

Soil of God's love....and my amazing artwork!

Happy Wednesday!

Let me first start this post with please don't judge my drawing skills. For real. I do what I can. My sister inherited the artsy gene, mine bypassed me. Bible Journaling...have you seen it? Well I have been doing it now for about as long as two shakes of a lambs tail...I am by no means at all an expert! I have seen plenty of it and I have tried really hard not to compare myself because I have learned and always in the process of learning that comparison is the thief of joy. So with that said I post this to reach someone. Who? I don't know? I may never know...that's ok...or will my OCD self stay up late thinking about it?! haha...I digress. I thought about not even posting any of this ever and keeping it to myself. I mean who wants to see  my silly 1st grade drawings and hear me chatter on about my thoughts? Well, then it was laid upon my heart that maybe one person does. Maybe I can just get it out there and someone else will feel the same, resonate with it, understand it, lean on it. Isn't that what we are  here for? To "love your neighbor as yourself." Sometimes that is tough isn't it? But all the more rewarding when you do/can!

So here I am. I guess maybe it is the teacher in me too that relies on pictures to help me remember things. I will be honest memorizing scripture has not been a strong point. Why can I remember the lyrics to The Little Mermaid..."Look at this stuff...isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete"......but that moment I need that verse I can somewhat piece it together but end up googling it or opening my bible app?! So when I saw bible journaling I was like AH! maybe this is for me and my non artistic self. #hopesanddreams I mean that is how I teach my kids- add a picture to it, make it more visual and maybe there will be more of a connection. Here's to hoping it works!

Again....please be considerate when taking in all my drawing glory..let's focus on the scripture shall we!? ;)
"May your roots do down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep his love really is. " Ephesians 4: 17-18

Wow! How amazing! We truly can't fathom just how great his love is for us. I don't even think my wonderful drawing (ha!) can even touch the surface.
My hubby and I love to pick weeds..I know I know we are super exciting! lol...but the best part is when you pick that one weed and you yank and pull and the whole root comes out and it is like spectacularly long and you squeal with delight that you were able to get that bad boy out of the soil...anyone?! No? Just us? Well trust me when I say its a satisfying feeling ;) See now every time you pick weeds you will think of God's love and just how deep those roots go for YOU! All for YOU! Now like a plant, of course, it needs to be watered. The great thing though too about his love is it is unconditional. Even if your end dries up a tad and your soil starts to pull away from the pot (all my gardeners out there??) Just add some water and HE will in turn fill you up! He knows our hearts too! You can't fake it till you make it. The challenge as well is trying to anchor your roots deep for others. As sinners we have the tendency of course to carry conditional love. You might be scared to grow your roots into certain soil...but this is where the faith enters and grace, HIS grace takes over. Our lives on this earth are always in a constant process; changing, and forming our hearts and minds for our permanent home. Even if you stumble you have a Father that anchors you deeply in HIS soil of everlasting love!

There it is. One person hopefully will benefit. Everyone of course benefits from the artwork. ;) More to come hopefully if I don't get intimidated to share again!
Have a BLESSED night!

How do you start your day?! Making the most of it through life's baggage!

Hello all!

So first off, I just want to say that I appreciate honesty and truth. I try hard not to sugar coat things (I am not Willy Wonka) too much because a lot of times in the end it ends up all at the bottom of the bowl anyways right?

 I appreciate other blogs I read that are real and raw and discuss and showcase the true side of teaching/life. It is a hard job, I think we all know that. Is it the hardest job of all? mmmm probably not but it is up there. I say all of this because my post today is about setting the tone of your classroom. What I talk about today is not always 100% perfect and goes according to plan everyday... fire drills happen, crying happens (me and the kids lol), meetings happen, lice happens (me and the kids again lol), life happens. However, I just want to share some ideas of things that have seemed to work for me even through all of that chaos. I don't want to give an image that the classroom runs perfect all day, everyday, but that there are strategies and practices you can use to help it get there as much as possible.

I am going to break it down into two groups- the kids and myself.

First off, the kids. The thing about teaching is it is and can be so drastically different year to year, class to class. Some kids have backgrounds that could rival "The American Dream" and others can make you question "The American Dream". The classroom and teaching is essentially, in Forest Gump's words, "like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get." One thing I have learned over 8 years of teaching so far is to try hard to be compassionate to it all. Extend grace. Now like I said, I like to be real...there are some years it is more of a struggle to do this. I mean, I am trying to do my job here people and your issues make that difficult. But here is the thing, we ALL have issues. Big or small. Deep or shallow. Hence the reason we are human and need our own grace from our God. So how can you try to make it a positive environment in your classroom? Here are some ideas.

Greet at the door:

 (an oldy but goody) (as much as possible) like I said things happen- like the mornings we sometimes Noah's ark it to school because of all the rain we've gotten and things just aren't running as normal. Or maybe the morning your head won't stop itching and you just can't figure it out and lo and behold have some very special visitors, have to leave immediately to douse your head in bleach. The list can go on. BUT those are not everyday occurrences so do what you can to stand at that doorway and give that first smile.
I have also made sure to teach my friends to say good morning everyday. It actually gets to the point that if it doesn't happen I am a little sad lol. I tell them it is important to acknowledge others and make them feel welcome and visible.

Quiet time:

 At our school we have a moment of silence every morning before the announcements. I have tried to explain that this is their time to think about their day and set the tone for how they want it to go. What kind of choices do they want to make to lead into their day? We even try to rate our day on a scale of 1-5. 5 being an epic day and 1 being, well, just isn't my day. We do this before it even gets started to show them that how we see our day going can affect it and we want to try to start out on a positive note! Once again, are there days we forget to do that particular piece? yes, and if I notice I try to place it later on such as walking down the hallway rhetorically "How's your day going so far? Are you making the choices to give yourself an epic day?" I'll let them show me on their hands 1-5 quietly what they are thinking. Some of course don't feel the need and they are totally meditating on it in their heads eh? We also discuss that some days can be a roller coaster and can go from a 5 to a 2 and back up again. We have to learn to navigate those curves and bumps.

Morning Song:

So a few years ago I was pondering while laying in bed not being able to sleep. This is normally where I do all my good thinking haha that, or the gym. I wanted to find another way to positively start our days. I wanted it to be a song of some sort, but something original to our little classroom environment. Long story short, I came up with this:
Kids sing-
"We are Beierle Owl's and we work very hard! We do this everyday so we get really far."
I say-
"Are you ready to work hard?
Kids say-
"Yes we are!"
I say-
"Make each other proud?"
Kids say-
"Starting right now!"

Here's a little video of them in action.

We try so hard to do it as a start to our day. Again, truth, does not always get done, but we try! And now I have friends that will help remind me and say "We need to sing the Beierle Owl song!" 

**oh any singers out there need my assistance in songwriting-call my people...lol

Reassurance:

Goodness doesn't everyone need this from time to time? But little kids who sometimes don't ever have that? Try to reassure them daily of your love for them and that you want the BEST for them. You are there to help and lead. The moment they walk through that door, whatever happened that morning at home, on the bus, in the car matters to you it does, but that once they are in that classroom you are there to love and guide. That our day does not always have to be determined by circumstances 2 hours prior or by another person. Yes, even  as adults it is hard to leave things at the door frame and walk in confident and ready for action. But also as adults we can lead by example. I often will share little things that go wrong in my own life, morning, or day so they can see a glimpse into the fact that everyone has struggles. It is what we do with them and how we react to them what can change the course. 

I had a little friend last week make a sad choice in cafeteria causing him to have a think time during fun stations. (classroom management post is in the works) I sat with him and discussed his choice and what happened and he started crying and said "I just made a sad choice and don't want to be in trouble" I immediately talked with him about how sometimes we do make choices that are not the best ones but it was a mistake. People make mistakes, what we do from here with it is up to us and will determine where we go. The important thing is knowing when it is a mistake, learning from it, and then making a decision to rectify it. 

At the end of the day they are just kids. Do I have my own moments when I am like "REALLY friend?! *head explosion* of course! Once again, human.

Music:

 I play it daily in the classroom. I play it while they come in and when we work. It helps to take the cold, uninvited vibes that might be trying to lurk around the room and dissipate them. (below in the next section I will discuss stations)

What about the teacher? Well here are some ideas along the same lines that you can use/do for making the most of your days.

Leave it at the door:

Do this for yourself too, just like we want our kids to do. There are days I wake up on the wrong side of the bed....no like literally, my hubs wanted to change sides and it was not happening. Spilled protein shake on my shirt, forgot my zip drive, dog threw up, etc, etc, etc. (I don't have any "kids got into a fight" analogies at this point in life...yet) Let's talk about that word GRACE again. Sometimes you have to give grace to yourself too just like you extend it to others. I use my morning drive to think. But one thing I have really cherished is I call my hubby right before I get to school and we pray before I get out of the car. Some days the prayers are short and some days a little longer, but it really helps set the tone before I walk in. Some days I don't feel the affects of the prayer until later, so I might still walk in with a sour mindset. And when that happens..it leads me to #2

Music:

I play music every morning while getting ready. Pandora is my BFF. I can really get lost in it and it helps to calm me. 

Some of my favorite stations:

Tenth Avenue North

Toby Mac

Lecrae

Calm Meditation

Jeremy Camp

Owl City

Capital Kings

Jack Johnson (for kids)

Switchfoot

Pentatonix and Lindsey Stirling

Film Scores- fun to guess which movie it is from

Enya

Michael Buble

Jammy Jams-kids radio

80's hits

Moment of Silence:

 I use this time the kids are too. I think about my own day and typically ask God for his leadership in the classroom that day. 

Brain Breaks:

So this is more for the kids throughout the day to get them up and moving but, hey I can whip and nae nae with the best of them ;)

Pull out positive:

I will expand more on this when I do my class management post at another time. But, man it does pay off. Some days are tough!! Some days it is hard to find the positive when you feel buried in all the negative. I promise though, God promises, there is sweet victory in there somewhere. It may not be deer in headlights apparent or it may literally kick you in the chest (true story from my first year of teaching- got kicked by one of my sweet autistic babies- not on purpose of course, but still warranted paperwork for injury lol) You can find something to celebrate! I dare you!

Reflection & Journaling:

I have found that this works wonders not just for my OCD lol but for everything. If you truly want to be an effective educator you have to educate yourself too! Not just doing PD and reading books etc. But to reflect on your time. It is so important to reflect and learn from aspects that went/go really well and flawlessly but also that go bad too. 

How can you tweak it, make it better? 

What went wrong? 

What went right? 

Honesty time again- I am a hoarder....of journals...it's true I normally can't leave Ross, Marshalls, or Homegoods without one. I am always like "SO cute! I'll use that for sure!" well I plan to haha...

I have one (not so exciting or cute) journal for teaching. I have made tabs for ideas I get, you know, at the gym or while I am supposed to be sleeping. 

I also keep one for personal/bible journaling/prayer requests.

It really does help to take a step back sometimes. Mentally and physically. 

Find a Balance:

Well this is the pot calling the kettle black. I can be the worst with balance. Sometimes I do not know

when to SHUT IT DOWN! I will tell you, though I have found ways to do this better.

-Time management is key!

-Set goals for yourself (grading, plans, paperwork) get to what you can then pick up later.

-Prioritize- I was once given advice to create a list based on priority. Instead of just writing it all down in one long list (which is daunting) make a scale 1, 5, 10. 1 being not too important, still need to get done but I won't lose sleep over it. 5 being medium priority, it needs to get done with some alertness. 10 being most important, I better get this done now! These are things that might have time constraints. Now the real key is not writing it all on the 10 section. lol...comes with practice.

-You won't get to it all! Once you come to understand and accept this it makes it a lot easier to deal. Trust me, coming from someone that makes a list for everything and wanting to accomplish it all. I have learned what to let go of, that I am comfortable with. What I am comfortable with letting go of or not letting go, may not be the same for the next person. You have to decide. 

 My job, the kids, the work, the effect I can extend means the world to me but one thing has to be repeated to myself daily. "Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life." My life is also at home waiting for me daily. My family. We get one shot at this blessing called life and we don't know how long our time in his temporary home will be. I take the gift God gave me seriously, but like everything requires balance. My husband has been helpful in reminding me of this....now I need to remind him too #workaholic ;) 

I have been struggling with some things lately and came across this verse. 

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17 (this could be a whole other post too!)

Life is messy people. I am sure you already know that. You never know what others are going through. Extend a hand, offer grace. If teaching is what God has called you to that is an amazing journey filled with up's and downs. Be the best YOU and lead by example. Those little minds will soak it up and you can leave a lasting effect on them you may not even realize. 

Keep it real! There are no perfect people, situations or classrooms. Everyone has a story. Being willing to share and be transparent and build that trust. 

**disclaimer- in no way am I saying to use the excuse of "life" craziness to slack on your job or responsibility at work. I am hoping that with some of the above ideas you can apply something into your daily routine to make the "craziness" a little easier to navigate around. Ain't nobody got time fo a slacker. ;)