Switch: A New Reading Experience

I have to admit, although I get excited about the information I want to learn from nonfiction books, I am not a lover of the process of reading nonfiction.  Given the choice between a great story and an information rich book, even on a topic of high interest, I am going to go for the story pretty much every time.

So, this first chapter of the book Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard was a wonderful surprise.  I have been excited to read this book to get the information, but now it is clear that I'm also going to enjoy the process of reading it, which means I might just get through my reading before it is due for our book discussion!
The clear message of a three step process, "To change behavior, you've got to direct the Rider, motivate the Elephant, and shape the Path" was delivered through a series of engaging stories and entertaining case studies (19).  The practical application for this three step process, which I originally thought would apply primarily in my professional life, will have far greater reach.  I can already see connections that I will make at home, through my youth ministry involvement, and in my own life.
So, what is the Rider, the Elephant, and the Path you may ask?  Well, the authors, Chip and Dan Heath, use clear illustrations for this analogy:

• The Rider is our rational side, which provides the direction for any change we want to make. "What looks like resistance is often a lack of clarity" (17).
• The Elephant is our emotions, and will provide the energy and motivation to make a change. "What looks like laziness is often exhaustion" (17).
• The Path is the situation, or the circumstances surrounding the change.                              "What looks like a people problem is often a situation problem" (18).  

I invite you to read along with me as I find out more about how to change things when change is hard, and share any stories of how you are working through change in your own life.  Happy reading!

What's Love Got to do With It?

So, I've been going through this blog study on 1 Corinthians 13, called 15 Weeks to Love (I highly recommend you check it out), which seems like something right up my alley.  Love is usually my go to emotion- I really love people (I'm talking about the feeling here- I realize I have a ways to go on the action of loving people, especially because I am not great in the patience department).

Because of all of this I wanted to be really excited about this study. The problem is that lately I haven't been feeling very loving at all, mostly I have been feeling really tired, and...angry.  This is strange for me. Anger is an emotion that is fairly foreign to me.  I typically default to sad when most people would get angry.  But lately I have had this undercurrent of frustration and anger, and I have no idea why.  Is it because I am tired (which is also not my norm), that I feel frustrated?  Maybe... But I think it may have more to do with my other default emotion, which is guilt.

I feel some amount of guilt almost all the time.  I am always aware of "the other things" I should, or could, be doing.  If I am at the beach with my kids, some part of my mind is thinking about the Community Garden at church that needs to be weeded.  If I am working on the schedule for Sunday School I am thinking about how I haven't had Reading Club with my children in several days.  If I am reading a really good book I am thinking about the professional reading I haven't gotten to yet.  If I am at the store shopping for groceries to feed my family I am hurrying to get home because I feel bad that I am not with my family.

I realize that admitting all of this makes me seem like a total lunatic, and apparently that lunacy is catching up with me, because I am having a hard time enjoying anything.  Even the social times, which normally keep my craziness at bay, because I just love people so much, haven't been filling me up the way they usually do.

And here is where the study on love comes back into play, because do you know what my Amazing Father God has whispered to me as I have been reading and thinking about love?  He told me to remember that this is how He loves me!  His love for me is patient, and kind, and all the rest.  And as I heard that whisper from Him, I felt Him urging me to just rest and allow Him to love me.  He doesn't want me to live in this place of self condemnation, guilt and frustration.  The reason He doesn't want that for me is because He loves me!! His love for me is patient- even when my craziness is consuming my joy.  His love for me is kind, and He wants me to live in that Love.  

So, I am going to release the feeling of guilt that tries to rise to the surface and distract me from my Father's love, and take this opportunity to learn about all the facets of His perfect love for me.  I am going to claim His love for me.

My Motives

Dear Students,

If I could send you each a letter, this is what I would say...

It has come to my attention that some of you are under the impression that I prefer an empty library, that I want it to be silent here.

                                         Nothing could be further from the truth.

You may not like the rules of the library, or like my expectations, and that is okay, but it is important that you know I care about each and every one of you.  You impress me every day.

I want you to be the very best version of yourself.  And because I believe in you, I will continue to strive to make a space where each of you can excel.  A space where you are encouraged to explore your passions, to make new discoveries, and create new knowledge.

I expect you to respect one another as much as I respect each of you.  

You have great potential, and I hold you to high standards and expectations because you deserve it!

Christmas Promise

We read a Christmas devotion today that talked about advent and the promises God has made, and kept, in our lives.  It went on to suggest, as a holiday activity, creating a "Promise Tree", where each family member could hang something to represent a promise they were making for the season.  Because our lives are already hectic, and particularly this time of year, I didn't get this tradition together, but I want to make a promise of my own this season.  Writing about it will make me more accountable to it.  If you are reading this, feel free to help me in staying accountable.

I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself during Christmas, well actually all the time, but particularly at this time of year.  There are so many ways to celebrate, people to make gifts for, parties to host... All things that I love to do, but when I get overwhelmed with it all I know that it is my family that suffers along with me.

This Christmas I promise to take the time each day to enjoy my family.  I know that sounds cliche, and not very revolutionary, but I mean to be intentional about this.  I will be intentional about sitting down and being fully present with each of them. To truly enjoy each of our traditions, not just check them off the list.  Or, to do something not on the list at all, simply because it will make one of my children, or my husband, smile.  Sometimes in the busyness of taking care of my family I'm afraid I lose sight of those beautiful smiles.  I don't want to do that this Christmas- I want joy to fill our home, and I want to participate in that joy.

Opportunity or Oppression?

I have been really discouraged the last few days to hear multiple parents lamenting the Common Core, and how awful it is for kids.  They are feeling that education is damaging their children.  How can this be?  We, as educators, have never set out to damage children.  We are on the same side as parents, aren't we?  We are all working towards the goal of preparing children to be successful and productive members of society.  We may have different focuses in that preparation, but somehow we need to work together.  It is the only way we can truly succeed.

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I understand that education has been totally overwhelmed in the last few years with all different requirements, from Common Core standards to 21st Century Skills to high stakes testing, to an increased focus on College and Career Readiness, not to mention APPR.  It sometimes feels as though we teachers are like a kitten with all sorts or multicolored strings, batting them around, and eventually getting all tangled up.  Because of this tangle of seemingly unrelated strands we are frustrated, exhausted, and often unable to clearly communicate our objectives to either parents or students.

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I would love to see us instead embrace each one of those strands as an opportunity, see where they can be tied together, and like a magician pulling a rainbow ribbon out of his hat, present a unified education plan for our students that is exciting and attractive to both students and parents.   Even though we might feel it's foolish, let's look for the opportunity in the Common Core standards, 21st Century Skills, and all the rest, to encourage critical thinking skills, real life application, and more capable and confident students.

And yes, I think this is possible.

Call me an eternal optimist, but I believe we became educators for just such a challenge as this.

Infographic Tools

Over the last couple years I have been really excited about the potential of Infographics in school.  Botha visual image such as a chart or diagram used to represent information or data".  

the creation and use of them.  You may not recognize the term, but you are sure to have seen Infographics, they are everywhere.  They are defined as, "
Two years ago we expanded a 10th grade English research project to include the creation of a Website, with an Infographic.  It didn't go smoothly, mostly because we were forcing tools to do more than they were intended for.  Unfortunately, after that I haven't gotten to do another Infographic project, but I am determined to get back to that.
I have gathered some resources, one of which is a LiveBinder full of ideas and tools, and explored a few of these.
I recently worked within easel.ly to create an Infographic.  It was a super easy tool to use, with templates to use for beginners and plenty of options.  The templates themselves will help students understand what Infographics are and give them some direction.  You also had the freedom to expand on what they had by uploading images, etc.  My only warning would be to make sure you create an account (free) before creating a visual, because if you try to create your account at the end you will lose what you did.  This is the Infographic that I created for our Classroom 21 teachers to explain the process of questioning to their students.
One of the things that I really appreciate about easel.ly is that you have plenty of options of how to save your visuals.  Sometimes I get frustrated with tools because they make it difficult to extract your creation from their site.  That was not the case here, you can download to your computer, embed, or create links.
Another tool that I have used, which also gives these options for using your images is piktochart.  This is another very usable Infographic tool, although I didn't find it to have as many options for beginners (templates, icons, etc.).  It also gives you a canvas larger than 8 1/2 x 11, which can make using the final product more difficult.
Having explored these tools I am confident that we can do some successful projects with students.  In fact, I already have two teachers on board to test it out this fall.  We are preparing a project for the 7th grade math classes, and another round with the 10th grade English class.  I look forward to sharing the results!

Worthy Words

A newly married friend recently asked me what advice I would give to have a happy marriage.  Because I am terrible at giving a quality response on the spot I gave a totally inadequate answer, and have been mulling it over ever since.

I told him something like this: "Expect rough times in marriage, that no one feels 100% in love all the time, but not to give up because of those feelings."  

What a dreary picture I painted of marriage!  I desperately need to amend that picture.  It does not represent how I feel about marriage at all.  I love my husband and treasure my marriage.

So, here is the advice I would give to those who are preparing for marriage or those newly married:

Don't let rough times shock you into doubting your love for one another.  You may not always feel that spark of 1st love, but that doesn't mean it has gone out.  Take the time and energy to rekindle that flame.  

Keep your focus on the good times you have had together, and remain confident that they will return.  Many will be even better because you have struggled together.  Your love will deepen and your bond grow stronger as you experience life together as one. 

Don't lose hope in the love God has given you for your spouse.  Don't focus on the differences you have or those things that annoy you about each other.  Look for the best in one another and you will find it.  Always fight for your marriage and for one another- it is so worth it!  

These are some of the things I have experienced and learned in the first 14 years of marriage, and I look forward to learning much more as Nathan and I continue to love each other and grow together for many years to come.