Wednesday, January 29, 2014

I am very happy to be back home! School let out at 12:00, but all the roads home closed before I could leave. LUCKILY, I have some amazing teachers at my school. One took me in, and I had a safe place to stay. I am beyond blessed. All I can think of is how beyond blessed I am that all of my kids made it home safely. I want to personally thank EVERY SINGLE TEACHER that stayed at their schools with the kids who could not make it home. Our line of work is incredibly rewarding. Saying thank you on here seems so silly, so I hope people are telling you over and over in person. You certainly deserve it! This snow has completely thrown the south off...We were certainly not prepared for it.
This is what it looked like AFTER some of the snow had melted. It doesn't seem like a lot of snow when I look at it. Once I finally got home, I took a deep breath and relaxed for an hour or so...Then, I was ready to try my new gym! That's right! John and I found a new gym that is perfect for us. I am so excited! The great thing is that it is only a mile down the road from my house. John and I made the trek out, and we went to the gym. I had not been in one since I graduated. Don't get me wrong, I love my home workouts, but I need something more. I had been losing interest. I had a wonderful workout today.

35 minutes of cardio
25 minutes of arm strength training

 
 
 
Well! School has been cancelled for tomorrow, so I will be back with a new update! Have a wonderful day, friends!
 


Sunday, January 12, 2014

Take a Risk to Put Yourself Out There

On our teacher in-service day this week, I sat in my classroom for about ten straight minutes. All I did was think about how far I have come from five and a half months ago when I first got hired. I can remember sitting in my room then with NO idea of where I was headed with my kids, lessons, and colleagues. In one word, I was terrified. I had no idea whether or not I was truly prepared to do this every day. I was shy, and I was afraid to speak in front of my co-workers for the fear of sounding like I shouldn't be there. Five and half months later, I thought about the fact that I had made it! I don't feel like it was survival mode (or at least a majority of it). My goal was for my students to learn, and I feel like I am doing that. My fears were quickly conquered when I realized that this is what I have worked for, and it is now or never. There is no time to slow down and worry. I just had to make it work. I make mistakes daily. There is no doubt about that, but I can handle them and recognize them for the future. This was enough to start my new semester in Room 911 even better than the last. I had no idea that I was about to have another life affirming moment.

I joined Twitter originally because the author of a blog I loved uses it for professional development by communicating with educators all around the globe. I took the opportunity to learn from anyone, so I joined. I was not very active. I would watch all the Twitter chats, but I would never participate. I just took the time to soak in the knowledge of the ones who I truly felt were more knowledgeable than myself. This weekend, I decided it was time to put myself out there. I joined in the Twitter chat that I was watching. What do you know? I was not torn down, but quite the opposite, I was told what a good point that was. More conversations stemmed from what I had said, and I was able to participate. I thought to myself, "I really have come a long way from who I was at the end of my college career. It is okay to try new things as a professional and as an individual."

I think so often we are afraid of making mistakes that we don't put ourselves on the line enough. This could be in our classrooms as teachers, in our personal lives, or in front of those we find intimidating. No matter what the situation is, I am learning that it is okay to put ourselves in new situations because more often than not, you will be affirmed rather than torn down. I tell my students daily, "Our class is a safe learning environment. We are here to support one another, so we will take risks, and if we make mistakes that is okay because we will learn from them to do better in the future." I wasn't living by those words...I was shying away from everything because I was afraid. This past week has taught me that it is okay. We make mistakes; that is human. It is what we do after the mistake that matters the most. The risk often turns into a wonderful story for you.

Question of the Day:
What new situation will you put yourself in this week?
Do you have a way you want to grow as a person?

Monday, January 6, 2014

Snowy Days and New Years

School is closed today (for the "snow"), so I have plenty of time to reflect and move forward, while I curl up under a warm blanket with my coffee. I cannot believe a new year is here (granted it is January 6). I have taken a good amount of time to think about what my goals for 2014 are. However, I had not taken enough time to celebrate how amazing 2013 was for me! Thank you to Sarah Ohm from My Mostly Healthy Lifestyle for making me sit down to reflect on that. Here is a list of all the great things that I accomplished or happened in my life this year:

1. I graduated with a Bachelors in Collaborative Education.
2. I got my first job, at a great school, with amazing colleagues. I have loved being a fourth grade teacher to a wonderful group of kids!
3. I was there for the birth of my twin nieces, and I have watched them grow and develop. Nothing brings more joy to my life than being an aunt to the three sweetest children I have ever met.
4. I began a workout routine that has lead me to a much healthier and happier lifestyle.
5. I spent another year with my best friend in life. I also got to watch him achieve one of his life's dreams in August!
6. I have made new friends that make my life a happier one to live.
7. I watched John graduate with his Bachelors in Music Education to start the next chapter in his life.

These are just A FEW of the things that made my year an awesome one to be in. Now, I look forward to 2014. I spent a lot of time wondering what to write about. I always struggle with New Year's resolutions because I make a long list of them. I want to make all these goals that I fail to achieve them. This year, I have thrown that idea out the door! New chapter of my life means new ideas! That being said, my goals are very specific, and the list is short.

1. Stay up to date on current events- In the past year, I have not done the reading and news watching that I normally do. I want to be current because it helps me empower myself as a citizen in this country to make decisions and opinions that are important.

2. Work out regularly using a weekly routine- I have been working out, but with my new job it has been fairly sporadic. I am a scheduler. I love a routine, so this just makes my life a little easier. Haha!

3. Stress less- John and I have discussed this goal A LOT! I definitely find things to stress out about. He wants me to make more time for myself, and I definitely think he is correct. It can be finding solace in fifteen minutes of reading, working out, laying in a bathtub, or taking a date night. Either way, some time to reflect on my day and my own happiness. :)

4. Last, but certainly not least, blog more frequently- I love the creative outlet of my blog. I want to make it bigger and better. I plan to figure out a routine to blogging. As of right now, I plan on trying to blog 3 times a week. I think if I start out smaller, I will be much more likely to write quality posts, and I can build from there.

What are your goals for the year? I would love to hear them! I also want to hear your celebrations from 2013! Don't be afraid to celebrate yourself!