Do you ever wish you could get a do over?
What about a chance to rewind and "air brush" the mistakes you have made?
We are have become a photoshop society. We take picture after picture, finding the "right one" only to add some special filter or manipulate the picture in photoshop to change lighting, the color of our clothes or even a body feature.
The magazine Vanity Fair has made the news recently for their Oscar cover. It wasn't for the multitude of star power on the cover, but rather the photoshopping that occurred on the cover. Usually we assume photoshopping has occurred. I mean..no one has teeth that white or arms that skinny. In fact, there was a photoshop that occurred on the cover that people were not aware of. A star who has been in the spotlight due to allegations had been completely photo shopped out of the spread. No one knew. It was done that well.
But then there was the photo shopping that wasn't done well...at all.
https://www.boredpanda.com/vanity-fair-photoshoot-photoshop-fails/
While we may think there are times during our day we could use a little photoshop to make our picture of how that lesson went or how that kiddos is behaving pretty, it can turn out to distort the real beauty.
The beauty of that lesson that you think you bomb? The kid who never "gets it" may have went home with an understanding of what you were talking about. The principal may have stopped in and saw some really great things you didn't notice. Shaving a little off the edges of your lesson would have changed those things for that kid and for your observer.
The kiddo who is not behaving? If you photoshopped him out of your class how would things change? While you think it may make things easier, what have you done to that kiddo and those kiddos who made connections with him? I know it is hard to see the natural beauty...I struggle with it too. Like the cover of Vanity Fair, it would be like he wasn't even there, but the experience you and your kiddos had with this student wouldn't exist. These are often the kiddos who remember you and make you a better teacher.
It is ok to look at our classroom through a filter of sunshine and rainbows on those down days. It may be what gets you to tomorrow. But don't cut out or delete those hard times. If you step back and reflect afterwards, you will be able to see there is something naturally beautiful there.
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Monday, January 22, 2018
January is STILL Here...
I am sure many people (maybe including me) had this reaction when we watched the updated storm maps each hour yesterday and the snow kept moving south.
I suspect that for some Vikings fans, the need for a snow day was even greater after that loss.
What is it about a snow day? You are hard pressed to find anything that makes teachers and students so giddy...waiting and waiting for the phone to ring. Remember back in the old days, watching the news for your school's name on the bottom of the screen? It never failed...right before they would get to your school, it would go to commercial!
Why do get so hyped up about an unexpected day off? I think it has to do with the fact that it is January. January is a long month in the world of education. Coming off a break, doing some retraining, adjusting to writing 2018 and not 2017, no sunshine, everybody getting sick, the cold, inside recess, every night full of activities...I could keep listing the things that make January feel so long. There are 31 days in this month, just like a handful of other months, but it just feels so long.
What are you doing with those 31 days? Are you making the most of every day within your classroom? Are you trying out new activities? Are you engaging our students during a time when we are all struggling with the "blahs"? Are you making each a day a great day for our students? Take advantage of each day and make it a great one!
The end of January is in sight! But remember...
I suspect that for some Vikings fans, the need for a snow day was even greater after that loss.
What is it about a snow day? You are hard pressed to find anything that makes teachers and students so giddy...waiting and waiting for the phone to ring. Remember back in the old days, watching the news for your school's name on the bottom of the screen? It never failed...right before they would get to your school, it would go to commercial!
Why do get so hyped up about an unexpected day off? I think it has to do with the fact that it is January. January is a long month in the world of education. Coming off a break, doing some retraining, adjusting to writing 2018 and not 2017, no sunshine, everybody getting sick, the cold, inside recess, every night full of activities...I could keep listing the things that make January feel so long. There are 31 days in this month, just like a handful of other months, but it just feels so long.
What are you doing with those 31 days? Are you making the most of every day within your classroom? Are you trying out new activities? Are you engaging our students during a time when we are all struggling with the "blahs"? Are you making each a day a great day for our students? Take advantage of each day and make it a great one!
The end of January is in sight! But remember...
Monday, January 8, 2018
Elvis May Be In Your Classroom
Happy birthday Elvis Presley! Today the King of Rock and Roll would have been 83.
As we begin a new semester, take some advice from the King and run with it.
"Ambition is like a V8 engine."
Elvis loved cars. And motorcycles. And anything that would go fast.
If you have ambition, you can go anywhere. Your wish list is just a list if you keep it written down. You must do something with it and once you start, it is hard to stop. Gather up a little fire within you and get moving on those things you would like to do.
"When things go wrong, don't go with them."
When you see wrong, address it. Don't ignore it. If we continue to let little things that are wrong pass, the often become big things. We all know that when we surround ourselves with negative things, we become negative. Step away. Don't get sucked into the mind set of complaining and seeing the negative.
"Do something worth remembering."
You are doing this everyday. You have the great opportunity to present our students with new and exciting things. Remember...students won't remember a worksheet or a test, but they will remember that project, that simulation, or that play you did within your class. Find something that will stand out to them LONG after they are gone.
There are many more quotes on this page (http://mentalfloss.com/article/90653/20-memorable-elvis-presley-quotes), but I chose those I felt best related to us beginning a new semester.
Think about it...someone out there had Elvis in their class. What did they do to help this young man see his potential? What did they do to help him become one of the few people that needs only one name? What was it they did to make him feel like he was going to find success...even if it was meant to be that he was driving the truck for Crown Electric for the rest of his life? You may have the next Elvis in your room. What will you do to help him find his voice?
"Ambition is like a V8 engine."
Elvis loved cars. And motorcycles. And anything that would go fast.
If you have ambition, you can go anywhere. Your wish list is just a list if you keep it written down. You must do something with it and once you start, it is hard to stop. Gather up a little fire within you and get moving on those things you would like to do.
"When things go wrong, don't go with them."
When you see wrong, address it. Don't ignore it. If we continue to let little things that are wrong pass, the often become big things. We all know that when we surround ourselves with negative things, we become negative. Step away. Don't get sucked into the mind set of complaining and seeing the negative.
"Do something worth remembering."
You are doing this everyday. You have the great opportunity to present our students with new and exciting things. Remember...students won't remember a worksheet or a test, but they will remember that project, that simulation, or that play you did within your class. Find something that will stand out to them LONG after they are gone.
There are many more quotes on this page (http://mentalfloss.com/article/90653/20-memorable-elvis-presley-quotes), but I chose those I felt best related to us beginning a new semester.
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