Write Your Story

The word I am sharing with our elementary students during the month of December is "joy".  The book I am reading (Santa Bruce) shows a cantankerous bear who has been surrounded by good-doers who are looking to spread Christmas cheer.  Bruce begrudgingly goes along with their idea, not smiling even once.  

I would think that if outsiders wrote stories about Bruce, they would vary.  Some would call out his grouchy demeanor.  Others would recognize that he did good deeds though not willingly.  Some may point out that he opened his home to others.  Yet others would say that he hated everything and everyone that wasn't him or sleeping.

Not many of us will have great stories written about us.  As of now, no one is knocking on my door to write a book about my life.  I am thinking that if I want my story to be told, all the moments of joy and the moments of crabbiness, it will have to come from me.  But if I really think about it, the one time a great story will be written about me is when I have no say in what will be written.  It will be my obituary.

Wow.

So much for talking about joy.

The point is...what do you want your final story to say?  What do you want people to write about you?  Do you want them to be honest?  Do you want them to sugarcoat it a little bit?  What do you want them to tell?

It is important to remember that every day we are writing our story.  Many times we are placing the pen in someone else's hand.  The kid who you pulled aside today to ask how they were doing...what will they write about you?  The parent you called to talk about an academic concern...what will they write about you?  The colleague who you helped out by covering their class so they could use the restroom...what will they write about you?  While you can't write the words for them, you can give them things to write about you are positive, loving, and complimentary.

Don't be afraid to take the pen in the direction you want it to go.  Will being crabby like Bruce see kind words written about you?  Probably not.  Will showing small gestures of kindness change the words that are put on paper?  It can't hurt.

Keep showing joy this season...and all year long.

(Since I mention obituaries...read this one...it is great! https://www.fayobserver.com/obituaries/m0028451 )

Joy to the World!

Hello December!

Hello snow!

Hello calendar madness!

Hello treats in the lounge every day...which leads to...hello my pants not fitting!

Hello to a feeling at work that is only matched in April!

Through all the madness, it may be hard to find joy.  It may be hard to find joy when you are trying to meet deadlines.  It may be hard to find joy when you are stressed about the behaviors of students.  It may be hard to find joy when you have a million papers to correct.  But if we look...and sometimes we may have to look really hard...there is joy to be found.

Joy can be found in the littlest smile when a student experiences some of the magic of the season (Ask an elementary teacher about this...magic is all around!).  Joy can be found in the completion of a project that you have seen your students work really hard on.  Joy can be found when seeing a student help another student out.  Joy can be found crossing off something on your to-do list.  Joy can be just making it through the day. Sometimes joy is just a little blip...sometimes it is something much bigger.

While you may feel like you are being tested during this time, don't forget to find the joy in your day.  It is there.  Look for it.  Share it.  And rejoice in it.

May these last weeks of 2021 find you full of love, joy, and peace.  

The Need for Light

 November is here.  Do you all feel this way or is it just me?

Between the cold, the darkness, and the stress we begin to feel overwhelmed. We may begin to doubt our abilities to be effective and to get things done.  We may also begin to be anxious about what is on our plate.  I could list a million other feelings, but know that all of them end with you feeling dark.

The darkness can be scary.  The darkness can be hard to take.  The darkness can feel like it is never going to end.  Our bodies, minds, and souls begin to crave light.

But here is the good thing. Through this dark, comes the light...and it comes at the perfect time.

It comes in the form of Christmas lights.  It comes in the form of smiles on kids' faces when they talk about Santa.  It comes in the mail with every Christmas card that you will get.  It comes from a recipe of your grandmother's that you only use during this time of the year.  It comes from giving to those who need it the most. Light can come from anywhere.

I encourage you all to look for the light.  Turn to it.  And more importantly, try to be the light in someone else's life.

Have a blessed and restful Thanksgiving.

Rival Time...Again

It is again time for the annual Dakota Marker game.  This showdown between SDSU and NDSU is an event that many fans wait for all year long.  In the past, I have talked about how this game, this rivalry, runs deep me and for our family.  Some of us teach our children the best teams in the conference and ensure their first words are "Boo USD" or "Boo NDSU".  See the example below:

Is it bad to have a rival or nemesis?  (Maybe that is a better word to describe the feeling Jacks fans have about NDSU in football)  Does it make you bitter?  Does it make you mean?  Does having a nemesis make you negative?  Does it make you focus on the can'ts and don'ts?  

Or can having a nemesis or rival be a good thing?  Does it make you constantly strive to do better?  To work harder?  To give a little more?  Does it light a fire under you to prove people wrong?  

In life, we all have our own nemeses.  It could be a certain food.  It could be a habit...or a habit you are trying to instill.  It could be a person.  It could be a lesson.  It could be something in technology.  They are out there and they are real.

I challenge you to look at the nemeses differently.  You may look at them as a roadblock.  You may look at them as something you will never overcome so why try.  Look at them as something to light a fire under you...to push you to do better.  Yet know that not everything will be conquered easily.  Not everything will be overcome in one meeting.  It may take time.  You may have to ask for help. You may have to work hard.  But don't give up.  Do what you can to overcome these things.  You will walk away with a feeling of great accomplishment.

And hopefully the Jacks walk away with the Dakota Marker this weekend.

Frog and Toad are Smart

While I like to think I write this blog as an inspiration to all of you, I often find that I write it for myself.  I look at that counter of how many people actually read my posts (like the last one was only 5), but I still keep putting them out.  I guess I hope that someone will need a pick me up on a day and they will find it in the words that I put down on this blog.  For myself, it also gives me a place to go back and see where I was at in a particular year.

As I have stated before, I look to Twitter and Instragram for inspiration about life and our profession, but also as a place to get a few laughs.  It is always good to hear that other people may be experiencing the same struggles as you or may be laughing at the same things that you do.

A recent Twitter feed I found is "Frog and Toad Bot".  This feed produces a new tweet from the words of the Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel every three hours.  Do you remember Frog and Toad?  Frong and Toad are best friends..  They share all sort of adventures together.  Frog and Toad books are often some of the first chapter books new readers begin to explore.  As a first grade teacher, I never knew these books were that deep, but seeing what the Twitter bot generates, I am thinking Frog and Toad is a good place to turn to for some wisdom.  Here are a few examples:

Find your sources of inspiration and joy.  You need not look hard or need not look for someone famous.  Some times the best words may come from some place simple like a Frog and Toad book.

Keep doing what you are doing.  Keep being great.  Keep finding joy.

 

TGIF (on a Tuesday)

TGIF.

The letters mean different things to different people.  Most people associate it with "Thank God It's Friday", but some of us remember it as the following:

When we are often stressed or overwhelmed, we are looking to the end.  We can't wait for it to be over.  We become thankful for something to be over and are ready to just move on.  If these last two years have taught us anything, it is that often things don't end, we can't move on, but rather we must adjust and adapt.  And that is hard. (I have done enough posts about change that I won't bore you with more words on that)

We can approach the end of each week with a sense of relief that the week is over or we can approach it with a sense of joy.  YOU MADE IT ANOTHER WEEK!  YOU HAVE DONE IT! Even in the hardest weeks, there are points of light.  You must find those points of light and cherish them.   You can use TGIF to think and reflect on what the week has meant to you.  Every week is an opportunity to reflect, learn and grow.  

Roots and Wings

This past weekend, Elk Nation held its Hall of Fame Banquet and Ceremony.  Each year, the group inducts athletes, coaches, contributors, or sponsors into the Hall of Fame.  Some of these inductees have been far removed from Elkton for many years.  Some inductees have left Elkton and returned, while others have never left.  It is always an amazing night to hear them talk about their time at Elkton:  who were their influences and what their time here has meant to them.

Inductees reflected on their time in Elkton, as well as how they grew in places far beyond Elkton.  To summarize their words:  Elkton gave them roots...and Elkton gave them wings.  They stated it felt good to come back and they knew that Elkton would always be home.  They acknowledge that their success here and in their other towns was because of the foundation they received here.  

For a few years, South Dakota State University had the motto "You Can Go Anywhere From Here".  Listening to these inductees speak, that motto rings true for our school.  We heard someone talk about their work with charities in Honduras.  Another reflected on their championships as a coach in a large AA school, while another talked about the relationships and care she took for all their students in our school.  Elkton was a place for them to grow...to learn...and to serve others.  

We have been blessed with the job of giving our students the skills necessary for them to find success, not only here, but in the world beyond the 57026 zip code.  We know that not all of them will "get it" in their time here.  For some, it takes them for a few years past their time in Elkton for it to click.  We are also blessed that our experiences here give us the skills necessary to keep challenging and shaping us.  We may not realize it, but Elkton is giving us all roots and wings.  We are establishing relationships and we are developing skills as educators that allow us to take risks.  

I am proud that this is the place where I have been given roots.  I am proud of the experiences I have had here as a student and educator to give me wings.  That has come about because of the amazing teachers I had and the amazing people I have worked with.  

Keep working hard.  You never know when your influence may be the thing that helps our students (and staff) find success.

My Favorite Shoes

We all have favorite things.  It could be a type of food, a movie, an item of clothing, a subject, or a person.  They are things we turn to.  They wrap us like a warm blanket. They often make us feel good and bring us happiness.  When we have had a tough day, they are the things we turn to.

I often wonder how favorites become favorites. Maybe it is an item that got us through a hard time.  Maybe it is something that we have just always used.  It might be something that just clicks with us.  Favorites often carry memories for us. They take us to a place and time that was meaningful in our lives.  I also feel that sometimes favorites become favorites because they are the things that make us comfortable.

Take this pair of shoes.

This pair of purple tennis shoes are my favorite.  They have seen a lot of miles.  They were with me when I ran (all the way through) my first 5k.  They have walked and ran many miles in the halls of Elkton School.  They have helped me climb trails when camping.  They were the shoes I wore when I went through my melanoma surgeries and lumpectomy. I have taken them to other countries with me. They are purple (my second favorite color) and they are comfortable.  I have tried buying other shoes, but I always come back to these purple Asics.

This summer these shoes got me from one end of the building to another, through piles of dust, mudding, and glue.  I began to notice that this pair of shoes was not going to come clean. After all these miles (and very little tread left), I began to prepare myself to put these shoes aside.  I have had many conversations with myself about letting them go.  Shoes are expensive.  Do I really need a new pair? These shoes are comfortable.  I might not like how a new pair feels.  It will take a while to break new shoes in.  They might give me blisters.  I should just hang on to these and keep wearing them.

Sometimes our teaching can be like this pair of purple shoes.  We hang on to a lesson or a procedure because it is comfortable.  It may be our favorite thing to teach, but it is no longer part of our standards for our grade or subject area.  We may be fearful of trying something new.  It may be messy.  It may hurt.  It may be uncomfortable.  We may say we have always done it this way (Insert Kelly's line of:  it is ok to teach 20 years...just don't teach the same year 20 times). So we often talk ourselves out of it.  Doing so, we may miss out on an opportunity to see growth in our students and ourselves.  We may overlook something that will bring us (and our students) joy.

So...I challenge you to try that new lesson.  Try something new.  It may not be perfect to begin with, but as you keep going, you will break it in.  It will become yours.  You may find that this new thing is your new favorite.

Let's hope that is true about my new black Brooks.

August Scaries

I am writing this to you in August.  

August.  This little word can be a big buzzkill for teachers.  We know what it means.  It is the end of something exciting.  But we must remember it is the beginning of something exciting too.

You probably don't want to see this.  You may get the back to school letter from the school and groan. (Be aware...they will be arriving this week).

But here it is.  It is time to begin a new school year.

I always think that we are fortunate to be able to have a new start each year.  We can hope for the best and plan for the worst and anticipate that it will fall somewhere in between.  We are given the opportunity each summer to relax, but also to reflect.  What went well about the year?  What didn't go so well?  What can I change?  What can I do better?  What can I do to make a difference in the lives of our students?

So I ask you to spend these last few weeks soaking up the sunshine (with sunscreen on) and reflecting on the upcoming year.  Make some goals.  Write them down.  Get yourself ready to tackle the year.  Remind yourself it is ok to feel uncertain about what to expect or to feel overwhelmed with the thought of not everything being done before that first day.  Focus on what you can control...and push through that.

I look forward to seeing everyone in these upcoming weeks.

Closing the Door

June is here.  Most of you are sitting on your deck this fine morning drinking your HOT coffee, not thinking about school.  You have been able to decompress and unwind from the craziness of this past year.

It is hard to think that it has been three weeks since our students were last here.  In that time, A LOT of changes have taken place.  The building looks completely different.  It is exciting to see all the visions we had come to life before our eyes.  It has meant that I have moved three times during these three weeks.  My little mobile crate is getting a workout.

I have found myself working on tasks to end the 2020-2021 school year, but also tasks to prepare for the 2021-2022 school year.  In the past, the passing from one school year to the next was pretty uneventful.  I knew the tasks that needed to be completed, got them done, and prepped for what the year would bring.  While the construction and remodel is adding a degree of uncertainty to that prep (as well as the nagging c-word...what will that add to planning for the year?), the biggest uncertainty for me is the change in tasks for myself.  We all experience a bit of fear of the unknown for the new year.  What classes will I be teaching?  What students will I have?  How will this new curriculum work?  Will my supplies all be here in time?  We may prep ourselves and classrooms for things we will use every day or perhaps that we will never use.  What is great is that every year brings the opportunity for growth, change, and success.  That is what I am looking for with this new opportunity for me.

I thought I would share the following with you as I begin to close the door on the 2020-2021 school year and walk to a new door (while there is no door on that office...or walls...but there is a BIG beautiful hole to the outside for a window!).  I shared this with friends and families after graduation.  

I have just completed my last official duty as the high school principal in Elkton. I graduated my last class of seniors today.

As I close the door this afternoon on the junior high and high school principal’s office, I have many feelings.

-I am sad to leave a JH/HS staff that was always up for my crazy team-building ideas. I am grateful for them and what I have taken away from my experiences in their rooms.

-I am sad to leave a level where you see students really start to get “it”. By “it”, I mean life. They understand that what we as educators are doing goes way beyond just academics. We want them to become good people. They become adults right before our eyes! It is a really cool thing to see!

-I am excited to get back to my roots. I am an elementary person. I like Go Noodle. I like songs. I like when kids like my songs. I am excited to be the person to lead our fine elementary school.

-I am nervous. Change is always hard but I know I have a great staff that is in my corner. I don’t want to let them down. I worry about what I am leaving behind but I know this split will allow me to narrow my focus. Our JH/HS students and staff will be in good hands.

-I can’t really explain how grateful I am for the 10 years I have spent at Elkton as a K-12 principal. I am a better educator and better person for having been in the position to help students through the entire gamut of their education.

Thank you to all for the support!

I thank you all for all you do.  Those are not just words.  I truly thank you for everything you do for our school and students.  May you have a summer full of laughs, relaxation, and fun!

Be Persistent. Be Strong. Be in Awe.

 As we approach these final weeks, please remember to be persistent and strong, but breathe.  During the hustle and bustle, take time to be in awe of what lies around us...even those things that can be difficult.  There is beauty is around us even when it seems like we are in a field of weeds.

Dan Rather has said it SO much better than me.  Check out his blog post below.  It is full of beautiful words and beautiful pictures.

https://steady.substack.com/p/sowing-awe

Have a good week!

Keep Going!

 It is here.  That magical time of year where the sun is beginning to shine and the grass is turning green.  The world is full of new life!  Baby animals are born!  Flowers are blooming!  The world is waking up from the long stretch of winter.  Spring is here.

While the description of the outside world awaking during Spring seems magical, there is a different awakening that is occurring in schools.

It is the end of the school year crazies.

It seems students are waking from their long winter's nap.  They begin to do things they would have never thought about doing two months prior.  Questions begin rolling in about extra credit.  They begin to ask if everything is for a grade.  The countdown to the last day of school has begun.  As teachers, we have reached our max.  We are tired.  We are sick of state testing.  We look at the calendar and realize there is no more room for any more "things".  The feel of school is just different than it were a mere two weeks ago.  The awakening has begun.

It is always during these times that we can get down.  We can get irritated.  We can get growly.  We can give up.  But it is during this time our kids need us the most.  They need us to engage them in meaningful lessons.  They need us to keep asking about their days.  They need us to help them finish strong.

Take the time to reflect on your year.  There have been good days.  There have been bad days.  There have been tough days.  There have been easy days.  But each day has helped you and your students blossom and grow this year.

This link list 20 good questions to ask yourself as we begin to wrap up our year.  

https://minds-in-bloom.com/20-teacher-end-of-year-reflection/

Keep going strong!  You are rock stars!

Team Hoyt

 Are there ever times that you feel like you just suck?  Like you feel that you are failing as a teacher?  As a parent?  As a son or daughter?  A sibling?  Or just about being a human being?  We have all been there.  Every one of us.  There are tons of great stories out there about humans who are doing great things.  We find ourselves drawn to their stories.  I think part of the reason is that their stories cause us to recognize our flaws.  They make us see things that we think are impossible to do are possible.

I first read a story about one of these amazing people back in 2005 in "Sports Illustrated".  They had done a story of Dick and Rick Hoyt aka "Team Hoyt".  Dick Hoyt is the father of Rick.  When Rick was born, his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and he suffered a lack of oxygen.  Because of this, Rick has severe disabilities and is in a wheelchair.  Dick and his wife advocated hard for their son.  They fought for him.  Like all parents, they loved their son and were willing to do anything for them.  But there was a time when doing anything for their son set Dick and Rick on a path much longer and greater than either imagined.

When Rick was a senior, he wanted to do a race that had been put together for a classmate who had been in an accident.  So Dick pushed Rick in that race even though he was 36 years old and not a runner.  They finished second to last, but that race began an adventure of heart, soul, and love.

Together, Dick and Rick ran over 30 Boston Marathons. They ran 6 full IronMans.  If you are not familiar, the Iron Man is a triathlon where you run, swim, and bike.  The Boston Marathon is 26 miles and you have to qualify for the race.  The idea of doing these races is mindblowing, but to think about doing them while pushing a wheelchair for 26.2 miles, biking for 112 miles with someone sitting in the front of your bike and swimming for 2.4 miles while pulling a raft with a person on it seems impossible.  But Dick did it.  And you know why?  Because of how it made Rick feel.  Rick stated he felt like he wasn't handicapped when he was running

During these years, people have rallied around Team Hoyt, evening running for Dick as he recovered from heart attacks and procedures.  People were inspired by their story.  But maybe more so by the pure love this man showed for his son.

Dick Hoyt died yesterday in his sleep at the age of 80.  

As I saw the news on Twitter, I got very sad about a man I never met passing away.  Was I inspired by his story?  I do know that once I decided as an old lady to run (and I never did track in high school), I often thought about Dick and Rick.  When it got tough and I didn't think I could push through, I thought about them.

But I think I was sad because it had me reflecting that during those times I think I suck and I see amazing humans like this, maybe...just maybe I haven't found my purpose yet.  Maybe my moment isn't here yet.  Dick and Rick sucked when they first started too. But they found their stride.  I mean Dick had to qualify for the Boston Marathon in the 20 year old category as a 40 year old man.  And he did.  But it took a lot of miles to get there.  He did not throw in the towel right away.  

So...you may think today sucks.  Or that you are no good at something.  Remember that maybe you haven't hit your stride yet.  Think about who you are running for.  Maybe the best part of your race is yet to come.  

Here are some videos of Team Hoyt.  I think I shared one YEARS ago at an in-service.  I have also included the one that is a music video for MercyMe's "I Can Only Imagine".  Watch that one with a Kleenex or two.

We Got This

How are we feeling about things?

Like this:

Or maybe like this:

It is hard to believe that March 2020 was only a year ago.  It feels much longer than that.  New teachers (or those who aren't new, but didn't get to experience in-person learning this time of the year last year):  Buckle up.

We are all feeling...what is the word?  Blah?  Yuck?  Sad?  Defeated? Tired?  We are ready for winter to be over (which we know that March in South Dakota is sometimes more winter than Decemeber, January or February).  We are yearning for sunshine.  We are ready to put the snow boots away and break out the flip flops.  Add onto this cabin fever, the feeling of the "old normal" not being present in our lives for almost a year and the feeling is amplified by a hundred...maybe a thousand.  We are tired.  We are over it.  Big time.

The need to come together in the spring as teachers has always been important, but this year more so than ever.  Take the time to touch base with your colleagues.  Drop them a line of encouragement.  Seek out people who will help you cultivate good within yourself.  We know that when we feel good, we do better for our students.  Find what keeps you going and don't be afraid to share it with others.  It may be just what they need to keep on the path during this time.

I look to friends, families, Twitter and Instagram to find inspiration.  I have shared Jon Gordon before and I will share again.  Start each week with a good mindset.  When things feel blah and you feel defeated, remember that you got this.  We got this together.

 

Rescue Me

This past weekend, one of Khloe's cats took a little vacation.  Little Jack (who is not little) has been known to take time away from our house, but he had always done it in the summer or spring.  So when the second day passed and there was no sign of him, I began to worry.  What was he doing?  Where was he staying?  Three days passed and no Little Jack.

When we returned home from ball games on Tuesday night, we heard a meow.  It was a loud, scared meow.  Treading through the snow (in my dress pants and Chucks) and into the tree line, I discovered Little Jack in a tree.  Not just any tree, but a very large, very old, and very straight cottonwood tree.  It was clear he was scared, cold, and hungry.  And it was clear he couldn't get down.  He needed to be rescued.

After some tears from Khloe (and a few bats of her eyes), John headed to town and got a double ladder from the fire department and did what firemen do with cats in a tree.  He rescued him. (If you have time, have Khloe tell you the story of this.  It is pretty good...I was a little scared for both the cat and the husband, but they both made it down safely.)

Khloe stated that she wished Little Jack could talk in order to tell us why he was in the tree.  How long had he called for help?  Why did he think climbing a tree was a good idea? She stated it was a night full of emotions:  sadness because we couldn't find Little Jack, then happiness, and then fear because he couldn't get down.

I don't tell this story in order to talk about the cats...I leave that to Khloe.  I tell this story for two reasons.

1.  There are going to be times that we need to be rescued.  Sometimes we get ourselves in sticky situations and we need someone to help pull us out.  People may rescue us through their words, through their actions, or both.  It can be a big gesture (like climbing a ladder at 10:45 at night, in the dark, when it is 4 degrees outside) or little (like giving you a breather for five minutes).  It is important to recognize when you or others need to be rescued and step up to help out or to find help.

2.  There are days when we are going to want more information.  Why is this kid doing this?  Why didn't they do their homework? What is going on at home?  We may never find those answers.  But if we ask questions, observe and communicate, we can get a better feel on what is happening.  No matter what the age of our students we need to communicate with parents.  DoJo, email, paper notes, Classroom...not every child is telling their parents what is happening and what they are doing.  These gestures help us to build relationships of trust.  By doing so, when someone is in the full range of emotions or are in a situation where they need to be rescued, they will turn to us to help them.  We in turn will know when they need help.

When the great cat rescue was done and we were in the house, Khloe told Little Jack that he needed to make better choices because John wasn't going to keep climbing ladders to rescue him.  The same is true in life.  If you keep making a mistake, it is hard for people to run to rescue you.  You have to be willing to recognize that you needed help and then take the steps to change and adapt so you don't need to be rescued from that situation again.  Khloe told Little Jack for him it meant no more vacations...no more chasing animals...no more tree climbing!

Here's to hoping that cat is a good listener.

Well...

2021.  

What a start.

So this first week was more than any of us could imagine.  I sat in my office after school yesterday and felt like I was watching a movie.  It was unreal.  It is days like this that can drive us to negativity and despair.  We can loose hope.  We can grow bitter.  We can only see things as bad.

But you know what?  Things are ok.  They aren't great.  They aren't fantastic. But they aren't horrible.  They are ok.  And I am going to be ok with ok.  There is so much that I can't control that focusing on only those items could make me feel like all is lost.  But what about the things I can control?  What about the gifts I have been given?  I have so much to give thanks for, so I am going to be ok with ok.

Though it is hard, I can make things better than ok.  I can choose to find good, do good, and be good.  Perhaps if we all find good, do good, and be good, that hope we have for 2021 will be fulfilled.