Where has the time gone?

Wow! It's hard to believe this is the end of the term. It has been a good ride and I have bittersweet thoughts about the end.

Bittersweet because I am so ready for a break. A break from everything - yet I enjoy the conversations we have during class. The weekly reflection activities really helped me to learn about myself.

Now what will I do?  

Bring on the Challenge

 

Overcoming obstacles can be quite daunting at time, 

but they can also be a stepping stone to something better.  

My mission at school is to create a team that is willing to learn together, and succeed together. It certainly has been a struggle. On the other hand...it has been a positive learning experience. I know that other obstacles will arise, but I am not going to let anything get in the way of my mission! 

So bring it on world and show me what you've got!

Oh! Those Frustrations!

     The last post was about Happiness so I thought I would discuss Frustrations this time. I have talked about attracting the "happiness" attitude. Sometimes things occur in our day that makes us stressed. Take for instance, the other day, I knew my frustration level was peaking. The students were not responding to activities in the expected manner. I thought about this momentarily, then took a deep breath to try to change my attitude and not let my stress show on my face. Honestly, I was trying to get myself to start thinking positively so the stress factor would dissipate.
     During this brief moment of recollecting my positiveness, the student next to me said, "Mrs Haney....if you are frustrated, you should count to 10. If that doesn't work, then count to 100!"  We both chuckled at the same time, and the mood changed. Whether it was because I took a deep breath to change my thoughts, or that the student gave me a light hearted comment, or whether it was a combination of both, I am unsure. This train of thinking works in all aspects of our day.
     There are times when we are frustrated with our colleagues, our friends, and our family. If we could change the negativity into a positive thing or even provide others with an explanation as to why we are frustrated, I think it would go a long way. It is a starting point working toward collaboration...problem solving and working together as a unit.

Happiness

Click here for a little happiness!
Happiness is important for our well being. I chose to be happy today - for the most part anyway. I need to learn to change my attitude when things begin to take a downward turn. Sometimes I forget that I can control how the rest of the day is going to turn out, but upon reflection, I realize that I can easily change my attitude - I just need to put forth that effort, especially on those days that I do not feel so exhuberant.

Applying this principle at school is something I would like to get the students to adopt. Sure, being in a pleasant nature may rub off on others. Generally, my students get so defensive when something, or someone is bothering them, that their mood continues to spiral downward. I want to be able to empower them by showing that they can determine how a typical day would unfold.

Show case your inner spirit, it will rub off on those near you. :)
And if you are having a bad day....put a little Bob Marley in your day and start singing.