Greater Happenings

Caught in a life or death situation, what would your reaction be? Running your first 5K and you approach the finish line, what would your reaction be? Losing at the game of Monopoly, what would your reaction be?
There are points in our lives where we will feel a feeling of defeat. There are points in our lives where we will feel a feeling of success.
What reaction will we express in that moment?
Empowerment.
How? How can we feel empowered?
When educators feel supported their outlook on education changes.  The trials become challenges. The failures become opportunities.  The negative mindset becomes shades of growth. All we need is support.  We need to know that we are valued. We need to know that we are heard.  We need to know that mountains will be moved for us. We need to know that it is okay to take risks.  We need to know we are trusted.

Often educators who are in empowering positions take for granted the support that they have, until they are exposed to the reality of the "outs…

Home.  Our home can be seen through two different lenses.
The lens of Comfort: Where we find certainty, peace, love, support, warmth, trust, devotion, laughing, safety, time, opinions...The lens of Disarray: Where we find doubt, disgust, yelling, sadness, scariness, abuse, fighting, selfishness, busy, hiding, shunning... 
For the students who come with a "lens of comfort", they will strive in an environment created to make them feel safe, loved, and supported.  They are used to it... they do not have to get out of their comfort zone. They are already at "home".




For the students who come with a "lens of disarray", their heart is harden, tough, and unbreakable.  They are not used to an environment of comfort; reassurance is key. 



Every situation has its own face, but here are a few ways to soften a harden heart: Listen with intent. Persistence even with resistance. Student voice with choice. Stability from hostility. Prove it.
We know our students. We know t…

Everything has a color...
the grass is greenthe sky is bluea rainbow is ROYGBIVthe walls in our housesthe cars we drivethe animals who surround usfamous logos that is seen on a daily basis

One of the most relevant [research findings] today remains “Theory of Colours” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, which was first published in 1810.

Every color has a positive and negative emotion tied to it... According to research conducted by Colour Affects in London, 
YELLOW. EmotionalPositive: Optimism, confidence, self-esteem, extraversion, emotional strength, friendliness, creativity. Negative: Irrationality, fear, emotional fragility, depression, anxiety, suicide.BLUE. Intellectual.Positive: Intelligence, communication, trust, efficiency, serenity, duty, logic, coolness, reflection, calm.Negative: Coldness, aloofness, lack of emotion, unfriendliness.GREEN. BalancePositive: Harmony, balance, refreshment, universal love, rest, restoration, reassurance, environmental awareness, equilibrium, peace. Neg…

We are always wanting to see "growth". Growth in ourselves, in our students, in our faculty, in our financial status, in our children... You get the idea. Growth is expected. Growth shows healthiness. Growth proves success. Growth drives us.  Growth is beautiful.

To see growth:
Step 1: You must plant a "seed".

What "seeds" have you planted lately?
Everything has a beginning.  Seeds are the beginning of growth.  We have so many chances to plant seeds throughout our daily lives; smiling at a cashier, giving a hug, and words of affirmation, supporting others, modeling choice making, getting out of your comfort zone, going to a professional develoment... Without seeds... there will be NO growth.  Take a chance and spread "seeds"!


Step 2: You must nurture the "seed".


How do you nurture your "seeds"?
Once a seed has been planted, we must not forget about it. We must continue to take care of it; answering questions, on-going support, l…

Google Classroom has CHANGED my life!  Although, as I reflect, I remember the song lyrics, At first I was afraid, I was petrified... Well, I think you have the idea.

So, I have created several how-to videos to help introduce you to GOOGLE CLASSROOM!

"Enough" has many faces.
The "enough" I want to focus on today is enough as a determiner.  We have no idea how much this six-letter word effects our lives on a daily basis: professionally and personally. Am I doing enough?Have I done enough?Are there enough?Will there be enough? As humans, we strive to be enough... that is all we want, to be viewed as enough...
enough in the eyes of our family...enough in the eyes of our community...enough in the eyes of our colleagues...enough in the eyes of those we love...enough in the eyes of those who are scoring an application...enough in the eyes of those who we teach... Why does this word drive us? Acceptance.   We all want to feel accepted.  We all want to be praised for our effort and work. We all want to be a part of a "game-changer".We all want to be the best at want we a passionate about.
If we feel this way on a daily basis, can you imagine how our students feel? Which leads me to this question...
What are you …