Christmas=Joy

Candlelight service

Joy to the World sang with real joy

presents given and received

Rutabaga casserole baked and eaten

--or just tasted by some:-)

Tea with cinnamon and vanilla

coffee with desert trifle

Laughing and enjoying

the company

surrounded by love!

Next year 

might be so different

children moving, growing up

will traditions stay or 

adjust?

The place to celebrate may change

but the message stays the same:

"Joy to the World, the Lord is come"

Life's Treasures

I bought a gift card for a needy family;

does this make me a better person?

I hugged somebody at church today

even though I am naturally not a hugging person.

I went to help serve a dinner for the needy;

I even helped feed a man who struggles to eat by himself.

I answered some e-mails;

tried to send words of encouragements.

Then I sat down in my comfy chair, and looked around:

I have stuff--don't we all.

Do I need all the stuff that I have around me?

I gather a few things to take as extra white elephant gifts on Tuesday.

Will I miss those items?

Absolutely NOT!

Why did I then hold onto them so long?

Security?

Feeling good?

Importance?

I really don't  know.

But, what I do know is this:

there is a family at school that need Christmas presents

and I need to buy wrapping paper for their gifts.

I do know that when I listen to President Obama 

share his thought about Sandy Hook,

I need to remember to show love to my students;

I'll never know what words they will actually hear me say.

Hopefully, those words will be the words of

encouragement and  love.

Caring, challenging, and then again

loving, both the small and the big students,

that is my mission today.

Our pastor has challenged us this month to look at how we spend our time and money. He has also made us re-evaluate our possessions for their importance. How do I need to respond? This is my work in process.

Tomorrow is Today

CURIOSITY      INTEREST      PASSION     JOY

When I was listening to Dr. Pamela Moran's TED Talk (find it here: Dr. Pamela Moran's TED Talk) I started thinking about my life and my teaching in the framework of "Tomorrow is Today."

I had never heard of Dr. Pamela Moran before (maybe I should have...), but she definitely made me think about my teaching and how I do it. These are some of my thoughts as I listened to her:

"No standard solutions to standard problems"
Maybe I am a linear thinker, but I am (almost) always expecting a standard solution or at least a solution that I know about--and have encountered before--to  a problem that I face at school. Dr. Moran's speech challenges me to think more creatively: Is the problem that my student has really a standard problem? If it is not, then the solution cannot be a standard either. In other words, I am being forced to come out of my box to look at both the problem and the solution in a new way. And I am not just talking about my students, but also my teaching, curriculum and its delivery methods.

"Create problem solvers NOT problem makers"
Once again, I am faced with a new challenge: look at my students in a new light. I am basically telling myself not to put my students into a box, where they are forced to make noise, and act out in order to get out of there. Instead, I need to put on my thinking cap and figure out how my lessons can create problem solvers. I believe this is especially important for my mentees (more about this next week). This all takes time. Where do I get it from?

"Today's students are tomorrow's designers"
Dr. Moran talked about the 1960s and the race to the moon. Could I create that kind of designers in my class today? Do I want to? ABSOLUTELY!! But how do I make it happen? How do I need to change my classroom and my teaching to be aware that there are future designers in my class, and I need to foster that creativity in them. I have some ideas....maybe you get to read about them as I work on changing some thing in my classroom.

"Make each day a reflection of tomorrow"
I think this is really hard. Think about the day that everything went wrong in your classroom, and in addition, the phone never stopped ringing. How do you redeem that day and make it a reflection of tomorrow? Wait a minute, maybe I look at the day as an opportunity to create problem solvers to non-standard problems. Maybe I give students an opportunity to design a plan from their perspective that would change the "disaster day" into a redeemed day. But first, I have to jump over my own learning curve and give students the chance to be the designers and creators.

"How do we make "maker spaces"? Spaces where kids actually create not just consume."
This is hard!!!!!!!!! We live in consumer society where satisfaction is almost instant, and if it isn't, people complain. How do I create a classroom (even the furniture placement) that encourages these maker spaces where students can be creative? Do I need to do all the changing or should I also involve my students in the choice making? After all, my classroom has to function for everyone K-12 graders. What about supplies? Can I do this with really no budget?

I have ideas, but at this point I also have more questions. What about you? Do you have ideas that have worked in your classroom? Please share your ideas, and let's CREATE creative learners for tomorrow together today!

Multicultural Baby Shower

This past Saturday I had the joy of attending a baby shower for one of my Indian friends. But what was even more fun was how international it was.
We had people from four different continents attending the shower. There were even more languages spoken.

One of the interesting moments came when a man from India (yes, both females and males were present at the shower) came to tell me that he had lived in Sweden. Somehow another man heard us talking and came over speaking Swedish! He was not even from Sweden, but from Africa! I was trying really hard to recall any Swedish, but unfortunately, none came to my mind--except: Va heter dej? (=What is your name?) So sad when years of language learning disappear from lack of practice.

Nevertheless, what a fun way to spend time on Saturday afternoon!

Three months till my birthday

By twowritingteachers.com 

It is three months till my birthday. It is not a special birthday, but I thought to write my last November thankfulness blog about my birthday and everything that I associate with it.

I am thankful for my childhood birthdays. Books from my cousins and aunts, visits from friends and neighbors, treats that my mother baked at home, and loving parents who wanted to make that day special every year.

This could have been taken at our coffee table.

I am thankful for the birthdays that I spent in Asia. The love that strangers showed me on my day. The gifts that I received and the special surprises that my friends and team mates provided. I still have some of these treasures--but most of all, two of these special friends just called me last week!

Happy Birthday in Chinese.

I am thankful for the many birthdays that I have been able to spend with my daughter. I think of the coupons that I received as gifts (think foot massage or dish duty) to the many breakfasts that I have enjoyed in bed. I think about the one winter when she braved the freezing temperatures and walked to the florist to buy me flowers for my birthday! Could I ask for more?

Aren't they just lovely!

I am thankful that I have been able to celebrate my birthday with my students as well! I have received gifts, balloons, cakes and special cards that I absolutely treasure. This year one of my new students has the same birthday as I (well, obviously a different year, but who is counting, right?), so I am already planning to do something special on that day--it will be a school day after all.

I might not get to do this, but I am so glad someone did

 (www.wishbig.weebly.com)

Thanku for Thanksgiving

This is my “Thanku” for this Thanksgiving.

sun shining through today

joy bursting out with delight

thankfulness welcomed

So much to be thankful for. Not the least is my new stove. Happy cooking everyone!

Phone calls, text messages, e-mails and in-person meetings

I love phone calls, text messages, e-mails and meeting friends in person. Yes, I haven't ventured to the world of twitter yet. Maybe because I still have a really old phone--you know, no data plan.
Keeping with the idea of "thankfulness" here are some of my favorite surprises:
I had worked a long day and partly cleaned  the house; my feet were up and my favorite show was on TV. Phone rings. Do I answer or not?? Well, the election is over so it must be someone I know!
My friend from Pennsylvania! She always calls at the most interesting times; and it is always a joyful surprise! We chat...and I am already feeling her energy reaching me.
A couple of Sundays ago I was sitting at church. Towards the end I stood up and was watching down (I happened to be sitting higher up this time).  I had to look again, really, could it be???? I had not seen him or his family in a really long time. Moving to a different state, we had somehow lost touch. But here he was! What a wonderful surprise!
My weekly surprises often come in the form of a text message: "Love you mom, have a great day!" I also love this one: " Are you still at school? Want to go for dinner?"
There are also the e-mails that include an invitation for coffee, a movie, listening to a friend play music at a club. Wonderful surprises to brighten the day.
I am SO thankful for friends--both close by and far away. I count myself blessed!