November Blogging Challenge: Developing an Attitude of Gratitude

Day 9

What is one way you could develop the Attitude of Gratitude in your classroom or school? Try it out and let us know how it went in a couple of weeks.

A couple of years ago (yikes...I just checked and realized it was back in 2005 or 2006) I went to a conference session about putting drops in other people's buckets.  The presenters were using the book How Full Is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath and Donald Clifton.  The authors use a classic metaphor of a bucket and a dipper in relation to how every interaction with others can have a positive or negative impact.  Everyone has the opportunity to use his or her dipper to either fill or empty someone else's bucket.  In addition, when you use your dipper to fill someone else's bucket, you actually get your filled, too.

The presenters gave us copies of these droplets to use in our classes and at our school as a visual way to fill other people's buckets.  I used them for the rest of that year, but I haven't really used them since.  I see the book on my shelf, and I see the droplets in my filing cabinet; however, I have to admit to letting this really great way to encourage each other get dusty.  I will have to start this up again in my classes and/or in the teacher's lounge.   Thanks, Blogging Challenge, for reminding me about the importance of developing the Attitude of Gratitude.

November Blogging Challenge: Memories are Made of This...

Day 8

Write about a memorable moment in your classroom and how it reminded you about why you love what you do.

Most of us teachers who have taught for any length of time have plenty of stories, both good and bad, that have influenced how we feel about our chosen profession.  I am no different.  I can spin tale after tale about my students and how they either frustrate or fascinate me--sometimes at the same time.

One such memorable moment occurred in my creative writing class a couple of years ago.  We were in the poetry unit, and the kids were filling out an imagery chart while studying a slice of orange.  One of my students was having trouble with going beyond the literal.

He was getting frustrated because all could see was the "orange-y-ness" of the orange.  His chart had one entry for each of the senses: "orange."  For visual imagery, he wrote "orange."  For olfactory imagery, he wrote, "orange."  For taste imagery, he wrote, "orange."  See the pattern?  He was looking only at the obvious and not delving beyond. We started a discussion (well, I call such exchanges of information discussions... some might call it an argument) about the slice of orange on his plate.  He kept saying that the orange was just an orange, unable--or unwilling--to see it as anything more.

I asked him to try using the orange in a simile.  He didn't want to because he didn't think he was good at poetry. We argued...er..discussed...for a bit more when he seemed to have an epiphany; he had that moment of clarity that we teachers want for our students.  He said the orange was like a sun in a blue sky because it was a of orange on a blue paper plate.  I agreed with him.  He was surprised because he thought I'd be mad it was so simple.  I told him that simple is beautiful and thoughtful.  In fact, I told him I was going to use his simile in a poem, and he should do the same.  My poem became a blog post in July of 2012.  His...well, I'm sure that he has kept it because he loved it so much.  Maybe.

I saw him at homecoming this year.  He told me he was changing his major to education because he realized how much he enjoys sharing his knowledge.  He also told me that it was because of experiences like the one where he had an epiphany in my classroom that he was even thinking of being a teacher.  I was so honored.  It is moments like that which reminds me of why I became a teacher.  I wanted to share my knowledge as well as help my students become who they could be--I got to build a cathedral.  That moment was another reminder of why I love what I do.

November Blogging Challenge: Inspirational Learning

Day 7

What new learning has inspired you in your career?

I remember reluctantly joining a group of teachers at my high school several years ago in writing a grant that would bring more computers into our school.  I say "reluctant" because I was already in a room directly next to a computer lab and partly in charge of running the lab.  I didn't know if I wanted more computers under my care.  However, the grant required two English teachers and two math teachers to work together.

Several months later we all sat down with some Google guys... and I was hooked.

Two days of Google App training later, and I realized that I could use Google Docs, Forms, Sheets, etc... to revitalize my teaching practices.  I was able to become a teacher with a 1:1 classroom.  Each student would have a computer (Chromebook), and we could do more with them than just word processing or research (even though we would use them to do both).  I still had a computer lab next door to me, but having a computer lab in my classroom was that much more exciting.

Using Google Apps daily in my classroom has been inspirational to me because the students use technology every day in their lives, and if I can tap into that already built-in interest with technology by connecting it to my content, how much better is that!?  In addition to a class that runs on much less paper, I also get the chance to learn more and more technology myself.  So.. bonus!