Monday, November 21, 2011

A Much Needed Break...

Hello Everyone!! I am enjoying my first weekday of my Thanksgiving break. I counted down the days until this break and it is finally here. I am planning to get alot of organizing and cleaning done on my break along with spending quality time with my hubby.

 I was sitting thinking about the blessings that are in my life and how too many times I can get so focused on the problems in life rather than the blessings of life. Yesterday I heard a story at church about Corrie Ten Boom and her sister when they were in the concentration camp. She was infested with fleas and thanked God for being able to be infested with fleas because none of the soldiers would enter the camp to do searches which in turn allowed her to keep her Bible. Then the preacher said, "Too many times the things we complain about are the things that God wants to use to help us draw closer to Him, but rather we need to take those things and use them to help us draw closer to God just as Corrie Ten Boom did."  I sat thinking to myself of how many times I choose to complain about those things in life that are not easy and yet those may be the moments that God wants to use to draw me closer to Him.

So with that said, I am going to enjoy my much needed break and bask in the goodness of God. I will enjoy the moments and memories that I can make this week and rejuvenate myself so that I can be prepared for a fresh start on the Monday when I go back.

So, remember even when things don't look so great and you want to take the moment to complain remember it may be a moment that God wants you to take to draw closer to Him.  Take this week teachers and relax and rejuvenate yourself to prepare for the Monday when we all go back to our little munchkins.

Best Wishes In Teaching....

Til' Next Time!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Find The Silver Lining...

Today was a new day for me. I decided that I would make the best of what I have and have a better attitude about my day. My husband helped me with this along with some other people in my life. My husband was encouraging me to either decide to like what I do and enjoy it or find something that I can enjoy and like doing. I have always loved teaching but sometimes it can get very overwhelming when things are piling up and the paperwork never seems to end. However, when I took some time to get things in perspective I realized that yes, days are going to be rough, but there is always a silver lining in everything.

Today, one of my friends at work gave me great encouragment and it reaffirmed for me that I am doing what I am suppossed to be doing and I just have to keep going. Even when things get rough I need to remember to find the silver lining.

It will always help when we stop and evaluate our situation and find the positives and ultimately we may be able to encourage others. I hope that I can be an encouragement to others around me and that I will be able to inspire those to do better or just keep going.

So, I say all of this to really say, be an encouraging friend. Even when your friend may feel like giving up, be encouraging. When your friend is having a rough day, be encouraging. When they feel like giving up, be encouraging. When they need to shed a few tears, be encouraging. You never know what kind of impact you will be to others around you by the simple words that you can say that will change their life forever.

Best Wishes In Teaching!

Til' Next Time...

Friday, November 11, 2011

Struggling...

Today marks week two of my class having so much difficulty. I leave everyday feeling like a complete failure because my kids do not seem interested in what is going on in the classroom, some don't seem to be progressing as quickly as I feel they should be and their behaviors are flat out outrageous at times. I have kids who want to lay all over the floor and scream, jump up and down and cry because they didn't think it was fair to miss outside time, throw toys across the room, paint all over the easel while looking at me and laughing, students telling me that I can't do anything to them so they can do whatever they want, and do I need to go on...
 Again, the class is in the transition of having another teacher come to work with us and this does not set well with them. They cannot handle any inconsistency; however things like this have to take place. I have been told that I do not speak up loud enough and yell at the kids enough and I have been asked to meet with a set of parents so they can give me some strategies that they have used with their other children to see if they will work with their daughter that is in my class.

Needless to say, each week that I am working in the classroom this year seems to be increasing in difficulty. I want to know if there is something that I am doing wrong or if it is just the batch of kids that I have this year that are the way they are. I never want to deprive my class of something that they need to learn because I am not teaching it to them. I want to be aware of each child's needs and be able to help each one of them individually.

I know God has called me to teach and to work with children and to educate them for their future. It just seems difficult many times when there seems to be no solution for the behaviors that are happening in class.

So, rather than giving any advice I am asking for advice and prayer during this time to help me to be the teacher I need to be for my students now and in the future.

Best Wishes In Teaching!

Til' Next Time...

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Attitude is Everything!

Man, this week has been the most trying week that I have had in a long time. There have been so many things that have happened and it has been a week that has made me really question if I want to continue teaching or not. There are moments that if I had a resignation written up I would want to turn it in but thankfully I don't and I have made it through each day. I have been tested more this week with trying children, trying times with other staff, and MANY times of needing to bite my tongue and not saying anything this week. Thankfully tomorrow is FRIDAY! :)

The reason I titled this blog Attitude is Everything is for the simple fact of exactly what it says. Attitude is Everything! It makes our days better and helps us to deal with people that we may not want to be around if our attitude is right. It is hard to listen to those who say they don't know what to do in life when I sit there and think about my husband not having a job, any long term plans for the future, not having my own home, not certain of how things will turn out and yet if my attitude is right I will be able to bite my tongue and not say a thing. I am thankful for friends who listen and can let me vent and realize that I need to check myself and get my attitude straight.

So, if you face difficulties or people that drive you crazy, or there are kids who seem to have more questions than you want to answer, remember Attitude is Everything!

Best Wishes In Teaching!

Til' Next Time....