Ordering Your Private World
“If my private world is in order, it will be because I am convinced that the inner world of the spiritual must govern the outer world of activity” – Gordon Macdonald - Ordering Your Private World I’ve been doing a lot of rich, deep reading lately. A lot of soul-searching, deep thinking, gut-level discussions [...]
Never Mistake Enthusiasm for Priority
When you are passionate about what you do, enthusiasm comes along with the territory. That is a good thing, a necessary thing. When enthusiasm becomes problematic is when it is allowed to determine your list of priorities, and as a educator I know this all too well. I can get excited about the latest book, [...]
Perfection vs. Excellence
Perfection vs. Excellence (from this site): and seen on my friend’s blog I can’t even express how fitting this is for teaching, for life. There is a wonderful rest and ease that comes from not having to be perfect… from not having to know all the answers and from having to be the “sage on [...]
Connection over Perfection
There are so many things crammed into one month in September, it is no wonder many teachers are walking around bleary-eyed. The anxious / excited nights late in August have worn off and now the hard work has definitely kicked in. There are so many items on the to do list – I find that [...]
What’s Your Cartilage Capacity?
Ahhh - the year is underway. Busyness has set in and I am finding the balancing act within a new schedule, in getting to know new students and so forth. I am struck by how easy it is to get overwhelmed – feel like I am losing the battle – and then to spiral down [...]
Rest and Fallow Ground
I loved this definition of fallow ground: “Agriculture can be draining to the soil, especially when farmers plant the same crop year after year. The reason is simple: Each species of plant leeches something from the soil while giving something else back. For instance, soybeans leave nitrates in the soil while corn absorbs nitrates. To [...]
Surest Way to Fail
I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. Bill Cosby Somethings are not shaping up to be how I wish they would be for next year. Ever experience that… When things don’t look like your best-case scenario? Problem is, your best-case scenario could very well be [...]
Embracing the “Interruptions”
I was inspired by a blog friend’s post today about the importance of not being so “frantic” on the job… of the importance of people. A very important reflection as we begin school again tomorrow and today was in my mind, an opportunity to really plan ahead for the next long while. Long while. Really? [...]
Cheerleaders
No, I am not talking about girls in skirts. I am talking about the people that encourage, that inspire, the people that are not only there applauding in my victories, but those who also cheer on in the small steps, and root for me in the difficult times. The people that ensure that I am [...]
Stay CONNECTED!
Ahh – what you learn through your mistakes. Lately, in getting too bogged down in “stuff,” I also withdrew from my best supports, the blogs and tweets that inspire me, the co-workers that can see past my facade “yeah, everything’s good”, and the life-giving authenticity that truly defines my days. What have I learned… That [...]
