GRIT

A few years ago, I attended a leadership academy sponsored by the district.  I was nervous to venture beyond my campus but was excited to learn in a different capacity.  Before the first meeting started, everyone was chatting and introducing themselves.  Every person I met was talented, smart, and seemed to be the ideal leader in a group of leaders.  I remember cowering away, thinking to myself that I was definitely not of the same caliber as my fellow professionals.  I started second guessing my decision to attend and wondering if I should silently drop out of the meetings to come.  No one would remember me or even notice that I was gone.  Finally the meeting started, and our fearless leader began with one word: GRIT!

Grit changed my mind that day.  I decided that I was a person who had grit and that I may not know everything or have the most experience, but I was there to  learn and hard work counts for something.  I attended every session after that day, pushing myself to reach beyond my comfort zone.  It was one of the most fulfilling and challenging professional development experiences that I ever had.     For the next few months, I enveloped myself with this word and it's meaning.  I found myself teaching my class about grit and how it could mold their classroom experience.  I went on pinterest and found posters and quotes that embodied the meaning of Grit. One of my favorites was: "Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard."  I wanted my kids to understand that success is attainable if they are willing to put in the work.

I challenge you!  Think about GRIT and see if it changes your mind too!

SnapType an Occupational Therapy App

As a teacher, I have always had a few kids each year that have struggled with fine motor skills or dysgraphia which at times can make their handwriting unreadable.  It wasn't until I became a Mom and my son had significant handwriting issues that I realized that this struggle is real.  I thought that I could "fix" this issue by giving him extra fine motor practice at home, doing additional handwriting lessons, and spending countless hours each night on homework.  All that resulted was an exhausted child with little to no change in is handwriting abilities which ultimately led to frustration.  After years of struggling, I began to look more into tools that could help my son make his writing legible.  My focus shifted from trying to change his handwriting (which is harder to do after the age of 9) to finding tools that could help him show his mastery of skills, because he was in fact very bright but could not show it on paper.  Needless to say, I found many tools available through the use of technology.  We began video recording, using word processing, typing apps and websites, and dictation tools.  I am now always on the lookout for the next new tool to use with my son and students. I recently came across the free app, Snaptype.  This app allows the teacher or parent to take a picture of an assignment on an ipad.  Students can then type responses onto the same assignment as peers. They are able to keep up and have less fatigue.  Parents reported that homework time was significantly decreased and teachers responded that they actually got longer written responses from students because they were able to produce more written work in a faster amount of time.  Students' confidence increases as they are able to share their work without the stigma of messy or unreadable handwriting.  The assignments can be saved, emailed, and printed with little prep necessary.  I plan on trying this app out this week in my classroom and at home with my son.  I'll keep you updated on how it goes!

Technology Tidbits

As we jump back into the New Year, inspire your classroom with interesting and resourceful technology tools!  The resources are endless and can be quite time consuming to go through.  Below is an article from Education World that provides an organized list of handy technology tools that can be integrated into the classroom.

Education World

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! This time of year brings on a lot of self reflection as we start planning our resolutions and goals for the new year.  Take the time to reflect on your year thus far.  This is a good time to try new things  and explore your ideas.  I have already rearranged my desks and have planned a new way to organize our classroom materials.  The break allows a great time to transition your new ideas and practices in the classroom as the kids are eager to come back and are rested for the new year. Check out the article from TeachHub that offers a great way to start off your new year in the classroom.

TeachHUB.com

Remember: 2016 is going to be fabulous!  You are a selfless individual that changes lives every single day.  Your impact lasts beyond the school year and you are truly inspiring a new generation of learners.  As you are setting your goals for the remainder of this school year, don't forget how AWESOME you are!  You have one of the hardest jobs in the world and you do it with passion, love, and grace.