Got my hair did today. It is getting quite long!! Long enough to get HiGhLiGhTs. :) I stuck with the "walnut" brown, which I love, and yes, is quite dark, but added golden highlights. Fun!
Loving this almost-spring weather. I think the entire city of Lawrence is experiencing a collective sigh of relief. Winter is almost done!
Speaking of winter....my mental state is much better these days. My cup isn't empty anymore. I have room to pour into others. I had two field trips this week, which both went well, but struggled with stubborn hard-headed students making poor choices. 6 weeks ago, I would've imploded over these things. This week, I had the resiliency to deal with it and move on (even if I made a regretful parent phone call in the process...should've cooled down before I made that one....but oh well. It was blunt, but true.)
Still haven't reached any answers regarding career path choices, but I have received some good advice from colleagues and planted some possible seeds of movement. But no official steps have been taken for anything. Just waiting to see if an opportunity arises. If not, I have a list of ways that I am currently coping and improving my current place.
Something that has been helping ALOT is simply acknowledging emotions in myself and my students. Emotions of joy, excitement, frustration, anger, struggle, apathy, etc.
"I'm noticing [this type of body language], which leads me to believe you might be frustrated. What can I help you with?"
"This is what disrespect looks like to me. [this this and this] You have done [this this and this] all in the past three minutes. That disrespect makes me feel [....]. Are you intending to be disrespectful, or are you experiencing a different struggle and how can I help you with that?"
Just a few alterations to my wording that has produced positive results in the classroom culture. Though I'm not doing wrong things, there are ways that I need to improve and prevent creating a teacher-against-student environment. Calling on a student when I specifically notice they aren't paying attention. Automatically assuming that a certain behavior means they want to disrupt the class. So, little by little, I'm becoming more aware. Using little tricks and ideas to slowly change my room's energy.
Kind of like making life-style changes since cancer. Making little changes here and there and hopefully it results in a life-time of health and happiness. Every little thing helps. :)
Well, I am now going to work on my next Elephant Journal article. Topic: The Lymph System!
I couldn't agree more about winter! I love the hair color by the way!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how I am waking up from a very tumultuous time and regaining my balance...and it sounds like you are starting to find balance at the same time. Maybe it's the weather lol. We should get together over break!
I am glad you are finding things that are helping...middle school is a tough age to begin with and it is really hard to not take things home with us--especially for people who care. Friday I had something happen with a student and the rest of the day I cried off and on. I think especially if you are introvert and emphatic, it makes it extremely difficult to come out of that because you feel the pain so acutely.
I hope things continue to go up from here! To quote the Beatles: "Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right"