Letter To A Person Younger Than Me

On Friday we watched this video from Kid President...

Then each of my lovelies had to write five things that they thought a person that is younger than them needs to know about this world. 

Here are some of their ideas....

…school is where you learn things

…treats are really yummy

…you will like when you get a big boy bed

…when you walk, you fall off and you cry but you need to stand back up

…you get cake on your birthday

…sometimes you have a good time and sometimes you don’t

…never be hard on yourself

…always be healthy

…sometimes when you fall you will cry. Sometimes you won’t

…sometimes there are 2 rainbows, sometimes there aren’t

…when you ride your bike, you need to wear a helmet

…when you’re not happy try to be happy

…when you’re sick get lots of rest

…the world can be scary

…pedal when you ride a bike

….stir the ice cream when you eat it

…don’t give up

…you can make new friends, just ask

…if someone is bullied, stand up

…sometimes you can control yourself

…meeting other people is okay even if they don’t smile

…don’t ever forget to use your manners

…always be kind even if someone does something wrong

…don’t judge someone by their look because we all have a loving heart

…don’t give up, stand up and work harder

…take turns

…be a good sport

…do not be a bully

…do not eat Rice Krispies until you are 3

…sometimes it rains and sometimes it doesn’t

…if you fall down, pick yourself up

…try your best

…be awesome

…do work

…some people don’t smile but they are still friendly

…sometimes the night is scary but it is okay

…always share

…be brave

…never hit your Dad

…learn not to cry for nothing

…learn to not touch other people’s stuff without asking

…learn to not bite others

…sometimes you just get nothing

.…some days you are feeling bad but remember tomorrow is another day

Do I have a wise bunch of lovelies or what?!?!

I especially loved the letters that were written with a certain young person in mind. One or two lovelies wrote to younger siblings. Others to younger cousins. Gave me a picture of things that the younger sibling or cousin does (like bite!) But, really, all of the letters were really sweet and some just made my heart ache they were so filled with good advice. Sigh...

I forgot to send the Gratitude Journals home but this gives an idea of our last entry. Think we'll be taking a bit of a break from them in third term (can you believe it will be third term after Spring Break? Only 12 weeks of school left!!! CRAZY!!!!!) and do some literature responses instead.

Hope it isn't raining on your Sunday!

Olwyn

Be Grateful

It has not escaped my notice that the life I am living with my mother these days greatly resembles the work I do with students every day. Only in reverse.

Teaching is really a slow building up of expectations as students are capable of accomplishing at greater levels. An example of this is with my Daily 5 program. The students first learn the expectations for read to self. Then, I model it (A LOT!) at the carpet and, only when I am sure they all understood what I want, do they begin to practice reading. And, even then, we only begin with 3 minutes. When they can do that, I upp it to 5 minutes and so on and so forth until they can read independently for 20 minutes. If they forget the expectations, we go back to the beginning and relearn it all.

Basically, as their cognitive abilities grow, so do my expectations. It is like that with my mother. But in the opposite direction. My expectations have to lessen as her cognitive abilities diminish. 

It is a very weird place to be. I have devoted my adult life to the practice of teaching and learning. I am used to looking for growth not diminishment.  It is a really tricky thing to know when her abilities no longer let her do certain tasks independently. If I mistake her ability level it can lead to her being frustrated or angry. I don't want to baby her and do things for her that she can do for herself and, yet, at the same time, I don't want to expect something from her that she is no longer capable of doing. 

I first noticed it with the coffee maker. I never really thought about how many steps my brain has to remember and accomplish to create a cup of coffee from a drip machine. I learned at my caretaker's workshop that there are roughly 27 steps to making coffee. Whoa!

Then I noticed it with bathing. If she says she's going to take a bath, she inevitably forgets that she intended to take a bath by the time she reaches the top of the stairs. But, even if she did recall that she intended to bathe, she doesn't seem to remember how to run a bath. So, it makes no sense for me to get upset at her for not bathing. I have to lower my expectations to meet her abilities. If that means running her the bath and making it a pampering experience (versus a "you can't do it for yourself" experience) then that is what I need to do.

So, what does all this have to do with feeling grateful  (as the post title suggests). Well, I realized the other day that I can choose how I feel about my mother and the disease that is now taking her away from us. 

I can be angry and sad that she is no longer the woman I once knew. I can be frustrated by the things that seem so simple to me but that she can't do independently. I can be grumpy and resentful about all the changes in my life since we took over her care before Christmas. 

OR...(and this is a big OR)

I can suck it up and say I'm sorry for doing whatever transgression she thinks I've done (because what is more important? Being right or having my mother calm and happy?) I can choose to spend more time at her house than mine and be happy about it. I can be grateful for the opportunity to cook her a meal and share it with her. I can be grateful for the sound of her voice talking to me and the feeling of her arms in a hug. I can be grateful for being given the gift of another day with my mother. I can choose to be grateful for each day that passes where she still knows who I am. 



So, on this Family Day holiday, I am choosing to be grateful for every single second that I get with the woman who brought me into this world. I know that there will come a day when she can't do much of anything for herself. There will come a day when she won't even know who I am. There will come a day when the woman I knew as Mum is no longer with us in a way that we can see or understand. I refuse to spend my time being angry over that (though I can't lie, there have been a couple of moments where I just felt so tired and sad about the whole disease and what it has done to my Mum and my family, but I refuse to let those moments define me)  and, instead, am choosing gratitude.

What are you choosing?

Olwyn

Gratitude is an Awesome Attitude

Well, we watched Kid President again last week for our Gratitude Journals. We re-watched the one I showed the previous week (check it out here) and then watched the viewers response video. 

As always, the class loved it. There is just something infectious about Kid President! 

The Gratitude Journal response was to the last part of the video where he talks about saying "I Love You" more often. A lot of viewers thought we should say this more often and he agreed. But he pointed out that there are a lot of ways to say it that don't involve using the words. 

So, for their journals, the class had to come up with five ways that they say "I Love You" without using words. Some really got the concept. Some not so much. 

Most of the class said things like doing chores, listening to their parents, playing a game etc. The typical, expected responses to the question. Pretty much what I was expecting and looking for from the bunch. I mean they are only 6 and 7 years old and it was the first time we had discussed something as deep as ways we show our love without words. 

However, my heart melted just a little when I read the one from a student that said one of the ways he showed his love without words was by running and jumping up into his Dad's arms.

This kid is my "out of the box" thinker and he always has a way of seeing things that shows that he gets it but not always in the way that I thought he would get it. Sometimes his thinking is way deeper than I anticipated. He is so unique and I love that about him. 

(The day before I watched this same little guy as he just grooved quietly at the edge of the room to some music I had on as kids came in for Theme Studies . He was so in the moment and it was awesome to see. Did he care if no one else was really dancing to the music I had on? Nope. He was doing his thing and loving it. Hence the reason I love him so much!

What a lucky kid to be able to follow his own drum and know that it is okay. What a lucky kid to be able to show his love in his own way. And what a lucky Dad to have a kid like that.

How do you say I love you without using words?

Ms. Hughes

Things We Should Say More Often...

For our Gratitude Journals this past Friday, we watched a video by Kid President.

I loooooove this kid! He is so cute and funny. AND...he says things that need saying.

Wish more of us would follow his advice.

Anywho, we watched this video...

And then we had to think of things we could say more often. The teacher next door did the same thing but had her class write about one thing that they think should be said more often. One of my previous students is in her class and wrote this:

I love, love, love the way 7 year olds can just put it all into perspective. We do need to tell people this sometimes but we never want to hurt any one's feelings. 

The truth of it is...people need to take breaks from each other. Friends from friends. Parents from kids. Wives from husbands. 

Knowing when you need to take a break and refuel yourself is such an important skill. I worked with her last year on this same skill. We learned to "take a vacation" from friends every once in awhile if you are getting on each other's nerves. Because just like you don't stop being friends when one of you goes jetting off to Hawaii, you don't stop being friends when you take a mini-vacation from each other at school.

She has learned to take care of herself and let people know what she needs. And, sometimes, what she needs is a break. I am so proud of her for finding the 1,000,000 pounds of courage it takes to say it!

So, what do you need to find 1,000,000 pounds of courage to say?

Cheers!

Ms. Hughes

WWR - January 8, 2014

from The House of Belonging on etsy

I hate being sick!!!!!!

So, I went back to work on Monday after sleeping my weekend away. And two days later...I am home with laryngitis. Ugh!!!!

I hate, hate, hate feeling well enough to teach but having no voice to do it with! It totally sucks! 

So, in an attempt to make myself feel better, I have been surfing youtube finding videos that make me happy and fill my heart. Consider yourself warned...I will undoubtedly jump on my soap box a time or two today!!!!!

I like to think that my being forced to sit at home and get better might result in your enjoying a big smile!

The first one is the Gratitude Dance video that I am planning to show on Friday when we do our Gratitude journals.

This one I love because it proves so clearly that appearances can be totally deceiving.

Here's a video by my favourite band, The Script. This song always makes me think of  my Dad. FYI, there is one swear word in this video (just in case you watch with children nearby!)

And another video that makes my heart full. Anyone who know me, knows that I am fully supportive of inclusion for all regardless of any differences, be they race, gender, sexual orientation or anything else. In my eyes and in my heart, we are all equal and deserve to be treated with the same love.

My brother-in-law and his husband celebrated one of the very first marriages in Ontario, over a decade ago, when same-sex marriage became legal. After many, many years together they were finally able to be legally recognized. How wonderful!

Soon after their marriage, at the young age of 5, my daughter experienced her first run in with homophobia when a parent in her kindergarten refused to let her play any longer with her daughter once she learned that my good egg has two married uncles. 

Today, I look at my beautiful, strong, 17 year old daughter, who sees no difference between gay and straight and feel proud to have raised her to look with her heart. This song gives me hope that, one day, the whole issue of marriage being straight or gay will be a long distant memory. That one day marriage will just be that...a marriage of two people who love each other.

Okay, stepping off my soapbox, now!

And, last but not least, a flash mob that brings a great, big smile to my face! And (to your relief) doesn't send me to the top of another soapbox!!!!!

Cheers!

Ms. Hughes

What's your awesome?

Okay, so last week we did our gratitude journals a little bit differently. If you got them at home and were wondering just what the heck was going on with them, I will explain...

I want the class to think about gratitude as being more than just things that they are grateful to have. I mean, there are only so many "I am grateful for toys" that I can handle!

We want to go deeper people!!!!

So, last Thursday we watched two videos on youtube. They are soulpancake videos done by Kid President. Know who he is? No? Well, you are in for a treat!

These videos crack me up!!!! And...they have the added bonus of talking about "bringing your awesome" which is what we wrote about last week.

I asked the kids to tell me what awesome they were going to bring to our school community. What would they do that would make other people grateful for them? 

So, here's a peak at the videos...

This kid makes me laugh, smile and want to be a better person. I love him!

Aside...I asked the students after the song what they thought it meant about the waves being bigger than our boats. I got lots of answers but...

after we were all done and heading off to write in our journals, one of my lovelies came up to me and said, "Ms. Hughes, I think it means that life can be hard but we can get through it if we try." 

Wowzer!!!! My heart got so full! It just about burst! 

Here is this kid who has trouble getting his thoughts on paper, who is struggling in some areas and, yet, when it comes to the really important stuff, the HEART stuff, he GETS it. I mean, he really gets it! It makes me feel so blessed to have moments like that with students.

Anywho, am off to hug my lovelies for another day!

Cheers!

Ms. Hughes

Sleeping the Sickies Away

Hello Friends!

I have been in absentia from the blogosphere the last couple of days. 

I went to a wonderful workshop on Friday (more to come on that at a later date!) and then came home feeling like death warmed over (or, at least, what I think death warmed over must feel like!).

Went to bed at 8:45 Friday night and didn't get up again (other than to go to the bathroom and get drinks) until today (yep, Sunday!) a little after 10:00 a.m. 

Wowzer!!!! I slept over 36 hours!!!!

Still not feeling great but have been out of bed for over an hour and so far am not feeling the huge need to nap. So, thought I'd get in a post while I am still awake!

Not a lot of talk today. Just some photos of life in Lucky Division 13 this past week!

Made "Mummy Dogs" with the class on Wednesday. Well, in reality, Miss Vanessa made the mummy dogs. I just brought in the supplies. 

There are no words to describe how grateful I am to have Miss Vanessa working in our class this year. Beyond the fact that she is an amazing cook (these mummy dogs soooo didn't make use of her considerable talent!) but because she just makes life better. Always positive, never complaining, a beautiful quiet energy and a great heart. How could I ever want anything more?

Some photos of our Math Stations this week. One was pattern blocks (we have begun learning/reviewing what we know about 2 dimensional shapes), another was at the tub station (a roll the dice game that works on addition facts) and the last was our seat work ( a book about shapes.)

And last, but most definitely not least, a page from a student's Gratitude Journal. I had this student last year and, I have to tell you, my heart just about burst when I read what she had written! Her current teacher sent her over to me during Community Centres and I almost cried reading her wonderful words about me. 

And I love how she is so honest saying that I am optimistic most of the time! So true! I pride myself on always trying to see situations and people from a positive perspective. I succeed more often than not, I am glad to say!

This, to me, is what community is all about. Building relationships that last and are meaningful with the students! It helps me to remember why I am a teacher and what I believe in. The bottom line is always about relationships. Math, Writing, Reading, Science, Social Studies, Gym...all are important but, without relationship, are really meaningless as far as I am concerned. I could go on but, since you all know by now that this is one of my soapbox topics, I won't!

Instead, I will bid you adieu and head back to bed. Not feeling too bad still but could probably use a nap (after all, I have been out of bed now for over 2 hours!!!!!) Crossing my fingers that I am well enough to come to school tomorrow!

Ms. Hughes

Gratitude 101

Okay, so many of you know that my school is part of a Gratitude Project.

As part of the project we have been writing our gratitudes (you know for things/people/places/etc) on ribbons and then tying them to the fence at the front of the school (I'll get a pic this week. Pinky promise!) It is looking pretty colourful and makes my heart full to see so much gratitude in our community.

We even made it on the news! Seems like every time I turn around Global news is at our school filming something!!!! Ha ha ha!!! Here's the link!

So there have been lots of big things happening around gratitude so far this school year. I love it. I am one of the teachers involved with the project directly and am so thrilled to be doing something about our school's emotional well-being. IMHO, emotional health is as important (if not more important) to academic ability when it comes to learning. Let's face it, happy children learn better!!!!

In our class we are trying to bring gratitude into our weekly (and, eventually, daily!) routines. Last year we did Friday Journals where we wrote to our parents letting them know what we did at school all week. This year we are doing something different.

We are doing Gratitude Journals. 

I am loving this because I can finally justify all the time spent on Youtube looking at videos! (Yay! They aren't just wasted hours! They are hours of research!) I try to find a video to show each Friday that gives the class insight into being grateful or practicing gratitude. 

Anywho, this was the one I showed on Friday. I love it! The kids made some amazing connections after watching this. I wanted to just hug them all and tell them how grateful I am to be their teacher. Hmmm...come to think of it, I think I did that!

Feeling grateful that there are people out there that check in on me and this little ol' blog. Thank you!

Ms. Hughes

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving has become a bittersweet holiday for me. 

I am so grateful for all that I have in my life.

And I want the day to be about remembering all the wonderful things that I have - my health, friends, family, a job, books, a home I like etc. etc. etc.

But...the day is also tinged with sadness as my Daddy passed away on Thanksgiving day three years ago. Since then, the day hasn't been the same.

I read somewhere that things never really get better after losing someone you love dearly. They just get less worse. 

I get that. I really do. I still think of him daily. I miss him very, very much. And, well, I just miss him that much more on Thanksgiving day. 

So, today I am going to give thanks for my father.

Ten (of a Gazillion) Reasons I am Thankful for my Dad:

1. He paid for my entire university education without complaint (something I am even more grateful for as I look at the prices for my daughter entering uni next year!!!!)

2. He taught me that it is not only okay, but essential, to carve out alone time each day (for him it was by listening to music - for me it is reading).

3. He taught me to teach for 40 years rather than teaching one year 40 times. 

4. He taught me to learn the difference between doubt and fear. And would always say, "If in doubt, don't" I still live by these words.

5. He spent time each week making my then young daughter a "girled" cheese sandwich and then watching old movies on AMC with her on her early dismissal day. I never had a close relationship with my grandfather as he lived 3000 miles away. Seeing the closeness between my child and my father filled my heart. 

6. He never judged me. 

7. He showed me that if you have a passion (his was Rachmaninoff) you need to follow it no matter what others think.

8. He taught me not to bring work home. (I only bring work home about 2% of the time. Not perfect but pretty darn close!)  

9. He kept his own counsel. He was like a vault when it came to being professional and keeping information private. I could tell him anything and know that he would maintain my privacy. This is a lesson everyone needs to learn.

10. He gave me a love for the South. He was born in small town Georgia and I love all things Southern. Give me some shrimp and grits any day of the week and I'll be happy! 

This song always reminds me of him and the small town, Homerville, where he grew up. She sings of a town in Carolina while he was from Georgia, but, the images she evokes are so clearly a Southern town that it could be any small town in the South. Listening to this song brings back so many happy memories of visits with cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. 

I love you Daddy and I know that you are with me always.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ms. Hughes

Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude

I found this awesome video to show the class on Friday before we did our weekly Gratitude Journals. We had such a wonderful talk after watching this. 

We talked about all of the things in our lives that we often take for granted. And about how we really need to be grateful for the little things. Because those little things are really big, huge, ginormous things!

The class came up with some amazing examples.

Water.

Food.

TV.

Houses.

Clothing.

Animals.

Electricity.

Just talking with the students about all of the things in my life for which I feel gratitude kind of overwhelmed me. I felt close to tears a couple of times thinking of how very fortunate I am to have the life I have. I am blessed.

Check out the video below.

Cheers!

Ms. Hughes