Let's Salute the Week

This post is being written up in the mountains in Denver.  While we were up here this weekend it snowed, sleeted, rained and the sun would come out and smile for a while.  Then it would begin all over again.

As this is Memorial Weekend, (I cannot remember a Memorial weekend when it did not rain) I want to salute all of the sailors, soldiers, marines, coast guard, and air force.  In addition, I want to salute the families of these individuals, as a former Navy spouse I know what it is like to be in the military.  Although my son, an army airman, constantly tells me that I don’t understand what it is like to be in the military.

Teachers, I know some of you are biting at the bit to get out of the school.  Some of you are out!  Some are still in like me, which means I have lesson plans to write on Monday.  I have heard of some schools that will continue through June 27, UGH!!  I am so done!

Act 20:24:  However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

2 Timothy: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith

This is something that I have been thinking about for quite a while.  I have written about how I am tired of working in the classroom.   However, since Spring Break , I have been listening to Joyce Meyers, mainly because I wrote her ministry a letter and they responded by sending me an encouraging letter and some CDs to listen to as well.  

The main takeaway I have received is that I need to 

- Not be negative

- Not be judgmental

- Watch my words

In the last three years, I have been going through a difficult phase in my teaching career, my pay has become lower and while I haven’t been fired, I have been reassigned.  I have been doing a hard time.  It has bothered me to no end.  I am a good person.  I am a good teacher.  I know what I am doing.  I can do it! 

So what when wrong!

As I have listened to Joyce Meyer’s tape on Me and My Big Mouth.  She spoke about how we are not to judge those who have the same gifts as us.  We are to pretty much keep our mouth shut.  Not only our mouth, but we must watch our mind as well, so that we don’t exhibit our thoughts in our mannerism.

There were basically two comments that she brought forth that I know that I do all the time and because I have been doing it so long, it has become part of my mannerisms.  I can go back three and half years in my teaching career.  I did well, but I was not getting the praise that I thought I should have been, in addition, I realized I wasn’t young any more.

This year, 2013-14, I had written several grants and received them for my class.  As a result, my class had everything that it needed to promote individual work for the students.  They were able to use technology, they were able have the materials that they needed (play doh, play doh equipment, scissors, pencils, crayons, glue, etc.) and I was able to make all of the curriculum that they needed.  I received 6 our of 7 for my teaching from everyone who evaluated me.  That summer I went to a technology conference and .  However, towards the end of the school year, the principal wasn’t recognizing the work I had put in, rather she was be giving me the hardest students, in addition to the students I already had and the assistant principal had no knowledge of special education. I was angry.  I was also very judgmental. 

Each year since, I have not acknowledged how judgmental I have been to my colleagues.  What I have done is toot my own horn and criticized their own teaching.  I forgot myself, I forgot who gave me the gifts of technology, teaching and writing.  I became very prideful.  I mean, 2014-15, a teacher and I would go out drinking and complain about these people.  Since then I have been in different schools where they did no know me or my skills.  All they knew is that I had been released from my contract.  Now I was there and I did not want to prove myself again, nor did I want to start over.

This story is a cautionary tale to those of you who have had a rough year or who have been in a tough situation.  God does want to bless you, as long as you remember where the gifts came from, he who is our Father.  

This summer I will look for a new job.  God will provide me with one.  I hope it is not in the classroom.  I will also go through First Five, Ephesians and do a lot of reflecting.

As the end of the year comes to pass, remember the good, look at the lessons and thank our Father that a new school year will start next year.  

Who are in my Personal Learning Network? Why are they in my Personal Network?

This is a question that I find a lot in the posts, job hunting advice and in the Bible.  This post will explore that question and provide may answers to these questions:

Almost all of the blogs, books, and articles I read agree that everyone needs a personal learning network in order to be successful.  The individuals who are in your network can enhance and amplify your learning, success, creativity, happiness, joy and life.   

In order to develop and determine your personal learning network I propose that you list your responses and comments to the following five aspects of your personal network.  

1.  Personal Belief System

Some people call this a moral compass, but it is an answer to what do you believe in and who has the ultimate power in your life.  My personal belief system is the Bible. I pray a lot and communicate with God.  I want to be obedient to his word and commandments. I need people to hold me accountable.

2.  A Bucket List

In the movie “A Bucket List," the two hospital roommates make a list and set out to achieve those goals.  There are two components involved in the bucket list:  your mindset and your boundaries.  In order to make a bucket list, your mindset has to be open and your boundaries need to be limitless.

Several years ago, I made a bucket list and I thought I put it in my Bible, but when I went to find it I couldn’t, so after fruitlessly searching for it, I made a new one. 

The list is typed, in my handbook and after reviewing it for this post it lists:

-  primary goals as writing, teaching and traveling goals. 

-  secondary goals financial, relationship, health

- tertiary goals meeting people, habits, 

I have realized that in order to achieve those goals I need to make health and relationships a priority, followed by everything else so .… 

3. Develop your Personal Learning Network

a. Develop a type or characteristics of individuals that you want     to associate with and why.

       Remember there are people in your life who you have little choice but to accept them as part of your existence, but it is YOUR CHOICE what kind of influence they have in your life. The people include:

  -Co-Workers: (workplace individuals, supervisors, team members and all other staff members at your place of employ.”

You DO have to be professional and give them professional respect.  You DO NOT have to let them use you as target practice or tell you what your opinion is on ANY subject.

- A social media friend has the same interests (educational 

technology, education, writer, blogger, book reviewer, author, 

entrepreneurial and/or presentation skills) and shares them with 

me, as I share with them. 

These are not individuals you know personally

 

4.  Boundaries

It is important to establish a gate around your life, it doesn’t have to be a solid wall, more like a picket fence that you can see over but people need your person to come into your world.  The individuals outside this fence do not have the privilege to influence, direct or impact your life in any manner. 

5.  Council of Influencers

This council consists of you, you are the chairman of the board, and anyone in your council will help you meet your goals and positively influence you.  This is a group of people that you choose, some may be close friends, some may be celebrities that have achieved your goals and want to know how they did it, or they may be individuals in between.  You choose them, you accept or reject them and the council does not consist of more than 10, usually only 5 people. They are who you touch base with when you make an important decision.