[Abecedary of Reflection] Change and Celebration

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Amy's Reflections

C: Change & Celebration

Choosing a word for c was hard for me. So many words came to mind when I first began to brainstorm this idea. I thought of communication and collaboration and change, then got stuck on the concept of cognitive dissonance (expect to see this pop up again!). Then I decided to ask my twitter PLN what words came to my when they thought of reflection. Some of the “c” words they suggested:

  • changing, celebrating successes – @jenmarten
  • consider, celebrate – @JamieArmin
  • change, celebration – @lisadcelaya
  • clarity – @KathleenDiver

It was interesting to me that both change and celebration came up multiple times. It seemed important to reflect on both of these words.

When I think about reflection, so often change is involved. Either I am overly stressed and haven’t taken the time to reflect as much as I should during an important time of change, or I find myself gravitating to my reflective practices (writing, walking, communicating with friends and colleagues) more than normal as I become engrossed in major change. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve written about how I need to make time to write and reflect during times of stress, usually after I’m already in the midst of that stress! For me, reflection helps calm my stress and support me during times of change. I actually enjoy change in my professional life but not as much in my personal life.  

 

Strength

You might think that celebration and change do not have much in common. However, when I think about these two words to the concept of reflection, I see many connections. An important aspect of reflection is taking time to celebrate- celebrate successes, acknowledge challenges, and celebrate the continued journey. So often leaders forget to celebrate the good things (#eduwins!) that happen day-to-day because we become engrossed in the challenges still before us. There will always be challenges. But those seem less daunting when we take time to reflect on all that we have already accomplished.

I vow to reflect more during times of change and to celebrate more in my life.  

Reflective questions to consider:

  • How do you handle change?
  • What can you celebrate in your professional and personal life?
  • What will you do to reflect more this week?

Celebrate Success: A blog post on celebrating students’ successes, big and small, in the classroom.

My friend Barb has begun her abecedary journey as well and her first letter is ironically a C.  Check it out here if you dare (and especially if you, too, wear a cape!)!

Abecedary of Reflection:

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[Mentor Text Monday] The Mysteries of Harris Burdick

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Amy's Reflections

For my next installment of Mentor Text Monday I would like to share how I would use The Mysteries of Harris Burdick as a mentor text. This book, by Chris Van Allsburg, is actually a picture book with phenomenal pictures and very few words. In fact, each page has one picture with a title and a line, presumably from the story that would go along with the picture. But that is all. There is no more. The reader is left to imagine each story, just from these small clues. This is an incredible experience for young students who feel they aren’t imaginative or creative. I have NEVER met a person, young or not-so-young, who couldn’t imagine a story from at least one of these creative pictures.

Two of my favorites are:

  • Under the rug
  • Just Desert

During my writer’s workshop instruction, I would often use these pictures at the beginning of the year or the beginning of a new unit of study. When I wanted my students to build up their stamina and not get bogged down because they couldn’t come up with any ideas, these pictures gave them a great start.

Ways to use the pictures within The Mysteries of Harris Burdick:

  • Show the entire class just one picture (no words) and give them time to write the story that would accompany it. Be sure to allow time for sharing because students love to hear different interpretations!
  • Follow the same note above, only this time give the students the picture, the title and the line provided in the book.
  • Show the class one picture and have every student write the first line of the story. Then have each student pass their notebook to the left. Each student then reads the line in front of them and adds a second line onto that story. Continue to pass, read, and add, until each notebook has enough of a story to be entertaining. Students love reading these mismatches stories aloud!
  • Give each student (or small group) a different picture- with or without the title- and give them time to write the story.
  • Encourage students to create their own mysterious picture, then to add a title and one line of text.
  • Visit Chris Van Allsburg website to encourage students to submit their story. Each month he highlights one page from this book and calls for story submissions from students.

Have you used this book, or any by Van Allsburg, as a mentor text? Have you visited his website? I never had until I began writing this post- what a great experience in and of itself!

My inspiration to joining Mentor Text Monday is Barb and her latest blog can be found here.

Previous Mentor Text posts:

– Percy Jackson

– Love That Dog

– Divergent Dashes

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What I’m reading these days (Volume 2)

Posted on January 11, 2014 by Amy's Reflections

As a full-time educational leader and a full-time doctoral student, sometimes I feel like all I do is read. Way back during my first semester of the doctoral program (which feels like it was 100 years ago!) I took time to share a few thoughts from some of my many readings. I thought I would bring this feature back again to give you a peek into my bookshelf, eReader, and coffee table piles.

The Art of Coaching by Elena Aguilar

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Throughout this year the Academic Coaches with whom I work and I are reading this book. We have delved into chapters three and eight. We took time to discuss our coaching beliefs. We spent a lot of time working on our listening skills, practicing the listening dyad exercise with one another. I’m looking forward to our discussion on chapter nine next.

Favorite line: “Once you’ve created a clear, safe, nonjudgmental field, there is plenty of space for clients to wander around their own mind, exploring their beliefs, their blocks, and their goals and how to fulfill them.” (Aguilar, p. 149)

Cultural Proficiency: A Manual for School Leaders by Randall B. Lindsey, Kikanza Nuri Robins, & Raymond D. Terrell

Culturally Proficient Leadership: The Personal Journey Begins Within by Terrell & Lindsey

Cultural Prof pic

Both of these books are required readings for my spring class. Not only is the topic of cultural proficiency important to my work as a leader, but it is also interesting to read. The personal journey text has built-in reflective questions that we are required to do as part of a class assignment. I actually enjoy the requirement because I would not take the time to reflect, in writing, at each of these stopping points otherwise. But knowing how much I learn from written reflection, I’m happy to make the time to do this throughout the semester.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

This fiction book is the second book choice for the online book club in which I am participating. I have always been an avid fiction reader and I’m loving this book club as it forces me to make time to read for fun once in a while too! This particular story is fascinating! The basic premise is that a woman wakes up from an accident with no memory of the last TEN years of her life. Crazy! It is a quick, easy read with well-developed, interesting characters and I’m looking forward to our group’s discussion.

Favorite lines: “I don’t care what Ben says, without the narcotic effects of TV, I might have gone truly insane a long time ago.” “A tangled jumble of memories from various weekends poured into her head as if from an upturned laundry basket.”

Yoga Journal

My father got me a subscription to this magazine for Christmas and I look forward to each new month’s arrival. I never heard of it before, but with my new-found love of yoga, I am excited to read more. Each month seems to have a flow you can try at home, which is great for my expanding practice.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

I’m currently listening to this novel as an audio book. I don’t enjoy listening to books very often, but I’m trying to use my commute as a time to catch up on some children’s literature, which holds my attention better than adult fiction audio books. I LOVE this story! Each part is told from a different character’s point of view and as you get to know each character as a narrator, you begin to love them even more. I wish I could listen faster!

What are you reading these days?

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[Abecedary of Reflection] Belief

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Amy's Reflections

B: Belief

In my [humble] opinion, another important aspect of reflection is belief. Belief in yourself, your strengths, your ability to overcome challenges, your desire to change when needed and stay strong when necessary.

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cc license posted on flickr by Live Life Happy

Leadership is often lonely and isolated.  Social media has certainly provided more opportunities for leaders to connect and share successes and challenges with peers across the world. However, the day-to-day work is often still you, alone, doing your best to lead a staff in the ways that will make significant differences in the lives of children. To do this successfully, and to keep coming back for more each day, your belief in yourself is critical.

To me, belief in yourself does not mean that you know all or that you can do everything by yourself. Believing in yourself means knowing your strengths as well as your weaknesses, surrounding yourself with a strong team who can support the vision of the school/ district/ organization, and the abilities to ask for help, seek out new resources, and admit when you are wrong. These are not qualities that come naturally to all leaders. Many of these qualities I learned myself through my first years as a leader, along with many hours of reflection. I didn’t always have belief in myself as a leader, but I always believed in the work I was doing, as part of a team, to help students. I build the self-efficacy necessary to believe I had the ability to do the work that needed to be done on behalf of the students I served.

cc licensed flickr photo shared by BK

cc licensed flickr photo shared by BK

Reflective questions to consider:

  • What beliefs do you hold about your leadership?
  • What beliefs affect your work?
  • How do you build self-efficacy in others?

Abecedary of Reflection:

– Appreciation

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[Mentor Text Monday] Divergent Dashes

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Amy's Reflections

Inspired by my friend and colleague Barb, I plan to post regular editions of Mentor Text Monday.

I began reading Divergent, by Veronica Roth, at the same time I observed a 6th grade teacher helping her students learn about the various ways writers use a dash. Because of her interesting lesson where the students had time to explore their own novels for different examples of dashes, I now see them everywhere. Seriously! Open up the novel closest to you right now. I’ll wait… Flip a page or two and I’m sure you will see at least one dash.

One way that I would use excerpts from Divergent as a mentor text is to illustrate the ways you can use a dash. I would have students read and explore the different ways so that they could try them on in their own writing. Part of author’s craft is learning what decisions authors make, and then choosing to make them in your own writing.

On page 23 of the novel – on my eReader – there are over 8 different dashes or hyphens (side note- this could be a second lesson about the difference between the two marks).  Some of them occur at the end of a line, splitting up a word into two parts at a syllable break. In a hard copy of this book, there may not be so many line-break-hyphens.  However, the author also uses dashes on this page to:

  • Add a second thought or detail to a sentence

“I reach my street five minutes before I usually do, according to my watch- which is the only adornment Abnegation allows, and only because it’s practical” (Roth, 2012, p. 23).

  • Replace a parentheses

“Everything- our houses, our clothes, our hairstyles- is meant to help us forget ourselves…” (Roth, 2012, p. 23).

  •   Then there is also a hyphen, used to join two words together- in this case, “no-nonsense”.

Page 84 of Divergent also demonstrates two uses of a dash again.

In addition to the author’s use of dashes throughout the novel, there are so many other elements of author’s craft that could be studied in isolation with students. On page 21 there is a one word sentence. What a powerful example to share with students to explore when and why an author would ever choose to write a one word sentence.

Have you read Divergent? Have you had experience teaching students about how and when to uses dashes (or hyphens) in their own writing?

Previous Mentor Text posts:

– Percy Jackson

– Love That Dog

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Climb

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Amy's Reflections

I have decided to try to take at least one picture a day and am looking for inspiration through various photo-a-day challenges and a handy phone app that reminds me to take a picture each day. This challenge, posted by Kim and part of the #sdawpphotovoices caught my attention because it is a list of verbs (and an abecedary nonetheless!). How does one take a picture of a verb? It has made me look at everyday objects differently this week, that is for sure.

Today’s word was climb. I needed to reach my daily 10,000 step goal and so my friend Lauren and I went on a walking adventure through our beautiful city. We explored Old Town and Seaport Village. All around town I took note of what was climbing, that is, when I wasn’t busy climbing hills and steps myself. Below are some pictures that represent #climb.   I hope you enjoy!

What a great climbing tree!

What a great climbing tree!

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Day two’s word was build:

Build strength and peace of mind

Build strength and peace of mind

Day three was create:

Create a delicious breakfast

Create a delicious breakfast

Previous photo challenge: #AugustBreak2013

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Sunshine Award for Blogging

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Amy's Reflections

Yesterday I was pleased and surprised to receive a tweet from @franmcveigh with a link to her blog.  She nominated me for a blogging Sunshine Award.  Thanks Fran!

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The Rules:

  • Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
  • Share 11 random facts about yourself.
  • Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
  • List 11 bloggers.  They should be bloggers you believe deserve some recognition and a little blogging love!
  • Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated. (You cannot nominate the blogger who nominated you.) These are the rules according to Fran’s post. The number 11 seems intimidating as I begin to write this post, but here goes…

Random facts about me:

  1. I have lived in three states throughout my life: New Jersey, Virginia, and California
  2. I have traveled to many countries, but I’ve visited Spain at least 5 times
  3. Video games make me happier than they should!
  4. I have a cat that is 18 1/2 years old
  5. Although my arthritic knees don’t enjoy it, I love to hike
  6. I wanted to be a teacher from the time I was five years old
  7. I also wanted to be a writer (author of children’s books) and a bookstore owner!
  8. I love red wine
  9. I love music from the 50’s to today and music is ALWAYS playing in my car
  10. I miss my mom every day
  11. I’m participating in a photo-a-day challenge this month that I hope to continue throughout 2014

Fran’s Questions:

1.  What is your most treasured piece of writing?
My journal from when I lived in Spain during college.  It tells so much about who I was as well as the experience.
2. What author would you like to personally chat with (time travel is acceptable!)
SO many to choose from… but I would have to start with Louisa May Alcott.
3. What would members of your family say that you are somewhat obsessive about?
Noises… I hate loud and/or repetitive, distracting noises!
4. What book should never have been made into a movie?
Again, so many to choose from!  Right now, what comes to mind is The Polar Express by Chris Van Alsburg.  That book has a special place in my family’s traditions and the book is so much more special than the movie.
5. What are the defining qualities of a “good book” in your own opinion?
A good fiction book tells a great story, helps the reader connect with the characters (either because you love them or you love to hate them!), and makes it hard to put down until you finish it!
6. What is your favorite sport and why?
Sport?  What is that?
7. In your life, is the glass typically “half full” or “half empty?”
Half full! 🙂
8. What life accomplishment are you most proud of? And why?
Everything having to do with my work- I’m very proud of all I’ve done as a teacher and a leader and I love my job!
9. What one word would your best friend use to describe you?
Random
10. What is your favorite comfort food?
Anything sweet.
11.  What outdoor temperature range would be your ideal year round temperatures?
San Diego’s temperature just about all year long!

Bloggers I Nominate for Sunshine Awards:

My Questions for these fabulous bloggers:

  1. Who is the most famous person you have met in real life?
  2. Who do you recommend we follow on twitter?
  3. Where did you go on your last vacation?
  4. Coffee or tea?
  5. Pictures or words?
  6. Why are you in this profession?
  7. PC or Mac?
  8. How many “i_” products do you own?
  9. What do you do for fun?
  10. Favorite song?
  11. What genre do you most enjoy reading?

Happy blogging!

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[Abecedary of Reflection] Appreciation

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Amy's Reflections

An abecedary or abecedarium is basically an alphabet. Over the next few months I’m going to work my way through the alphabet (using the much fancier reference- abecedary) while exploring the theme of reflection. Reflection is an important aspect of leading and learning. I have written many posts about reflection because I do my best reflecting through writing. I hope you will join me on my alphabetic journey.

A: Appreciation

How often do you stop and take note of what you have? How often do you give yourself credit for getting where you are? Part of reflection is appreciating who you are and what you have.

App 3

“Follow effective action with quiet reflection.  From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.” ~ Elena Aguilar, The Art of Coaching, 2013, p. 247

I think it is important to take the time to stop, be grateful for what you have, and appreciate the hard work YOU put into getting to this point. As coaches and leaders, we often make time to appreciate and support others, but skip the step of appreciating our own work. I’m not suggesting we each jump on the rooftop shouting our accomplishments. However, I am encouraging coaches and leaders to reflect, internally, about the value they bring to their school or district. We cannot always wait for others to publicly share their appreciation of our work. We must honor our work, appreciate that we are making a difference for students, and use that as fortitude when the going gets tough.

Questions to consider as you reflect:

  • What do you appreciate about yourself as a leader?
  • What have you done lately that you can appreciate?
  • How can you show appreciation for the work of others?
  • How can you make time for reflection?
  • What other ideas would you like to see explored throughout this abecedary on reflection?

Previous posts on reflection:

– Habit of reflection

– Time for reflection

– Enjoy the view

– Reflective Questions

– Balance

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Yoga Lessons

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Amy's Reflections

I have been practicing yoga faithfully for the last few months and I really enjoy it. This was not always the case.

When I first tried yoga, many years ago, I felt like a failure. Not only did I not know what the instructor meant when he said, “Downward dog,” but even after I looked around and figure out what I was supposed to do, my body would not cooperate. I did not have the strength, coordination, or stamina to attempt or sustain many of the poses in a basic class.  I tried the class a few times, feeling ridiculous and stupid every time, and soon quit.

This image was originally posted to Flickr by diamondmountain at http://flickr.com/photos/80908836@N00/277026421. It was reviewed on 1 April 2008 by the FlickreviewR robot and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

This image was originally posted to Flickr by diamondmountain at http://flickr.com/photos/80908836@N00/277026421. It was reviewed on 1 April 2008 by the FlickreviewR robot and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

Years later, when I returned to a yoga class, there were still plenty of poses with which I was unfamiliar. The first class or two felt intimidating, but not impossible. I knew that if I continued to attend class and to practice my own yoga, I would learn the poses. I had confidence in that. At the same time, I was working out, both on my own and with my personal trainer, improving my cardiovascular abilities, my strength, and my endurance. I know that all of that work made the improvements I saw in yoga happen quicker than they would have if I had only been trying yoga once a week with no other support.

Today in yoga class, some of my practice came so easily that I began to take my strength for granted. Then my trusty lower back pain kicked back in and reminded how susceptible I am to injury and how much more I can continue to grow. Child’s pose was my good friend today.

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license, by Iveto.

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license, by Iveto.

What does this have to do with leading and learning?

This reminds me of some of our struggling students, who often receive so much negative or constructive feedback about one particular area of their studies (decoding, multiplication tables, etc.) that they become laser-focused on that one weakness, forsaking the continued building of other skills. If we looked at learning as the integration of skills, we could also see that when we strengthen all areas, individual areas will grow over time.

I also think of teachers, especially the hard-working teachers with whom I work. Our teachers are currently learning a whole new word (you have heard of Common Core, right?!). This new learning often makes teachers self-conscious of all aspects of their teaching, wondering if the same pedagogy, student engagement strategies, enjoyable texts, or transition activities can and should work with their students now. As we continue to strength our knowledge about the expectations of Common Core and the realities of what that looks like for students, I hope we continue to support one another’s strengths.

I know that my Crane Pose is stronger today than ever, and I have not just weekly yoga practices to thank, but also daily push ups, walking, resistance training, and the torture created by that trainer.

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license, by Iveto.

This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license, by Iveto.

What have you learned lately?

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Taking time to enjoy the view

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Amy's Reflections

Sometimes you have to make yourself stop and enjoy the views. During an incredibly stressful week recently I was able to take a moment and enjoy this amazing sunset. The work will always be there… the to-do list will never be complete… there will always be more great books and tweets and articles to read… but every sunset is different and this one was well worth the time!  2013-12-11 16.52.01

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Ever since I took the time to notice this sunset, I have been able to appreciate more beautiful sunsets (and even a few sunrises!). Tonight’s gorgeous full moon lit up my drive home this evening and I enjoyed every moment of the drive because of the view.

I hope you take time to enjoy the beauty around you, especially during this holiday season.

Posted in Reflection | Tagged , , | 6 Comments