Crayons, Pencils and Gluesticks, Oh My!

Please raise your hand if buying school supplies makes you smile?  For me, I become quite giddy.  Going down the aisle of backpacks and lunchboxes energizes me with new hope. Looking over the many new supplies and tools that teachers and students have an opportunity to use and the classic standards that no one can go without. 
Stores, as soon as July, put up banners and colorful advertisements to ring in the new school year. Yes, as a teacher, September is our New Year's! New students with fresh faces and possibility for days.  I can't tell you how good it feels to know that I get to start fresh and they get to too.  

I have made it a habit to center my school year around a theme or specific goal.  This practice has helped me to sort out the non-essentials tools or supplies from the truly important ones for better teaching and educating young minds.  This summer, I spent several mornings drinking my coffee and contemplating what I wanted to convey to my students.  What would be the take-away from every lesson? What did they absolutely need for learning?

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.”  Aristotle imparted to me the great wisdom of ancient days passed.  I need for my students to understand that speaking a new language, or learning any new concept was a matter of time given to it.  Listening. Repeating. Listening some more. Repeating some more...until the very concepts become the very speech or action that was first introduced.  

Time should be on the top of the supply list. Now, when you think of time spent in learning, I charge you to remember that time must be a tool used for learning not the actual learning itself.  The magical moment when act becomes habit is the transformation of lesson into the second-nature.  Time is the tool we use to take  information in and make it easily accessible to draw a conclusion, respond to a question or create a masterpiece.  Once in this haven of long-term memory, rest assured that you will have a HABIT, LANGUAGE, or SKILL supplied.

Responding Positively

I had the opportunity to read the research for "employability" by Kent University, Canterbury, England.  It was a fascinating read and eye-opening because it mentioned nothing regarding test scores, GPA's or course study.  What the researchers found is that employers look for certain characteristics and personality skills rather than transcripts.  There were ten items mentioned in the dissertation but number nine was especially impressive to me.   

It is important in any work environment to be surrounded with positive people. No end-of-the-year evaluation will contribute a negative attitude as one of your strengths.  The difference most evident in people is their attitude. We are labeled very quickly if we are "positive" or "negative" people.  The amazing thing about having a positive attitude is that it can make problems seem so much more practical.  Basketball coach legend, John Wooden was known for his positive attitude and the well-spring of wisdom that attitude brought forth.  He said, "Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." 

Individuals that are given a task, conflict or problem are able to look at it expecting the most favorable outcome.  Expecting the most favorable outcome motivates you to respond in a manner that WILL bring about a favorable outcome. A positive disposition drives our actions.  As we navigate through the steps of problem-solving, approaching each stage positively will ultimately result in a satisfying conclusion.  Saint Augustine figured it out that "faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe." 

Starting out positive will move you through the process of problem-solving in such a way that you will seek the best solution. Sounds like the kind of people I would love to work with!