Attitude of Gratitude, Day 10

November 10: Being grateful for humor - share a story about a time in career where humor played a part.

Humor is the main tool in my teacher toolkit, so it's a little hard to recall a particular moment in my career when humor wasn't playing a part in my day-to-day teacher/librarian life. I will admit to having a somewhat sarcastic-type of humor, which does tend to work well with older kids. I have found that the best "delivery" is pretty straightforward, with a slight twinkle of the day to let the person know I'm kidding but serious. Making a little joke can seriously diffuse a tense situation, because it can reduce the tension.

One of the earliest times I can remember using humor was during a contract bargaining session. My district is small; it has become somewhat of a casual place, but the superintendent who was there the longest preferred a more formal bargaining approach, which meant that he did not come to the bargaining table, but sent the district attorney to meet with the bargaining team. The attorney did the running back and forth, and while it wasn't far, it took time. The attorney tended to be formal also, probably taking his cue from the superintendent, and things were feeling somewhat tense. We weren't making any headway. I can't even recall what point we were discussing, but the district's point just seemed kind of silly to me, and I made a little joke about it. The attorney looked at me with astonishment, and then suddenly he began to laugh, and the whole atmosphere in the room changed. The ice was broken, and I always looked forward to working with the attorney. Bargaining just isn't the same without him at the table.

Another time, the same superintendent came down to the library to talk to me about some forgotten topic. I felt as though I were in the middle of some counseling session, and I mentioned that I felt like Lucy from Peanuts - 5 cents, the Dr. is in! I was surprised when he dug into his pocket, and handed me a nickle! Apparently the doctor was in, and I taped the nickle on my office window. It's still there.

Humor works - I'd be sunk without it. I've always known that if I didn't have a sense of humor, I would be deadly, so I plan on keep the smiles coming.

Attitude of Gratitude, Day 9

November 9: What is one way you could develop the Attitude of Gratitude in your classroom or school? Try it out and let us know how it went in a couple of weeks.

Last year I began a series of Gratitude Boards on Pinterest. One of my former students, who is a very positive person, as well as a life coach, had mentioned the idea on her blog, and I thought I would try it. I figured I could keep it up for a month, and I liked it so much I kept it up for the entire year. I missed very few days, and I enjoyed thinking about my day, what stood out, and what I wanted to share. Pinterest is a good source of a lot of stuff, and while I sometimes had to think about what I wanted to choose to represent my day, I usually managed. I started again on November 1, calling the board November Gratitude 2. I know that I can't use Pinterest at school - it's blocked, which does not inspire gratitude, by the way, but I think I could do a paper version.

My high school kids could use a bit of positivity. I think what I will do is extend to offer to come up with one positive thing they can think of that happened the previous day. I have a couple of ideas. For the first one, I have a circulation desk with a broad wood front, and kids stand in front of the desk while they check out books. I know that kids would like to read the messages. Check this out:

That looks simple enough, doesn't it?

And then there is this idea:

I have a bulletin board with a tree - I add leaves, flowers, bugs, etc. throughout the year. This would be a good place for a fall gratitude tree.

I have a couple ideas - I'll let you know what happens...

Attitude of Gratitude, Day 8

November 8: 

Write about a memorable moment in the classroom and how it reminded you about why you love what you do.

This is a tough one. I've been sitting here wracking my brain - out of 35+ years of being a librarian and teacher, what moment stands out among so many moments? The day I was reading a Clifford the Big Red Dog story to the preschoolers, and they were all leaning forward on the story rug, waiting for me to turn the page? Watching an eighth grader in a pre-algebra class work though a problem, and seeing the exact moment when he got it? Looking around the class while taking role, missing a girl who had been present earlier in the day, and wondering if anyone had seen her, only to have her rise up from the floor, where she had been hiding out of my sight? The laughter from the kids was priceless. 

You can see my dilemma - how do I pick one moment out of so many? 

Attitude of Gratitude, Day 7

November 7: What new learning has inspired you in your career?

Learning to use a learning management system changed how I teach. As a recipient of a technology grant, I learned to use Moodle as an instructional space for my high school classes. I have been a Moodle user for five or six years, and have used a blended model of instruction for my high school classes. This year I switched to Schoology, and I like the features on it. I am able to put a daily agenda up for my students, use the calendar feature to make sure they see assignment deadlines, and can either grade work online or print them off and let students grade their own work, or do peer review work. I am a blended classroom person, and I thank my EETT grant experience for the introduction to learning management systems. I am seriously considering working in the online environment when I retire from my brick-and-mortar school.

Attitude of Gratitude, Day 6

November 6: Share a quote or verse that has inspired you and tell us why.

Yesterday in my Attitude of Gratitude blog post, I mentioned that I was thankful for Gary Larson and his Far Side cartoons. This quote is my favorite of all of his cartoon lines. It may seem that this quote could be construed as somewhat negative. Poor Hal - is he a potential victim? He does, after all, have that target right where a deer might not want one.

I don't interpret this cartoon that way at all. I see it as more of a cautionary tale. Do we have to be a victim? No, we don't. Can we take charge of our own life and make things happen, things that others might not ever expect? I believe that to be true. Frankly, when I hear victim-talk from people, either kids or adults, this cartoon comes to my mind every single time.

It would be interesting to see how Hal could solve his problem; perhaps some creative make-up, or a sweater or something similar. I'm a big proponent of people figuring out how to solve their problems, to take responsibility for themselves. Is Hal going to always be a victim? Only Gary Larson knows...

I told you I had a Far Side sense of humor, and it turns out, a Far Side sense of life. I'm good with that.

Attitude of Gratitude, Day 5

November 5: What are my strengths? Which are you most grateful for?

My strengths are my sense of humor, my willingness to try new things, my dislike of boredom, and my creativity. 

In a school/educational setting, I am most grateful for my sense of humor. It has gotten me through kids who don't always have a sense of humor at the time. There are times when dealing with union issues, administrators, and people in general require a sense of humor - a well developed, Far Side sense of humor. Oh, this Far Side sense of humor goes pretty much everywhere with me; I enjoy being known for being funny. It's not always in good taste, I will admit to that. But at school, a sense of humor can tease a smile out of an unhappy child, can rebalance a teenager who really needs to be noticed. A sense of humor can help diffuse a tense situation. 

As much as I like to try new things, dump boredom, and get creative, I'll do all of those things with a smile and a laugh. Thank goodness for Gary Larson, who helped my sense of humor be a legitimate form of self-expression.

Attitude of Gratitude: Day 4

November 4: What was the nicest gift that you received from student/parent/colleague?

I really had to think about this question. Over time, I've received a lot of gifts, mostly very small and personal things. Kids draw me pictures, and I always put them up in my office. I had a middle school girl, a new kid this year, bring me a very brightly colored picture that was a collaborative effort; her mom drew the picture, which was a goose in a library, and she colored it. Of course I hung it up right away! It was such a sweet gesture. I still use a Dr. Seuss coffee cup given to me by a student who was in my class the one year I taught fourth grade - he graduated two years ago. One mom kept me in very decent chocolate bars when I had her oldest son; I think she figured I needed the boost! A girl I had gave me a small piece of beading she wove - it's a nice piece of work, and one of her first pieces when she first began learning the craft. I always feel honored when a student gives me something they created, and even more so when they make something especially for me.

The nicest gift, though, is friendship - whenever one of my former Crescent kids, either a library kid or a student I taught, sends me a friend request on Facebook, I accept. It is wonderful to see these adults, my former kids, and how their lives have turned out. I appreciate the whole idea that I am let in to their lives, and see pictures of their kids and families. It is still amazing to me that adults remember me as a person who cared about them, and encouraged their love of reading and books. Honestly, I am humbled, and well as grateful for the reminder that what I do does make a difference in the lives of the kids I work with, and that as adults, they remember me as someone kind and encouraging. It kind of takes your breath away, doesn't it?