How ' Bout Those Teachers?! Time for Some Major League Inspiration

We've come to that exciting time of year again...and I'm not just talking about baseball! It's fourth quarter- also known as the season when teachers reflect on the homeruns that made their classroom function more effectively during the school year as well as deciding what game-changers they need to implement next year.  I am blessed to work with some FANTASTIC elementary teachers that have discovered creative ways to encourage independent reading, optimize their organization, positively reinforce excellent behavior, learning habits, procedure following, and also display student work in a way that encourages ownership and pride.  Check out the photo playbook  for these teachers and see if it sparks some ingenuity in your world to guarantee a teacher win!

LIBRARY/READING CORNER

*Some common characteristics of these reading areas are inviting surroundings, organized book bins, comfortable setting, and easy student access.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INCENTIVES

Friday gum chewing is earned if students 'Keep
Your Bubble' during the week by listening and
not interrupting during instruction.



'Brag Bracelets' are worn with pride to show student
achievements.

'Brownie Points' are earned to
reinforce positive behavior
choices.

This class enjoys 'Warm
Fuzzy' reward time when their
jar is filled with pom-poms
representing acts of kindness.



BOOK ORGANIZATION



Class sets of literature are stored in magazine file boxes with
photos of the book covers on the outside making them
easy to locate.

Book bins can be color coded to match the Lexile level sticker
to aid students in searching for books that are at their level for
self-selected reading material.



Another way to organize self-selected reading books is to
label bins by topic and then show the Lexile level and quiz
availability with a coordinating label inside each book.

 

TEACHER ORGANIZATIONAL HELPS

Wheeled totes from Ikea hold supplies and fit under the
coat rack to conveniently roll out when needed.

Designating each shelving unit for a different subject and
labeling the materials on the shelves makes it easy to
find manipulatives and supplies.

Storing guided reading books, resource masters, study stations,
and school supplies in one area helps students be independent
at getting what they need during reading time.

Colorfully labeled bins can be an alternative to file cabinets
for organizing paperwork and sorting assignments/assessments.

A teacher organization board holds wall files for mail and
paperwork and  keeps calendars within view for a
clutter-free desk. Shelves with labeled canvas totes hold other
items used frequently that are too large for desk drawers.

STUDENT WORK/PHOTO DISPLAYS

*Effective use of wall/desk space, a welcoming atmosphere, and home-to-school connection are all characteristics to keep in mind when creating displays for student work and photos.

 

 

TEACHING STUDENTS TO USE RESOURCES AND PROCEDURES

Having a wall that is designated for anchor charts helps
students know exactly where to look for their learning resources.



A Word of the Week, Letter of the Week, and Number
of the Week bulletin board can assist students in keeping
 their attention on what the teacher chooses as the
main objective.

Keeping an uncluttered calendar area helps students
start the day clear and focused.

A key ring board becomes a space-saving birthday chart.

A dry erase board becomes a magnetic menu on which
students quickly  make their daily lunch choice.

Morning and afternoon procedures are
effectively taught using a visual photo reference.





The procedure for turning in reading logs is easy when students
put their log in the basket and then remove their name clip to
show completion.





Students always know where to find their supplies, where they will
be sitting, and when their center group is rotating by following
their group's mascot.



Sharing great ideas keeps all of us batting 1000 in our classrooms, so I really appreciate all of my
heavy hitter colleagues that contributed photos for this post!  We've almost made it to the end of spring series for 2015-2016 and I wish you the best as you bring it on home.  (Whew! It's a good thing...I've exhausted my baseball metaphors.)


*Thank you to all of these fine teachers for their contributions to this post: Sarah Tattershall, Brandi Frey, Michelle Robinett, Candace Bauer, Meredith Kliethermes, Bobbie Grant, Jennifer Wrye, Sara Wallis, Bobbie Underwood, Brittany Sneed, and Jennifer Tellman.

The Joy in Accepting That You Are Accepted

I was recently reminded of a testimony I had shared five and a half years ago. It was a good reminder to me of how God is so faithful to create peace out of chaos and confusion. He cares too much for us to let us struggle forever with misconceptions about His love and grace. May great hope be found today in His unconditional acceptance of you.

“Throughout my life I have struggled with the truth that salvation is not earned. Now, I would tell you that I was saved by grace, but the way I lived was as though it depended on doing good deeds and being perfect. Then I would be accepted as a good youth pastor’s wife. (Self-talk can be really messed up sometimes.)  I didn't even realize I was living with the perception that through my works I could be accepted as a worthy example of a Christ follower.  The more my schedule was packed with doing good, the more I convinced myself I was more lovable to God. Being busy equaled greater self-worth in my mind. I considered self-sufficiency a virtue and invested myself accordingly. When I faced daily challenges (whether mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual), it became my mission to solve whatever the problem was on my own with as little involvement from others as possible. That would be seen as weakness, and I did not want to let anyone down…believers are strong in their faith, right? My vision of being holy was confused with having to be perfect. As I relied more and more on myself, I began noticing that I no longer felt hunger and thirst for the things of God.  That made me feel guilty, and my guilt seemed to push me further away from Him.  Weak and burned out, inadequate and overwhelmed, these feelings and misconceptions were affecting me in all areas of my life.  It was like I had created an isolation zone for myself in my fervor to be perfect and sufficient.  I was alone and discouraged. I was mentally stressed out and physically depleted. The harder I tried to be the perfect Christian full of good deeds, the more restless and empty I felt.

 

I’ll never forget the night that Mike was out of town on a student retreat and my own kids were all in bed. I lay awake in the night feeling like a big fake. For all my attempts at right living and acts of service, I was failing miserably at trusting in God and was falling apart on the inside. In desperation, I cried out to God to just ‘show me what to do because I can't go on like this!’ I raided Mike’s book collection and opened The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. As I read these words, all of a sudden the dry desert in my soul became flooded with new life and truth:

'Grace strikes us when we are in great pain and restlessness.  It strikes us when we walk through the dark valley of a meaningless and empty life. It strikes us when year after year, the longed-for perfection does not appear, when the old compulsions reign within us as they have for decades, when despair destroys all joy and courage.  Sometimes at that moment a wave of light breaks into our darkness, and it is as though a voice were saying, "YOU ARE ACCEPTED. YOU ARE ACCEPTED." Accepted by that which is greater than you.  Simply accept the fact that you are accepted...

Grace calls out, “You may be insecure, inadequate or mistaken.  Death, panic, depression, and disillusionment may be near you.  But you are not just that. You are accepted."

  

Overwhelming peace and joy came into my spirit and I just lay there weeping for this realization of just how powerful the grace of Jesus is.  He accepts me in all of my imperfections.  He accepts me in the midst of disappointing Him. It was like a great wave of healing as the Holy Spirit continued to minister to me.  Along with that peace of just letting go, came the conviction that my attempts at being self-sufficient were at odds with God.  At the root of it all was pride.  Pride is the opposite of the humility of Christ.  So I confessed this sin and received the cleansing made possible through the blood of Jesus because of His grace. My prayer continues to be, 'Lord, help me follow the example of Christ’s humility.' I continue to be in awe of how much God loves me and how His grace will always accept me.

'Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.' -Romans 5:6-8 (The Message)

 'My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it.' -Brennan Manning



<<Watch "Who Am I" video by Casting Crowns>>

Who Am I by Casting Crowns is one of my favorite songs and testimony for my life because of its interwoven theme of grace. The message of the song is worth sharing over and over again… we are accepted and forgiven and it’s not because of who we are…it’s because of what He’s done.  It’s not because of anything we have done… but because of who He is. Grace continues to be what I am most thankful for and by which I am transformed. Transformed from a person whose goal used to be perfectionism, but now is to trust in a loving Savior to show me how to best glorify Him.  Now that I fully accept the fact that I am accepted, I am free to share the encouragement of grace with others.  I pray you find joy in the truth that you are NOT just your imperfections, you are LOVED and ACCEPTED. Simply accept the fact that you are accepted.”

Creating Beauty on a Budget



Before

After. So Pinterest worthy.

Don't you admire people that can take a bunch of odds and ends and turn them into a masterpiece? I mean, I get oodles of inspiration from Pinterest and consider myself pretty capable of putting my own twist on some of those fantastic ideas. But ever wonder who comes up with those pinworthy posts in the first place?  I happen to know- because my sis, Renee, is one of those people. That's not just me being prejudiced. An objective survey identified her signature strength as creativity.

And boy, does it show.

One of the coolest things about her brand of being creative is that she is careful to live within her means. Her family is currently finishing their beautiful home they designed and built in stages to stay out of debt. So very wise- but oh so challenging in our instant gratification society! Last fall, Renee decided that since the perfect fireplace installation was slated for the future, she needed to get creative with the unsightly hole in the wall in her living room now. 



It just wasn't helping her feel peaceful, calm, or satisfied with her surroundings when she wanted to relax in that space with her family after a long day at work. What could she do to make that unfinished room "rise up to meet her" and stay committed to her family's time table and spending plan in their house projects?

A work in progress...



I couldn't find a better example of my blog's slogan to adapt, execute, and enjoy than my sister's work to transform that empty space! Her adapting started with gathering meaningful things that bring her joy to collect or have sentimental value for her family. From gifts received, to special finds from road trips and vacations, to a stained glass window from the church her husband attended as a boy- the possibilities of what she could use to create good vibes seemed pretty limitless. Her executing took place when she decided that she could implement her plan immediately, regardless of the time of year. In fact, she uses the changing of the seasons to aid her with decorating ideas. Renee's seasonal execution keeps the room fresh and inspires her spirit. Now she is free to enjoy the room that is the first one she walks into at the end of the day because it greets her with her most special and favorite things. She experiences the feeling of satisfaction that she achieved her goal of having a focal point of beauty on a budget. True to her personality and character, she is most happy when she is using her signature strength of creativity. 

Christmas nativity- the beauty is in the simplicity

 

'Snow' much fun for winter!

She even takes it a step further to make it fun for her family by letting her two year old play in the decor. Her little guy loves to watch birds out the big picture window. When he found an injured baby robin out of its nest, he made it his mission to take care of that little bird until it was back on its feet (with parental support, of course). He is a hoot to watch moving the colored wooden bird eggs in and out of the nest in her spring display. I really kind of think that is a stroke of genius that she thought of a way to make her focal point interactive for him as well. How awesome is that?!

Look closely and you can see Henry's eggs...

Making memories during the process is a bonus.

By telling about her inspiration, I hope it might inspire you to take the initiative to gain fulfillment in some area of your life. You have nothing to gain by waiting for more money, more time, more fill-in-the-blank with whatever you feel you are lacking. But think of the satisfaction and happiness you'll experience bringing your own brand of peace and meaning to your surroundings. You know, it is never any better than it is right now, so stop waiting. Your ability to adapt, execute, and enjoy is going to enrich your life. YOU CREATE THE JOY THAT MAKES YOUR LIFE BETTER.