My week started with my mom leaving after spending a long weekend with us. That, in itself, is no reason to celebrate, but what is is the fact that before she left she made sure ALL of my laundry was done and the kitchen was clean. Thanks mom!
This week I was able to meet one-on-one with 20 of my 21 beginning teachers that I mentor. I appreciate the relationships that I have with "my" beginning teachers: they are hard-working, dedicated and eager to grow and improve. As I support them through a process of reflection, they have taught me so much about being reflective. I celebrate each one of them and the growth they've made already this school year (it's only October!)
During a one-to-one conversation with a beginning teacher, the teacher shared with me her use of the picture book The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes with her her students. This teacher teaches Art and used the book as a way to talk about how "mistakes" can be incorporated into the art. She talked about the student engagement (they were mesmerized by the book) and the connections that the students were making to her personal art that she's shown them where she's made a "mistake" and incorporated it into her work. When I asked her where she got the idea from, she replied with, "you". I meant the idea for the specific title, but was excited that she picked up on my constant book talks and found a way to use picture books in her classroom.
I am transitioning out of half of my full time mentoring job in order to take over as the project director for my school district's Collaboration Grant. There are lots of things that stress me out about my new role, but it's one of those good stresses - it's nothing I dread. I celebrate the fact that this position is another career pathway for me. There is a lot for me to learn about the grant and I'm excited.
Last night, my husband, my daughter, and I went to my nephew's Homecoming football game. He's a freshman this year and I couldn't be more proud of him. Six years ago, when he and his family returned to our area, he was having extreme anxiety "issues" and it was actually a struggle to get him to school. I look at him now and see a young man who doesn't fight against going to school AND he plays sports (which also means he's keeping his grades up).
Another reason to celebrate the Homecoming football game was the time with family. The "other" Beckers, my husband's brother and wife, parents of my nephew mentioned above, are not just family to us but friends. I love how excited Maddie is to see her aunt and uncle and cousins. Maddie spent most of the game crawling all over her uncle and cuddling with her cousin, Sara, and her Aunt Tracey. As an only child, I appreciate that she bonds with family.
To round out the week, Maddie and I wanted pancakes for breakfast this morning. With no milk in the refrigerator, I was ready to call it quits on pancakes until I remembered the almond coconut milk in the pantry. Thank goodness for the Pinterest smoothie recipe that called for almond coconut milk-we made the pancakes with it and I found that I really liked the nutty flavor that the pancakes had as a result. The greatest benefit? No disappointed 3 year old over pancakes.
It's been a good week and I love having the vehicle to just look back at my week and reflect on the things that otherwise wouldn't stand out as reasons to celebrate.
What do you celebrate this week?
What a list! I smiled at the first item, because it seems as though you have a LAUNDRY FAIRY too! Before my kids were in school, she used to come to my house twice a week and wrangled the laundry. It was the only way the kids had clean clothes in the year following the adoption of our daughters (ages 4 & 6). I agree, clean laundry is reason to celebrate.
ReplyDeleteShine on,
Ruth
Thank you, Ruth! The Laundry Fairy...LOVE it!!!! She is pretty amazing, isn't she? Clean laundry is definitely a reason to celebrate.
Delete