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Be the Bean

by Kendal Privette on May 15, 2012

Coffee Beans 

The North Carolina Teacher of the Year, Tyronna Hooker,  spoke at one of our faculty meetings recently – a shot in the arm as we enter this season of testing. She shared an inspirational story with us, and, although I have to admit that I don’t always pay attention to the heartwarmers, I was…inspired. In the story a woman who is facing adversity boils a carrot in one pot, an egg in another and a coffee bean in another. The carrot gets mushy and the egg hard, but the coffee bean? Changes the water. School isn’t always easy, but we all, teachers and students alike, have a choice in how we respond to challenges.

I thought about the ways in which my students have been the bean this year. Making bracelets to raise money to provide clean water in Africa, welcoming students with special needs to their classroom, writing award-winning speeches, assisting teachers in a grant-writing project to provide a defibrillator for our school, pitching in to help our custodian while another has been on medical leave for four months, and the list goes on.

I want to be the bean everyday for my students – challenging their minds, dispelling myths, breaking up stereotypes and always, always pushing for more.

I want to be the bean everyday for my colleagues – smiling, working as a team player, and helping in any way I can.

I want to be the bean in my community – listening, advocating for students  and speaking positive words about my school.

How about you? In what ways have your students been agents for change this year? In what ways do you want to be the bean?

Kendal teaches 7th grade social studies and blogs at a spacious place

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Dear Teacher: Be Remarkable Today!

by Lisa Dabbs on March 1, 2012

“Have you ever felt that You were supposed to do something amazing, important, outstanding?

That only you can do and that you were destined for greatness?

Remember when you thought…anything was possible? It is!”

A few years back I found this amazing video on the website of Naomi Harm. Although designed to encourage building a small business, it spoke to me in another way. I saw in it the encouragement I needed to keep pressing forward, no matter what!

It reminded me that I’m on this planet to make a difference, and…I never want to lose that passion.

Take 2 minutes…and be Inspired!

The work we choose to do as teachers demands a tremendous amount of our time and energy. We are working in incredibly challenging times. And yet…there are still pre-service students around the world in our universities, preparing to enter the teaching profession. That says something about the hearts of people.

“There will be moments in your life when an opportunity is presented to you.” An opportunity to work on a challenging project, work with a challenging colleague or teach a challenging student. Instead of shying away from these challenges…embrace them! This will be your opportunity to do something brilliant, extraordinary, remarkable! “That fits your talents, abilities, experiences…changing your life forever.”

“As difficult, frustrating and fearful as these times are…they also bring change.” This is where the turning point comes.  This is where YOU can be the instrument of change on that project, for that colleague, with that student.

“We do face an uncertain and unsettling future. But…not one without VISION-HOPE-OPPORTUNITY. So…what are you going to do? For what might be your finest hour. To make your mark, make a difference, leave your legacy.”

As a teacher, you have the personal power to “Reach out, look inward, and step forward.” You can do this for yourselves, your work, your students. Often times though, as we give, give and give we can get beat down and discouraged. Sometimes we don’t even feel that we CAN make a difference. Believe me, I’ve been there. But here is something in my journey as an educator, that has been a rough road at times, that I still believe: “There is no chance, no fate, no destiny that can hinder or control the firm resolve of the human soul.”

“So…don’t settle for less. Do something that matters…and Do what you Do, with all your heart.”

The message?

On this first day of  March 2012…“Embrace your future with an enthusiastic WELCOME!”

You ARE here to make a difference.

No matter how tough things get, in your classroom (or even in your personal life) don’t lose your dreams, your hope, and never lose your passion.

Be present in all you do with your students, Be a Leader, Be Remarkable!

Don’t waste or squander one more minute!  Because…They are counting on YOU.

“Have you ever felt that you are supposed to DO something special? You Are!”

Share with us… what do you do to keep your enthusiasm? What can we do to support you?

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* A word from a sponsor: In order to be a remarkable teacher, you need to have the right education. Consider a secondary education degree from an online university to get your teaching career in motion.

 Photo:fotofortimbras CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Video by   uploaded to YouTube on July 31, 2009
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On Seventh Graders and their Capacity for Compassion

by Kendal Privette on November 23, 2011

During a study of North Africa, my seventh-grade students and I viewed the award-winning documentary Facing Sudan in which we met Salva Dut, a former “Lost Boy” of Sudan. We learned that Salva, after relocating to the United States and nineteen years of separation, heard that his father was languishing in a United Nations clinic in Sudan. He had contracted a water-borne illness and faced death. Salva, determined to save his father and others who lacked access to clean drinking water, formed a nonprofit organization, Water for Sudan, which has since changed its name to Water for South Sudan. The sole purpose of the organization is to provide Sudanese with local, clean drinking water by digging wells. At the end of the video, I asked students what questions they had. I fielded a few, and then came the one that changed the climate of our classes for weeks, “Can we send them some money?” I will admit that I am not usually a fan of big projects. I feel like I end up working harder than my students. But this time, it felt different, so I persevered.

What followed wows me even as I write. These twelve and thirteen-year-old students brainstormed fundraising ideas because they wanted to make a difference in the lives of people thousands of miles away. I finally had to stop them and ask that they list their ideas for me to read over the weekend. I teach four social studies classes, and in each class, the same phenomenon happened. Young people thought of others instead of themselves. And in fourth period, a young lady hit on a winning idea: braided bandanna bracelets. The art teacher donated a box of fabric, and the craftiest kids taught us how to cut strips and braid them into bracelets. Several students bought bandannas and made their bracelets with that fabric. We worked at home and after school until we had hundreds of bracelets.

We took time out of class to learn and rehearse proper salespersonship and asked four teachers to help us with our sales. The idea was for students to sell bracelets to the rest of the student body during the mornings the following week. Each class period provided salespeople for each day, and I assigned them to work alongside a teacher on duty at strategic locations throughout the school. I kept a chart on my white board delineating the amount each class period earned each day in donations and sales, and a friendly competition ensued. They were so excited to get to school in the mornings to check out the sales board!

These students, seventh graders, set their sights on sending $500 to Sudan. Do you know how much they raised? Over $1600! They were floored. We were able to buy three hand pumps for wells, mosquito nets, de-worming tablets and measles vaccinations. And when I polled my students on what they liked best about the project, they overwhelmingly replied, “Really making a difference in the world.” My guess is that at the end of the year and for years to come, our unit on Sudan will be what my students, my compassionate students, will be what they remember. And maybe, just maybe, they will continue to believe in and act on the knowledge that they can really make a difference in the world.

Related Posts: One Small Spark, Why Every Teacher Should Teach Character, Think Different Lesson Plan

 Kendal blogs at a spacious place 

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Be a Better Teacher {10 Questions to a Happier You}

by Laura Parker on October 19, 2011

Do you Want to Be a Better, Happier Teacher? Do you want to be a more positive person–

Someone a little more glass-half-full and a bit less eeyore-sound-alike?

Here are ten simple questions to honestly ask yourself, which just may hold the key to greater joy, easier smiles, and louder laughs in the classroom and outside of it . . .

10 Questions to a Happier You

1. Have you been thankful today?

2. What have you been thankful for in the last hour? (No, really, can you think of something?)

3. Think of the last time you were in the teacher’s lounge {or chatting with other educators}, did you complain or did you talk about the positive?

4. Have you written down ways you are thankful in the past year, the past 6 months, the past week?

5. Were you thankful for something specific, or a lot of specifics, yesterday?

6. How often do you verbally thank those around you– your students, your colleagues, your principal, your family, etc?

7. Have you stopped and been grateful for your health, your car, your food, your _________ today? Especially those things we typically take for granted, in light of the majority of people who share our globe today?

8. What are the positive things about teaching, this year, for you {and are you thankful for them or do you simply gripe about the negatives}?

9. Would you classify yourself generally as a thankful person?

10.  Like, really, are you? What would your co-workers say?

*Ann Voskamp‘s book is faith-based, but I thought the trailer completely inspirational.

Need more? Check out our Character Education Lesson Idea on Teaching Gratitude in the Classroom, because Happy, spreads.

And in the classroom, that happy generally starts with you.

Generally speaking, the attitude of the followers typically reflects the attitude of the leader. It’s more than economics that trickles-down.

*Laura, a former middle school teacher, educates her kids at home now and blogs at ALifeOverseas.com.

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Okay, let’s practice– what are 5 things that you can be grateful for about THIS SHOOL YEAR?

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The Marble Jar

March 10, 2011
character education is important

A positive behavioral modification idea that’s as simple as a jar of marbles.

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