You Know My Name And Want Me To Succeed

A couple years ago I drove through a small town that  had a big banner at the main intersection wishing their students well on state testing.  I thought this was amazing.

I wondered what I could do for all the students in my little school--about 150 kids in 3rd and 4th grade.  What I did took time, and it was small.  (I could have spent the same amount of time creating some snazzy review activity.)  I was blown away by what a big deal it was for some of the kids.

I made a little hand written banner that reads:
3rd and 4th Graders:  You make us proud every day.  Now do your best on the OAA!
(From the Staff and Students of our school.)

Then I wrote each kids first name on a little star and hung them up.  The location was by the kitchen, because on testing days the parent group makes the kids breakfast.  I hung them up a few days before testing started.

Here's the thing:  Everyone wants (needs) to be recognized and known.    This was way bigger than reviewing.  Someone knows my name and wants me to do well.  That is big--HUGE.  I think it's so easy to forget this in education--especially around high stakes testing.


I'm always nervous when we get to testing week, but I feel good knowing that for some kids being seen will be enough--regardless of their score.

What tips do you have for empowering kids or teachers around high stakes testing?

Inspired By Affirmations

If you're feeling down (I have been) writing out affirmations to read is a GREAT pick me up. I started this at Brave Women's Breakfast. My focus is on affirmations that will encourage and empower me as a teacher and in my classroom.

It's super simple. . .

• I took some different shaped chipboard cards--some I painted and some I left plain.
• I collected some affirmations and wrote them on the cards
• I connected the card with a ring and added a little ribbon

Now I can add more or move them around!

Here are a few of my faves:

• I feel the joy of teaching today!
• I am enough. I do enough.
• I am a confident, encouraging, and motivating teacher.
• I motivate and encourage my students in every possible way!

What are the things you say to yourself when you're not feeling inspired?

Brave Words for Teachers

I h ad 2 snow days this week, and in addition to catching up on grading papers (yippee!) I became a little obsessed with collecting and writing affirmations for teachers.

I firmly believe that teachers get way more negative than positive talk. In fact if teachers gave as much negative talk as they receive, we would be unemployed. So how do we combat this negativity that feels like it is so often actively and passively directed toward us? (Sometimes--often, it's even within us.)

I know that affirmations have worked for me in transformational ways in the past. I've experienced the internal shift from believing a lie, then receiving the truth, and finally embracing the truth all the way into the deep and hidden parts of my heart. So now I'm experimenting with using them in my professional life.

Today's affirmation says to me that I am always learning and that I've already experienced success in order to be able to teach. What does it say to you?

How have affirmations worked for you?