Do For Others What You Wish Someone Would Do For You

I heard Marney Makridakis on a phone course say she was radically changed by the impact this had on her life:

Do for others what you wish someone would do for you. (my paraphrase)

This has so stuck with me. (I heard it about a month ago.) I've decided to start actively and intentionally practicing it.

Every year I hear LOTS of teachers talk about all the stuff their new students don't know or how they aren't ready for the new grade. I rarely hear teachers talk about how much work they know the teachers before did. They worked their behinds of last year just like we did. They did the very best they could with the resources they had.

This year for the first time ever I decided to acknowledge that. I took a few of my little Affirmative Greetings photo cards and attached a little note that said, "Thanks for everything you did to get my students ready for 4th grade." I gave these to our third grade teachers.

I wonder why I've never thought to do this before. I'm glad it finally came to me.

What new ideas are you having?
What can you do for others that you wish someone would do for you?