Recap Of A Week In Lakeside

We already had an amazing week at Ocean City, Maryland, so we thought we might not go to Lakeside this summer.  We couldn't do it!  We felt like we would regret it, so we went.

It's like no other place on earth.  Lakeside is a Chautauqua community.  It's the only place I know where you really can let a kid go on their bike.  It's hard to explain to people who have never been there.  {Sometimes I say it's like Dirty Dancing, without the dirty dancing!}

So here is some of what made it extra special for us this year:

How much have you grown this year?

I loved walking so much!

Always look forward to the zen rock art!

African Wildlife Safari, Port Clinton, Ohio

Sunrise over Lake Erie

Marblehead Lighthouse

Sam and Virgil on a daily dip in the lake

Playing in the sand for hours.

Sam felt a little autonomous on the dock

I hope you made some memories this summer!

Join Brave Teacher Tribe!
A revolution is stirring!
Would you like a little soul centered message like this sent directly to your email most days of the school year? Sign up for the Brave Teacher Tribe.  This is a brand new group.  {Even if you receive Brave Teacher Updates, you MUST sign up to receive the emails throughout the school year.}  

10 Reasons I Love My Public Library

I LOVE my public libraries!  I am a bibliophile!  I can't believe how many resources I find at the library to use in my personal and professional life.  {If you don't use your library, you should!}  If you live in a small town, most little libraries are part of bigger groups and can get loads of stuff to you.

10.  The library is FREE to use.  Actually taxes do pay for some of it, but it's amazing!

 9.  They give away suggested reading lists for grade levels.  They also have tons of resources about literacy.

8.  My son goes to one or more story times each week.  I've been amazed at the quality of these programs.  He is learning how to participate in groups, listen to stories, choose books, and do little art projects.

7.  The library shows movies on a big screen every week.  Our little family saw Snow White this summer.  It was Sam's first experience in a dark room with the big screen.  {Way better than paying for a movie he might not sit through!}  There are TONS of other FREE events for patrons of all ages.

 6.  I read thousands of dollars worth of magazines each year for FREE.  This is NOT an exaggeration!

 5.  I check out tons of teacher books.  I'm so glad I'm over thinking I should buy a book because it has one good idea in it.  I get loads of good ideas, and then I get to make them my own, rather than just copying someone's idea.

 4.  The librarians always have ideas for books I might like to read aloud to my class.  They also suggest new books and series of books.

 3.  The library allows me to check out a couple dozen books on one topic, so that everyone can work on say a science project or just expand their knowledge at one time.

 2.  Books In Boxes--I can check out a class set of books--amazing!

 1.  The Bookmobile comes to our school.  Kids LOVE that they get to choose from many cool books that aren't in the school library.  They can also order books.  It is a magic 30 minutes when we return to our classroom, and kids are reading what they choose--pure magic.

These are really just some of the reasons why I LOVE my library and the librarians who give such gifts to our community and students!

Have you thanked a librarian recently?

Happy August and Brave Teacher Tribe

Dear Brave And Amazing You,

I hope you're having an amazing summer.  I am!  I've made amazing memories and  spent good time with my little family.  We're on the second vacation of the summer!  I feel truly blessed.

I've made a few really cool artsy projects.

Best of all for me, I'm overflowing with great ideas for the new year--for my classroom, for my students, for my school, for Brave Teachers.  {Sometimes I worry that this will be the year that I never refill my creative well, but some how it always happens!}

One of my favorite ideas is that I'm inviting all teachers of anything and everything to join the all new Brave Teacher Tribe.  It's going to be revolutionary!  You will receive an email most school days with a bright burst of bravery!  These emails will be packed with encouragement, inspiration, and empowerment in small morsels that you can carry with you as you do the amazing work of teaching.

On Vacation, Off Balance

I'm on vacation with my little family this week, and I'm so off balance.  {Some of you are thinking that I'm never balanced, but this is different.}  I'm having amazing moments with amazing people, my little family included, but I can't download any photos from my camera--I don't have my cord.  I don't have wifi where I'm staying, so I'm not even checking email everyday--what a shocker to my system!

It's also good {and yucky} to feel an internal struggle around enoughness and to allow myself to sit and day dream while my family sleeps.  So much about the past few days confirms for me that I'm on the right path.  Can I say that I'm totally freaked out by that?!

There is going to be some amazing stuff happening here and over at Brave Teachers during the month of August.  I know you will want to stay tuned!

What's tugging at you?  Have you felt unbalanced recently?

Another Picture Book For Writing

Here's another book I read to my 3 year old last week, but I can't wait to share it with my 4th graders in writing class.

You Get What You Get by Julie Gassman, illustrated by Sarah Horne

Melvin is learning that we don't always get what we want.  He's having a hard time with all this.  {Don't we all!}  At school they have the mantra, "You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit."  He ends up taking the lesson home, and the book ends with proof that he did learn the lesson.  It's another quick read.

My 3 year old said this was a really good book, and he is a surprisingly tough critic.  I like the illustrations, too.

So how would I use this for writing?  I have a few ideas:

Here are 2 possible journal prompts:

Write about a time when you didn't get something you wanted.

Write about a time when you forgot this saying, and you threw a fit.  {Kids are usually so honest!}

Class discussion before writing:

Make a list of other important sayings your students have heard, and then they can choose one about which to write a story.  {I want to think of a little list because sometimes kids have a hard time with this.}  To expand the authenticity of the writing, the stories could be shared with younger students or actually tuned into picture books.  I think this will be a good spot to talk a bit about fables, too.

Community journal:


I think I'm going to put a picture of the book cover on the front of a notebook, and then I'm going to offer all 3 of the prompts above, and students can take turns writing and illustrating stories--either fictional or biographical.

What ideas do you have for making writing more power-full?

Here is where I shared another book.

FREE Self Care Calendar From Brave Teachers

Did you know that I have a whole website devoted to soul centered living for teachers?

It's called Brave Teachers, and it is stirring a revolution of inspiration, encouragement, and empowerment one teacher at a time.

Brave Teachers provides live workshops, professional development, keynotes and a retreat in the Fall.  I also create posters and other tools to support teachers in self care, positive perspective, and hopeful living.  I  provide supportive coaching to teachers who need some TLC.  {Don't we all!}  My coaching has most often focused around life and or job transitions.  Sometimes I just listen.

This summer Brave Teachers has it's first ever online workshop, Visioning The Best Year Ever.  Its based on lessons I'm learning and experiences I've had.  I'm working through it all myself, and I'm amazed at the insight I'm finding.  {I'm not just the creator--I'm an active participant, too!}

As part of the online workshop I created a Self Care Calendar for the upcoming school year.  It's all about being intentional and actively planning to exercise, go on adventures, make time for friends, cook healthy meals, create, and whatever else I need.  Otherwise I'll just dash from task to task--getting more frustrated, overwhelmed, anxious, even angry.

I believe this is so essential, that I want to share the Self Care Calendar with as many people as I can. Grab it here FREE!

{There is no magic, but I believe the results can be miraculous.}

If you're interested in other Brave Teacher services and resources, check out the website or email me or sign up to join the email community in the sidebar on the right.

Hope you find some time this weekend to practice self care!

Life Lessons And A Story From The Woods

Sometimes I'm amazed by what I see when I'm REALLY looking--with my eyes and heart wide open! How 'bout you?  Sometimes what I see, really see, turns out to be a game changer--a transformative moment.  I just had one of those while taking a little solo hike in the woods yesterday.

My husband and son where at a preschool nature program, and I thought I was really close to a little lake where we've hiked before.  {Here's where you can think flat and easy trail--maybe a half mile--a little time to just hang out alone in nature.}  I felt like I was walking farther than I remembered walking before, but all I was thinking about was sitting on a little bench by the lake.  {Maybe I should have been paying attention.  Maybe not.}

At first I thought I was just seeing little bushes and rocks in the path.

Then I started to REALLY see.  Was there a message here for me?  For me to pass on?

I kept walking down the path.  There had been a storm the night before, and a tree had fallen across the path.

Here is the blurry road block--wish I had a clearer pic!

As I approached the tree on the path, I wondered what I was going to do to get around this obstacle.  I found another message.

As I continued I found other messages that were not meant for me.  Some were even carved into trees. 

Sometimes it's hard to let go of messages that are really intended for other people.  

I continued seeing messages all around me.  I found myself looking up, looking down, and looking in all directions.  I started expecting to see messages. 

I almost forgot that I was nowhere near the little lake.  As I was panting up and down hills for a couple miles, {so much for the flat short trail} I saw lessons that were more than words.

There was a crew cutting up fallen trees, and I doubted that I was even supposed to be on this path, but it was passable.

I felt ripples going through me as my heart was lifted.

I saw an amazing bent tree, and as I walked I repeatedly thought, "Bent, but not broken.  Bent, but not broken."

I wanted to know the direction of the trail, before I got to the point of needed the information.  Sometimes I even felt frustrated that I couldn't read the trail markers until I was right on them.  This made me think lots about fears I have for next school year.  {Reminder:  I will know what I need to know, when it's time to use it.}

So many messages in just an unexpected little hike!  I never did see the lake, until I had finished the entire trail and turned onto the trail I had originally thought I took.  Once I got to the lake, it didn't seem like such a big deal after all that I had seen.

And as I walked away, there was another message for me:

I love this little line: "Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today." {from the AA Big Book}

And then I walked back to the bench where I was supposed to meet my little family, and I received the last little lesson on an acorn:

Love is the only thing that really matters in the end!

And that is my little story from the woods!

What life lessons are you learning these days?

What unusual classrooms have you recently experienced?