Twenty years from now

Sailboats Under A Tree $185

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

This quote is most often attributed to Mark Twain, but he didn't say it!  We don't know who did, but it is really good.

What will you be disappointed you didn't do?

Go do it!

Tis the Season

It's that time of year when teachers need lots of little gifts for hostess gifts, coworkers, parent volunteers, stocking stuffers, and the list just keeps going.

Never fear!  You can take care of all of the needs with my handy little creations.  I have an assortment of goodies that are available for between $5 and $25.

I have my new hand sewn mini journals:  Write your own story mini journals are HERE

I still have many of the Summer of Inspiration Original and Affordable watercolors HERE.  {These guys start at $20, and they become less expensive the more you buy!}

Brave Inspiration Card Decks--54 of my favorites from Summer of Inspiration.  They are perfect for a desk or computer keyboard!  Available HERE

I even have original acrylic paintings in 4x4 canvases for only $20.  You will find them in the Brave Art Gallery and Shop HERE.  {I will continue to add images of more inspiring mini canvases, so check back!}

The Brave Art Gallery and Shop offers convenient online shopping HERE.
If you are in my area you can arrange to visit my studio and see all the pieces that are available and save on shipping.

A huge THANK YOU and deep gratitude for support this teacher artist and other artists!

Seasonal art

Even if you can't find much time for art at least once a quarter make some seasonal art.  Fall is a great time to start because pumpkins and gourds make wonderful still life.  You can see some drawings that some kids started one year here.

I love art as a process so I would do several quick 15 minute sessions.  Here is what I would do:

Plan to model each of these for one or two minutes.
1.  Sketch the still life with pencil
2.  Trace around the objects with crayons.
3.  Add color with watercolor paints.  {If you don't have paints, crayons or color pencils will work nicely.  This would be a lovely way to teach kids to use several colors together, working lightest to darkest.}

Need a reason to justify season art?  Write poetry or seasonal narratives, and display them together.

NEOEA Play Day

If you're in my local area then you may have this Friday off of school for Professional Development.  If you don't already know what you're going to do, I am delighted to invite you to spend your morning with me creating.

​We will meet at the intersection of Personal Development and Professional Development

October 16, 2015 {Have fun and play all morning!}
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. {Mind/Body/Spirit}
Art Center on Tusc  {571 W. Tuscarawas Ave.,  Barberton}

Planned activities I look forward to sharing {Yoga, Intuitive Painting, Nature Walk, More Painting, Inspiring Projects for yourself or your classroom}

Wear comfy clothes
$40/ includes yoga class and all creative project supplies and materials--pay at the door, but RSVP HERE now
{I must have at least 5 participants so bring all your teacher friends!}

I'm looking forward to sharing a great day filled with courage and creativity!

Fondly,
Brave Teacher Mim

28 Uses for a Single Sheet Eight Page Booklet

I love having kids create their own learning.  It takes much more time, but it's so worth it.  One of my favorite little tools is a little booklet made from a single sheet of paper.  These are probably too small for students under third grade, but from there on up the uses are limitless.

Here is a little video to show you how to make two different styles of the little book:

And I came up with 28 ways that popped into my head for using this book.  I bet you can think of tons more.  If anything comes to mind, please add it in the comments.

How many uses can you think of for a little 1 sheet eight page booklet?

1.  Record daily temperature or weather
2. Answer a daily word problem/number story
3. Write a story using spelling words
4. Make a comic book using spelling words
5. Write spelling words in different fancy fonts
6. Use spelling words in sentences
7. Word of the day--each booklet could contain 7 words with a “chapter” title page for the theme of those 7 words
8. Create “How to” process books ie How to make chocolate chip cookies
9. Use to record steps of scientific method for a science experiment or demonstration
10.   Record ways to make the number for that day of the school year.  If it’s the 25th day, use 25 tally marks, a quarter, 5 x 5, 20 + 5, twenty-five, etc.
11.   Make a comic book or what you are studying in any subject
12.   Retell a story
13.   Make a timeline
14.   Make a little magazine collage on each page
15. Use to show examples of a grammar concept--Write sentences and highlight all the nouns or all the adjectives
16.   Make lists of words that can be used instead of overused words
17.   Make a book on a topic of study for a younger student
18.   Record growth over time--i.e. from egg to butterfly
19.   Examples of good study habits
20.   Examples of kind behavior at recess
21.   Write a story on any topic
22.   Record favorite quotes
23.   Write a recipe
24.   Record definitions for vocabulary words
25.   Illustrate vocabulary words
26.   Make a multi-page card filled with good wishes (ie what you wish for mom on Mother’s Day)
27.  Use the booklet as a final assessment at the end of a science or social studies unit.
28. Incorporate into science notebooking

I totally love story stones

Material:  Sticker and gems or rocks

Two little sets:  Woodland plants and animals and meadow life

I totally love story stones!  I think they are a great way to incorporate more creativity into the common core classroom.

You can go to pintrest of just search "story stones" to find many more beautiful and creative pieces than those that I have made!  One blog post I particularly like is HERE.

I want for simple--down and dirty.  I just use stickers on glass gems or rocks.  My classroom students and kids yoga students have both enjoyed using them.  They can be used whole class, in partnerships, at table teams, or as a learning center alone.  They can be used to strengthen certain skills (ie. describing words or beginning/middle/end).  They can be used for differentiation, too.  They are fun, and so you know kids will like them.

With 4th graders it might be fun to try putting vocabulary or specific words on story rocks instead of pictures or stickers.  If you try this, let me know how it works!

Supplies

a variety of small stickers
rocks or glass gems
modge podge + brush
box or bag for storage

1.  Choose stickers that will work well for the size of rocks or gems you have.  {Small round stickers are great on small glass gems.}  Consider if you want some stickers that seem like they fit together for a particular topic--woodland animals and plants or all insects or jungle animals.
2.  Add stickers to rocks
3.  Modge podge over the tops of the stickers and allow them to sit out and dry overnight
4.  Store story stones in a bag or box.  {You might want to store each set in its own little pouch.}

What about the common core standards?  Where does this fit in?

I'm just highlighting the anchor standards that apply to every grade:

Speaking/Listening:  
Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Writing:  Text Type and Purpose:
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Writing:  Production and Distribution of Writing:

• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. 

Have you used story stones?  How?

Best wishes with bringing more beauty and creativity into your classroom.  Let us know how it works!

25 Thoughts on Self Care for Transformational Teachers

This was my 30+ minutes of writing today.  I think it is really hard to do these things with consistency, but I hope something will spark for you!

How many ways can I think of for transformational teachers to care for themselves?  {These are things that I’m applying so much more now that I’m out of the classroom for this year.}

1.  Know your limits and stick to them--know how much time you will commit in a day/a week/ a month/ a year to the tasks you need to do--planning/grading/cleaning/set up/ extra stuff.  
2. Be realistic and stick to it.  For example:  I have 30 minutes to grade, and that is all today.
3. Close out distractions from your personal work time--no internet, friends, kids, coworkers, etc.  The time moves fast, and you know what you have to do.  Carve out that quiet work time and keep it sacred.
4. Say NO! politely but firmly.  Some ways to say it are:  “I wish I could, but I’m not able to add anything extra right now.”  “That sounds like a good idea, but it doesn’t line up with my goals right now.”  “I wish you well, but I am not able to participate at this time.”
5. Do something that brings you joy every single day--cook, walk around your block, knit, play with your kids, clean your house, listen to music, whatever it is for you.  It might be very simple like smile as you walk down the street.  You are only able to give from the overflow of your joy, so keep your joy well filled and overflowing!
6. Honor your humanity.  You are not a teaching machine or robot.  You are a human being.  When you recognize and accept this in your self it will be much easier to recognize and accept in other people--especially your students.
7. Practice being present.  Stop and look at people when they are speaking to you.  Don’t let your mind wander.  Really be there.  In the long run it saves time and resources.
8. Keep guilt and shame at bay--they will steal your joy and deflate your effectiveness.
9. Move your body every day--and I don’t mean around your classroom--unless your dancing around before or after school!  Preferable move outside. 
10. Fuel your body with the best nutrition you can.  Be intentional about the ways you fuel your body.  The better the nutrition you put in the more effectiveness you will be able to put out.  {On days when you eat a bag of M&Ms, accept it, let it go and move on.  Refer to number 8}
11.   Spend as much time in nature that you can.  Vitamin D from the sun is a big deal.  Moving outside is a big deal.  Time in nature is proven to improve mood and overall outlook. 
12.   Get enough rest.  This is more than just sleep, and sleep is very important.  Plan down time for yourself and your family.
13. Learn something new.  This can be for your job or just for fun.  Take a pottery class.  Learn to salsa.  Whatever is going to keep you moving forward in your life.
14.   Don’t get sidetracked by other people’s ideas.  There will always be other people who are doing amazing things that are different than you.  Don’t let yourself be filled with doubt because you aren’t doing what someone else is doing.  You bring your A game, and don’t worry about someone else’s A game.
15. Ask for help.  When you are feeling overwhelmed, ask for help.  It doesn’t mean you will get it, but keep asking different people.  Eventually the person who was meant to come along side you will be there.
16. Have a place and way to vent.  It might be a long run on Saturday morning or a glass of wine with a good friend.
17.   Don’t worry that you’re not doing things the way everyone else is.  Some people will always be ahead of you, and some people will always be behind you.  The important thing is that you know where you are going.
18. Have a good support network.  For me the best support community turned out to be online and outside of education circles.
19.   Accept people as they are, and know that we can only change about 10% of ourself.  People have set personalities.  Accept this.  Your only able to change one person, and that is you!  Accept this.
20.   Make a gratitude list.  It might be something you write down or it might be an informal and mental part of your bedtime ritual before you fall asleep.
21.   Accept the fact that not all people are trustworthy.  Decide what part of your life you want to be public {it might be big or small} and then fiercely guard the part that you want to keep private.  
22.   Social media is rarely your friend--see #21
23.   Remember when people are mean they are usually broken and hurting.  Their behavior says much more about them than you--especially if they make it public.  You do NOT need to engage with them EVER
24.   Behave with integrity.  Keep your word.  Respect other people.  This is a lost are, but many years ago my dad said, “You will sleep better every night if you do the right thing.”
25. Choose kindness whenever possible.  It’s always possible.  {I’ve seen those words credited to the Dali Lama and Mother Theresa.}  Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is walk away or stay quiet.