New Year, New Look... (Hopefully) New Attitude?

Hi, friends!

I have a confession to make.  It's one you are very aware of, but isn't admitting something the first step to overcoming the problem?

I hope this is true.

You see, I suck at blogging.

In fact, I am probably in the running for the World's WORST Blogger Award.  

No joke!!

I want to have profound words of wisdom to share with you.  You would think that after teaching 27 years of teaching and seeing education go from here to there and everywhere in between that I would have at least a few nuggets to share with you.

Maybe I'm just tired...tired of working, working, working.

Now mind you, I don't mind the TEACHING at all.  I truly believe that teaching, like preaching, is a calling.  I have felt it with ever fiber of my being since I was five years old.  

Yes, even then, I knew that this was what I wanted to do.

Like many of you I talk with, teaching has become so overwhelming.  It's no longer about doing what's best for the students.  It's no longer about using the best practices.  

No, it's become a circus of sorts, a dog and pony show, jumping through the hoops, swinging from one trapeze to the next and hoping not to fall, hoping that if you do fall, there's a net to catch you...but there probably isn't.

Between the meetings, meetings, MEETINGS (honestly, I have a three-ring binder titled just that) and new teacher observations that treat everyone like brand-new teachers, what is a teacher supposed to do?

Get an attitude change, of course!!

I hope that has happened to me.  It started almost a month ago. So far, it is sticking.

My words of profound wisdom for you:

It is sometimes impossible to change what is happening around you and even TO you.  If you can't change anything about your job, there is one thing you CAN change... 

YOUR ATTITUDE!!!

I decided that most of the things that have gotten me down this school year are truly beyond my control.  However, I was letting it bleed over into my home life, as well.  It was draining the joy out of spending time with my family, of taking time for me, and of enjoying LIFE, so...

I made an attitude adjustment. 

While I'm at school, I'm giving it everything I have...200% or more.  I'm smiling at my students.  I'm enjoying spending time with them and teaching them.  I'm enjoying saying prayer with my coworkers each morning before our day begins.  (This makes my day go MUCH smoother.)

I decided to take back an attitude of gratefulness and happiness and counting my blessings for the opportunity to answer my life calling.

Like a duck in the rain, I'm letting everything else just run off my back.

I do what I can while getting to school at the expected time rather than 45 minutes early.  I'm leaving on the dot - NO MATTER WHAT - instead of staying an extra hour or two.

Do you know what?  I feel better.  I'm laughing and enjoying time with my grandson, my husband, my mom, my daughters and most importantly, myself.

In honor of all of this, I decided I needed a more sophisticated blog.  As always, my friend Christi worked her magic putting it together, and my friend Laine designed the clip art just for me.

It's time.  It's a new year, a new look,  and most importantly, a new attitude.

Most of all, I think my students are benefiting.

That's...