My Holiday Plan

Its a busy time. The holidays evoke in me many feelings of nostalgia, joy, sadness, nervousness among others. Its also flu season and children and adults get sick and they pass it along. As an educator, I need to be wise, keep watch and stick to things that help me stay happy and healthy. 

Here is my holiday plan:

Mangu (Dominican breakfast)

1. Listen to my body. If I am hungry I will eat. If I am tired, I rest. If I am sick, I will take the day off to recover.  If I need to move, I will dance and/or exercise.  I must take care of myself so I can be effective everyday. 

2. Watch what I watch. Along with "fake" news and silly distractions on social media, I need to be wise to monitor where and how I spend my time. With so many demands, I can't participate in every chat or click on every app and connect. I will make the time when I can but I watch what I watch. I am better because of it. 

Looking up from my school.

3. Stay there. If someone or something inspires me to create or make something better, I will stay there. "Staying there" means doing that one thing to make me better before I move on. Too many times I race to do and then rush to tell everyone what I did. I've discovered that I miss the benefits of enjoying what I did if I rush. I have to stay there.  

Paper cups

4. Look for opportunities to just be. A student in my school was carried out of his classroom by security and brought to my office. He was upset. I distracted him and invited him to share what he had in his hands. He had paper cups. I asked him to show me how to make paper cups. We spent the entire afternoon talking and I learned something new. I entered "his" world and learned. Students have lots of knowledge and skills. Sometimes schools force lectures, books and classwork on kids and they respond by acting up. Sometimes they protest in many ways. Other times they protest and need to be carried out like this boy. I took this opportunity to listen and just be with this boy. I didn't judge him.  I am better for it and now he sees me as an ally to share and create things with. 

Candy Cane House 

5. Take notice. There are lots of great things that happen in my school (I bet in yours too). Despite the negativity and criticism out there, every school has great teachers doing their jobs to help students learn. I take notice of these positive incidents and learnings in my school on a daily basis in three ways:

1. I walk my school everyday.  I want to know what is happening so I walk into every classroom at least once a day. Everyday.

2. I talk with students and teachers and take pictures of these moments.  

3. Then, I write about it (not as often as I wish).  I don't publish a lot but I do tweet via my twiitter account or my school Grieco School. 

Finally, I met with a teacher earlier in December to discuss her formal observation. As we finished, she shared how she got together with teachers from her grade during lunch to discuss specific needs and goals they had. My interest peaked and was almost jealous I wasn't invited. I told her to write about how that meeting was initiated.  She told me it grew out of an email between her and another member of the grade level. I pushed her to write about it because it was a moment of importance for that teacher and team.  I took note to listen for this moment and compelled one teacher to take note also.  

The holidays are a great time to stop and reflect on what we do and how we do it.  Our lives, family, and schools will be better when we do so.

How do you keep happy and healthy during the holidays while staying focused on your work?  

Share your comments!  I am interested in learning from you.