A writer shared this with me today: 
Advice From A Tree
Stand tall and proud.
Go out on a limb.
Remember your roots.
Drink plenty of water.
Be happy with your natural beauty.
Enjoy the view everyday.
Extraordinarily grand advice from a tree AND a young writer. 🙂
In place of Morning Message each Tuesday, our learners and classroom leaders participate in R Time. While I expanded on the ideas and activities associated with this interactive campus initiative in a previous blog, during morning walkabout today, I observed a class in R Time action.
First of all, they were excited it was R Time today! 🙂 One of the powerful aspects of their R Time work is not knowing WHO will be their working partner during the actual activity; the surprise element is always fun. The other significant aspect is knowing their work together will be a positive experience.
As we all know, positive interactions are essential to daily healthy relationships—at home, school, work, church, community, and in life. 
The actual activity involved the pairs greeting one another appropriately, sharing a pleasant thought, and then talking about the ways they share positive interactions with others. The pairs agreed to a word to then shared with the remaining pairs to help cultivate more positive interactions in the classroom everyday. Each pair added their chosen word to a class wordle to post for everyone to use. The conversations and closing discussion simply warmed my heart…it encouraged me to stop several times today just to spread (as one learner said it), “positive vibes.” Here’s hoping you spread your own positive vibes today…and everyday! 🙂
It’s true; I’m known for saying: “Your perception is your reality.” Think about it; as adults we know this to be true! It was true today when I said it too! 🙂
So…the question was asked by a classroom leader this morning: “Who do you serve?” You can imagine the answers shared: “you, me, each other, our parents, the office ladies (they wish!)”…and the list grew.
As these learners pondered the possibilities for who they serve, you could visibly see the connections being made between how they view their role as a learner AND as a classroom leader or teacher. They realized they truly serve multiple roles in their classroom, thus serving in many capacities (depending on the situation) changes who they serve when. The real heart and soul of this reality today though was each child’s eagerness and willingness to SERVE! 🙂
In his powerful book, One Word, Jon Gordon writes about finding that one word each year to live by fully each day. As back in August, my word this year is SERVE. I do my personal best to SERVE. Some days I’m highly successful; some days I need to do better. The word came to me in a whisper last summer…one of those moments where chills and a calling literally walk along the path with you unexpectedly.
It’s truly remarkable to listen to learner perspective on any given topic because you never know the angle each child brings to the processing table. Learners engage in the experience based on multiple factors, the least of which is their own understanding or unique perception of a given situation. It is their personal experience helping to create their own personal reality, thus, their perception is their reality.
This particular class has chosen the word SERVE this spring as a special focus for the next few weeks. I’m excited to see and hear about their progress…their perception and their reality! 🙂
Perhaps you’ve heard the saying: “May all your weeds be wildflowers.” After testing was complete, I managed to make the rounds this afternoon to visit with some young readers talking and studying seeds. 
They were commenting about finding “several weeds on the playground and our fields out back, Mrs. Van!” Someone mentioned allergies and “how hard it is to keep my nose from running right now with blooms!” Another friend talked about sharing “a flower necklace I made during recess.” One child discussed the need to “help others learn to see the weeds of life as wildflowers everyday.” 🙂 Obviously, this got my attention!
As we talked on, it became obvious these observers were sharing ideas gleaned from recent classroom conversations and discussions about turning challenging situations into opportunities. This life lesson at a young age can certainly impact the future for these learners. Looking at things optimistically (the glass is half full) goes a long way in bringing JOY to daily challenges, no matter the situation. So…here’s hoping you find a batch of wildflowers along your journey today and choose to help others turn their “weeds into wildflowers” too!
PS – I’m told we “DID NOT pick the bluebonnets out back either!” 🙂
Day One…state assessment…done! As we continue this week, we encourage you to rest, eat well, and do those calming techniques that allow you to focus, concentrate, and do your personal best no matter what! Thanks to all our learners (testers and non-testers), all our LME staff members, and especially Mrs. Bass, our campus testing coordinator, for giving your personal BEST everyday! Day Two is next… 🙂
1939 was a dark and difficult year in Europe. Hitler and the Nazi army had annexed Austria and Czechoslovakia as well as started the Blitzkrieg attack on Poland. France and Great Britain declared war on Germany and World War II began. The British government created a motivational poster at that same time: Keep Calm and Carry On. Long forgotten, a copy of the original poster surfaced in a used bookstore in England in 2000. Since then, the poster has become a popular, even iconic, message of resilience in the face of challenging situations. Its simple, reassuring, and inspiring reminder remains an encouraging sentiment in difficult times. You didn’t know you were getting a brief history lesson today, huh?!
So, what does this have to do with us at LME anyway? I was reminded this morning during walkabout how important this is for our learners and their classroom leaders this week! With STAAR-gazing upon us now, we need these simple, profound reminders that doing our personal best is enough. It’s natural to feel anxious and uncertain, but we’re not alone. We just need to filter our thoughts into positive messages and pull from our anxiety management tool kits so we change how we feel and behave during stressful times (like state assessment). Children are far more resilient than adults, thus, I continuously encourage our staff to measure the barometer by their students (and not to add to the barometric pressure either!).
One 1st grade class shared this clever poster with their 4th grade buddies during their time together. One learner commented about “keeping your wits about you, especially during your test.” 🙂
I want to thank our classroom leaders, volunteers, tutors, and learners for preparing themselves to their personal best everyday. Thanks to our learning community who consistently give support to our campus in so many ways! It’s important to remember this week especially to Keep Calm and Test On!
Note: In following with other MISD elementary campuses, we are a “closed campus” for visitors and volunteers this week; we appreciate your understanding.
Someone noted, “A cloudy, rainy day is no match for a sunny disposition.” Such is the truth today at LME! From owl pellet labs to clowns, it’s been a real circus…
Our fifth grade friends participated in one of the “coolest labs ever” today according to some learners who were sharing their results with me. The owl pellets were donated by an owl expert from southern Oklahoma who knew about our work. Today was the big day for them to dissect owl pellets to discover the diets of owls. While researching their findings, they discussed food chains, food webs, and ecosystems. One friend commented, “Eww…this is the grossest and yet most fun science lab yet this year!” 🙂
At the other end of the building, 
we had our first grade friends who were preparing their really huge show under the Big Top called “Circus, Circus” by John Jacobson and John Higgins. Under the direction of ring master, Mrs. Perez, these outstanding clowns, ringleaders, lions, mimes, and more shared the story of working when 
the circus comes to town. Special thanks to our amazing parents for the elaborately detailed costumes too! From kazoos to lion roars, these amazing performers gave their personal circus best!
I had the most fascinating conversation this morning with a young writer:
Child: “Life is like a movie, Mrs. Van.
Me: How so?
Child: “Well, you have a beginning when you’re born and all, you grow up, and then have to do important things.”
Me: What important things do you hope to do?
Child: Well, I’m working on it you see, because I haven’t written my ending just yet.” 🙂
I believe it was one of the Muppets who noted, 
“Life is like a movie; write your own ending.” Extraordinary conversations with learners (like this one) challenge us everyday to provide the most engaging, meaningful learning experiences we possibly can to ensure our learners have the tools they need to write their personal best “life movie” possible.
As we get geared up to complete the required state assessments, the message to our learners is simple: Do your personal best no matter what! Regardless of what the state tells us, it’s really about personal growth–in class and in life. Here’s hoping we all roll that beautiful life footage everyday. 🙂
The logo may say the 1st Annual Rowdy Run 5K, but it’s our second one and it’s coming up fast! Please plan to come out next Saturday, March 29 @ 8:00 a.m. to Kimmel Park and run, walk, or jog your way in supporting MISD’s elementary running club, The Rowdy Runners. Register online until March 25, or print the registration form [PDF] and send to our front office; we’ll get your form to Coach Rogers asap. The Rowdy Runner goal is to make this year’s 5K bigger and better, so we hope to see everyone Saturday, March 29th for a rowdy fun morning! 🙂
In honor of the wearing of the green, here’s a 
special blessing for the day:
May there always be work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow of promise follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend or loved one always be near;
May your heart fill with JOY to bring you great cheer!
Welcome back to school and the remaining 57 days of learning we have together!
Van Am Gram 