It might seem silly to show a photo of an advent wreath for New Year's Eve, but I feel like I've been getting ready for something.  I've been preparing for change.  I've been moving forward one step at a time {sometimes without any light or companions.}

And then this morning I read a post from Parker J. Palmer {one of my favorite authors} at the On Being website {one of my favorite media programs}.  What is he talking about?  New Year Revolutions.  I totally love it!

His third desired revolution really resonates with me:

The revolution against the nonstop attacks on our K-12 teachers and public schools. Most of the problems we blame on public education begin upstream; e.g., in the poverty that has nearly one-fourth of our kids coming to school too hungry for their brains to work well. So why do we blame teachers for children’s failure to learn — then double down on their burden by pretending to “solve” the problem with punitive, high-stakes testing? The only winners right now are those who want to force failure on public education in order to make privatization a more attractive option. I want to join with those who say, “Enough! This demonic scheme is crushing teachers and kids alike, and we will all pay dearly in the end. Let’s stop evading the real issues. Let’s deal with the upstream problems so teachers can help kids learn.”  {Read his whole article HERE}

And so I sit here today thinking about caring for teachers and administrators, which is what I do a great deal through this site and its work/ this part of my work.  And then on the other hand I wonder what kind of revolution I could mount to stop the attacks on these amazing human beings who do super human work so often.  And I sit here wondering where I can be of most service to the world.

What are your thoughts about this?
What is your brave heart wondering about on New Year's Eve?

If you are reading this than you have made it to the end.  Either you are in the midst of the last day or you made it through the last day!  You deserve some rest.

But it's not over because now you have all sorts of obligations and other tasks to catch up on completing.  That's what makes this time of year especially tough.  You deserve some time for renewal, too.

That's what the Best Teacher Gift Ever is all about--Filling your tool box with tools to continually use to refresh and restore you.

Brave Teachers is giving away several spots for this amazing email retreat.  (The more people who enter the more spots will be given away!)

To enter simply Like this post on Facebook AND Share it!

Wishing you a refreshing break!

This is part five of a little series to help teachers make it to the end of the week before Winter Break.  You were made to THRIVE, not just survive.

Your energy is lessening each day.  The energy of your students seems to increase exponentially.  You are still expected to accomplish something.  Take a moment and ask yourself what you're really going to accomplish in the last couple days before break.

Now ask yourself how you can simply bring joy to the world around you in simple ways.  I'm not talking about hatching some big wild and crazy scheme.  I'm talking the little stuff.  Something that lifts a bit of the burden and fills your heart with joy, joy, joy!

• Can you and your students do something for the school community?  

It might be a cleaning project or make posters with positive messages to hang around the school or delivering something to classrooms for the school secretary.

• Can you do something for your students?

Some extra recess or taking a nature walk outside--not because they deserve it but because YOU deserve it.  Breathe in some fresh air and move.  Read holiday or seasonal books to your students.  Feel the JOY of just enjoying a good book.  No questions or worksheets just the pleasure of reading or listening.  Put together a just for fun packet for the last day with printables that have fun activities.  It might just save your sanity on the last day,

What ever you do, look for the JOY today.  Smile as much as possible.  You will feel better, and people will wonder what you are up to so close to break.

Are you looking for more of this?
Join us for The Best Teacher Gift Ever Email Retreat, beginning December 26.

It's hump day in a long challenging week.  Some of you need this today. 
This is the fourth installment to support teachers in doing more than just surviving on the way to Winter Break, because you were meant to THRIVE!

There is a popular song from a popular kids' movie that says, "Let it go."

I used to hear this phrase all the time when I went to recovery meetings:

Let go or be dragged.

It's kind of funny because we know how true it is.  And Brave Teachers, let's fess up--we LOVE to control EVERYthing and EVERYone.  We are holding so tightly to what's in our hand that we can't even remember how many fingers we have.  It's time to let go!

Let go of those cute little projects you thought you would finish.
Let go of burning the midnight oil worrying about kids.
Let go of taking home mountains of papers to grade.
Let go of having the perfect seasonal outfit for the school sing along.
Let go of {you fill in the space here}

I'm telling you this is the hardest thing for people like us to do.  We even tell ourselves and other people we've let go, but we go home and obsess.  I know, because I have been trying for about a decade to let go.

However.  THE FREEDOM IS AMAZING!  

This year I'm hosting my family every Sunday evening on the four weeks leading up to Christmas.  I am making memories for everyone who comes out, and especially for my son.  It has been a delight to see the joy that has come to him in planning, preparing, and enjoying each experience.

The food is SIMPLE--soup and salad.  {Everyone is bringing a pizza next week--something I couldn't accept if I controlled every detail.}
The house is neither very clean nor overly decorated.  It's tidy and we have our tree, some wreaths and nativity sets.

THE FREEDOM IS AMAZING!

Open your hand for a moment, because when we let go of control our hands are open to embrace gifts that have just been waiting for us!

Go ahead, give it a try!

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Is your heart hungry for more of this?  Join me for The Best Teacher Gift Ever:  Email Retreat, Dec. 26 - Jan. 1
I send you an email each day and you receive amazing resources to inspire and empower you on your journey!

You have this!  You're almost there.

This is the third installment of a little series to help you not just survive the week before Winter Break but THRIVE.  You were meant for more.  

Now just laugh some more today!  Enjoy a little bit of frivolity.  It might just be laughing at yourself and with yourself. {Here are some funny kid quotes!}

 It might be telling some silly jokes to your students.  {Here are some kid friendly Christmas jokes.}

Kids can tell when we are stressed, so cut some of that tension for you and them.

Savor the moments when you are laughing.  It's so easy to get caught up in racing toward something else, but these are the moments we have.  Smile.  Laugh.  Enjoy these, too.

This is part two of a little series to support teachers in making it to Winter Break. You don't need to just survive, because you were made to THRIVE.

I know.  I know.  You don't have any time for self care this week.  But isn't that just the point of self care?  We need it the most when we feel like we have the least time to give to it.

The truth is that your friends, family, coworkers, and students really need for you to take care of yourself.  When you don't they have to pay because you have a short fuse, make mistakes, and get sick.

So what if you take just five minutes today?  Here are some things you can try:

• Say "No thank you" to anything else you are asked to do.
• Step outside and breath in the air
• Set the timer, close your eyes, and breathe deeply
• Take a walk around the block
• Choose a snack that is fresh fruit, veggies or nuts
• Listen to your favorite holiday song
• Call someone to tell them you appreciate them
• Water your plants

And if that feels really good and you are willing to take a bit more time, try something from this list:

• Take a walk in the woods
• Breathe through a gentle yoga class
• Share a meal with family or friends
• Catch up on a bit of housework
• Drive around and look at Christmas lights 
• Take a long bath
• Make a list of things and people for whom you are thankful
• Make something
• Read a book or magazine

You know what resonates with you and will refresh you.  Now go do it.  

P. S.  Mark your calendar December 26, now and give yourself a great gift---The Best Teacher Gift Ever.

For many teachers this is one crazy week--the week before Winter Break.  We are going to share some loving kindness for you right here in a little series called Thrive.  {You don't have to just survive, but you can THRIVE!}

Let's start off looking at our expectations.  We can alleviate so much suffering for ourselves and others if we simply adjust our expectations.  No matter how good we are at classroom management, our students are going to be excited.  Can we adjust our expectations so that we aren't driving them crazy. and they can't get to our last nerve?  

Can we adjust our own expectations about how much we can accomplish.  Don't try to give tests on the last day or two.  Is there something you would really enjoy sharing with your class--a game or art project?  Do it this week.  Don't leave anything to be passed out until the last day.  Accept that nothing everything we want to do we will be able to accomplish.

If you need something to keep your students active give you classroom, their desks, and their lockers a good clean out.  It will feel so good to start the new year with everything fresh.  Your students will enjoy it, too.  You can have students work in collaborative groups and practice some problem solving skills here.

This is also a wonderful week to play math games or catch up on any academic tasks that get short changed such as handwriting or grammar or whatever it is for you.

It's also a great time to have students create bulletin boards and window displays for the new year.  I usually pick something with snowmen, because everyone can participate, even those who don't celebrate Christmas.  We also make snowflakes to attach to the windows.  It's also a nice time to have students make simple last minute gifts such as ornaments that are appropriate to the level of the students.  In order to attach standards to this I usually provide written instructions for students to read and follow.

Let's make our expectation to leave for break with some our sanity intact!

Stay tuned, tomorrow is Thrive: Self Care

Best Teacher Gift Ever
Remember to sign up yourself and your coworkers.  It's such an easy and valuable gift to give yourself and other teachers.  The basic package is $7--so nicely appointed!  Sign up HERE.

Lately I've been thinking about what makes a teacher brave.  One piece of that is an openness to always learning.  Another piece is greeting every living being we meet with compassion.  

For me the trick is to put those two things together--
becoming a student of compassion.
Compassion for myself (very tough lessons here)
Compassion for my students and their families
Compassion for coworkers
Compassion for family and friends
Compassion for strangers
Compassion plants and animals
Compassion for our planet

It definitely takes practice
Practice to stop controlling and manipulating and grasping tightly
And practice to let go of old beliefs and memories.

And in the practice are the deeply imbedded gifts of compassion.  It's a long process of excavation and then the bones start to come together and I look in the mirror only to recognize the stranger.

​I think this may be a lesson of the season for all of us who see the need for more courage and more compassion.
​May we find the grace to open our hearts and minds to this daunting daily task.