Journey in Learning

I never would have thought that when I named my blog “Journey in Learning” that I would write an entire post on it, but 2017 has definitely been a Journey in Learning! 

In 2017, after, well, many years, I found my personal strength, my voice, my passion. I found my fight, my determination and my resiliency. I found me! I encourage others to do the same.

Build on Your Passions

Special Education will ALWAYS be a passion of mine. I’ve taught Special Education for over 15 years at various levels. So this spring I ran with it! I am humbled to share that I was able to create, organize and run Ohio’s first SpEdCamp! In its first year, over 75 educators came together to talk about supporting students with special needs. SpEdCamp 2018 is already being planned with plans to be bigger and support even more people and students!

What’s your passion? Turn it into reality!

Take Risks - Try Something New

This year I took risks and tried new things! I hosted Twitter EdChats, mentored, presented at a conference, switched jobs, created an online mentoring community (see below), hosted book chats, started a website, and attended conferences.

Spread your wings -- fly!

Things to try in 2018:

• Voxer Book Chats 
• Twitter Chats (host or co-host one!) 
• Attend an EdCamp 
• Present at a conference 
• Create a MakerSpace 
• Blog 
• Try a new teaching strategy or implement something new in your building 
• Join a committee in your school/district 
• Volunteer 

DREAM BIG

This summer I dreamed of creating a mentoring program for aspiring leaders such as myself. Waiting to be mentored until I got into the field seemed counterproductive. I want to learn and better myself now. So, I put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and created the #AspiringLeaders cohort! We are a small, mighty group of dedicated future and current school leaders that are learning and growing together through organic mentorship relationships (connecting through email, voxer, telephone) and bi-monthly webinars! Check us out - Dream Big Mentorship

The biggest thing I learned in 2017 is that you need to have a vision and you can’t lose sight of it! People may tell you no, that you won’t be successful, that you lack skills, etc. Nonsense. Go after it! #DREAMBIG

Reflect and Be Resilient

After another round of applications and unsuccessful interviews, I reflected and realized that what I thought were the “perfect” jobs, probably weren’t the right ones for me after all. I learned from all of these. After each interview, I took notes. I’ve refined my portfolio and resume. I’ve increased my skills. I’ve talked to my mentors. I’ve read, and read, and read!

I’m ready to conquer 2018!

If I had successfully found a leadership job I’m not sure the 2nd half of 2017 would have been as epic as it has been! Good things come to those who wait, right?

My Journey in Learning has been filled with many other life lessons this year. I grew. I continue to grow. I am happy, but I am also ready for 2018! How would you define your Journey in Learning this year?

Impact Makers

I’m an avid reader, usually having a couple of books, journals, magazines all going at once. I’m currently reading (and loving) David Geurin’s (@DavidGeurin) Future Driven and Dale Carnegie’s classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People (which is also part of a book chat I’m participating in). Both books talk about the importance of showing others they matter.

I strongly believe that we should acknowledge those who have made an impact on us. 

There are many people this past year that have allowed me to reflect, push further, dig deep, cry, smile, laugh out loud, and lead me to be a better me. They are impact makers! These people are educators, leaders, students, parents, family members and even the local postmaster!

So this weekend I sat down and wrote them all personal notes. Twenty-two notes. Yes, it took time, but for every note I wrote, I reflected and thought about that person and only that person. They need to know that they had made an impact. One of my impact makers has passed away. Her husband will receive my note.

It was an amazing feeling to write these notes. As educators, we need to think about the people who inspire us, make us think, and make us better. We may give them a shout-out tweet or say something in an email, but an unexpected handwritten note just does something more!

 
I encourage all of you to think of at least five people to write letters to this week. One a day. Tell them you’re proud of them. They motivate you to be better. Share how they've made you be more reflective in your practice. Tell them you appreciate them. Five people.

Who are your impact makers?

I wonder...

This weekend I went to see the movie Wonder.  I cried.  A lot. Auggie Pullman pulled at my heart. I wonder, isn’t everyone a little like Auggie though?  

Maybe everyone doesn’t have something physically different.  Maybe it’s something that others can’t see but affects them just as much.  Something that they personally struggle with every day. Are we acknowledging that?

It shouldn’t matter whether or not our differences are physical or internal.  We have to get better at treating everyone the same.  We have to be kind, show empathy and show understanding. It's more than teaching our children and students this, it's modeling this ourselves!

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Auggie, as many of our students that fill our schools, are wonders!  They are courageous and brave and stand up for themselves. It may be an identified student, it may be the basketball star.  It may be the student council president, it may be a wallflower. Our students are facing things we never had to face as children and teens. THEY are wonders.

Our students are coding in elementary school and running businesses in high school!  Our students are young artists and musicians!  Our students are on sports team for our schools and in the community (Special Olympics too!) Our students are advocates and fundraising for causes that may not even benefit them.  Our students are wonders!

There are many wonders in our buildings!  How are you going to make sure they know they are wonders?

If you haven’t seen this movie, please do.  It’s truly for everyone.  

Kindness does matter, words matter, no matter what age we are.

Auggie teaches us ALL a lesson in this great movie!