Fall

I saw so much red sumac today. It just makes me smile. And the bug life--what is going on with that? They are so busy--I think they sense the change in season so much more than we humans. They are busy making the most of their short lives--we could really take some notes. Be busy--get stuff done--eat--and enjoy life. That is what I see the wee creatures of our world doing. We should be so lucky to have all of that hard wired into our brains like the natural existence of a spider, bird or beetle. They are not "burdened" with the ability to think and mess everything up like we sometimes do. Yet, there is the beauty of what makes us human. We CAN make choices and be happy--sad--heartbroken--feel joy--pain--relief. So much of the natural world works on instinct and born ability--I will willingly take the hard with the easy and be human. You can not feel joy without sorrow.

That was heavy!

Take care,
MissT

A Cool Still Morning

I sat on my deck this morning with a jacket and a cup of coffee. There is a profound stillness in the air that I would like to put in my pocket and keep with me all day long. Last evening the insects were chirping their little hearts out. It was quite loud. Nature, in silence and in noise is very powerful. I want to spend a day with those sounds and try to have as few other sounds enter my ears. That would be a nice day I think. Life might get in the way of that today. I can hear cars on the road now so I will have to be content with moments of peace and just treasure them.

Take care,
MissT

I saw a beautiful thing today...

. He/she was just a few feet from the window of our classroom--yet the children were all at lunch so just the teachers got to see this magnificent creature. A large Red Tailed Hawk! He stayed for the entire length of our 20 or so minutes of lunch we take between teaching, cleaning and preparing for the afternoon class. We were so glad to have the visitor but it took a while to round up a camera to capture this wondrous bird. My cell phone would have to do. To say the least, I had a really great day at work today. Things seemed so natural and worthy of praise for both the children and for me. I got some of the biggest smiles from some of the "shy" children or the "new" children so I feel I accomplished a lot. I was working with a Sub and that does not always work well as most teachers will attest to--this was not the case at all. We worked very well together. During a break in our day we went out (the children and teachers) to enjoy the sunshine. I saw a preying manias and decided to let the creature (this time small and green) crawl on me. He/she stayed on my until I did the "Pide Piper" routine back to the classroom. I deposited the Mantas on a beautiful sunflower plant in the garden area---what a day!!!

Take Care,
MissT

Monday Morning

Good morning everyone. It is a beautiful Monday morning here in the Middle of the country. We had a picturesque weekend and this week's weather looks like there will be very little to complain about. I feel so lucky to be having weather like this so well into fall. We could easily be having extremes--90's or 40's--and yet we are getting mild high 50's at night and reasonable highs in the 70's or low 80's during the day. It really makes me want to do projects out doors and spend as little time inside as possible.

I hope everyone reading this blog will make the most of the time you spend out doors this week. Think about the beauty we all share with trees, flowers, clouds, and blue Sky. Put a smile on your face and pass the feeling along.

Have a great day.
Take care,
MissT

Sunday

Sunday is a great day. We try very hard to have Sunday Dinner with our "adult" children. One is out of state so she is not able to participate often. Our two sons that live here are regulars at our Sunday Dinners. Sometimes it is a simple meal of cheese burgers and other times it is a real homed cooked meal with all the fixings. The food matters much less than the regularity of the event and the conversation that happens while the food is being cooked, eaten and the clean-up process that takes place after the meal.

We often eat our Sunday Dinners on the deck when the weather is nice as it has been this summer. It is nice to get close to nature and just listen to the sounds of crickets, birds, and children playing while we share a meal. I like having the meal just before another work/school week begins. It makes me feel that I have "checked in" with the boys so that I know more of what is going on with their lives.

So often the conversations we have at the Sunday Dinner will surprise me. I am happily surprised when I get to hear detail about the lives of our boys that I may not have heard otherwise. I am proud to hear about the good things they are doing. I am challenged by the advice they are looking for at times. I am blessed to think about how well all of my kids are doing--the choices they are making and the good work they are doing.

Staying close to children after they "leave the nest" is not always easy. I have found that "Sunday Dinners" are a good way to do just that.

Enjoy your Sunday routine--whatever that may be.

Take care,
MissT

Creating--being creative

Creativity is life giving. It can save a person from being unhappy with their lot in life. No matter if the creative process ends with a painting, song, new recipe or an original thought. the process of being creative is something I feel all humans need--or at least want and admire.

I want and need to be creative. I like to fix my hair different ways. I like to think of a better way to organize my junk drawer, I like writing words to children's song, I like to make materials for my Montessori classroom. None of these things are my job. They are what I like to do. I also like my job. But it would be sad if I had to choose between what I need to do at the exclusion of what I want to do. I am lucky that way. I can do both. I can be good at my job and at the same time I can nourish my creative side.

I think that people that suffer from depression, dissatisfaction in job, marriage, life, etc...lack what it is I am speaking about. They lack an outlet for the creative process. They lack the courage to try new things. Or, they lack the time, resources, or self knowledge that would allow them to be creative. This is sad to me.

The human spirit is fed in many ways. We are fed spiritually, physically, intellectually, and emotionally by what we do. I feel that being creative is a great way to feed your spirit.

Go and be creative in some way today!

Have a wonderful Saturday.

Take care,
MissT

Compassion

Compassion, this word is used a lot when we talk about illness, death, mental problems, physical defects--we must have compassion for the less fortunate around us. I think that showing compassion--giving the gift of compassion--is a wonderfully life giving behavior. Both for the giver of compassion and the receiver. We all know when we want or need compassion from people--but, do we always recognize when compassion needs to be given. It may be our best friend's, mother's death--but it could also be a stranger on the street.

Holding the door for someone that is just not quite up to par may be showing them the compassion they need right at the moment the need it most. If we go about life with only our needs and wants in the for front of our minds--we will miss valuable opportunities to show compassion. Believe me--we get in an equal proportion to what we give.

Giving out compassion on a regular basis makes me a more caring and care giving person--that is a good goal. Give compassion where it is needed and you will be rewarded in very real ways.

Have a wonderful Thursday.

Take care,
MissT

Good Idea for the Classroom

This idea came to me as I was enjoying a single serving of cheese. Inspiration sometimes comes to me at strange times. I took the wax that the cheese came in (about 1/2 cubic inch worth) and started warming it with my hands (playing with it and kneading it). It occurred to me that I could make small geometric solid shapes with this wax. Now, how to make that idea work in the classroom? I am saving enough wax as I enjoy the cheese, in an air tight container. Then I will do the following to make it into an extension to the beautiful geometric solid work we have in the Montessori Sensorial area of the classroom.

• First get two, 7 day pill organizers--the formed wax fits in there nicely
• Next make small pictures of each solid shape to glue onto the outside of the pill organizer--one for each "day of the week"
• place the formed wax in the pill organizers and place on an attractive tray
• the children can look at the shapes--mash them up and try to recreate the shapes--sphere, cube, ovoid, etc...
• if the wax gets too hard just warm it slightly by placing the pill containers, with wax inside, into a folded heating pad for 30 minutes or so before class begins--or before the first child works with it--then it should stay pliable when it goes form one child's warm and busy hands to the next.

I have not actually tried this yet--it is a bit early in the school year for this type of extension--but I am anxious to give it a try--I think it will be well received by the children. The attractive blue geometric solids are a very popular work in our classroom.

Take care,

MissT

Simbiotc--correction

I want to make a correction to a previous blog. I believe it was one I did about 2 or 3 weeks ago on Symbiosis. I believe I have the wrong perspective on the word. I now feel that I have a symbiotic relationship between my mind and body--as apposed to a symbiotic relationship with food, sleep, exercise, etc... This may seem like it is too obvious to be a revelation--that is, if you knew the correct definition to the word--which I obviously did not until now (at least that is my hope and feel free to correct me on the comment option if I am still not right).

Here is what I believe. I have been through a physically challenging 6 weeks (recovering from complications after surgery). This physical challenge has manifested itself in many ways. Many of the side effects are very unpleasant. I do not want to focus my attention on them--the positive side effect has been that I have developed (or been blessed with) this new found symbiotic relationship between mind and body--or want and need--or desire and satisfaction. Any or all of the fore mentioned.

This new found ability has been very interesting for me to explore. I have tried to "stay close" to this energy or whatever it is and cultivate the ability to think and be in tune with what my mind needs and wants and have them match up with my physical needs truly are. It is a bit hard to scientifically prove, but I have anecdotal evidence that it is working. I feel very much in control of a situation (healing) that is really out of my control. It is good for me to feel some control in this situation because so much of what I am physically going through is up to my body and how it reacts to medicine, rest, nutrition, etc...

Well, that was a bit more "deep" than I intended to get today.

I hope everyone reading this is having a good Labor Day weekend. I always feel that on Labor Day weekend I should work on a project that I have been putting off. I think the "idea" of Labor Day is to "celebrate it" by taking another day to rest and recuperate from the "Labor" of your life. I do not know why I have a hard time keeping all of that straight--maybe I think that my regular work does not "qualify" as Labor.

Take care,
MissT

Opposites

Opposites. When I think about opposites I usually think of positive and negative--good and bad. I was challenged recently to give up on that notion. To appreciate the idea of opposites so much that I find myself in both extremes and therefore find less need to focus on how different they are and focus on how necessary they are. We would not experience pleasure in the same way if we had never been in pain--could we really know love if we had never had our hearts broken--hunger--I find that food tastes so much better when I let myself really get hungry--some how the need for food makes the food taste even better.

I will look for opposites today--I will try to find myself in both sides of what is not alike--I will try to appreciate what each extreme does for the other--in doing this I hope to find a lot more middle ground in life. I always feel better when I am in "middle ground". For me, extremes so often lead to an imbalanced way of thinking and feeling. Balance is a wonderful thing--I just feel that we have to see, understand, and even appreciate the extremes to find the comfortable balance somewhere in the middle.

Take care,
MissT

FRIDAY

Friday. Friday. Friday.

What a wonderful day. I have a small class on Friday--11 in the morning and only 8 in the afternoon. I so look forward to this small group that can be putty in my hands if I have a fun, interesting lesson planned. There are things you can do with 11 children that are just too complicated with 24. Everyone gets a chance to speak during line time (if they have something to say--which 3 to 6 year old children usually do); we can have snack together and it does not take so long for everyone to get served; everyone can have a table and chair at snack instead of sitting in a circle on the floor--much more comfortable for the 50 something teacher--and I assume for the children as well. I LIKE FRIDAYS!

Go out and find something good about Fridays--other than it is the beginning of the weekend. Find something different--change your focus--think bigger than before--give it a try and I hope you all have a wonderful FRIDAY, and enjoy the weekend.

Take care,
MissT

Be Direct

We should all be direct with each other. Now, I do not mean that we should be rude or insensitive--on the contrary--be all of that--but say what you mean. I get my feelings hurt, or misunderstand a situation so often because the person I am speaking with is simply not being direct. That is, the person is trying to save my feelings, redirect the conversation, or some other effort that is not known to me. Then I am left wondering why I am not being understood. I can take almost any criticism if it is given to me by a person that is direct and to the point. I work with such a person. She has said some very personal and "hard" to hear things to me. I have never gotten my feelings bruised in any of our conversation. This is saying something, because I have been known to be easily "bruised". PLEASE be direct with each other. It is what we all deserve and it is what I have come to expect from myself and from others.

Take care,
MissT

motivation

Motivation. What gets you motivated? Sometimes it is the tight pants that I really want to wear. Sometimes it is a problem that needs to be solved. Sometimes it is the mess that gets in my way one too many times. It could be time to loose a few pounds, figure out a better way, clean house (in more ways than one), or simply start paying attention to details. Whatever it takes to motivate you--go with it. Do not get bogged down in the mundane so easily that you loose sight of what it is that gets your "juices" flowing. There is nothing better than a good project that needs your attention to make you forget the things that do not really matter, and focus your efforts on something positive and worthwhile.

Go out and solve a problem, take the bull by the horns, get in there and get your hands dirty--it will make you feel so much better than complaining about things or just putting up with things.

Take care,
MissT

Feeling small in a big way

Feeling small--that is usually not a good thing. I needed to feel small today. I had a problem today. The problem is not the issue here. I had a problem and I needed to find a solution. When you have a problem sometimes it is hard to "see the forest from the trees", well a good friend told me to go to a park. At the time I thought it sounded a bit uninspired, as advice goes. But, having one hour to "kill" I just got in my car and pulled over at the first park I found. This was more of a walking trail with a playground at the end. But, it was the first thing I saw. Well, not knowing what else to do I parked my car, took my cell phone and keys and started to walk. Wow! There were some really big trees on this walking trail. I felt very small and suddenly, my problem seemed smaller too. I came up with a solution and got a good little walk in as well.

It was good to feel small--it made my problem more manageable some how. I think the air in my lungs helped me clear my head too--sometimes that is all a problem needs--a little time, some fresh air, and clear thoughts.

Go take a walk among some really big trees and see how it makes you feel.
Take care,
MissT

People who need People

People Who Need People

I think we all need people, but at times I find I need other people in different ways or in different amounts. When I am hurt, confused, concerned, unsure of myself, I tend to have a great need to process the information that is making me feel that way. One way that I feel works very well for me is to talk to a friend or loved one. Sometimes I choose the person to "process" with by their particular set of skills--good listener--practical--knows me well--fellow teacher--whatever fits the situation. What I do not feel is helpful to me is to keep it all stuffed inside and not let it out--for me, that leads to poor sleep, poor eating habits, and a lot of unneeded heart ache.

I hope that everyone that reads this has someone (or two or three) that they can talk to when they (you) need to process some tough feelings.

Take care,
MissT