Good Sunday Morning

I wonder if I have any VERY patient readers left. I have not been posting for a lot of good reasons that you do not need to be burdened with knowing.

I am back and I intend on being a faithful--once or twice a week blogger again!

I have left my current position as a full time Montessori Teacher to begin a new chapter in my life. This is both exhilarating and a little scary for me.

I am taking the summer off to care for my 2 1/2 year old nephew. That will be a pleasure and make my summer go by very quickly.

This summer I will also be developing a new career of sorts for myself. I want to pitch some of my ideas to some of the local independent Montessori Schools. I have a lot of ideas for teacher training, parent education, and would like to perform my original songs to new audiences. I will have a busy--and hopefully, productive summer.

In the fall I will begin an online Master's program that includes Montessori Elementary training. That will be a lot of work and a lot of fun for me. As a teacher--it is fun to become a student again. We really never stop being a student--we are always learning and receiving training as teachers.

This is beginning to sound like a "commercial". I am sharing all of this with you because it is important information in regards to my BLOG. What I do in the real world greatly affects what I do here. I will be sharing ideas, pictures, and insight that I gain from these new ventures--I hope they will be interesting to all of you as readers. I also hope you will add comments--that is a very fun part of all this BLOG business. I do enjoy reading your comments.

To quote one of my favorite movies, the Mother General in the Sound of Music said this to Maria, "When God shuts a door, he opens a window". I am hoping this "window" will be a really big one--one that leads to interesting people--hard work--and new wonderful experiences. Then I will have great things to say on my BLOG!

Get ready for some new and interesting things to come!

Take care,

MissT

Soar Like an Eagle (or hawk)

Soar like this Red Tailed Hawk

Sometimes we have to soar above a problem to put it into perspective.

I want to say a few words of apology--I have not entered a blog posting for 6 weeks--something very tragic and life changing happened in my family so I have not been in the mood to enter anything. I have challenged myself to be uplifting--upbeat--motivational--in my writing, so I am back and I hope I still have some followers.

This picture of a Red Tailed Hawk is a wonderful example of what I try to do when I am faced with a problem. At first the problem, whatever it is, seems large and in my face--but if I look at it from a different perspective it does not seem so big and insurmountable.

I think this is good advice--look at your problems from a distance--if you are able to do so--let small things go--see what happens if you do nothing--that is hard sometimes--just to trust and do nothing--but believe me, often thing work themselves out much better if we do less.

This advice is not easy to follow. I like to be a problem solver. I like to engage others in being problem solvers too. This can be exhausting work--today I will try to do more by doing less. I will let you know how it goes--I challenge you to try to do the same--if you are so inclined?

If nothing else--look up--look for a bird that is looking for lunch--imagine what that bird is seeing. How small are we to that bird? How much of what we think separates us is really all part of the same picture? Think about it--it has really changed the way I look at problems in my life.

Soar Like an Eagle (or hawk) Today!

Meltdown

Meltdown

What comes to mind when you see that word?

It could be an emotional meltdown--loosing control--crying--whatever?

Around here, just now, it is a good thing--mostly!

All the snow we have had this long winter is starting to melt--Spring is a real possibility now.

I am enjoying the shapes I see in the melting snow drifts. It reminds me of sand dunes in the desert. The wind and sun are making interesting sculptures out of the mounds of snow and ice. I have enjoyed watching this process as I take my long walks. There is so much beauty in our world!

Have a wonderful Monday!

Another Cold Morning

Winter is long--but Spring is on it's way.

I am encouraged by the fact that we are having a few more minutes of day light each day. Spring is coming and we will be free of all the snow soon. Maybe not soon enough for some of us, but soon none the less.

The picture you are seeing today is one of Georgia O'Keefe's. My class will be studying her art for the month of March. Her bright colors and large flowers will be a nice diversion from the snow and cold temperatures.

I hope you all have a wonderful day--close your eyes and think about daffodils, poppies, and daisies!

Take care,
MissT

Last Week of February

This New Year is not so new anymore. We are very close to the end of February--two months of 2010 are nearly behind us already. If the saying is true, 'Time Flies When Your Having Fun', then I must be having a great time.

We are having an unusually snowy, cold, long,....winter here in Nebraska. Therefore, the idea of Spring is very appealing to us. We will be grateful when the snow melts and green grass begins to grow in our yards. We will welcome weather conducive to long walks outside--rather than the made dash from car to the safety of indoors we experience most of the time these days.

Spring is coming--we can all be sure of that--it will just seem a lot 'sweeter' this year.

Enjoy your week!

Take care,

MissT

Morning Message

Good Morning All

I have a thought for all of you this cold February morning:

Face the day with wonder and awe as to what life has to teach you today.

I will go about my day today thinking about how ordinary things really
are extraordinary so much of the time.

More later--just a quick message--wonder at life!

Take care,
MissT

Happy Valentine's Day

This is a day to---

show those you love how much you care

and to---

accept love from others.

The second one may be harder to do than the first.

First, we must be open to see how people feel about us. It is easy to give love to the ones we love--but it is not always easy to accept love (or kindness) from someone we have ill feeling for. It is easy to be good and kind to those we love. It is not always easy to show kindness to everyone--every day. But, true happiness comes from just that. Spreading good will--kindness--compassion, to fellow human beings.

So on this day that we give and receive sweets--flowers--hugs--think about a person that really need a kind word from you. The next time you see that person be the first one to smile--nod--or say that kind word. You will feel better, and most likely the recipient of your kindness will feel good too.

I hope your Valentine's Day is Wonderful!

Take care,

MissT

This beautiful painting of water lilies makes me feel peaceful. Monet has such a gift to share with the world.

We all have gifts to share with the world. Sometimes we loose sight of what those gifts are. Not everyone is meant to be a gifted Artist--but we should all strive to be good at what we do and hone ours skills all our lives.

Something all of us can be good at is being the best PERSON we can be.

Reach out a helping hand. Bring a smile to someones face. Be someones best friend. These things cost no money and yet are immeasurably valuable.

When we think of others more than we think about ourselves it become easy to be a better person. I will strive this week to reach out more to other people--to be a better friend, co-worker, wife, and mother.

Take a nice long look at Monet's peaceful water lilies and have a wonderful week.

Take care,

MissT

February is coming

This is Claude Monet

My children and I will be studying his art the month of February.

He was a French, Impressionist, artist--he used beautiful pastel colors in his paintings. I will be sharing some of his paintings with you this month--on my Blog--I hope you enjoy them.

January has been a cold, snowing month here in the Midwest. I, and those I speak with, are ready for Spring. We have February and March to endure first.

I hope that we will all be able to do more than just endure these next two months. I hope to find beauty in the ice and snow that will soon be melting and leaving us for a time. The trees have been a gorgeous sight to behold lately. We had several days in January that gave us trees covered with frost which reminded me of sea coral. The crystallization was wonderful. I would see it on the way to work then check it out at recess--the beauty only increased with the day. In my experience that early morning frost usually fades fast. In this case it lasted all day and into the next--what a gift!

I hope you all find beauty in the waneing days of winter--spring holds the promise of new life and warmer temteratures--but what a gift it is to be happy in the time and place we occupy at the moment--and not always be wishing and waiting for what is to come. Be happy and enjoy your day!

Take care,

MissT

Life is Good--If You Make It Good

Good morning all!

I am becoming a once a week "Blogger". I hope that is OK for those of you reading this--I have to trust all of you, because I only have 3 "official" followers and most of the time zero comments. I have decided to decide that that is OK. I am doing this for myself as much as anything else so I will continue to trust.

Life is Good--Life is Bad

Both statements are true--even within the same 24 hour period--So I choose to concentrate of the first of those two statements. If we dwell on the negative we will get stuck there. I am not for the "Pollianna" type approach of--"life is a one big happy family--all roses and sunshine all the time"--I just mean that we need to ACTIVELY think and talke and concentrate on the possitive. Make those parts of our lives BIGGER if you will, to "make it true" even if for a brief time it is not that true.

We have such power--our thoughts--to make thing better or worse. Many times a day--I could be disappionted--discouraged--frustrated--out there alone--etc...

I choose to be:

>>slightly inconvienenced--not disappointed

>>work harder or smarter--not discouraged

>>figure out a way for it to work--not frustrated

>>ask for help--not feel alone in a problem

It works for me most of the time. People want to do the right thing most of the time. So many time I and we do not give the people around us the honest feed back it takes to do the right thing. We have to be able to see our part in that or I and you, will get discourage, disappointed---etc. when we do not need to. It really is as simple as that.

I choose red and purple for the letters today because we are starting to do Valentine's Day things in our classroom--it is so fun to see the pure--honest love (and every other emotion possible) come out of the children I work with. I learn so much from them as I teach and observe them.

Good spread a little LOVE today!

Take care,

MissT

Friday

FRIDAY

This picture is by Norman Rockwell.

Once again, it is the end of another work week. I have had 3 very busy and challenging weeks at work. My class got 7 new children as of January 4th. These children need a lot of extra attention to become familiar with the work in our room, the rules we have, and in general--get used to being away from Mom and Dad and be happy in school.

Things are going very well. It is nice having more children in the room. Nineteen seemed to be a small class. Now we have 26 (when everyone is present) and we are busy, and the children seem happy. The "new" children are fitting into the classroom routine, and making friends. It is great to see that happen.

As for the teachers--there are three of us in the room most of the time. The addition of 7 more children is good for us--we all have plenty to do and that makes the time go by quickly.

I had a particularly great group activity yesterday. We talked about several thing. Starting with the calendar. I told them that yesterday was in the past, today is the present, and tomorrow is the future. After doing our calendar activity I turned the conversation another direction. We talked about how Norman Rockwell (this month's featured Artist) painted pictures that helped teach people lessons. The conversation lead to a discussion about HOPE. What do you HOPE for. Many children hoped for a certain treat like ice cream or candy. Then I said--OK, no more hopes about food, what else do you hope for? A 5 year old boy said, "I hope one day I will have only one house to live in." (His parents are divorced and have shared custody.) Other children hoped to become Basketball players and Ballerinas. It was one of those magical moments in the classroom. I was so proud of being a teacher that day!

My advice to you today is to think about what you HOPE for. Think big so that you will go about your day and week with HOPE IN YOU HEART.

Take care,

MissT

Good Morning People

We are having what people call "a long winter". Of course the winter is exactly them same number of days long each year, but we are having wintry weather every day this year. I took my class outdoors to play in the snow drifts yesterday. It was pure JOY! It took longer to get them bundled up and then get them unbundled and dry---but it was defiantly worth the effort.

To see the world through a child's eyes is really a gift. I get that gift everyday--if I choose to open the gift (by paying attention).

• they see the snow as fun--------we see work


• they delight in climbing a drift--we see work


• they walk on top of a drift-------we fall through (I did)


• they throw snow around-------we shovel it


• they fall down and laugh---------we fall and break a hip!!!!

Try to see life like a child today--have some fun!

Love Your Life

I would like to send out a message to anyone interested in hearing it this evening.

That message is to Love Your Life! I am very aware of the fact that Loving One's Life is not always the "state of affairs" for a lot of us. What I say to you is this, if you do not "Love Your Life" then systematically go about to change it into a life you can and will Love.

I know it is easy to say and not so easy to do--but what is? Believe me, it is well worth the effort.

To live each day not enjoying life is tragic. We are put here on earth, I think, to make every effort to live a good life that we can be proud of and it is very sad if we do not enjoy what we have.

This was a strong message--but one I really wanted to "get out there".
I hope everyone reading this is well and ready to "take life by the horns".

Have a wonderful evening.

Take care,
MissT

Back To Work

We are all back to work and school after a nice Winter Break. The snow is piled up high outside and the temperature is very low. We had -15 degrees this morning. THAT IS COLD!

It is nice to be back to the familiar routine of work. I like to have breaks but I am usually ready to get back to work too. This year especially so. I had 5 new students start in my classroom today and one more will join us next Monday. I am glad to say that it went very smoothly today. One child cried for a very short time, but everyone seemed to be happy to be back to school. It will be a very busy couple of weeks while the new children get settled into the classroom--but I am happy about how things are going. I like my job and that makes going out in the cold each morning easier.

Take time to count your blessings today. I am sure you, like me, have many things and people to be thankful for.

Have a wonderful evening.

Take care,

MissT

Back to work

Looking Forward

The new year is full of possibilities. We can all look forward to what could be. We can all think of this as a chance to start over and do better and be happier. That is an exciting perspective on life. To look at the new year as a new start is a positive way of approaching the new decade we are beginning. 2010 is the start of a brand new decade and I will try to make it good in many ways.

When we think of the new year in that way it is easy to see why we would want to make and keep those New Year's Resolutions we hear so much about. If we do not resolve to make positive changes there is very little chance that our life will be better. I think it all starts with ourselves. We are in charge of making our life into what we want it to be. If we do not take time to think and reflect on what we want there is not a good chance that we will get what we want.

My advice to you today is to really thing about what would make your life better. Latch on to one or two things you could do to make that happen. Those would be resolutions worth keeping.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Take care,
MissT