One Word, One Goal. Start.

My colleague Jess played soccer in college. An accomplished mid-fielder--who was later moved to forward due to her dazzling ability to score goals, Jess’ all-time favorite soccer player is Abby Wambach. Ms. Wambach holds the record for the most international goals scored (184). Both Jess and Abby know a thing or two about setting (and scoring) goals.

Goal setting is everywhere as we kick off 2019. With all of our plans to eat healthy, get fit, and make positive changes--I began to wonder...why do some people set goals and achieve them, while others can’t seem to “score”? As teachers, how can we guide our students to set and achieve goals?

To answer this question, I put our team together and we developed a game plan with three ways teachers can assist their students in setting, and achieving, goals.

How to stay on top of your New Year's Resolutions!

Well, it’s here…January. For most people, January can be the start of a brand-new year with a brand new (hopefully attainable) New Year’s resolution or the possibility of looking forward to a Spring break vacation. But for teachers, January can mean no outdoor recess for learners with abundant energy and daily cleaning of all classroom surfaces with antibacterial wipes. So, how…how on Earth, do teachers ensure their own wellness during this time? Intentionally and with support!

Learning = Happiness

Are you happy? We all strive for happiness in varying ways, some techniques prove more successful than others. In my experience, one sure-fire way to increase happiness is through learning. Put a smile on your face for five minutes, and let’s take a deeper dive into how learning can help improve your level of happiness.

Curiosity: As humans, we are curious about the world around us. How did these beautiful, huge mountains form? What lies beyond the night sky we see? Why do children love to play? Asking why and simply wondering initiates progress and personal growth which often leads to happiness. For many of us, there is an innate joy in the process of learning and acting on the wonder of what is next to be discovered. 

Preventing Those Mid-Year Blues

It's that time of year again where mental health seems to be a struggle for everyone. As educators, we need to be aware of how our students are feeling at all times. This video blog from one of our amazing Curriculum and Instruction team members, Susanne, is a great start for learning more about student mental health.

How to stay financially fit in 2019!

In a weekly meeting about our Learners Edge blog, we searched for gaps in the topics we cover for teachers. At the time, I didn’t see anything we had missed, but later, while reading articles for an upcoming blog called “The 25 Things Teachers Want You to Know About Teaching” (coming soon!) I recognized a pattern: each of the articles I read included comments or quotes about teachers and money — how much teachers earn, how much of their own money teachers spend on classroom supplies/to help students, and how often teachers work summer jobs to make ends meet.

I found the gap and it was money.

2019 Edition

I don’t pretend to be an expert, but I know that New Year’s is NOT the middle of the school year.  In fact, it’s a little weird, because as the new year begins, even though you make resolutions, it’s not always the time you think about what you can do differently in your classrooms.  However, I offer a few words that might help you as you make it through the long winter, and beyond…

Remembering the Great Moments From 2018

My friend Bob passed away at the age of 92. Bob and I used to talk about how fast life goes as we grow older. In our conversations, we spoke of a life well-lived, his children, his grandchildren and his great grandchildren. Paradoxically, my colleague, and brand-new mom, Katie and I talk about the future, life’s possibilities and the seemingly endless sleepless nights that come with parenthood. No matter where we are in our lives, whether looking back or looking ahead, taking time to purposefully reflect is sometimes powerful, and always meaningful. Here is our Learners Edge year in review.

Being mindful about how to practice mindfulness!

This blog was originally published by Learners Edge on December 29th, 2016, but it was so well received we wanted to share it again! We hope you enjoy!

If you’d asked me a few years ago what I thought of Mindfulness, I may have laughed or shown you an exaggerated form of my best yoga Warrior pose. I couldn’t have told you how life changing it could be, and I certainly would not have been able to share with you any meaningful reflections.

The truth is, I have always believed in the power of Mindfulness, yoga, and other awareness practices to improve balance and well-being, but I just didn’t feel I had the time to actually do them. I was busy all day—busy teaching, busy grading, busy meeting with parents and colleagues and students—and when I got home, I was busy being a mom, a wife, and an amateur superhero. The art of slowing down seemed a luxury I couldn’t afford. 

Setting goals has never been so simple!

Every December, I start to hear my friends and family talk about their New Year’s resolutions-- drink more water, eat better, exercise.  Let’s be real, teacher friends.  These resolutions are too lofty and vague.  Failure is sure to follow.  What we really need is to get SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely)! 

As teachers, we’re very familiar with setting SMART goals for and with students to help them achieve at higher levels in math, reading or to improve behavior.  We look at data, determine the target, then plot out how and when students will meet the goal.  Research tells us that goal setting is the single most powerful motivational tool because it “provides purpose, challenge, and meaning. Goals energize people. Specific, clear, challenging goals lead to greater effort and achievement than easy or vague goals do.” (Blanchard, 2007) 

So if SMART goals work for students, why can’t they help us meet our own personal and professional goals?  Here’s how you can transform your tired New Year's resolutions into SMART goals! 

It's about to get personal...

Although I am not (yet) a famous “influencer” I will do my part to try to influence you into using a new educational acronym: PCE!