Friday, August 24, 2018

Yes And, No But: An Educators Seafaring Approach

Yes and….

It’s bigger in your mind, once you say it aloud, it gets smaller. Like the crash and crumble of the waves as they hit the shore. The doubt, heavy, sinking you, releases. The waves sound much harsher, louder, the closer you get. But when you can step back, out on a balcony, observe the tides from above the shore, their rhythm becomes apparent. The undertow is forgotten. They become more beautiful. Their sense of danger dissipates. Insecurity calms. This is an educators approach.

Clear blue, translucent, the cleansing aura of replenishing water, illuminates your frame of mind. It marinates in your brain. Percolates ideas. This is when the creativity floats in. This is the moment the murky water, meets the shiny sand and forms a cohesion of ripples and granules. Things settle as the current escapes. This blending of thought becomes action. Mind over matter. The force of sheer will, water crushing anxiety, swirling sand, gently falling back into layers. This is an educator’s routine.

The crash and crumble, vibrations and reverberations, normalize into a sync of in, out, in, out. The consistency is reassuring. The preciseness makes everything normal, safe. The foaming agitation of seawater, both frothy and sudsy, maintains our attention, focuses it. Salt stings our nose, but the mist rejuvenates. Alerts us to new stimuli. The vastness of information, yields itself to a single splash, a momentary shuffle of sand and water, tug and give. This is learning.

 No, but…

The shuffle of knowing and understanding, accepting and doubting, discovery and complacency never ceases. Like the tides throughout the day, we are constantly in a flux between order and disorder, listening and doing. We have choices, opinions, and fears. We lean on the boardwalk, overlooking the turbulent waters or we jump into the whirlpool, knowing we can swim above the cyclone. Either way we choose it. Confusion can set in, we might lose our sense of direction, but our internal compass will eventually guide us home. We have been there before, we know our way. This is an educator’s mindset.

We can hear something that upsets us, offends us, and puts us on edge. These things we generally try to escape, rather than dive into. This is when dark skies approach. Storm clouds block the sunlight. When we let them push us under the surface, we let the words take over, the sentiment coat us in seaweed and algae. However we have a No, but moment, that should be our mantra. I disagree but, I am willing to listen because my mindset grows from dissidence and discordance. This is an educator’s outlook.

No thank you bites. That is what I say to my son. Never no, if you have never tasted it. Once you try it, you can say, “no more thank you.” As educators we are in a constant state of exploration and reimagining. We see things and they trigger an idea, “I can use that in my classroom.” We seek out other educators, we join chats, we Tweet, Face Book and communicate on-line and in our buildings. We put ourselves out there, accept critique and welcome feedback- if we don’t we will stay swirling in the current. This is an educator’s lifeline. Our Vinyl record, well played and loved.


Most educators are positive, at least at the beginning of the school year. Yet, every year I watch as those around me, become more and more disgruntled and frustrated. This year, I am sending the positivity out in every way I can. Let’s do this together. Tweet awesome strategies, mindful thoughts and quotes. Support our tireless, dedicated educators, who need to be reminded, of the beauty of education. Those who need a pick me up after a long stressful day. Those who need to see a smile, receive a hug after a tough class period.


Above all, let’s let go of the “No, but” and integrate the “Yes and.” Stay open minded even in the stormiest and turbulent of seas. Not every day will be calm waters, in fact, most will be bumpy and blistery. All we can do is put on a life vest and row. Some of us have rafts, others boats, but we all have a flotation device- one another. We will all reach our island, where we feel safe. But, we will also meet fellow travelers on our journey and if we listen, they will tell us stories of adventure and swashbuckler fun- and that is exciting, because that is what we signed up for.

Saturday, August 18, 2018

Percussion of Personalities: The First Day of School

It’s quiet, calm. There is a crispness to the air. It begins to vibrate, causing the particles to stir and shimmer in the light. The energy arrives before the sound of giggles and feet. There is an electricity, a resonance that is palatable. It tastes sweet, sugary like salt water taffy. Stretchy and shiny, full of summer goodness, even though summer has ended. Every strand of glucose intertwined, every glimmer of flavor illuminated. Every voice succinct, yet the din is like a melody: harmonic and mellifluous. The drums providing the beat, the brass, the increasing volume of greetings and salutations. The orchestra syncs and the house lights blink, announcing the overture. 



There is no reluctance. The audience of learners takes their seats. An eagerness and excitement reverberate. The floors are sparkly, eager, for the first scuffs of the year. The walls are bare, awaiting the posters of clubs, competitions and motivation to be hung. The solemn silence has been replaced by dynamic deliberation. The building’s spirit has been lifted. For the first time in months, the hallways feel content. The programs are in hand and the ticket holders are at the ready. This is when the curtain pulls back, and all is revealed. 

It is this split second, this moment of contact that everything becomes clear. This is the collision. The percussion of personalities. First contact. Genesis. This is when dull becomes lustrous. Doubt turns to certainty. Wonder becomes action. The memory of all past first days, come in to view, but then just as quickly fade. This day, this first day, comes into focus. It is the first line of a fabulous story. All school days are stories, we need to make sure they are adventure stories. Thrilling tales of discovery and conquest. The crashing of cymbals, the roar of the snare. This semblance of anticipation and comfortability- this is the theme of the day. A non-fiction novella of community, collaboration and creativity. 



The confluence eases into separate congregations. Rooms vibrant with a blending of cultures, ideas and charisma. A bustling of individuality and idealism. It is a beautiful thing to see. They settle in to a rhythm. Craving new opportunities. Exciting experiences. There is a thirst, a hunger for knowledge. They are seated, they are hankering for activity. The bell rings and the energies converge into a stream of consciousness.A tight roll of brilliant thought and enhanced flavor. A vision is put in to place. Foundations laid. Optimism and organization solidified. This is the first stretch of the taffy. The white, waxy paper is removed, and the first pungent smell of sugary goodness permeates the air. 



It is the flexibility, the texture, brightness of flavor- these are the qualities of a great taffy. These are the ingredients of a delicious treat. The honeyed, luscious memory of the boardwalk, sand between our toes. It is also the enthusiasm, hopefulness and acceptive nature, that guides a classroom forward. Every student is a beautiful, colorful, surprise, these first few days of school. Slowly but surely their vibrancy and charm come to the surface. It takes time to get to know them. But these first encounters, these first collisions, these set the tone. These either dull the flavor or enhance it. It all depends on if you are willing to unravel the waxed paper, with no expectation or anticipation.  


Taffy, as sticky and stretchy as it gets, always holds promise. It has been a staple on every beach boardwalk for hundreds of years. Why? It is durable, it is sugary sweet, it smells of the ocean and most importantly it comes in a variety of flavors. Each with its own pungency, aroma, essence and tartness. Within every bag or box there are choices, a kaleidoscope of candied opportunity. 

Sometimes we feel like the sharpness of citrus, others the bitterness of chocolate. No matter our choice, its color and aroma lure us in. Like a classroom luminous and ardent, adjustable and diverse, we begin to unwrap until every dynamic, lively, vivacious piece is accessible and this moment, this percussion of personalities, is where it all falls into place. This is the first day of school, the first line of our story, so start writing educators, I can’t wait to read your first chapter.  


Friday, August 10, 2018

P.S. No One is Happy All The Time: A Journey on the Creativity and Depression Roller-Coaster

This post has been written over the last few months. It was written for everyone out there who struggles with anxiety and depression. Depression is not a choice and we can not snap out of it. It is something everyone feels at one point or another, while most bounce back quickly, some never seem to escape its haze. I am lucky, I have bouts, but I practice mindfulness strategies and meditation and this, for me works very well. I am balanced most of the time, but I have known people who suffer deeply from depression and many who also ride the roller-coaster of unhappiness. This post, I hope helps those who struggle with depression, see that there is hope and for those who know people who struggle, I hope this helps you understand what goes on in the mind of someone who is on the creativity and depression roller-coaster.


The Feeling Begins

Parched Earth. Barren, bleak, formidable. Yet, from underneath the scorched, sandy, terrain materializes a hope. A signal of unstitching. A state of Ikigai- a reason for living, ingrained in the Japanese culture. A purposeful exchange. A subtleness that would be missed by most, if they weren’t looking for it. It speaks in your mother tongue. Something from nothing. Everything from this isolation, this landscape is ultimately an idea. Swirling around you like sand, kicked up, from your tread. The sand stings, as the silicon and calcium, files down the rough edges, smoothing the thought, cohesive. The vista, the machinery our brain uses to sense our experiences. It is more than that though, it is not just a figurative place, it is not merely a spiritual journey, it is an encapsulation of our natural inheritance. Our birth right. The place where our curiosity sparks to life.

This place is toxicity free, yet there is a burden we feel of being happy. We let our agency of joy, slip at times. The guilt is visceral. It taps us on the shoulder, forcing us to see the utter mayhem, horrendous happenings and sheer devastation that occurs on Earth. We must see this devastation, internalize it, own it. For human nature is universal. It is simply the fact that most of us, at the intersection of immorality and civility, steer the course of decency, integrity and justice. Our sense of morality stays intact. This principle, this righteousness, is not a uniform we proudly wear, but a skin, both thick and impenetrable, protecting us from any oncoming sandstorm.

The Journey Begins

Shame has many costumes. Depression, stigma, remorse, liability, condemnation, to just name a few. It has mirrors in which it forces our gaze. Reinforcing our culpability. This hardened stance is difficult to maneuver away from. Its grasp is tight. For some it is a comfortable place, a cozy contrition. For others, it is mere scenery, they must traverse, to realize their gravitas, their authenticity. How can we be creative, if we do not allow ourselves to get lost every now and then in penitence? How can we be happy and content in our neck of the woods, if we do not acknowledge the blaze upon the hilltop? To, feel safe, we must admit, that we are not always protected.

Order and structure allows us to find continuity and consistency in our lives. These are facets of life, both necessary and welcomed. Miraculous moments happen every day. We awake with optimism, even if it is fleeting. We rest with positivity, that we survived another day. That hopefully our presence made a difference in some way. These revelations are empowering, liberating- they lead to creativity and creativity is fluid, it is mobile, it is transferrable. We can’t understand its motives or beckon it. We can only open ourselves up to it and hope it finds its way to us. If we are creative beings, if our imaginations are full and we are neglected by inspirations charms for too long, we can feel slighted, feel disappointed which may lead to unhappiness and strife.

And Here we Diverge

And here we diverge- unfettered joy goes one way and expectations the other. We are caught at a crossroads. We must mature, yes. We must age, this we have absolutely no choice in. But, must we surrender? The bridge between creativity, inspiration and passion does not need to be mired with self-doubt. But many times, it is.

I know while I am crossing it, each stone seems to grow larger and more difficult to step over. The grout between oozes in and sticks to my bare feet. Yes, I venture into the realm of creativity, comfortable and free of encumbrances like shoes. But, with gear full of nourishment and shelter. However, often while I am on this journey, I feel uneven, I do not feel like a whole number, but a fraction of one. A granule, rather than solidity. A speck, a grain, picked up with the breeze and redeposited somewhere abandoned. Somewhere desolate. That parched Earth, where my feeling began.

From afar I may look like I belong, like I am comfortable in my predicament. I might seem to fit on the pile of sand. The crevice where I land, appears to be made just for me. But, then again it is a fissure not an embankment. I am alone in consistency, alone in lack of vibrancy. I see the shininess and beauty of the smooth, sedimentary promontories around me. Each gathering layers as they gather acceptance, while I am getting thinner and more fragile as I wedge tighter, in the crevasse. This is depression. Unannounced it trickles in like a gentle rainfall, washing away my foundation, slipping me farther into the gap.

And Here we Converge

This is the place where creativity, inspiration and depression meet. We try to stay hopeful that a gust of wind will bring us closer to our habitat. Back to where we belong. But we forget where home is. The breeze ceases and we are left, a tiny insignificant molecule. A dot. That feels so miniscule, we can’t see beyond our limitations. We will lie there whittling away until we fade to nothing. This is depression. Only with the warmth of words, patience and rebirth, can we see ourselves again, as both sedimentary and igneous. Where our fragments become hardened with heat and pressure. Where all the little pieces come together, forging a great landscape, a scenery magnified.

That sound- thunder, it quiets us for an instance as we wait for the flash. Fear, shame, creativity, inspiration- they are comrades in arms. They know which buttons to push. They know where our arsenal is kept hidden. Yet, when we are pinned under the heaviest of boulders, together they pry us loose. When we choose not to be conventional, we struggle with this dynamic. Conventional is the enemy of interesting. Our life blood comes from our shade of unorthodoxies. Those traits of inheritance that are our birth right. We have a right to be happy, angry, solemn or proud. We deserve to be joyful, interesting and innovative. We hold the merit of self-preservation and self-advocacy. We must be eager to do so. But with depression buffing our protrusions down, our eagerness to advocate becomes a fretful action for survival.

Reconstitution has Side Effects

Our creative mind needs to be set free. If it brings apprehension and misgiving, we must accept that as part of the process. If melancholy and malaise, find us upon our travel’s, we must seek their wisdom, because they are apart of us as well. Each line of truth, a note, forming the base, the treble, the percussion of our lives. We wake up to an upbeat jam, setting us forth on an odyssey of discovery and exploration. We wake up to a pensive instrumental and we venture on a quest of retrospection and thoughtfulness. We have days dominated by joy and mindfulness and others made jagged with uncertainty and poignancy. But, we can tell the difference. This is what inspires us to seek the quiet moments of reflection, to listen for the grains of sand, as they wisp into the air, seeking shelter.

Depression is not a single stroke of misfortune. Nor is it a permanent structure, holding back the rivers of creativity and inspiration. It is within each of us. For some it is a result of not feeling justified or accepted. Others a consequence of fear. Ultimately though, it is not the same for everyone. It can be bottled and corked by some, while it buries others underneath that sand. Crushing their spirit, their outlook, their will-power. This is the moment of despair you can never understand, unless you find yourself under the weight of it. The only way to dig yourself out is, to reach out from underneath it because, there will be many with outreached shovels. You alone must dig yourself out, but without the tools to make it possible, you are stuck in the quicksand, the quagmire. The inspiration of others gives us a foothold- but our creative minds, openness to growth, this is what elevates us above the cave in.

There are paths we choose, and quests thrust upon us. There are times when being alone is needed. There are also times when connection and being among friends and family, is what grounds us. I am lucky enough to have strategies I use, because I am a victim of depression. My main weapon, I am a fighter. I do not get buried for long. I keep shovels close and ropes to grasp, at the ready, to keep me clear of the major pitfalls that plague my outlook. Writing for me is an outlet for my bouts with depression. Painting, singing, taking long walks, exercising, even just listening to awesome music, might be yours.

Crystallization
Whatever warning signs you have in place, it is listening for the sandstorm that is important. Following your creative heart, listening to your inspiration guide.  Your insight will provide you the framework to take risks and try new things. To take the leap. To find what makes you happy. Shame should never be allowed to stifle, bury, burden or isolate you. We all deserve to have joy- it is our birth right. We must never forget to help others, do what we can to try and guarantee that unfettered smiles, that childish giggles, that meaningful exchanges of mindfulness, that acceptance and encouragement spreads just as fast as the sandstorms. Then both whirlwinds will have equal chance to be encountered.

We love and hate. We smile and frown. We seek enlightenment yet get comfortable with stagnancy. There is no definitive answer to solve depression. There are also no guarantees that inspiration and creativity will find you. All you can do, is quiet your mind. Calm your spirit. Engage with the rumble, the quivering that lies beneath. Recognize the mist, breathe in and accept what is given to you. It may be an inspiration, it may be a creative embrace, it might merely, be an idea. It is what you do with it, how you make it something wonderful that will fulfil you and this contentedness might just stave off your next moment of sand blindness.



Sunday, August 5, 2018

Summer Glimmer to Classroom Bloom


Shimmer and Glimmer

For many, summer is near the middle, they have weeks left, until they venture back into their classroom. The rest of us, we have ascended the peak and are now on the decent, just about to reach basecamp. Hopefully these last weeks have been full of family and fun, learning and growth and relaxation and rejuvenation. While some are still basking in the luminosity of vacation, there are many who have turned the key and entered ‘teacher mode.’ Either way, soon, all of us will be immersed in the glow of student interaction. Collaboration is slowly building momentum and design and set up, rosters and syllabi are at the forefront. It is that time of year where educators really need to pause and center before they take the leap. Excitement is building, it is palpable. But, there is also a bit of hesitancy, we know that once we enter, we say goodbye to the easy-going days of summer.

Education is like architecture- slow, detailed, with a timing, a tone. Yet, adaptable to the audience, the current culture of things, to the energy of the room. There are monologues, recipes and revelations. Every teacher has their quirks, passions and creative spirit. It can be calm and precise one moment and chaotic the next. Chaos- if you are in it- can be scary. But, order comes from stepping above it- seeing the edges. Recognizing the full scope of things, then each layer is identifiable and discrete. You are as big as the things you enjoy, the things you accept and as small as the things you let control you. So, as you become inundated with all the start of the year expectations, pause, breathe and realize it will all get done.

Colorful Transition

A classroom is the best place to shed the old and climb into the new. It is a fantastic opportunity to take-risks and try outlandish things, because students are flexible, everything is fresh, they will be more than willing to try something new with you. If you tell them you are on a new adventure, they will be your look out, they will chart the map for you. New approaches, outside the box teaching, causes a disruption in their thinking. Disruption lets you know something new is coming. Too much maintenance squelches creation and change. Howard Thurman has a great quote “Don’t ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive and go do it, because what the world needs is people who come alive.” As you are easing back into the realm of classroom facilitator, curate your thoughts, build something refreshing and ask yourself, is my classroom a “me space” or a “them space?”

The shimmer, glimmer of summer fades. But, the bloom of the classroom is continual throughout the year. The learning space needs to be about the students. It is challenging to say the least, to step back and leave most of the walls blank, until the first week of school. To put the tables in a pattern that will be manipulated and altered by students. When students feel like they can move a chair to a different table, draw on the graffiti wall or chalk board, add artifacts to the culture wall- this empowers them. When students have a giant makerspace full of supplies this inspires them to tinker, to create, to build something with their hands, rather than play on their devices. Technology can be a great tool in the classroom when purposeful. But, when I ask my students, “Would you rather play a review game on your device or build a model with these supplies?” Most of my students say they want to use the makerspace and trust me they love their devices.

Classroom Bloom

I asked several of my students “Why is the makerspace so popular, when you could be playing a review game on your device? Why wouldn’t your technology always be your first choice?” They responded, “We can play on our devices anytime, we don’t have a makerspace anywhere else.” They added, “I think having options, lots of supplies gets my mind going, it makes me want to build something, my device is about beeps and dings, instant gratification but when I can get creative, have time to think things through, build things, this is fun too.” This was enlightening for me. Many teachers believe that technology makes things more engaging for students. It can be of course, but it is not necessarily a student’s first choice. Give them options and they just might surprise you with their ingenuity.  Value conversation, collaboration and investigation- these approaches empower and if we let them charge up with the most meaningful fuel, they will be able to recharge themselves.

It is the freedom to think for themselves that students are seeking. Design the classroom to do just that. Let them decide how it is set up, what is on the walls, where they sit. The more empowerment they have, the more engaged and committed to the learning community they will be. Things don’t have to shimmer and glimmer, these aspects fade. But, if we keep the learning space fluid and adaptable it will allow students to bloom, anchor themselves deep into the learning experience and together, collectively become a vibrant garden, forever growing and changing with the seasons.



#OneWord2023- Plant

Humus, soil, Earth- the substance that brings fertility and nourishment. Home to decomposers, revitalizers and care-givers. The foundation f...