Learn Something New

Right now, I'm obsessed with learning about how people learn. In the "spare" time I have (which pretty much means late at night after all logical folks are sleeping), I've been studying up about learning strategies. And I have to admit that I'm currently going "graphic organizer" crazy.

I've used a graphic organizer for pretty much every lesson I've taught in the last 2 weeks.

For my social skills group, it was a KWLS chart about how to introduce yourself to other people. K is for what you already Know. W is for what you Want to know, L is for what you Learned from the lesson, and S is for what you still want to know.

For my writing kiddos, I've been using the "double bubble chart" to help them organize compare/contrast ideas for essay writing. For my reading kiddos, I've been using a "sun chart" to help brainstorm all the words we find that contain a silent -e.
For my articulation kiddos, I've been using a "brace chart" to break down the steps involved in correct /r/ and /s/ production.
And then, today, when I was writing up an evaluation report, I found that it wasn't until I'd plotted all the test scores on a bell curve to graphically/visually represent strengths and weaknesses, that I was truly confident that I understood the nature of the child's disorder.

I might be overdoing it a bit.

But seriously, if you're trying to teach ANY concept out there, there is a visual thinking aid for it. (They're actually called Thinking Maps, created by David Hyerle, by the way.) Want to talk to your preschooler about how tadpoles become frogs? You need the sequence chart. Want to teach your high schoolers how to figure out analogies? You need the bridge chart.

I promise I won't bore you any more with my excitement. It probably seems so 2002 to a lot of you teachers out there who have been trained in Learning Focused Strategies and stuff like that. But I stumbled onto this video when I was looking for good planning tools for the writing process for my 3-5th grade kiddos, and it inspired me to use these with Flannery, too. So many times, when we go grocery shopping, I give her a list of things to look for at the store. Why not make it a "tree chart" and have the items categorized under headings like fruit, dairy, grains while we're at it?

Today I'm thankful that I get to do interesting work that I'm passionate about. That makes me pretty happy.



What boring topic do you just love to learn about!

My Happiness Symbols

Yesterday, Gretchen Rubin (author of the great book The Happiness Project) posted her own "8 Auspicious Symbols" of her happiness project. For some reason, the symbols really resonated with me. I kept "seeing" her cow symbol (representing her family) throughout my work day today, and it made me want to figure out my own happiness symbols, so I could recall them and help guide my thoughts to my happiness project.

Anyway, here are my "8 Happiness Symbols" and the reasons behind them:

1. Birthday Candles - to remind me to celebrate traditions

2. Orthodox Cross - a reminder to live my priorities

3. Red Balloon - reminder to "let go"

4. Zig Zag Bridge - my happy place, a place of truly being in the moment

5. Teddy Bear - reminder to be gentle, with myself and others

6. Fish - my husband (his nickname was Fish back in the day)

7. Peacock - represents my daughter (named after Flannery O'Connor, who raised peafowl)

8. Oak Tree - representing family


Now perhaps when I'm driving in between clients, my own happiness symbols will flash into my head, and provide me with a little happiness inspiration.




What are some meaningful symbols in your life? I'm really interested to hear! (I mean it!)

Tread Lightly

Recently, my husband, daughter, and I went to the local Life & Science museum, and one of the big hits of the day was visiting the butterfly garden there. A butterfly actually hung out on my daughter's arm for a while. It was so cute. She was very still, kind of in awe, as the butterfly climbed softly up her arm. Afterward, she said, "It was tickly!"

I've had the photo from that trip (above) on the desktop of my laptop for quite some time now, and somehow, it has really gotten into my head. I've even started doing a little visualization with it when I'm feeling frazzled, in which I tell myself to "tread like a butterfly" on those I love, and then I picture the little butterfly crawling on my daughter's arm. It's been really helpful to me to have that visualization to inspire me when I'm upset, not to snap back, but to whisper, to take a step back, to respond with a blessing, to wait, to turn the other cheek.

When I've told my daughter a thousand times to not splash in the bathtub, and then I get splashed again, I take a deep breath, count to five, picture the butterfly, and then calmly, softly, tell my daughter bath time is over because she splashed, and maybe next time if she can keep the water in the bathtub (not on me!), then she can have a longer bath. Without that visualization as inspiration, I'd probably be a lot more easily flustered and snappish, and, I hate to say it, downright harsh.

But when I remember to "tread like a butterfly" on those around me, I feel like I'm living the way I want to live. Like I'm making a choice to keep my home a calm, peaceful, and even happy one.

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By the way, this post is so amazing, about getting through rough spots and then remembering once again who you are.


Do you have little ways to trick yourself into responding in a "better" way when something upsets you?

The Restorative Walk and What Babies Teach Us

About once a week or so, I'm trying to post interviews with amazing and insightful people who inspire me! This week's focus is Emily.

Emily was our daughter's nanny for a while, and was such an amazing partner for us in caring for Flanna! From the moment I met her, I knew that she was the right nanny for us, and I've never had another caregiver who's ever come close to her in the intuitive and thoughtful way she treated our daughter. Emily has a spanish degree, lived in a yurt once upon a time, has compassion for all living things, is a rescuer of animals, is married to a kind artist, is a doula, and is now a mommy to an adorable little son. She has a quiet confidence that I wish I had, and I was really thrilled that she agreed to answer my happiness questions! Here are her responses:


1. When you're feeling blue, what do you do to make yourself happier?

It depends on the shade of blue. Sometimes I like to take a walk...
actually, a walk almost always helps, but sometimes it's more
difficult to get myself out and doing it than others. If I'm stuck in
the house, I like to take a hot shower and envision all my stress
being washed out (or sometimes I imagine the water is irrigating me
with good vibes, if I'm just "down" for no identifiable cause). If I
have enough time to myself, I'll turn off the lights in the living
room and practice yoga by myself -- I don't turn on a dvd or follow
any routine, I just move and stretch until I feel better (or until the
baby wakes up).

2. What's a little thing that you do regularly that makes you happy?

I wove this little basket that hangs by my front door. It's my worry
basket. Whenever I come back home, I mentally leave my worries in that
basket. Sometimes I take a trip outside just to "put" my worries in
it! It helps that I think the basket is really cute, and I'm pretty
proud that I actually wove a tiny basket.

3. What's something you've discovered that you'd you like your
child to know about happiness?

Well, for right now, my son's the one teaching me about happiness.
He really knows how to enjoy the moment and how to let the upsetting
moments float on by. Once he's done crying, it's like it never
happened.. he can go right back to being happy, as soon as the
situation has improved. He doesn't dwell on that uncomfortably wet
diaper he had an hour ago. When someone is funny and friendly with
him, he enjoys their presence without guarding himself. When he wakes
up in the morning, he smiles and squeals and meets the day with
excitement. It truly is a brand new day for him, another opportunity
to play and explore and learn. I'm trying to wake up with that kind of
attitude, too.

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I agree that kids are able to wipe the slate clean much more quickly than we are, and that we old folks should work toward that again. Also, a good walk does more for my happiness than a hundred dark chocolate Hershey kisses. I think that was one of the reasons I was so happy in Athens…we had such a walking lifestyle that I got exercise and sunshine and social experiences without really trying. Also, I’m super jealous of anyone who can weave anything. And while jealousy might not increase my happiness level, I do think the visualization of leaving my worries at the door is a great idea. Thanks, Emily, for your insights!



What have children in your life taught you about happiness?

Hold This Picture in Your Head

It snowed again! We made the biggest snowman on the block, as you can see. Actually, it was the only snowman on the block, can you believe it? As Flannery says, "We live in a snowy place now." So I guess the locals are bored by the snow and don't play in it like we Georgia natives do.

Today was a my-cup-runneth-over-with-happiness kind of day. We woke up to beautiful snow, had heart pancakes for breakfast, made a snowman, had cocoa, did art, I got to take a long hot bath, and then I went for a massage.

See? Cup overflowing. With marshmallowy chocolatey snowy relaxing happiness.

Anyway, what I wanted to write about today was visual images. I started thinking about this as I was getting my massage. I tried to do some mindfulness meditation while I was lying there getting massaged, but it was too complicated to try to focus on recognizing my thoughts while someone was kneading the tension out of my shoulders. So, I decided to try focusing on visualizing to increase my relaxation.

I learned about using visualizing for relaxation as an undergrad student in my Abnormal Psychology class. In class one day, we paired up with a friend, and while we took turns massaging one another's shoulders and necks, the instructor used guided imagery to help us relax. The instructor said that the more you visualized a certain scene while you were in a relaxing situation (ex: getting a massage, taking a warm long bath, etc.), the easier it would be later to just call upon the visual image to bring you the same feelings of relaxation. A little associative learning process.

So, back to the massage table. Me, lying with eyes closed, picturing people I love, places I love. Breathing. Trying to think of only the image in my mind and my breathing.

I'm sure the massage therapist thought I had fallen asleep or taken a heavy sedative before the session, because I'm generally a really chatty massage client. But I really didn't care what the therapist thought. I was getting my money's worth of relaxation!

And it really was one of the most relaxing massage sessions I've ever had. Which made my heart feel super happy. (Can you tell I've been watching Ni Hao Kai Lan a little too much?)




What pictures do you bring to mind to make you feel happy or peaceful?

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By the way, I've also been using visualizing during my daily prayer times (usually as I'm driving in my car) as a way to increase my attention and focus while I'm praying. I'll try to hold the picture of whoever I'm praying for in my head for the whole time I'm saying a prayer. It's really a lot harder than you'd think it would be! Try it! And let me know how it goes! (Unless it's super easy for you, in which case, you should really keep that to yourself so I don't feel like a weird inattentive crazy person. Which I am. But still.) ;)