Being Grateful…….

Today I am deeply grateful for many things.  I, like others, am especially grateful for family, my friends and my health.  All of these things are important and fuel my energy and support me always. They provide comfort and joy.

I am also grateful for the ability to share my voice.  Having a voice is so important because you are able to model, collaborate, connect and reflect on what is most important to you.  Through sharing my voice I have been able to model explicitly how I can make a difference through my interactions with others and my ability to be transparent also.  My voice is my own and I try to use it with a variety of tools that help to inspire, capture and share how innovation and creativity can make a difference and offer ways for  peaceful, thoughtful and  gracious change.

Presently I am involved with a project based learning opportunity with my kindergarten students.  We have been building an awareness of hunger inside and outside of our classroom.  We have invited community people into share their perspective and the ways they, community business are making a difference for others who need our help.  My students are beginning to experience alongside their parents and others about empathy and how important it is.  Through this learning experience my students have created a plan of action and have also been able to share using their Kidblogs, Twitter, Skype and other face to face opportunities where they have been able to have conversations about the importance of caring.

Thanks to Stephen DeCatur Elem@SD_Eagles my students get to see the impact they have had in the world! He tweeted: “@vermontkkids123 We are collecting! We kicked it off by watching your video w/over 700 staff, students, & families.” I look forward to sharing this with my students after our holiday break.  An amazing impact we have had just by sharing our voices.

When my students created an iMovie and then shared our project globally we all began to experience that others were inspired by our idea and then in turn started making a difference where they live!  Such a great way for my students to share globally and experience the value of sharing their voice in positive ways!

Today I received a photograph from one of my students parents.  Their amazing child, my student has decided to sell her books over the Thanksgiving holiday to raise money for The Children’s Literacy Initiative. I am grateful for knowing about this and that my students parents thought that I would want to know and care.  My student will post on her Kidblog, but is also inspired to make a difference for others with the support of her family.

As an educator I have endless opportunities to model explicitly “how to” make a difference for others.  When I can do this alongside my students and my families in a collaborative way I am modeling not only the importance, but the value of this idea.  Perspective is important and what we do with ours is equally important.

Thanks so very much to all of you who read my blog and post comments that challenge my thinking and inspire me.  I continue to look forward to learning from all of you as well as learning alongside you.

Peace……….