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The Big Bash

It's Friday and the 5th and 6th graders are just humming with excitement...after school comes the Bash! And oh don't they feel so grown up and isn't it good to be a middle schooler today! They were lined up on the walls and told to sit until they got their packets and wrist bands.Then on to the bash! Here they can have their faces and hair painted, do the karaoke, and any number of cool events. At 5:00 the 7th and 8th graders come in for their dance.

Finally Some Good News!

As you all know I have been having the hardest time adjusting to my new role at school as playground monitor and it has been wearing on me mostly physically (I mean when your in the mental shape I'm in, why bother?)And as you know I have been whining pretty good about it - so here is some good news, actually some great news...several years ago we had a lovely Spanish teacher who hailed from Spain. Our county was participating in some sort of cultural exchange. So when Ms. Benito arrived she was naive and need help to acquire an apartment and transportation. These duties fell to our Assistant Principal Mr. Davidson. He had a tiger by the tail. Ms. Benito was young and wished to absorb American culture and was very vocal about it,not very patience and extremely stubborn(the qualities of successful people?) Ms. Benito went roaring around Nashville in her car(did she really have a license?)She constantly complained about her apartment and the students, and her schedule,etc....but we tried to make her welcomed and feel a part of HMS. She moved on after a year but those of us who knew her will never forget her! I got a letter yesterday all the way from Madrid, Spain from my old friend. She wrote to tell me that she has joined the LDS Church and wanted me to know that she was now SISTER Benito! The Lord works in strange ways!

Football Time in Tennessee

Well today (Thursday) the day was devoted to FOOTBALL! Starting with the faculty encouraged to wear our new football shirts to everyone having a different schedule. The lovely young lady to the left is Chris Griffen. Probably can't tell but she is a hoot! Part of our duties today were to sell ticket at the gate. It was hot and we had not thought to bring our "sun-brellas" like we normally do,so Mrs Chris just adapted!
Here are the teams on the field! Looks a little big for middle school -but there you go..We played Sycamore and beat the snot out of them~ Oh yes at tidbit for those who care...we have now had the 5th snake sighting sliding around the school... it is just a little bit worrisome!

The Principle Centered Life

The mentoring program at school for anti-social kids is using Sean Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It is right on target. He says that instead of centering our lives on work, heroes, friends, stuff, etc. We should have a principle centered life. Principles like honesty, service, love, hard work, respect, gratitude, moderation, fairness, integrity, loyalty, and responsibility. it takes faith to live by principles, especially when you see people around you cutting corners,and being dishonest or even selfish. But you will never regret living a life with and holding to your principles.
The one book that has truly made such a difference for me is The 4 Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. I have to admit I heard about the book on Oprah but it was way before The Secret. and all that hokus pokus stuff. Anyway, The 4 Agreements are ones we make with ourselves to help define us as human beings. The agreements are:
1 Be Impeccable with your word
2 Don't take Anything personally
3 Don't make Assumptions
4 Always do your best.
These simple little "rules" have helped me more than I can say. Not that I am sucessful everyday. When dealing with students, or my dear Connell, or even Eddie the obese Jack Russell for that matter- If I start to get frustrated I try to back up and think why am I reacting that way? It usually boils down to me being territorial or taking something way too personal because I feel insecure about whatever is going on. Most of the behaviorial issues in my class are due to the same silly things and if I can take a student out in the hall and reason things out and let them know we are on the same side, the problem disappears.
I tell my students that they won't ever get in trouble for being too nice, and that there are enough people in the world willing to tear us down and find fault but in class we are going to build each other up. I also feel we spend way too much time and attention on dealing with people being offending by silly little things. We as a nation have become too accommodating to those who are easily offended and have traded our some of our principles just so we don't create contention. I say lighten up! Get over yourself! People are not sitting around plotting your demise. Love yourself and love those around you, especially the ones that are a little harder to care for...