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Dear Subscriber Name, Happy Monday! Today, the read aloud in my sixth-grade English class was Those Shoes written by Mariebeth Boelts and illustrated by Noah Z. Jones. The gist of the book if you haven’t read it is that a boy, Jeremy, really wants those shoes that everyone else has, however, his grandmother does not have the money to pay for them. He ends up finding a brand new pair at the thrift store, but they don’t fit. In the end, he ends up giving them to a boy that was the only boy not to make fun of him for not having those shoes in the first place. It is a good story about needs, wants, and the power of gift-giving. It also is a great read aloud to set the tone for the week. When I asked students what the best gift they ever received was, many said tangible things you could hold in your hand. A surprising number said intangible things that led them to feel a certain way or a memory related to the gift-giving. This week, like the character in the book, I am focusing on my needs, wants, and the power of gift-giving within my world. Teaching online has made everything feel like a need. Everything needs to happen right now, and I feel like I am always behind. It feels like the same urgency and constant demand that my first year of teaching had because everything is brand new. There is always one more video I can record. There is always one more lesson I can break down so it is easier for students to understand from far away. What other platform could I be using? How can I streamline processes from my lower-level at-home classroom? The move to online learning has consistently shown me that there is no way I can balance the amount of needs that distance learning demands. Instead, I need to focus on what needs to happen in the interim to have fun with kids, teach them about the power of books and words, and try to insert balance outside of teaching. Yes, this may be a pep-talk of sorts to myself. But, if you are teaching or dealing with online learning in any capacity, this is a pep-talk for you, too. The first step is going back to what are the essentials for my body, mind, and life outside of teaching. My actual needs. Here is my shortlist: Moving my body physically each day to counteract the sitting and screens Eating somewhat healthily to fuel a mind that can take on onslaught of information and a personal learning curve of technology (Also drinking more water) Time spent with loved ones and unplugging at a certain time each day Focusing on positives and gratitudes in moments of feeling defeated Finding time to read the good books that keep piling up on my nightstand
What are your needs this week? This week’s journal prompts: “I need…” “I want…” “I want to give others the gift of…” “A gift I can give myself is…” “When I feel pulled to tend to my wants instead of needs I can…” “My to-do list makes me feel…”
Brew some coffee or tea, grab a pen or your computer, cozy up with a blanket, and write. Happy reading and writing, Stephanie
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