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Teaching from Beyond the Desk

with Laura DeMars

Gratitude in the Classroom

As we near the hustle and bustle of the impending holiday season, it is important to take a moment to appreciate the little things. I know for me that November is a time to reflect and show my gratitude for those people that are important in both my professional and personal life. All too often, I feel we do not take the time to reflect on the details that are all too important, and it has been my goal this November to allow all students (and me) the opportunity to reflect on things we are grateful for and the ability to express these feelings. Throughout the month, I embedded lessons and activities that allowed us to not only get to know the people in the classroom as individuals but allowed for time to reflect on those little things that ultimately mean a lot.

In my classroom, I have two different whiteboards–one features a daily quote, and the other has a daily fun fact (inspired by Sarah at Tales with Teaching with Tech). Starting in November, the focus for our quotes shifted to gratitude (one of my favorites being the one above by Johannes Gaertner). 
The placement of these boards in my room is something that I thought a lot about because I wanted them to be a functional point of interest. Our “Did you know…?” board is placed directly on top of our iPad cart because it provides students an opportunity to see the question and discuss the fun fact while they check out their iPad from our technology leader. I had originally put this board in another location; however, I have noticed since placing this board in another location it has made it a focal point in our classroom and my students are frequently discussing the topic–rather than it going unnoticed. While these facts are more points of discussion, during the month of November, our month of gratefulness, I use the facts surrounding Thanksgiving to round out our thematic approach to the month. During our writing time, students spent 10 minutes responding to the daily fact in their journals. Students were able to express their excitement, questions it spurred, or just their thoughts. I found that this often led to continued discussion, research about our own culture, or a launching point for curious discovery between students more so than previous months. While I compiled a list of Thanksgiving-themed “Did you know…?” facts from a variety of places, my favorite place is from the Lunchbox Love Notes Holiday Edition cards (you can pick them up from Amazon here).
I couldn’t resist talking about pie on our “Did you Know..?” board because it is a running joke in math that I always use pie in my application problem examples. Sometimes it is important to keep those running jokes alive to continue to foster a positive classroom community.

 Our quote board is placed directly next to our door. It is one of the last things my students see as they leave our classroom. Every time we leave or enter our classroom, I make a point to greet my students. We start our day with handshakes, leave for lunch with high-fives (we jokingly call them “free high-fives because my students can purchase additional high-fives with our classroom monetary system), or we might shake things up with fist bumps. While students are waiting to leave, I have caught my students reading our quote board. While I initially started using this board for reminders, I switched the purpose of the board this month. My main reason for switching this is that I wanted it to be more meaningful for my students–this is their classroom after all! After the success I’ve witnessed this month, I am going to continue to use this board for quotes. Does anyone have any ideas for a theme for December?

This is my favorite quote that I used this month. I got it from the LunchBox Love Notes–Holiday Edition has quotes on the back of EVERY card. The best part is they all focus on gratitude or thankfulness. Seriously, go purchase them now! The best part was that several of my students have been reading books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and one of my students was so excited to see this quote that they asked if they could read it out loud to the class (this is a really big deal because it is one of my reluctant readers–yay!)
During the first week of November, I started putting up quotes without really discussing them or saying anything and then something happened–I forgot to write the quote one morning. While doing our daily attendance question, (If you want to learn more about this routine let me know. I’ve been toying with the idea of writing a post!) one of my students quickly reminded me that I hadn’t written the quote. To be honest, I was floored! Without noticing, I had created another routine. I then had several other students quickly chime in that they missed our daily quote. So, as you could imagine, I spent the next few minutes writing our daily quote. (In case you were curious, it was this one: “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy–they are charming gardeners who make our souls blossom”~Marcel Proust). As I was writing, one of my students was confused about the phrase “souls blossom”, so our whole class spent a few minutes jotting down our thoughts (in a Me vs. You chart) and then having a conversation about our quote. This process was completely organic in its formation, and my students and I found it so valuable, that we ended up doing this for nearly every quote. 
Now I bring you to our two events today: Our Thankfulness Feast and the Circle of Gratitude. As I sat down to reflect about these past months (AKA: Report Card Time), I really began to think about how much these students have captured my heart and how little time I have spent thanking them for being at school. This is when I decided that I wanted to end November–that being a small gesture of kindness from me to them. As I brainstormed ideas, I decided that cooking a meal would be something that would be appreciated and a simple act of gratitude. This morning I started a tradition that I will likely continue throughout my teaching career–the Thankfulness Feast. As my students participated in a few Thanksgiving-themed activities, I served them pumpkin pancakes. This gave me the opportunity to express my gratitude for them individually. We all just took a moment, looked at each other, and were able to connect in such a meaningful way. I get chills about how powerful this was today.
We ended the day with something that, to be honest, was spur of the moment, and I’m glad that I tried it–the Circle of Gratitude. The concept is simple, sit in a circle and express your gratitude. Prior to coming together, I had students reflect for 5 minutes on things that they were grateful for and why. The level of thought and explanation surpassed my expectations. When we came together, students were engaged, supportive, and genuinely kind to each other. They shared gratefulness for eachother, their family, pets, the fact that I graded their math tests on time (ha!), and a variety of other things.The most surprising response that I heard today was from a student that has had difficulty making friends with other students this year. They said, “I am thankful for all the students in this class because they have helped me feel comfortable being myself.” This comment made me tear up and resulted in many hugs being shared in the classroom. I would wholeheartedly recommend trying this in your classroom. My student’s answers were so touching and just helped solidify the connections we’ve made in our classroom this year.
While many of these activities were formed organically in the classroom, my efforts to focus on gratitude in November were intentional. I have learned how powerful words, or simply taking the time to acknowledge gratitude can be on the atmosphere of the classroom. I hope everyone takes a moment to share their own feelings of gratitude and love those around them and know that no matter how small, everyone wants to be loved and know that they matter. I would love to hear how you express your gratitude in the classroom (or otherwise). Let me know!

Happy Thanksgiving & Happy Learning!

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Vote. Vote early. Vote now. #voteforchange Vote.

Vote early.

Vote now.

#voteforchange
There are few people that could be classified as N There are few people that could be classified as NOTORIOUS.

Infamous.

A World changer.

In current times we need to remember why we fight.

We remember that our voice is powerful.

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"I would like to be remembered as someone who used whatever talent she had to do her work to the very best of her ability."

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“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn't be that women are the exception."

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”Reading is the key that opens doors to many good things in life. Reading shaped my dreams, and more reading helped me make my dreams come true."

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“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you."

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“Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time."

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“My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent."

#RBG #WhyIVote
This is what my schedule looked like today: [afte This is what my schedule looked like today:

[after spending the majority of the weekend working on getting things ready for hybrid learning & communicating with parents]

5:00 AM—Wake up after a restless night.

6:00 AM—Drink 24 oz of water because I know I won’t have time during the day.

7:00 AM—Arrive at school (an hour before contract time) to pass all materials out that students will need (since I cannot move throughout my room), make a key for my seating chart, double check that all assignments were posted for my hybrid (at home) cohort.

8:00 AM—Students start showing up & they don’t even acknowledge me, even though I told each of them good morning, though I can’t greet them like I would in a normal year.

10:00 AM—Watch my students leave for a socially distant recess & cry in my classroom, alone, as there is no one to talk to because we are all on our own recess/lunch schedules.

12:00 PM—Walk to my car to eat, as there is no dedicated space for staff to eat, beyond the copy room, which has a maximum occupancy of 2 people.

12:40 PM—Trying to wipe the tears off my face & put my mask, voice amplifier, and face shield back on.

2:40 PM—Feel like nothing was accomplished today & like a failure today. None of my students even said goodbye.

5:00 PM—At home, feeling defeated & having to spend the evening getting everything uploaded for tomorrow.

This isn’t sustainable. I know I’m not alone in feeling this way.

#teaching2020

#teacherlife
Well, we survived this week. We start in a hybrid Well, we survived this week.

We start in a hybrid model on Monday—which is really stumping me on how to plan for—and there are so many unknowns.

Our Hybrid Model:

💙M/Tues.: Cohort A is on campus & cohort B is at home learning (no live instruction)

🧡Wednesday: Distance Check-Ins

💚Th/Fri.: Cohort B is on campus & cohort A is at home learning (no live instruction).

The planning for this planning has me stumped. We were just getting into a distance learning routine & now all of us are having to switch gears again.

Any thoughts?

#teacherssupportteachers

#teachingin2020

#distancelearning
It was another day, full of new challenges & strug It was another day, full of new challenges & struggles. I keep looking for a new normal & know that it might be a long time until we find it. There is so much chaos & turmoil in daily life, for so many, that it makes you appreciate the glimmers of light. And if you cannot find the light, recognize it in others.

#teachervoice

#teachingin2020

#allinthistogether
After being told repeatedly that if I don’t like After being told repeatedly that if I don’t like the conditions, then leave, I decided to write down my thoughts.

Here is a poem I wrote. It’s been in the back of my mind & I finally just decided it’s worth sharing.

And before anyone comments that “teachers are superheroes”.

Please stop.

We aren’t fictional characters.

We are human. 

The decisions being made are crushing us. 

We are experiencing trauma—just like everyone else during this pandemic. 

The emotional burdens alone placed on us are impossible to bear. 

We are not superheroes.

If I Die Today: The Voice of a Teacher

By Laura DeMars

If I die today, I want to be remembered for the passion I had, and the love that I shared my students, their families, and my school.

To be remembered for the engaging lessons that I prepared & the details I planned.

To be remembered for the inside jokes that we laughed about & the zany outfits I wore.

To be remembered for standing on the desks & dancing across the classroom.

To be remembered for the love of reading & books that we read.

To be remembered for learning about salmon & releasing them into the wild.

To be remembered for the spirit days & class celebrations.

To be remembered for the silliness & handshakes for each and every student.

To be remembered for the Skype calls with guest speakers & working with classes all around the globe.

To be remembered for the my love for education. My love for teaching students.

My care.The small gestures. And those actions that might have meant a lot.

Will this be my legacy?

Or will I just be another casualty?

A teacher without any say in the workload, the plans or the conditions in which we are to teach.

No voice. 

No voice. 

No choice, but to teach. 

No, we don’t want to hear from you, just do your job or leave. 

Burden after burden added to list upon my heart.

My health & safety of those kids are just the very start.

To-do lists are ever growing, 

where does the teaching even fit?

Another burden, added to my list of burdens to bear.

Will anyone notice if their teacher isn’t there?

#teachervoice 

#teachingin2020
This is what my desk looked like at the end of the This is what my desk looked like at the end of the day today. It was clean this morning. In fact, it was clean at the start of my open office hour.

I feel like my brain has too many tabs open & too much to juggle.

I’m checking in with each student.

I’m planning lessons to help support them emotionally.

I feel like I could work 24/7 & I wouldn’t be able to complete the bare minimum demands of my job.

I’m constantly having to respond to district requests and my email inbox constantly is overflowing with unread emails—that need responses—but when is there time?

I made parent phone calls in the middle of independent work time today.

I made parent phone calls during our recess break.

I was writing emails during lunch because there was a time sensitive deadline.

I want to give feedback to my students work they are submitting, but honestly, I’m not sure how to fit it all in.

And then there’s the tracking of missing assignments & lack of respect for trying to reasonably complete deadlines.

How am I supposed to be switching gears in about one week—to a hybrid model—that requires more planning, little to no time to support learning for students that aren’t in the classroom?

Teachers want to be incredible, and they are, but we are super human.

Is anyone else feeling like there’s no support & yet the demands just keep getting greater?

And then my health & risk will be in question? That will be on the front of my mind. 

This job isn’t sustainable—even at the minimum effort level.

And most teachers put in so much more effort.

There’s a reason why there’s not a line of people waiting to do our job.

There is no support.

Every year we’re asked to do a little more with a lot less.

This year, it’s magnified.

#teacherlife

#tiredteacher
It’s odd how quickly you can fall into a routine It’s odd how quickly you can fall into a routine, or create a sense of normal—even in a very non-normal situation.

Today I found my self looking forward to our morning meeting & our read aloud discussion time. These are some of my favorite parts of a normal school day.

While distance learning is hard:

💙We are still able to have rich conversations.

🧡We are still able to get to know each other & focus on stress relief techniques.

💚We can still hold space for building a community of learners.

In our distance learning community we are still working on engagement & demonstrating habits of scholars, but I see glimpses of real academic learning happening & that gives me hope.

#distancelearning

#teachertalk

#positivethinking
I’m feel like I’m watching the scales get read I’m feel like I’m watching the scales get ready to tip in education & for teachers.

Teachers need to stand together.

Our voices MUST be heard.

I’m watching as opening plans are being written & teachers are afraid to speak up.

Teachers naturally want to teach students, but they have the right to feel safe & supported.

Taking every additional request, demand or burden—without question— is not conducive to having high-quality education.

So often, teachers joke about their “teacher voice” & how effective it can be in the classroom.

Why are our voices not being used to set guidelines, when writing opening plans, or discussing the extreme measures & demands for both in-person & distance learning (& BOTH in a “hybrid” option)?

Teachers are resilient & often come up with creative solutions. We are notorious for just making it work—but at what cost?

Teachers can only effectively teach when they are equally supported by the ENTIRE school community

-Colleagues
-Administrators
-Support Staff
-Student Families
-School Board Members

But right now? I’m not seeing that universal support in education.

Maybe it was never there?

Maybe that is part of the problem & challenge to over come?

Maybe the years of budget cuts & undermining public education has now been spotlighted during this pandemic?

Public education is so much more than students & teachers.

The time to use your voice to support education is now.

If you’re a teacher? Use your teacher voice.

If you’re a parent, grandparent or guardian, reach out to your students teachers & see how you can support their classrooms. Get involved.

Band together to support public education. Together, voices can be strong.

#CATeacher #UnionStrong #TeacherVoice #WeareCTA
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Playing with 💗💜 COLOR 💜💗 today! When y Playing with 💗💜 COLOR 💜💗 today! When you embrace a bit of play with your makeup, it can be so much FUN! #eyeshadow #teachermakep #colorfuleyeshadow
When your heart wants bold color, you embrace it & When your heart wants bold color, you embrace it & wear bold makeup. 
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#eyeshadow #makeup
I’ve been loving playing with different eyeshado I’ve been loving playing with different eyeshadow looks lately & warm tones have been my go-to. It must be the fall weather... #eyeshadow #makeup #fallmakeup #beauty #natashadenona
I’ve been having fun playing with the @tatibeaut I’ve been having fun playing with the @tatibeauty Textured Neutrals Volume 1 palette. It’s been my go to eyeshadow palette since I got it! 
What is your go-to product lately?

#makeup #eyeshadow #tatibeauty #teachermakeup #playingwithmakeup #teacherfashion #glitter
I love when your makeup makes the look come togeth I love when your makeup makes the look come together.

What are you for Halloween?
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Just a little Saturday playtime with some makeup. Just a little Saturday playtime with some makeup. I’m loving playing with this @natashadenona sunrise palette lately. What is your favorite makeup item right now? #makeup #teachermakeup #eyeshadow #makeupshouldbefun
🍃How do you take care of yourself?🍃 Skin car 🍃How do you take care of yourself?🍃 Skin care is becoming a favorite way to check in with my self & spend a few minutes taking care of me. These are a few products that I’m loving lately. 🌿What are your favorite skincare products? 🌿

#teachermakeuptips #skincare #selfcaresaturday #selfcare #favoriteproducts
🌸How do you bring fun into your daily makeup? 🌸

Makeup should infuse fun in your everyday life. It doesn’t have to be boring & can be something that brings you joy. One of my favorite ways to bring fun into a look is to bring color—like a colorful mascara. #teachermakeuptips #funmakeup #colorfulmascara #eyemakeup #teachermakeup #teacherfashion #funmakeupfriday
What is your favorite product or technique that is What is your favorite product or technique that is part of your makeup routine? 🌺For an easy & simple look, I love dusting my favorite bronzer & blush on my eyes—which makes me feel much more put together. #teachermakeup #teachermakeuptips #nomakeuplook #simplemakeup
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