Erosion

Erosion

Some seasons are fuller than others.

They flood your life’s banks

And uproot what you were growing. 

These seasons can be good because they produce change,

Newness,

Clarity. 

They can be equally as terrifying because they create stress,

Overexertion,

Uncertainty.

But really, why do we stress over things out of our control?

Why do we try to prevent nature from taking its course? 

Our lives will change regardless of us being ready. 

The river will continually flow. 

So how can we be like plants on the river’s edge?

Whose banks swell annually and redesign a once familiar trail?

How can we marvel at canyons and gorges and try to prevent our own erosion? 

How can we choose beauty? 

Maybe it’s learning to be still. 

Maybe it’s learning to listen. 

Or maybe, it’s a choice. 

Maybe we need to choose daily that we will worship in all seasons,

Be them full or dry. 

Maybe it’s acceptance. 

Maybe that’s how we survive. 

Miss

I love being Miss,
On good days and bad days.
I love the voices that call my name,
Even when I wish they would just stop talking,
Just for once.
I still love it.

I love hearing the first Miss in the morning,
Probably too quickly after the bell rings because they're running up the stairs.
I love hearing them putting words of kindness into use,
Seeing them practicing compassion and passion;
I love seeing their becoming.

I just purely love it.

No, all days are not easy.
And don't even argue about getting summers off.
Sometimes these kids drive me to actual tears
Because I feel like I just can't get through,

Because I care so much about their futures,
About their biggest dreams and hopes.
Sometimes I think I care more than they do.
But still I care about them, and push myself to be better.

I push because I want them to have every opportunity.
I want them to realize what their passion is,
Have the skill set to attain it,
And the strength to rise back up after each failure, resilient.

Yes, it's exhausting.
Literally like running a marathon everyday,
Every afternoon,
And every evening when I plan at my kitchen table.

But every day I wake up to become Miss again,
Try again,
And start again.

Because if there's one thing these kids need most
It's someone to believe in them.
Someone to hold them accountable for all that they are.
Someone to encourage them.
And someone to help them shake off their mistakes and persist.

Everyday I roll out of bed before the sun
Down my ounces of coffee
Haul my 15lb tote bag to school
And pinch myself because my job is my dream.

Why Teachers Love Halloween

Being a teacher presents you with many unusual benefits and burdens. One of those benefits is getting to celebrate the holidays kid style. One of my favorite holidays to celebrate is Halloween. Below I’ve included a list of reasons why being a teacher on Halloween is amazing.


1. So much free candy
Kids just come to school with candy falling out of their ears to GIVE you. It’s like reverse trick or treating.

2. Narrative writing
Halloween lends itself very nicely to narrative writing. The adjectives just flow off the students’ tongues when they start talking about a haunted house.

3. Figurative language
Like narrative writing, figurative language also is perfect to teach during this spooky season!

4. Costumes
You get a costume! You get a costume! I get a costume! Who doesn't love dressing up and looking at costumes?

5. Decorations
I’m always looking for reasons to get cats into my classroom, so Halloween is black cat/pumpkin season!

6. Excuse for parties
Need I say more?

7. Halloween music bribery
Currently teaching SBAC standards and Thriller lyrics in my classroom.

8. Laugh out loud kid prompts
Pinterest is home to the most adorable/amusing Halloween activities for kids. You haven’t laughed till you see what kids think you should be for Halloween.

9. You can go out afterwards as a zombie and not even need makeup.
#facts

10. Guiltless cheat day.
Since you’re running around all day long chasing monsters, pirates, and princesses, candy is really just sustaining you, not adding weight to you.

Well-Meaning Tornados

Sometimes I spin like a tornado.
I wipe out everything in my tracks and suck extra miscellanious stuff into my vortex.
Then, I keep trying to hold it all together and create nothing more than a powerful mess.

I relate to nature and natural disasters.
Just like wind, I start off with refreshing energy that eventually becomes destructive.
Beauty can very quickly evolve into terror.

It's a thin line, we all balance on.
The line between laziness and overachieving.
The line between “How do I live with myself?” and “How do I survive all this?”

When good things become too much and life becomes overwhelming,
What I want to do is to clench whatever I can until my knuckles are white and sore.
Really though, that's probably the worst thing I can do.

The way to slow it down and stop the maddness is to just stop.
Put it down, walk away, turn it off, unplug.
In that silence and anxious rest, reconnect.

Rest.
Recover.
Redirect.

You can't serve others until you serve yourself.

Tips for First Year Teachers

Around this time in August I tend to get what I call "Autumn Anticipation". It’s that feeling when you start thinking about the upcoming school year and feel a mix of excitement, nerves, and cravings for Target teaching specials.

With that being said, I’ve been thinking about this upcoming school year and trying to remember things I did last year (my first year) that made the year successful. Hopefully this list can give you some peace of mind as you get ready for a new school year. 

1. Make time for yourself.

It’s so easy to be consumed by teaching, but remember that there is more to your identity besides just being a teacher. Make time to have fun and leave the grading at home! Take care of yourself so you can care for others. This also means to eat well, sleep well, and shake off the small stuff. 

2. Just put it down.

Some days you just have to leave that stack of work at school. Just put it down and leave, it’ll be there in the morning. 

3. Get to know your students. 

This tip is so important. The kids can tell if you're being genuine or not. Know your kids - their needs, their joys, and their stories.

4. Talk to your students with respect if you want them to do the same. 

Like Tip 3, if you want the kids to listen to you then you need to listen to them. Treat the students the same way you’d want them to treat you. 

5. Reread parent emails.

Nothing makes you want to face palm more than when you see a typo in an email you sent. Reread, reread, reread! 

6. Contact families frequently! 

One of the best things I did all year was compile all my parent emails into one parent email group. Then, every Friday, I would send out a quick email to all my parents. I got back a lot of positive feedback and it only took about 10 minutes! 

7. Don’t check your school email on weekends. 

8. Share the planning and photocopying process with a team member. 

If you and a colleague are teaching the same thing, then you should share the planning and photocopying process. It cuts your planning time in half! 

9.  Don’t gossip. 

10. Dress professionally. 

If you’re looking for affordable teaching clothes, I highly recommend H&M or TJ Maxx! 

11. Be consistent with your behavior management. 

This tip is so important. If you are not consistent with your expectations and consequences then you will lose your leverage in the classroom. 

12. Make friends with the teachers in your building!

13. It’s okay to say “no”.

If you’re worn out from a rough day and don’t want to go out to dinner with the girls, then cancel. If you feel too drained to do things both days on the weekend, then don’t. If you don’t feel like you can tackle taking on that extracurricular activity or sport then don’t. You can’t be a good resource to others if you don’t pause to refuel yourself. 

14. Find at least one close friend in your school.

Find at least one person in your building who you can relate to and chill with after a long day. They will be your lifeline this year. 

15. Don’t cry in front of the kids. 

There will be days when you just want to put your head down on your desk and cry. That’s okay, but it’s not okay to do so in front of the kids. Distract yourself, drink some water, chew some gum - whatever it takes, just keep it together until the kids leave. 

16. Know your bathroom breaks. 

Until your teacher bladder fully develops, it’s best to moderate how much water and coffee you drink during the day. In my opinion, not being able to pee freely is one of the hardest things about being a teacher. 

17. Clean your desk nightly. 

18. Keep cough drops in your desk. 

19. Use your teacher discount at stores! 

20. Teachers Pay Teachers will be your saving grace. 

21. Print papers off ahead of time. 

Any teacher can tell you that the copier will be down when you need it the most. Print things off ahead of time. 

22. Keep something energizing in your desk (candy, kcups, etc.)

23. Pay attention to what’s going on in politics. 

Your school’s teachers’ union should be able to provide you with some information about any political events you can attend nearby. 

24. Observations are not the end of the world. 

There will be amazing observations and terrible observations. It will all balance out. Just teach.

25. Enjoy every moment! 

You have the best job in the world. Even on hard days it is always worth it. Keep pressing on. You've got this! 

How to Travel for Cheap

I’m one of those people who craves traveling. Like I literally ache for it. Being a recent college grad and supporting myself with a teacher’s salary, I knew that if I wanted to make travel a big part of my life, I’d have to plan for it. 

Gratefully, planning is my middle name, so over the years, I’ve acquired a list of tips on how to travel on a budget. 

1. Prioritize

It may sound obvious, but if you’re serious about traveling and you’re not rolling in the dollar bills, then you need to PRIORITIZE IT. That might mean settling for a car as old as you are, not going out every weekend, going without the latest iPhone and avoiding the mall like the plague. It’s difficult, but those small financial sacrifices make a huge difference. 

2. Separate Bank Accounts 

If you can’t restrain yourself from your favorite stores or restaurants, this next option may help you. I have a separate bank account that’s linked to my primary one that I can transfer money into! This account is earmarked for travel so I never touch it for anything else. The best part is that I can transfer money from my primary account to my travel account on my phone! So convenient! For example, I tell myself that I'll spend $50 bucks on at the mall, if I don't spend that much, anything left over goes into savings and travel savings. It’s amazing how much easier it is to not buy that cute top when you compare it to an Italian getaway. 

3. Flights 101 

There are some amazing apps for finding cheap flights out there. Skyscanner, and Hopper are my favorite flight deal apps. Watch for your dream destinations on these apps or browse locations that have deals! 

4. Cookies

Did you know that some travel websites track you looking up travel information and raise the price?! I learned that on a first date ... that was the best thing that came from that date...

To prevent this, use incognito mode on your computer or use apps to research. 

5. Do your homework 

Before I book a flight I seriously spend DAYS writing out which dates/airport combinations are cheapest. You’d be surprised the difference sometimes. For example, on my recent trip to Italy, my friends and I wanted to see Florence, Rome, and Sorrento. The cheapest combination turned out to be flying into Rome and out of Naples! Flying into or out of Florence would have cost us nearly $200 more! 

6. Flights for Days

Some days of the week are cheaper to fly than others. Typically, midweek seems to be cheaper in most cases BUT, if you use Hopper the app, you can really do your research to ensure you’re getting the best flight deal because they will tell you what day to buy your ticket. 

7. When to Book

I’m a planner, therefore I LOVE having everything booked way in advance. A positive of this is that it gives me plenty of time to watch flights, but the downside is that it seems like some flights get cheaper only a few weeks out! I’ve scored a few amazing deals to visit family and friends in Utah and Florida waiting until only a few weeks out. Motto: If you can book in advance do it but don't be opposed to last minute excursions. 

8. Where to Stay

I recommend looking for places on Airbnb, HotelsCombined, VRBO, and Expedia. 

9. Have a Buddy ... or Three!

Traveling is cheaper when you can split the cost with more people!

10. Travel Credit Cards
Now I'm brand new in this arena, BUT I recently realized that quite a few credit card companies offer travel incentives. I recently got a card that gives me 2 miles for every dollar I spend. Bring on the bills!

11. Read Up
Pinterest is one of my favorite things, especially when it comes to travel. You can find so many dream itineraries on there for whatever price range you're working with.

12. The Perfect Itinerary
Before I went to Italy I read up on what the expensive tour groups offer and how they plan their time. For example, if this one tour stops at the Colosseum and the Roman Forum on the same day but does Vatican City on another day, then maybe I should plan my time like that too. It also gives you a good idea on travel time frames between places.

13. Transportation
Navigating local transportation in Italy gave my friends and I quite a few things: memories, a true Italian experience, and MORE SPENDING MONEY. Trains are a lot cheaper than personal drivers and excursions and are not too bad to figure out if you do your research.

14. Talk to People
Ask around for insider tips on locations you'd like to visit! You'd be surprised where your Facebook friends have gone!

15. Enjoy the Planning
Not only will be content with your planning help you mentally, it will also provide you with the patience you need to snag that sweet travel deal.

Bon Voyage! 

Forces of Nature

People have to do hard things all the time. 

We have to make choices and change,

All while greeting challenges head on, unwavering.  

 

When we’re not going through challenges,

It’s easy to recline and think, “Wow, I did that”. 

It’s easy to think that people in those hard times 

Don’t want to be happy,

Or aren’t trying hard enough. 

It is easy to become nearsighted and entitled. 

I’m guilty of that. 

 

Sometimes, for me, it takes my foundation shaking,

Or my entire home crumbling to the ground for me to realize that I am not a cornerstone. 

I am not the axis. 

I am not a center beam. 

 

That the security I thought I had wasn’t secure after all, 

Because my trust was not placed in something secure. 

The identity that I created melted away in its first contact with fire. 

 

Gold is purified with fire. 

Made more beautiful and true. 

Facades disappear.  

 

I had lost what had defined me. 

Disillusioned my purpose.

 

It is in these moments of raw loneliness

When I realize my insignificance. 

Realize how minute and replaceable I am. 

The catch is that no one is replaceable, so if my definition could be stripped away that quickly, then it was never who I was. 

 

I am guilty of defining myself based on my career, 

Of defining myself based on my accomplishments and my chapter in life,

Of pushing and clawing until I get what I want just to find out it’s not what I need,

Of building this skyscraper of an identity and trying to hold it all up without faltering. 

 

When in reality, I’m not strong enough. 

What I am working so hard to build is not sustainable. 

 

If this skyscraper I'm building is meant to crumble it will crumble, Regardless of the panicking patron floundering beneath it. 

If my identity can melt away like wax when fires blaze, then it was not truly who I was. 

 

Maybe these earthquakes and wildfires of the soul are meant to create that sense of urgency in us. 

Maybe they’re meant to make us get goosebumps, breathe faster, and run. 

Run away from the demolition and smoke of tumbling egos and burning facades. 

Straight into the light. 

 

Where we’re confronted. 

Where we learn that the skyscraper we thought we built was never actually ours. 

That we were never holding it up. 

That it was never what we really needed. 

 

And here, even though we escaped the earthquakes and wildfires, and demolition,

perhaps this disaster of illumination is even more terrifying, 

because it admits a lack of control. 

It admits weakness, 

Powerlessness. 

Vulnerability.

Dependence. 

 

It’s just you. 

Raw and weary. 

Clinging to whoever or whatever will stabilize you. 

 

And that’s the beauty of the chaos. 

It’s that eye of the hurricane. 

The peace in the midst of the storm.

 

When you realize that your purpose is not to orchestrate,

To sprint,

To run,

Or to crawl.

 

It’s to hold on. 

 

It’s where you find that peace and rejuvenation so that you can face the next part of the storm head on. 

 

It's when you look upon the demolition of a dream

And when you realize that your world can crash 

And burn to ashes and turn to rubble,

But you can still stand. 

 

In this moment you realize how all of this

and all we can build will never define us. 

It can never define me. 

 

Earthquakes will come. 

Wildfires will rage. 

Nature will always take its course.  

But I will not crumble. 

 

Because this time, 

I won’t prematurely build. 

I won’t run myself ragged toward an ever extending finish line. 

I will hold on

To the hand of the one who directs my path,

Knows my dreams,

Shelters me through disasters, 

And rebuilds with me after the storm. 

 

So no, 

I will not crumble, 

Because my foundation

And my identity

Comes from God and God alone.