Taking a Risk and in Denver by 6:00

Friday during Easter weekend my husband texted me the following “Let’s fly to Denver tonight.” A little background is in order here… my husband works for an airline and as part of his benefits, we can fly stand by for free. Picture this: we have been married for 10 years and I have only used his benefits 3 times (for our honeymoon, to attend my sister’s wedding reception in Omaha, and once when I took my oldest son to Salt Lake City to visit friends). The timing is never right.  I always have something that needs to be done or the flights are full and I worry about getting back. I thought he was crazy for even suggesting it. I had been gone two weekends in a row- one for the Milken Forum and one for Courage to Teach. All I wanted to do (or thought I wanted to do) was stay home.

For some reason, I decided to just go for it this time around. For anyone who knows me, this is not me at all- not planned, very spur of the moment. I rushed home at 2:00, took a shower, packed for myself and my two boys, packed for my daughter who would be staying with her grandma, dropped off my daughter in town, and was at the airport by 4:00.



"Once you have tasted flight,

 you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward,

for there you have been, and there you will always long to return. "

~ Leonard da Vinci



We were in Denver by 6:00. Eli seemed to relax about his fear of flying and actually enjoyed the return flight. It helped to have dad there explaining all the noises and process of flight in technical terms, which calmed Eli’s fears better than my strategies. Ethan experienced his first ever flight and loved it.

The next day, we took public transportation to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. We saw a 3D show at the IMAX. It was called Born to be Wild 3D. I don’t know who enjoyed themselves more- me or my boys. I have never seen a 3D movie before. Experiencing one at the IMAX was unbelievable. Born to be Wild is an incredible story about orphaned orangutans and elephants, and the amazing individuals who rescue, raise, rehabilitate, and return them to the wild. Visit the following link to learn more about the story and view a trailer of the film. http://www.dmns.org/imax/current-films/born-to-be-wild-3d

If I would have thought about things too much, I probably would have said no and I would have missed all the incredible experiences that occurred in one, short, 24 hour period. The lesson here…sometimes you just have to take a risk.  This year has really been one of stepping out of my comfort zone and trying new things, both personally and professionally. See my previous post "I'm new. I'm trying." Button about trying new things.

What risks have you taken this year? How has it paid off? What have you learned from your new experiences?

The Cat in the Hat Has A Lot To Say About That!

Just today as I was walking down the hall to get my students from lunch, I heard another student shout “Hi. You were the Cat in the Hat”. He waved to me with a great big grin on my face. I said hello back and couldn’t help but smile as I recalled our Read Across America celebration in March.

I dressed up like the Cat in the Hat. My student intern dressed up as Thing 1 and her friend, a student intern in another classroom, dressed up as Thing 2. They thought I was kidding when I first suggested the idea! Wrong! Let me tell you… those two have commitment. They spent the night before going from store to store looking for the proper attire.

Back to Dr. Seuss…It was a great time. The third grade, fourth grade, and support teachers did an excellent job planning, organizing, and carrying out the event. I heard numerous positives.

What really got me thinking were the comments like “We should be professionals. The dress up days are for the kids.” Initially, I was a hurt by this comment. After some reflection, I decided I should welcome disagreeing viewpoints. Everyone has his or her own opinion and that’s ok. When others disagree with me, my actions, or my beliefs, it is not a personal attack. Disagreeing viewpoints push me to reflect on why I believe what I do and why I do what I do. Are my beliefs truly in line with my actions? Do I have good reason for it? Is it what is best for kids?

I admit I take part in our dress up days at school. I don a hat on Hat Day. I have worn my pajamas on PJ Day. I find that my students respond favorably. They want to know about me as a person. They want to know about my life. It builds our relationship. It’s part of creating that positive classroom environment. It gives us shared writing experiences. I don’t agree with the traditional “Don’t smile until Christmas.” adage. Do you?

What are ways (big and small) that you develop strong relationships with your students?