In 2019, Give Me 5

2019 - Holy cow, it feels like we're talking about some futuristic time period. Yet, the calendar flips to it tomorrow at midnight. I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but time sure flies.

I know it's cliche to talk about goals for the upcoming year, but I figure I should put my own in writing anyways...and now is as good a time as any, isn't it? Now, some of these things I am already committed to, but I'm pretty sure they still count, even if I made these goals/commitments within the past few months:

1. Use my talents for the betterment of others --> Run a marathon for charity - I started training a few weeks ago for the annual ACE marathon in the spring. And I've raised about $200 so far (thanks to my amazing friends who have donated!). I convinced my sister to run it with me, and I have friends in the CA area who are planning to come out to cheer and visit, so it's going to be quite a weekend. I just need to buy that plane ticket...

2. Grow in community and share of my time --> Volunteer on a regular basis for the same organization - Recently I've helped out at various organizations and for random activities as the opportunities presented themselves. And those were all quite worthwhile. (My recent favorite was volunteering at Misericordia's bakery during the holiday season with a group from church.) But I started to feel like I was missing something - that I wanted to have a relationship with an organization, the people running it as well as other volunteers. So I connected with Mission OLA - the group of nuns and religious there do an amazing job in the Humboldt Park neighborhood and they are always looking for helping hands. It should be the perfect fit, and I'll hopefully make it over there on a weekly basis starting in a couple of weeks. And, who knows, I might end up doing another marathon (Indianapolis, perhaps?) to fundraise for them in the fall (see goal #1). I'll keep you posted...

3. Share my passion for Catholic education --> Present at a national conference - I have one of my grad school professors to thank for pushing me on this one. I've always wanted to attend NCEA, and this year it's in Chicago...and I submitted a proposal to present, which was accepted. (And I found out that several friends are also presenting at the conference!) Now that we're just a few months out, it's a little nerve-wracking, but I'm also excited, as my topic is along the lines of my grad school work on getting students engaged in preparing for, participating in, and reflecting on the Catholic Mass. I definitely have some work to do before April.

4. Grow in knowledge and cultivate (new) friendships --> Join a book club - Since grad school finished, I've found myself filling quite a bit of my time with books. I ended up stumbling across many good reads since July, but it tends to be, at least for me, more fruitful when you read in a group and for a purpose. Therefore, in January I plan to join a local Catholic book club at a church nearby. Their first read is a book about Pier Giorgio Frassati - he is a saint I've wanted to learn more about, so this might work out quite nicely!

5. Be brave and open up to others --> Take a chance on the opposite sex - Admittedly, I feel a little funny putting this one in writing, especially since everyone always tells you that love happens when you least expect it and that I've never been particularly skilled in the flirting department, but what the heck. After all, I no longer have grad school and my sister's wedding as excuses, do I? What do I have to lose (except my comfort zone)?


Five goals seems doable, especially considering many of them are already in motion. And I hope that these particular goals will help me become a better person and a more devoted disciple of Christ one day at a time. Cheers to 2019!

Open House = Open Heart

Monday will mark the beginning of my 8th year as a classroom teacher. Though no year is ever exactly the same (in terms of the classes and/or content I teach), one thing does stay the same - each year is an opportunity for me to open my heart (and my door) to a new community of learners.

And that's exactly what happened at Friday's Open House - students came by to see if they needed any books (which, the older ones know, I never give out - I like to think they came by to say hi), and parents new to the middle school were both anxious and excited for the changes that will present themselves to their children this year. Parents are ready to send their kids back to school, and students are, for the most part, ready to come back and see their friends (and maybe learn a little too).

Do I have any goals for the year? Sure I do. I have BIG goals focused on helping the students develop personal relationships with God through regular prayer and through Sunday Mass attendance. I want to get to know every child and help find activities that meet their individual needs. I want to strike a balance between school stuff and my personal/for fun activities. And I want to empower the grade level teams of teachers to discuss and use data effectively to improve instruction and student learning. Don't worry, I have some smaller goals too... ;)

Here are some of the final touches to the classroom - although, my "Just Finished" sign will need to change, as I literally just finished "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" today. (It was a pretty phenomenal read with lots of clues and twists at every turn of the page.) -->

Monday morning will be here very soon. It's time to start the next chapter in my time at this school.

Now is the Time

Oh, hey there. It's me...still me...just me.

Ready for 2015?

I'm getting there...slowly...

In fact, I've started a list (as well as a Pinterest board) of things/goals to strive for in 2015:

1. Be on the lookout for God moments (and spend time in gratitude for them, using my gratitude journal regularly).
2. Drink more water.
3. Stick to marathon training (aim for 4-5 days of running/gym per week), even when the going gets tough...or the roads freeze over. (And sign up for the Flying Pig 2015 marathon...)
4. Go to Wednesday evening Mass (or Thursday adoration) at least once a month.
5. Pray a decade of the Rosary every day.
6. Read books. For fun. And for teacher education/learning.
7. Learn the guitar...one chord at a time...
8. Stress less...breathe more...
9. Drink less coffee/caffeine...one morning cup is enough!
10. Be a better listener/more present.
11. Stay calm in the classroom and try not to raise my voice.
12. Cook more meals/real food.
13. Eat chocolate...in moderation.
14. Send birthday cards...on time.
15. Make a schedule (& goals) at the beginning of each week to plan activities, school-related commitments, etc. accordingly.

The list will go on, but for now, that's a pretty good start. Perhaps blog regularly (or, even daily) should be on there? Hmm...

Many blessings to you and yours in the new year!

Prayer Overhaul...But not mine this time...

Thank God for Lent. (And thank God it's coming soon.)

There are a number of areas in my life that need a little "fixing up," but tonight I want to focus on Lent for my middle school religion classroom.

From the start of the year until now, I have been asking students to sign up to lead prayer each day. The 6th grade classes usually show a video, while 7th and 8th grades usually do petitions and prayer.

All was well...for a time. But as of late, prayer has been getting a little out of hand. A number of students (in each of the various classes) have not been treating our prayer time with the reverence it deserves.

And I've been struggling with how to handle this...but I know I need to address it...and soon.

So, as I said before, thank God for Lent. (This is my chance to change it up!)

Here are my thoughts for prayer leader requirements in each grade level - each student will now be required to lead prayer independently (though, they can opt out by not leading prayer at all if they are not comfortable):

8th - Saint of the Day
Since these students are receiving Confirmation next Friday, they each have a Saint name they will be taking, as per the Sacrament requirements. What I envision is each student preparing a short tidbit and/or leading us in a prayer to the Saint on his/her assigned day. My goal in this is that students learn more about their own Saints as well the Saints of their classmates, all the while trying a new prayer experience for Lent.

7th & 6th - Alternate between write your own prayer and Sacred Space
Lent should be a different feel from the routine. As of late, students have fallen into patterns of leading prayer, sometimes for the best and other times for the worst (behavior-wise). Having a bit more structure and a more serious tone should help students better enter into this solemn season. (We may also take some days doing contemplation/mandalas or guided meditation.)

Wish me luck - this overhaul is much needed...

2014 Goals

Yes, the countdown came and went...it is now 2014. 2 0 1 4! Holy cow. Reminiscing with some long-time friends last night, we realized we graduated from high school 10 years ago this May. (Let's say that we all felt a little old.)

But, yes, here it is - 2014. Now, having been on vacation this past week and a half, I oftentimes found myself on Pinterest (in between all the visiting, trips to Publix, reading, and other things). While on the site, I found this idea for using with students in the new year -

from http://messyjofu.blogspot.com/2013/12/here-comes-2014.html

But I figured, why not use it for me too? So, here goes:

2 - Two new goals I have for this year:

     1) Spend more time doing things for self-improvement (cooking healthy, running more, reading more, trying new things, praying more, spending more time at Church-related events & in prayer groups) and less time making excuses/wasting time.

     2) Be a better friend and listener by keeping in touch via letters, emails, and phone calls. 

     (Bonus Goal = Go to the Holy Land - woo hoo! Thanks to my Church, this is going to be a reality this summer!)

0 - Something I'd like to stop doing: There are a lot of things I should stop doing, but the one I want to concentrate on is to stop spending so much wasted time on Facebook. (In addition, I'd like to stop eating quite so many sweets - all in moderation, I say.)

1 - One new book I want to read: Scratch that - there are at least 10 titles I already have lined up. (And heck, we're in the tens place, mathematically speaking.) Here are some of them: 

     - The First Phone Call From Heaven (Mitch Albom)

     - An Abundance of Katherines (John Greene - YA)

     - The Great Divorce (C.S. Lewis)

     - Divergent series (Veronica Roth - YA)

     - Jesus of Nazareth (Pope Benedict XVI)

     - Bell Canto (Anne Patchett)

     - The Heroes of Olympus series (Rick Riordan) - I left off after finishing The Lost Hero...

You know me...the list goes on...Any recommendations or must-reads I'm missing? Please let me know!

4 - Four things I want to learn:

     a) How to play the guitar

     b) How to more effectively use Twitter for professional development & edchats

     c) How to be more creative with my cooking (recipes or not)

     d) How to implement new assessment and classroom activities for my middle school students

Well, that just about does it. Have you thought about your goals and resolutions yet?

If you're still thinking, here are a few good reads:

- New Years Resolutions for Catholics

- How to Make Your Life Easier in 2014

- Social Media Resolutions (Fr. James Martin, SJ)

Happy New Year to you and your loved ones! May the year ahead be a blessed one!