Special teachers make everything special.

The word, “special” is used a lot to talk about students with special needs. Yet, it is rarely heard describing how “special” teachers are!! You make your classroom special with little and big decorations. You make teaching special with your planning. You make all children feel special and cared for in the way you speak and act with them. You are special. You are a difference maker.

Have an awesome day and a wonderful week-end.


Maryln

Holiday time has to be more than the incident at Walmart!

The Friday after Thanksgiving is traditionally a huge sales day for stores. I was shocked to learn that a salesclerk from Walmart was trampled to death and a dozen people knocked over in the rush to shop for gifts and bargains. That story reminds me of another one that occurred many years ago. My family and I were in Bethlehem on Christmas day. We were very excited to go to the Church of the Nativity because we had seen it on television during this time, and now we were going to get to go there in person. When we got inside the church, we had to walk down some stairs inside into a small cave site where Jesus was born. People were pushing and shoving to get down the steps, and one of my young grandchildren was nearly knocked over. This young grandchild looked up at me with big eyes and said, “How come this is happening here?” I remember being speechless by the way that people acted.

This has to end!!! It begins with each person teaching children not only to receive gifts, but to give gifts. Gifts are more than presents that are carefully wrapped. They are also in everyday actions. Children need strong role models, people that teach them to be strong yet kind to others, people who teach them the true spirit of the holidays is to give, more than to take. This includes how to stand in line, and how to talk to others with kindness and courtesy. It’s back to basics time—a time to teach manners and respect. If the entire world did this, was kind and caring, and respectful of others, what a better world this would be. It starts with you. Every day you get to make a difference for children.

We are starting a new survey today about this topic. Go to our web site at www.atiseminars.org to make your voice heard.

Have a great day. You are a difference maker.

Maryln

P.S. If you want to see the story about Walmart, go to:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/28/black.friday.violence/index.html

There are some occurrences that seem like accidents.

My grandson Sean, publishes a magazine locally. As part of the publication, he sometimes has “events.” He was in the midst of planning an event to raise money for M.D. Anderson Hospital, a hospital that specializes in cancer. He was making some calls and “accidentally” dialed the Houston Chronicle newspaper. The person he reached was in charge of putting local events in the newspaper, and put in an article about this event.

It was an accident. Sean had cancer when he was thirteen years old and wants to help others. He is also grieving the loss of his mom, my daughter, Tobi. What a gift this “accident” was for him in his life at this time.

As you go about your day today making a difference, think about the people and events in your own life. Look for the “accidents” and “occurrences” that are pluses that benefit you and also for the ways you benefit others.

Have a great day. You are a difference maker.

Maryln

You are part of the extended family of hope.

When people usually think of an extended family, they think about all of the relatives within their family. For me, you are part of my extended family. These thoughts go out to tens of thousands of you across the world, and I consider you all part of my “family.” I have felt the love and sympathy of so many of you about my daughter, Tobi. When I have met you in person at talks and received your warm hugs, I feel like we are family. I am a better person because you all are in my life.

And the same is true for the students you teach. You are part of their “extended family.” You are the ones who often make the biggest difference in their lives. You have hope for many of them even when they may have lost hope for themselves. You are a difference maker.

Have a great day.

Maryln

P.S. Thank you so much for those of you who have written to Oprah’s producers to tell them to have me appear on her show. What a great gift to honor the memory of my daughter Tobi! I hope I get to be on her show and make the voice of all of our “extended family” heard. If you still need her address, it is
https://www.oprah.com/ord/plugform.jsp?plugId=216

Butterflies are symbols of hope.

Butterflies are beautiful. They appear to be so joyful as they flutter around. They are symbols of hope. They start out so differently as caterpillars, and then emerge into beautiful butterflies. They are transformed.

You help “transform” children through the work you do. Sometimes they are shy children who do not want to talk, and through your gentle prompting, they begin to socialize more with others. Sometimes, they are students with behavior problems, and through your consistent and firm classroom management, they are “transformed” to engage in more appropriate behaviors. Sometimes, they are students with disabilities who come in to your classroom feeling “different” and hopeless, and they leave your classroom transformed with hope through the encouragement and support you gave them. You are a difference maker.

Have a wonderful day and a wonderful week.

Maryln