The winter does not have to last.

During the winter, the days are shorter, and it gets dark early in the evening and stays that way until later in the mornings. When spring time arrives, the days get longer again. It is the same in life. We go through periods of winter darkness. I had my share last year when I lost my daughter. My heart hurt so badly. And then, slowly but surely, I started to have peace once again within myself. I started to laugh again. I didn’t stop thinking of my daughter, but my pain was eased. Many of you helped me have this happen. Your love and support and e-mails all have helped me to have new hope. You have helped me get through the winter darkness.

You have students you teach who are going through a long, long winter. They see no hope of spring and summer. They have forgotten how to laugh and to enjoy what they are learning. Help them by bringing t some sunlight into their lives. Help them to smile, to laugh. It’s hard for them to laugh when they feel sad, worried, and upset. Find time, even it is only for a few minutes each day, to connect with them. Those few minutes may be more meaningful than what anyone else is doing for them. You can do it. You can bring sunshine into their hearts, minds, and lives. You are a difference maker.

Have a great day and a wonderful week-end.

Maryln


P.S. Each time you make a difference in the life of a child, go to our website, www.atiseminars.org and add a LoveLink.

If at first you don’t succeed, don’t give up.

When you were learning to drive a car, it probably didn’t come naturally. It took time and patience. It is the same with teaching. It takes time and patience to learn how to handle tougher students, and to speak so that children listen.

The important thing to remember is to not give up. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Have a great day.

Maryln

P.S. Each time you make a difference in the life of a child, go to our website, www.atiseminars.org and add a LoveLink.

Top it off

When some people put gas in their cars, they fill it to the very brim. They “top it off” so that they won’t have to refill their tank as soon. The same is true for planning a lesson for children. “Top it off.” Plan, plan, plan. “Top it off” with great ideas so that the children have fun while they learn. “Top it off” with extra activities for students who finish earlier. “Top it off” with special strategies for children who have a tougher time learning something new. And when the lesson is finished, “top it off” with a fun summary of what the students learned. (A fun strategy is to invite the children to tell what they have learned.)

Have an awesome day, and remember you are a difference maker. So tonight, top off the evening by patting yourself on the back for all the ways you make a difference in the lives of children. You are a difference maker.

Have a great day.

Maryln

Children deserve our best

I was so sad when I read an article on CNN’s web site about a 14-year-old boy, Shakirullah, who has been convicted as a terrorist. I have no idea how much of the story is true, but what is true in the article is that this 14-year-old boy has been convicted as a terrorist. The article said that Shakirullah was trained to be a suicide bomber. His dad had sent him away to school, where Shakirullah received training to become a suicide bomber. They say that he misses his mom. You can see the article at the following web site, http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/02/afghan.suicide.recruit/index.html

Last week I went into a school to make some videos for one of our seminars. The children were wonderful. I had so much fun grabbing and holding their attention. That plus this article made me think about our children, and how they will listen and absorb what adults teach them. It made me realize even more how much caution there needs to be in what children are taught and the way they are taught. What they learn influences how they act and who they become.

Your work is one of the most important professions in the world. You help shape lives so that children have hope. Even the smallest action or word on your part can make a huge difference and help a child who is hopeless turn instead to a life of hope. You are a difference maker. And every time, you make a difference for a child in a small or big way, be sure to add a LoveLink on our web site at www.atiseminars.org so that everyone can see the importance of the work of teachers.

Have an awesome day. You are a huge difference maker.

Maryln

Don't dance the dance

It’s easy to get into a negative pattern with students who are difficult. They engage in an inappropriate behavior, and it’s easy to react to that behavior. This sets up a cycle in which they react some more, and soon the whole thing can escalate. It works better to think ahead of a new attitude and action you can take when the child engages in inappropriate behavior. Stop “dancing the dance.” Instead, have “new steps” you use. You will often find that when you stop reacting in the same way, the child will stop too.

One thing I have found to be extremely effective over the years working with students that are more hard-to-handle, is to always remain calm. When children see they can “get your goat,” they will engage more and more in inappropriate behavior.

Have a great day and a wonderful week, and remember, you are a difference maker. Every time you make a difference in the life of a child, be sure to go to our web site at www.atiseminars.org and add a LoveLink.

Maryln