I recently reached out to Jimmy Casas and asked him to record a welcome message to kick off a professional development day for my staff in mid January. He agreed, and I was elated! The purpose of this post is twofold. I want to share his message so others in my PLN who are experiencing change can benefit. AND, I want to archive this video here in my "professional scrapbook"! I have mentioned in other posts that my district is in transition. Maple Elementary, as well as 2 other elementary schools in the Smithville, MO school district, will open with a combination of new staff, students, and grade level in the fall of 2018. Splitting staff, announcing boundaries, and preparing for a complete renovation has been overwhelming and scary at times. Jimmy's message best sums up how any staff should prepare for change. A safe environment that promotes risk taking and provides the support and time to adequately prepare for the change is necessary. "Great change begins with self change!" Yes!! Change your mindset from negative to positive. Change your outlook from dread to opportunity. Change your attitude from "wait until it is comfortable" to "start now"! Thank you, Jimmy Casas, for this message. My staff and I appreciate your words and encouragement! This message was an amazing start to our day.
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For my daughter's 14th birthday I surprised her with tickets to go see poet, Rupi Kaur, reading from her new book, The Sun and Her Flowers. It was a memory-making evening that the two of us will cherish. Elaine, my youngest daughter, has always loved writing and recently developed a love for poetry. The event was held at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Kansas City. This event space is AHH-MAZING!! Any event attended in this space is magical due to the architecture, structure, and beauty of the building! As the evening unfolded, Elaine and I learned the expectations of attending poetry readings. To hear Rupi Kaur speak her poems was like tantalizing music pulsing through our veins...the songs to which words "gut punch" you and force you to face reality. Rupi picked out a few poems to share from each chapter of her new book. Prior to reading the selected poems from the chapter, she would reflect and share on her writing, setting the audience up to anticipate the words that were coming. Rupi expected and encouraged the audience to react to her poems as appropriate. The snapping was my favorite part. Rather than applauding, the audience snapped their fingers to show their appreciation, which is a common expectation of poetry slams. The last chapter of Rupi Kaur's book is entitled "Blooming". With the start of 2018, there are five short poems that I recite to myself almost daily from this chapter. As I have bravely said to others recently, it is time to shift your mindset as we maneuver through transitions that cause us to question our ability to overcome change. It is time to PUMP THE POSITIVE and DREAM BIG every day. The one thing that allows us to not embrace change or try something new is doubt. When doubt creeps into my mind, I typically ask myself, "What if I fail? What will I look like in the process? What will others think of me if I try this? What if I can't do it?" Doubt is a scary emotion that leads us to compare ourselves to others, have a constant worry of failure, and question if we are enough. When doubt enters my mind, I now choose to listen to the words of Rupi Kaur.... If a student or colleague were to approach me with a new idea they were hesitant about, I would be one of their biggest supporters. Why then is it so hard to stay in a positive mindset and speak kind words to myself? It is time to DROPKICK DOUBT. That's right, give it a big punt far, far, far from me and my dreams!! And, every time it slinks back into my mind, I will repeat the process.
I choose to believe in myself, dream BIG, spread my passions far and wide, and embrace change! For me, "all means all" in 2018! I commit to staying positive, recognizing the gifts and talents of others, and pushing myself to try new adventures. |
Dr. Rena Hawkins
I am the Principal of Maple Elementary School in Smithville, MO, and co-host of the #ShareMOEdu podcast. I am passionate about teaching and learning while supporting a school environment that promotes a positive climate. #ShareMOEdu airs every Thursday on iTunes and PodOmatic, highlighting an educator who has a positive message to share. Archives
January 2020
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