“ Paradise is not a place; it is a state of consciousness.”

-Sri Chinmoy

In recent years, in large part in response to the dramatic increase in time that we all spend with our heads down staring at our phones, tablets, and laptops, with our minds anywhere but on the present moment, the term “mindfulness” has become a major buzzword. In our constant attempt to keep up with the latest emerging technologies and apps, and with the expectation that we keep pushing our levels of productivity higher and higher, always thinking about what’s coming up next, we need something to counterbalance this state of sustained output. Mindfulness seems to be the solution to all our problems.
But what exactly is mindfulness, and how does one get to this elusive state? If you Google “mindfulness,” this is the first result that pops up:

“Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you’re mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.

Based on that definition, it is clear to me that without a doubt, I currently spend less than the ideal amount of time in a true state of mindfulness. I am constantly checking my phone to see what I’ve missed in the last 3.5 seconds, always thinking about what’s coming up next, and obsessing about how I can squeeze a little bit more work into today so I can “get ahead” for tomorrow. My mind is very decidedly not always “awake to experience.”

When I think back to a time in my life when I was more able to live in the moment, I immediately envision being a kid. My friends and I would spend hours riding bikes, exploring around town, hiking and making forts in the woods, or playing pick-up baseball or basketball at the park. My brother and I could throw a football back and forth in the backyard for 2-3 hours without getting bored, pretending we were professional quarterbacks and wide receivers scoring touchdown after touchdown. In the summer, my friends and I basically lived at the pool, playing all sorts of games like “shark” and freeze tag, and having splash competitions off the diving boards. We’d all play flashlight tag at night, completely losing track of time, only heading inside when we were completely exhausted or someone got hurt running into some backyard clothesline or tripping over a fire pit in the dark. Our minds weren’t somewhere else. They were fully focused on the present moment and on each other.

Now, as an adult with a career and the added responsibilities that come with being “grown up,” it is often difficult to recreate the state of mindfulness that I could so easily slip into as a kid. There’s always something to be planning for, to be worrying about, my mind constantly multitasking to keep track of it all. Add into the mix my iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and the countless social media networks through which a steady stream of DMs, texts, and emails are constantly rolling in, and it becomes all but impossible to avoid being in a constant state of distraction, mentally pulled away from anything or anyone who is right in front of me.

To get myself out of this cycle, to find that elusive state of true mindfulness, I visualize back to when I was a kid and think about what always made me the happiest; what made me feel the most present. Being outside with friends, playing, taking risks, going on adventures, doing things just because they were fun – not because they served a specific purpose.

As I write this, I’m sitting here barefoot by the pool, listening to the sounds of the fountains nearby, the hum of traffic in the distance, and I’m realizing that I feel more mindful at the current moment than I have in a while. Writing has always calmed my mind. At some point I just stopped taking the time to do it. There are a lot of things as you grow up that you just stop taking the time for. New things begin to take priority.

In adulthood, it is my goal to hang on to those priorities that I had as a kid, always trying to look at the world with a newfound sense of wonder, squeezing every last drop of enjoyment out of life. And to me, that means being present, putting myself in new situations that open my mind up to the world around me, and being “awake to experience.”

There are very few days that go by in which I don’t take at least a small amount of time to pull myself out of the constant go-go-go mode I’m in. On the days when devices, email, and adult responsibilities win the battle, I don’t feel like myself. I feel restless and anxious. I can’t focus. My brain feels stifled. I can’t sleep.

So I build time into my days to be mindful. And the quickest way for me to get my mind there has always been through exercise. In the morning, I may head out for a quick run before breakfast. After work, I’ll meet up with a friend or go alone to the nearest trailhead on the Chattahoochee River, and head off down the path. With every step away from the parking lot, I can feel the stress of the day leaving my body; my mind opening up and tuning in to my surroundings; the 754 things I’m supposed to get done this week suddenly don’t seem so difficult to manage. Those things can wait for now.

Learner, Thinker, Writer:  Jedd Austin serves the Trinity School community as PE Teacher.

Everyone is always talking about tolerance, acceptance, diversity, difference, and inclusion. They constantly seek to answer hard questions about how to achieve these principles especially in the classroom among students inherently different from each other culturally, ethnically, socially or economically. As a performing artist-ethnomusicologist working with a new generation, I identify what I do as key to answering these questions. I call it “M.U.S.I.C: Melodies Unlocking Social Intuitiveness in Children” because the music I share is intended to speak to hearts across boundaries that impede cultural understanding. There are common terms in music -harmony, unison, consonance, or ensemble- that focus on blending tones artistically. On-the-other-hand, these terms also focus on values related to social awareness for blending hearts collectively. Who can harmonize in hate? Who can sing in a choir with discord? Who can play in an ensemble out-of-sync? Through M.U.S.I.C., I see group performances bring unity, global studies bring understanding, and cultural aesthetic bring compassion. M.U.S.I.C. are the keys I play on my instrument of love that keeps harmonious interaction in the world one child at a time.

When people learn I am the controller at Trinity School, they often exclaim, “Oh I could never do that! You do all that math and stuff!” Sometimes this is followed by a deep sigh of relief or an eye roll. Even my spouse jumped up and down like Rumplestiltskin and shouted, “I hate numbers,” when I suggested he balance the checkbook.

Accounting is not really about “higher math.” I only find myself trying to solve an equation when guessing how many jelly beans are in the jar. Fortunately, you turn in receipts; and we do not have to guess what you spent on supplies or out of town travel.

One of my accounting professors gave us a very simple definition: “Accounting is providing useful information to decision makers.” After a 2 hour class discussion on the sentence, I wondered if anything so “simple” could be so variable at the same time.

In simple terms, the business office keeps track of all the money that we expect to come in and go out.  We compare it to a budget which is what we anticipate will happen during the year. You may be thinking, “What do you mean expect? Don’t you know?” Actually, we do not know exactly what the numbers will be until we receive the money or write the check.

We base this year’s budget on actual numbers from the prior year and incorporate changes we expect to occur in the year. One of the most important jobs we perform is to review our actual numbers with our budgeted numbers and explain any significant variations. For example, a large increase in water usage may indicate a leak somewhere.

The business office furnishes reports in various formats to the decision makers. What makes the reports useful is that they are timely, comparable and the applicable information is presented in a way the decision maker can use it. As teachers, you compare a student’s current year test score with a prior year as well as with his peers. You also compare the scores at Trinity with national results. We are both looking for trends. We both do analysis to determine adjustments if needed to reach optimum results.

Learner, Thinker, Writer:  Wynn Hickam serves the Trinity School community as Controller.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

On this beautiful fall day, I am one of three teachers on recess duty. A sense of calm fills the playground – ready for the children who love their time outside. Minutes later, 80-3rd Grade students explode onto the playground for 30 minutes of learning.

Recess – their daily, self-guided class, is officially underway.

As I stand on one end of our track, I’m in a centralized location where I witness the outdoor education in full swing:

• LESSON #1 – PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING:

In the middle of the field I observe the early stages of a football game developing. The students thoughtfully divided the teams, ensuring the balance of power is relatively equal. I can tell the players are satisfied based on how quickly the game begins. Throughout the game I witness several small confrontations, all of which were resolved through redo’s, rock, paper scissors, or simple problem solving.

• LESSON #2 – CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND PATIENCE:

Just off the track there was a game of 4-square taking place. Students were lined up, patiently waiting their turn to enter the game. Again, like the football game, there were several close calls challenging the students to resolve conflict. Despite the disputes, the game would consistently resume with no hard feelings and continued excitement.

• LESSON #3 – SOCIAL SKILLS AND COMMUNICATION:

I quickly noticed the football game abruptly stop. There was a small group of boys and girls who wanted a space to play soccer. I wanted to intervene and share my solution, however I resisted the temptation to help. Instead, I observed, and within no time the football game quickly moved to the far end of the field, creating ample space for the soccer game.

• LESSON #4 – IMAGINATION AND TEXT TO LIFE CONNECTIONS:

I then look beyond the track into Discovery Playground. Six students were gathering wood and branches, dragging them to a triangular structure constructed out of long sticks, resembling a tepee. To the left I witnessed two more students pretending to hunt. I soon realized they were preparing for the “long winter ahead.” Their game was based on, The Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I was impressed by their connection to literature.

• LESSON #5 – CREATIVITY:

As I turn to my right, toward the playground equipment, I see a flurry of activity, which at first glance, seems to be chaos. There were boys and girls running in all directions. Some were fleeing while others were chasing. The game appeared to be a variation of Capture the Flag. To an outsider, the rules seemed complicated and without boundaries. To its creators, the game made perfect sense.

• LESSON #6 – LEADERSHIP:

My attention is then drawn to excitement and laughter just beyond the soccer game.   A group of girls were working together to choreograph a dance. One of the girls was teaching her friends a cheer from her cheerleading team. In just a short time the girls were in sync, and had learned both the cheer and the routine.

• LESSON #7- PERSEVERANCE, EMPATHY, AND COMMORADORIE:

I see a boy running alone on the track. His pace seems to quicken after each lap. I then noticed he was acquiring a fan club, which was standing next to another teacher on recess duty. As his peers began chanting his name, he began to sprint as if being chased by a dog. As he crossed in front of the teacher, he collapsed with exhaustion. The students exploded with excitement when the teacher called out, “7:21!” This was a new personal record for the runner. He apparently attempts to break his PR once a week. One of his buddies helped him up and escorted him to the water fountain. I appreciated his empathy and support.

• LESSON #8 – RESPONSIBILITY AND RESPECT

Finally, the whistle blows and recess has come to an end. 3^rd Grade students immediately race to their lines. Within seconds, there are 4 lines standing at the door, ready to go inside. Three students are packing up the recess equipment into their bag when they realize a basketball is missing. Another student sees the ball near the courts, hustles over to get it, and places it in the bag.

NOW, recess is complete.  Another day in the students’ outdoor classroom is a success.

From a teacher’s perspective, recess duty is an opportunity to watch students grow physically, emotionally, and socially, in an unstructured environment.  It’s a time when we put the plan book away and allow PLAY to provide the lesson.

Learner, Thinker, Writer:  Justin Cahill (@justybubPE) serves Trinity School as a Physical Education Teacher.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to read more of what I have to say about keeping kids in motion, follow my blog: jcahillpe.wordpress.com

Be sure to check out my Facebook group called Keeping Kids in Motion!

Every year when February approaches, I get this funny feeling. The feeling is difficult to describe. It’s kind of like a nervous, uneasy, anxious feeling…or kind of like an urgent, burning, and crucial feeling (if you can call these feelings). It never fails and as February approached this year, I felt the same way.

As a product of a mother who is very aware of both the plight of the African American community and the contributions they’ve made throughout history, I grew up knowing that to give back to my community was an expectation. And that in giving back to my community, I was, in fact, paying respect to and recognizing those who paved the way for me. So why do I feel apprehensive when February rolls around?

Well, the commitment I feel to sharing the accomplishments and the history of African Americans is a constant. I can sing the praises of my people to the world each and every day! 🙂 I do this throughout every unit I teach and many morning meetings that I lead. I work on affirming the identity of my own kids every day by reading books about people that look like them and passing down stories that were told to me by my family. For me, Black history is every day, and still yet I wholeheartedly appreciate the people who choose to share OUR many accomplishments during the month of February.

So thank you to the Media Specialists in the Learning Commons who showcased books and posted pictures of some very impressive African Americans throughout the Learning Commons. Thank you to the teachers in the Early Elementary Division who so creatively used brown paper to show important African Americans leaders. Thank you to the Music Department for sharing the greatness of Joplin with all those who walk to the dining hall. Thanks to the Diversity Committee for exposing our students to my history through Trinity Television. And thank you to everyone for being open to accepting and promoting diversity, in all its forms, in the classroom!

Learner, Thinker, Writer:  Javonne Stewart serves Trinity School as a Sixth Grade Teacher.

Observation is defined as looking at someone or something carefully. As a Science teacher, observation is one of the most important skills young scientist will learn. Observing can be the key to a triumphant discovery or a failed experiment which can lead to several attempts that open doors to a new thought process. I try to instill, in even my youngest scientist, the importance of observing and mastery in being able to tell or describe what they are observing. Now, one can only imagine the enriched discussions ranking between reality and fantasy wavering on topic or not.

During a recent observation time I fine-tuned my science goggles and started observing my “Little Scientist” observing. This proved to be a rewarding experience. When you observe through the eyes of a three year old your world is opened to a whole new perspective. Every day is a new day of wonder and excitement.

While I was observing the observers I realized that it really isn’t the big picture that matters. The small things that are overlooked are really the most important.

I wonder how much we might learn if we pause and look at our environment and each other through the child-like goggles of a three year-old to practice finding the small details. What if we notice and wonder about other’s dispositions through compassion and empathy before leaping to quick assumptions?

The next time you are having morning coffee or tea, just for a moment stop to observe and you’ll be truly amazed at what you see!

Learner, Thinker, Writer: Thalia Scott (@MsT_trinity) serves the Trinity School community as a Science Teacher for Early Learners

With Valentine’s Day upon us, I can’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, a teacher had a primary role in the popularizing of Valentines. I figure a teacher must have had a hand in it because not only is teaching a labor of love, but because celebrating Valentine’s Day in cheerful atmosphere of an elementary school is pretty incredible. To be honest, my husband and I don’t do a lot beyond take-out and a movie night, because little can top the experience I have celebrating with my students. Traditionally a nonuniform day, students flood the halls in bright pinks, purples, and reds, toting bags, sometimes larger than themselves, of cards and special treats for one another. Joy, love, and energy: the day is magical.

Also, this is a day when teachers celebrate the love they have for each of their students. Each August we are given a new crop of kids. Some bound through that door on the first day easy to love. Excited and capable learners, eager to please, and adept in getting along and working with many different peers,; these kids effortlessly win over the hearts of their teachers. Others take time to learn to love. Sometimes we have to put effort into learning to love the child who repeatedly needs motivation to get started on anything. Sometimes it is the child who needs direct instruction and repeated help learning to blow his nose. Sometimes it’s the child who gets the academics just fine, but needs lots of coaching on how to talk to friends. Sometimes it is that child who needs extensive coaching on humility, taking chances, and learning that he has made mistakes and that it is okay to make mistakes. Let’s face it, each year we get a new bunch that we are charged to not just teach, but love. And each year, we learn to love each individual.

As teachers it is not about loving our students blindly, nor is it about loving them because we feel sorry for any shortcomings. We love them because we know each child as an individual. We learn about their passions, their strengths, and their challenges. We look at the whole child, we connect, and we love. This love helps drive everything we do as teachers. It is because of this love that we have difficult conversations with parents. Because of this love we spend hours grading with specific and tailored feedback that can help a child level up. Because of this love, we drag ourselves to school with awful colds or little sleep, and muster up the patience and energy to make it through the day. Teaching is truly a labor of love.

So you can imagine how surprised I was to find out that it was NOT in fact a teacher who popularized Valentine’s Day. The “Mother of the Valentine” was Esther Howland, a young businesswoman who began mass production of valentines in the 1840s. So even though we are underpaid, overworked, and didn’t strike it rich by mass producing cards, don’t forget to celebrate why you teach this Valentine’s Day.

Learner, Thinker, Writer: Mary Jacob Harris (@maryjacobr) serves the Trinity School community as a Third Grade Lead Teacher.

Photo credit: http://gopixdatabase.com/stop+look+listen+signs

Time is of the essence every day as an educator.  We constantly feel like we are racing the clock with so much to do. It’s easy to let the content of our teaching become the only focus of what we do each day with careful planning of the activities, lessons, and projects that we provide our students.  While this is what makes us good teachers, we become great to the degree that we can infuse humanity and empathy into our interactions with our students.  These interactions have the potential to create spaces in our schools where our children feel they are fully seen and heard.

“To need to be seen, to be heard, to be valued is simply to be human.” ~L.R.Knost

When we are seen and heard we are given a platform from which we can become our most authentic selves and shine.  As teachers, we naturally desire to value our students in this way but find that on the busiest days it can be a challenge.  The words STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN are three simple guideposts that can help us find time to lean into empathy, compassion, humanity, and connection with our students even when life gets busy.

STOP

To stop is to take time to question our first response.  I would dare to guess that we offer dozens of responses to achievements and choices every day.  No response is isolated. Children are constantly observing how we praise, discipline, and encourage them.  Their wise and perceptive minds are always at work creating pictures and stories about their safety and sense of value in our spaces.  Our ability to stop becomes a brushstroke on their canvas or a page in their story leading to an added sense of confidence and comfort that sets a foundation for deep and meaningful learning.

LOOK

To look is to fully see children and affirm them in who they are.  Notice their race, learn about their religion or family traditions, and find ways to celebrate their differences. While we strive for equality, we have the opportunity to deepen our practice as educators by striving for equity. In an equitable classroom, the needs and story of each individual are considered, thus providing a springboard from which all students can succeed.  Looking takes time. Take the time to look and you’ll be amazed by what you will see.

LISTEN

The crazy things kids say can bring us joy and frustration all at once but what we take away from those moments can be very powerful for both the teacher and the student. What are our students’ stories? What are they saying and how do they react to one another? How do we respond when someone in our class says kind words? How do we respond when someone in our class is not kind?  The answers to these questions can be opportunities to deepen our relationships with our students by showing them that we are listening and they are important.

We must remember that while we are shaping and molding the children in our lives, they are also shaping and teaching us.  So with every moment that we stop, look or listen we are growing, holding ourselves accountable, and practicing the imperative value of empathy.

I am always trying to learn how to hold myself gently, but also hold myself accountable, as well as do the same for the people around me. ~Sarah Kay

Learner, Thinker, Writer:  Lilliangina Quiñones (@lillian_gina) serves the Trinity School community as a World Languages Teacher.

Every year, I wait for the moment when my students begin to interact together as one team.  I get excited when they begin coming to each other’s side to support and work together toward the goal.  I love when students are no longer afraid of looking “silly” or “dumb” in front of each other.  It is a magical moment and one I do not take for granted.  I realize that getting my students to genuinely care about each other is not something that just happens.  Coaching my team of students to care about each other is the part of my job that I take the most seriously.

This past week I was lucky enough to observe glimmers of hope that my students were learning to care about each other as people and learners.  Here are two pictures that I captured during a math lesson:

In the first picture you see a student at the board sharing her work.  This seems typical. However, this is a student who entered my classroom with little to no math self-confidence.  This picture does not show the hard work and persistence that she has demonstrated over our past few months together.  It does not show that she volunteered to go the board because she wanted to share her strategy.  It does not show that her classmates complimented her on her accuracy and strong thinking.  And it does not show the smile that was across her face when she sat back down.  The team was proud of her.  And the team has shown her that she can be vulnerable, and they will still support her.

The second picture looks like three boys gathered around each other, presumably socializing.  Again, this seems typical.  However, the student sitting down admitted aloud to the class that he had a different answer from everyone else and he couldn’t find his mistake.  The two boys standing rushed to his side to help him figure it out.  They walked through the problem with him trying to help him learn from his mistake.  The team rallied around their perplexed teammate.  And the team helped their member catch up and learn from an error in way that made him feel good about himself.

As their coach, of course I was proud.  You hope that your students will be kind.  You hope they will care about each other.  You hope that they will offer help and assistance to peers without being asked.  And when it happens, you stand back and smile because it is magical.

This level of trust, support, compassion, and camaraderie does not happen over night.  It also does not happen without your guidance, constant coaching, and supervision.  Every year, I have to remind myself it is worth the effort. Learning is about academics, but is also about caring for people.  Learning is a team sport where the skills and the sportsmanship matter.

This is an October 2015 post from Kato Nims’s blog, Colorful Learning. Kato is a learner and creator who is blessed to call teaching her job.

In honor of Black History Month, our class used our most recent Life and Community Project time to research impactful African-American leaders.  We spent the week introducing our students to 5 leaders (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Misty Copeland, Cam Newton, Tracy Reese and Ben Carson) and had each student decide who they wanted to learn more about.  Our essential question was, what makes someone a leader?  Once had chosen a leader to research, it automatically formed small groups.  Their experience entailed working with a teacher to learn what they could about each leader, creating a life size figure of that leader and writing words to describe how that person is or was a leader.  My co-teacher and I look forward to giving our students regular and intentional opportunities to collaborate and this is something we do well at Trinity!

As my co-teacher and I crossed paths while floating from group to group, she shared with me the details of an interaction between two of our students.  One student was expressing how she thought their leader, Tracy Reese, should look and after listening for quite some time, the other student finally shouted, “Stop commanding me!  You’re commanding me!”  We smiled at each other and were proud of both of our students as they were able to continue to work on their project without teacher or peer intervention and with a better understanding for each other and what needed to happen in order to make their project a success.  As I continued to listen to other groups around the room I couldn’t stop about this very blog post!

I believe that there are two things that have a significant impact on collaborative experiences in school.  Teachers MUST model the vocabulary, tone of voice and body language that is appropriate and effective when working with others.  This can happen everyday and in several different situations!   For example, student-teacher conferences during writing, reading and math or when talking with a student about correcting an unacceptable behavior.  When modeling good collaborative skills, show that you can be a good listener, express your ideas and feelings in a way that shows your serious, but doesn’t make the student feel unwanted, unheard or under appreciated.  These are just some of the things that we want students to embody when working with a partner or in a group.  Secondly, students NEED opportunities to practice collaboration skills very early on in their educational journey.  I have noticed a big push for our children to be strong, independent and to be leaders.  Unfortunately, sometimes these qualities can appear to take the form of bossiness and not recognizing the way others may feel or react to their “leadership.”  Collaborating often and in meaningful ways will give our young students the time and practice to be leaders in a way that is more mindful and inclusive of everyone involved.

Learner, Thinker, Writer:  Nicole King (@NIcoleNKing) serves the Trinity School community as a Kindergarten Teacher.