Welp, we aren’t challenged to write every day, but I’m still noticing things around me
#wheresmydangnotebook
Today, it’s happiness, because I need a jolt of that right now. So, what I’ve noticed recently:
- First and foremost, the Iowa Hawkeye Women’s basketball team is the epitome of joy. This group of coaches and young women has been so joyful in all they’ve been doing this season, and to be honest, many, many years. Coach Lisa Bluder and her staff have created this amazing atmosphere in Iowa City, and recruited athletes with such great, unselfish attitudes. This video clip of their All-American center, Megan Gustafson, tells so much about the quality of person AND player. This is a team that carried itself with such class, being gracious and open, showing the young fans (girls AND boys) what hard work can get you. I’ve been looking through the Twitterverse at the Hawk fans, and they are so dang positive about this team and those intangibles! Being good people. Being kind. Being a role model. All of it matters. It just makes my heart sad to that last night didn’t turn out the way Hawkeye fans wanted, but wow, such exposure for the program and peak at what could be!
- I’ve noticed a joy in my teaching, even though this year has been exhausting. Teaching sixth graders, working with character education, and learning about my new team have (again) given my teaching a new life. No, teaching will never be easy. No, sixth grade will never be easy (just beginning to be angsty). And no, education as a whole will never be easy (don’t look at my FB page!). However, there’s is so much joy that can be taken from the energy my students bring and the silly things they do!
- We have a book fair in our school right now (buy one, get one free…woot!), and if a guy can’t get joy from that, there’s something wrong! I love the book fair, period. It’s always a happy place with new books abounding! There’s something about a second grader with two books in her hand along with a $5 bill, waiting anxiously in line. Heck, there’s something about a sixth grade teacher, his book pile and credit card in hand, waiting anxiously in line! I have a pile of stuff to share with my students that will be placed in my classroom library.
- This is a little strange, but my social media has been a joy. My Facebook is usually an ornery place of hostile politic stuff intermix with various redneck things. My twitter feed, not always a real nice place either! However, I’ve shortened some of my social media things, and today, it’s really positive. Between people coming out to thank the Iowa Women’s team to just really positive affirmations, this has been a place a joy for me today.
So, where have you seen joy in your life? What have you noticed that’s brought you joy? And if you’ve not noticed any joy, why not? What’s stopping joy from entering your life? I was surprised just how much is out there once I just allowed it to come.
Happiness is a choice. Joy is a choice.
#dangrightitis
The Life of a Conflicted Teacher 
April 2, 2019 at 4:25 pm
I love your dang redneck spirit! I am not a sports fan but based on your description of those basketball stars, I could be a fan of theirs. I love that you love sixth graders, and even ‘tho anyone who is/has been a teacher agree with . you that it’s become a p— i- t– a– (!), still, what else would we be! I love that you are reviewing and renewing your social media decisions, and I love , love, love that you are in this writing community. You are a breath of fresh air, Teach!!!!!!
April 2, 2019 at 7:28 pm
LOL @ my redneck spirit! Not sure if that’s the image I project, but so not a redneck! 😀 However, your last sentences just made my day! Sometime, I feel like a bit of an odd duck here (even though I’ve been writing here a while now). To be noticed is to feel empowered, and I’m feeling more of that each time I write here! 🙂
April 2, 2019 at 4:28 pm
Love! This was the premise for my blog when I first started the Slice of Life Challenge a few years ago- I’ve learned that the joy is always there. Thanks for sharing your joys today!
April 2, 2019 at 7:06 pm
Today was interesting, because there were so many different directions to go. I read a blog that said, “The truly extraordinary do something every day.” For me, that’s me being positive. Thus, today, I continue with finding my joy! 🙂
April 2, 2019 at 7:02 pm
It’s book fair week at my school too. Tomorrow my class goes and they are all excited. I’ve already got my stack of books picked out. Now all I have to do is take my Purchase Order form over tomorrow to get said books. I’ve picked out a stack to prep for a Book Club I want to start soon.
April 2, 2019 at 7:12 pm
Yeah, we’ve got a spending freeze (again) and I can count on one hand the number of times the school has paid for any books I’ve purchased. On the flip side, I picked out a big pile and will enjoy watching the kids read them! 🙂
April 2, 2019 at 7:13 pm
I bought some today and put it on the credit card. I couldn’t wait any longer. They were so excited and I gave them extra reading time after they finished reading my Slice for today.
April 2, 2019 at 7:29 pm
See, I’m not sure my students could handle me writing as they watched. I could do something like this with my 8th graders. Sixth graders? Not quite so ready for it! 🙂
April 2, 2019 at 7:31 pm
They were so sad when I told them the Slice challenge would end on the 31st. Silent reading time came Monday and they were so sad I wouldn’t be writing. But once I turned on the SmartBoard and began writing my audience was in place. When I told them I was going to be doing this until the end of the year OH MY GOODNESS the cheer that went up. It warmed my heart.
April 2, 2019 at 9:30 pm
People (especially my teenagers) tell me I am annoyingly joyful. I truly wake up every day ready to see the joy in life. Some days that is a hard way to live, but it works for me. I loved reading about the joy you see.