Teacher Appreciation

Bing is donating money to education and on Twitter we have been having a discussion about several things.  Someone asked me to blog about some of my answers, since 140 characters can not really explain everything perfectly, so here you go.

Q1: HOW DO YOU APPRECIATE TEACHERS DURING THE HOLIDAYS? HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM OTHER TIMES?

Eventually this got to the subject of what do you give teachers for gifts.  For me personally, I try really hard to be healthy.  I do not give my class treats as rewards, and I told them I try to take care of myself and eat  healthy as well.  Believe me, your mom does make the best cookies, yes those brownies should be the talk of the town, and will I eat them and enjoy it, heck yes I will!

But what do you do when you get 20 of those on the same day and most will only truly be great for a day or two?  Then they get hard and stale, and sit on a table.  Plus, like I said, I try to be healthy.  On Friday so many kids asked, have you tried mine yet?  There was no way I could have even taken a bite of each of their treats.  I am going to have to throw a party or else half of these treats will never get to be enjoyed.

I would much prefer food over treats.  A $5, $10 or more gift card to a place I like to eat, a grocery store, bookstore, iTunes, Amazon, gas card, would be much preferred.  Everyone needs to eat and teachers love reading and music.

But in all reality, I just want to be appreciated.  I hear so many complaints about teachers and public education.  Yes it is far from perfect, but almost all of the teachers I know are trying their best.  I don't need a token gift, yes I work hard, I should, it's my job.  I don't care if I get anything. Just do your best to help your child be successful, that is why I spend hours and hours outside of school doing what I do.  I want your child to succeed.  So check their homework, make sure they get it done, tell them it's important and I will be more than happy.

Other good gifts are things that our classroom needs and uses everyday.  Kleenex, paper, hand sanitizer, pencils.  It seems like you always can use more of these things.  Plus these gifts help who matters most, your students.

I am going to leave it at this, maybe I will post another day on some of the other questions.

I just checked my mentions and here are a few questions/comments I will answer real quick:

@RealLifeSarah Asked

Hi @downrightdave! What is your favorite thing you've gotten from a student?
I am a big Jazz fan and one of my students wasn't using their tickets and they gave the two of them to me.  I did not expect this, nor plan on it ever happening again, but it made my day.

@NoFlashCards Said:

@downrightdave really? When I taught I loved the famous treats, got me out of holiday baking! I'd take platters 2 parties.

I know I have a lot of other teacher friends, what do you think?  How would you like to be appreciated?  Favorite gift?  Things you would rather not get?  I could start an amazing Hot Chocolate Mug collection.

P.S. I appreciate every single thing I got, if you read this and you gave me cookies, I appreciate it more than you will ever know.  Nothing in this is a complaint, I am just answering my own personal preferences, thoughts and ideas.

Bing will donate up to 1 million dollars, all you have to do is go to this page and click.

http://www.bing.com/gives/default1.aspx#fbid=tamxdGknwv7&wom=false

Life, Live It!

I was reading some quotes about life and I thought I would share some of my favorites.

Everything happens for a reason, people change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so you can appreciate them when they're right, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can come together.
Marilyn Monroe

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.
Author Unknown

In spite of the cost of living, it's still popular.
Kathleen Norris

I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.
Jack London

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.
Mother Teresa

When Christmas Comes to Town

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  I feel like it has stayed true to it's true meaning more than any other holiday out there.  I love thinking about all of the things I am grateful for and spending time focused on family.  This Thanksgiving I was able to help much more than usual to help things come together, it was fun to be able to rally around with my family to get everything done.  I am glad that I made Thanksgiving a special day and season, but I am also glad that it is time for Christmas to come to town.

Today I spent a few hours helping put up decorations at my parents house.  So many of the decorations have special significance and so many years of tradition.  It was fun to be able to, once again, spend time time with my family.  I look forward to the day when I have more of my own decorations that mean something special to me and my future family.  I plan on doing my best to remember the true reason for the Christmas season just as I did with Thanksgiving.  We really are so blessed. 

Bring on the food, the music, the family and friends!  It's Christmas time!  What is your favorite Christmas tradition/decoration/memory?  Please post it in the comments section.

Gratitude

This time of year is always a special one.  It is a time where we forget ourselves and focus on those around us.  Gratitude, the Savior, goal setting, service, and love fill our hearts.  We are surrounded by family, friends, music and all of the good things in life.  It isn’t surprising that so many people love this time of year, yet it is sad to see what has become of many of these holidays.

Thanksgiving began by those who would have seemed to have little to be thankful for.  They had made more graves than huts.  Things weren’t looking good, yet they set aside a day of thanksgiving.  We too are in a time where sometimes it doesn’t seem like there is much to be thankful for.  The economy isn’t looking good, it seems like more and more of our rights are being taken away, the family is being attacked on all fronts and good is being called evil and evil good.

Yet we of all people have the most to be grateful for.  I could spend the next few hours making a list of everything I am thankful for, but I’m sure you are thankful that I am not.  If you think for a moment about those around you that are the happiest, you will think of  someone that is grateful.  Gratitude is the best attitude.  On the flip side those that tend to get on my nerves the most are people who are always wining and complaining.  

There is no greater difference between men than between grateful and ungrateful people.  ~R.H. Blyth

I think that too often we get complacent, or are so used to having the things that we have that we forget how great they are.  Indoor plumbing, heaters, computers, music, clean water, a warm bed, grocery stores, I could go on and on.  We are so lucky to live in the time and place that we do.

Life is short, treat every day like it is your last.  Tell people how great they are, tell them that you care, thank them for what they have done for you.  Why do we keep these things in so often?  Why can’t we just tell people how we really feel?  A simple thing like, talking to you is the highlight of my day, thanks for being my friend and listening to me.

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.  ~G.B. Stern

There is no such thing as gratitude unexpressed.  If it is unexpressed, it is plain, old-fashioned ingratitude.  ~Robert Brault

Today at church we were challenged to say a prayer of gratitude.  I feel like I don’t do this enough.  God has given us so much and without him we are nothing.  If it has been a while I would invite you to do this, it is always such a humbling experience.  Some of the times I have felt God’s love the most are when I remember to thank him.

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.  ~Meister Eckhart

As this holiday season goes by way to fast, take time to pause, reflect, and focus on what is truly important.  I love you all and am so grateful for all that you have done for me.  I am grateful for an amazing family and for the faith that they have even in tough situations.  I hope that I can be a little more thankful and when those hard days come, and they do come, that I can have an attitude of gratitude.


Gratitude is an art of painting an adversity into a lovely picture.  ~Kak Sri

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson