This past week has been emotionally overwhelming for me. So much so that by Friday morning I had a migraine and could not lift my head off the pillow.
It is that time of year when are asked to assess our learners, so we have data for reports. It is that time when we are asked to plan for the future. It is a time of uncertainty in an international school as we prepare to say farewell and welcome new faces too. In this uncertainty, teachers begin to complain, and I think that this, along with a thunderstorm that got me.
I would say that remaining positive has been a challenge for me and and as a parent, I need to model positivity for my children. Over the last few years, I have been doing well, but at times, I could do better. So what can I do differently?
A few years ago, I found a bracelet with the following inscription:
It is a reminder for me to live in the moment. Yes, it is important to reflect on the past. But rather than identifying problems and then finding solutions, would it not be better to identify what went well and then find ways to improve?
Looking towards the future and making plans is also worthwhile, worrying about the future is not. I lost my way last week, and that is okay. Moving forward, I am going to make two commitments to myself.
The first, is to live for today and appreciate the little moments. Sunday mornings are for grocery shopping in our household. Each week, we usually see one or two learners from Kindergarten. At the beginning of the year, there is always a look of surprise as they spot me out of context. Today, I heard my name, and one little sunshine bug came up to me and asked “Ms Raana, would you like a hug?” And I have to say, it made my day because she is showing respect for herself and others, and I have had an impact.
The second commitment comes from a book I have been reading ‘Kids Deserve It! pushing Boundaries and Conventional Thinking,’ by Todd Nelsoney and Adam Welcome.
One piece of advice in the book is to ‘find your people.’ Growing up in an international school setting as a ‘third culture kid,’ and now teaching in an international school, I have seen people come and go. Unfortunately, for me, this has made me reluctant to make new friends, as a way of protecting my heart. At the end of last year, my people moved on and I’ll be honest and say that I did not make an effort to put myself out there to make new friendships. This is something I need to change.
My second commitment to myself is to ‘find my people.’ I am going to make the effort to really connect with my friends around the world, and to grow my professional learning network, because as I continue to learn, I honor learners and myself.
Honor Learners 