New Linky Party - Favorite Finds

One of my blogging goals for this year is to make sure that I stay true to my original vision of Middle School Matters Blog.  I want this to be a place where, yes, teachers can come to find resources that may be helpful in their classrooms, but to also find a supportive community in which we can share things that motivate and inspire.  I want this to be a place where, knowing the challenges we are all facing in education today, we can find strategies to help work our way through some of the muck and mire that surrounds our profession, and still feel passion for what we do.

In an effort to start sharing some of my favorite things I've found that inspire me, I created Friday Favorites.  Last week, a fellow blogger, Erin of Miss Lifesaver, suggested that I turn this into a Linky Party.  What a great suggestion!!  I have taken part in many the last couple of months, but I've never held one myself.  Could I?  Should I?  Then I saw this on FB:

(from http://ow.ly/i/1nj5s)

Well...OK!  Here goes nothin'!

WELCOME to Middle School Matters Blog's first Linky Party!  I'm hoping to make this a regular event if this goes well.   I can't wait to see what happens!

First, here is my favorite piece of inspiration I've found so far this week.  It's a video clip of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Kids SportsKids of the Year. I've been frustrated as of late about the amount of attention being placed on assessments and test scores...at the expense of the time we have to teach all of the other things that are so important in the growth and development of our children.  This video is short on time, but long on examples of kindness, compassion, empathy, tolerance...love.  You know, all of the qualities that make up excellent people, not just excellent test-takers. ;-)  Take a moment to watch and be reminded that there is so much good in the world.  Then, show it to your students.  Have them talk about it, write about it, reflect on it and respond to it.  There are tons of ways that this could be used as a catalyst for all kinds of authentic writing practice that could easily be aligned to the CCSS for ELA.  It's my favorite find this week!

So, again with thanks to Erin for the idea...it's your turn! :)

Here's what you need to do to link-up and share:

1) Create a blog post that features one of your "Favorites."  This could be a lesson you've just done, a strategy that you've found successful - or want to try, a new website or resource, something you read or wrote...or something that simply inspires you or your students.

2) I'm posting this now to serve as a heads-up for tomorrow.  If you're interested, and oh, I hope you are...just follow my blog and come back to link up starting tomorrow, January 18th. The link will be open all weekend, so if you need to write something for this linky, you may be able to find some time.  

To Link-up:

-Grab my Middle School Matters Blog graphic below to place in your blog.

(Please be sure to include a link back to this blog post.)

-Link up your post! :)

I can't wait to see all of the Favorite Finds we can share!  Thank you for trying this out with me.  I would truly love any feedback or suggestions for this Linky in the comments below. 

I am posting this on Teaching Blog Addicts's Ultimate Linky Party Page.  Click above to find other opportunities to link-up and find resources to share! :)

New Beginnings

Hello, 2013!  The promise of a new beginning that the first days of January brings is a welcome and needed change for me...personally and professionally.  My goodness, it's good to feel like I'm getting back in the game!

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post.  Like so many of you, being caught up in the festivities that come along with the holiday season kept me on my toes and feeling like I didn't have enough time to fit everything in.  Yet, it was actually quite a different, tragic event that - again, I know like many of you - stopped me in my tracks.  My last post for 2012, though it had only taken me a second to publish, was the most difficult piece I have blogged thus far.  My moment of silence post for the families of Sandy Hook Elementary was what I published the morning of our son's 6th birthday.  At the same time that so many families were in unimaginable pain and our nation was brought to its knees in grief, my own newly-turned 6 year old was up early and running and laughing...just filled with joy at the idea of simply being 6.  As a teacher, I was frightened and heartbroken.  As a parent...this poignant contrast of emotion was almost too much to bear.  The only thing I felt I could really do was to focus on and, in a way, lose myself in my love for my family.  I have to say, selfishly, I was so relieved to have Christmas Break come when it did.  It was a week and half of solid family time that I so desperately needed.

In struggling to gain some perspective, I've read many blog posts (perhaps written by some of you) that have helped.  In gleaning what I could from bloggers that so articulately and beautifully conveyed what I was feeling - the sadness, the confusion...and the desire to somehow, in our own individual ways, ensure that the lives that were lost will be honored, the take-away for me is this: make the most of every moment.  We should be giving every effort put forth our all and making the time that we have count for something. Every chance we get, we should be creating memories. I'm realizing that this is not only what I need to do for myself, but as our everyday lives are returning to "post-holiday normal," keeping this in mind as I go through the day can only encourage those around me to do the same.  As a spouse, as a parent, as a teacher...I can't think of a better way to ensure that the people in our lives know that they are loved.

And so, as I write this post - my first post of 2013 - I am focusing on new beginnings.  Perhaps fitting, today is also a new beginning for the families of Sandy Hook Elementary.  Children are returning to school, a new school, for the first time today and I am holding each of them in my thoughts and prayers. I'm thinking of the staff and hoping that they find the strength and courage needed to get through the days and weeks to come - as well as the comfort in knowing that they are needed and loved by every child that walks through the doors of their new school.  I'm thinking of the families for whom today - I imagine like every other day - holds yet another reminder of unimaginable loss, and pray that this new phase of their personal journeys can help to heal their hearts.

I'm also thinking of you, my readers.  I'm so thankful that you take the time out of your day to stop by my little blog.  I look forward to learning even more from the teacher-blogger community and sharing what I learn.  I'm so eager to share more ideas and create more materials that will be helpful to you and your students.  I'm striving this year to really make this blog a place where you can come to find a little inspiration, especially during these challenging times in education.  I hope that this year provides each of you with opportunities to learn new things, create memories and encourage others as well.  It's what teaching is all about!

Much love,