The Year of Teaching Gratefully

Well, here we are again. The end of another school year! I can hardly believe it is actually here! I finished up year 15 and it was one that challenged me and showed me that I absolutely love seeing kids push themselves creatively. When people asked me about teaching this year I told them that I was basically doing my dream job. I got to teach language arts electives {which I wrote about in last year's post here} and while it was a ton of work because I had to create a new curriculum for each class and I worked almost every weekend, the fun, like the literal fun I had with kids reading, writing and speaking every day blew me away. 

I also had the absolute privilege to build some wonderful relationships with a few kids like I’ve never really been able to before. My journalism class was truly special. It ended up being a class of 15 7th and 8th-grade girls. And, let me tell you having a class of all girls was the bomb.com. I loved it! We talked about all the things you would think we talked about. One of my favorite days was our discussion about sexism around women having periods and how uneducated our society is about them. They didn’t understand why there’s such embarrassment around a natural experience women have every month and why men {and, frankly many women!} aren’t taught more explicitly to understand it or accept it. Preach, girls! Preach! 

Another fun day was when we tried to navigate the notoriously frustrating yearbook site and ended up making up school-appropriate cuss words. We really gave that website a shovel of flame guts when it crashed. It was a real annihilation most days! {Thanfully, flame guts aside, the yearbook ended up being awesome and I am super proud of my girls!}

 

In addition to my journalism class, I had a small pod of students who I bonded with because of the combination of my planning period bumping up to my lunch. I was able to forge relationships with kids during their lunches because they would come to my classroom and we had time to chat and vent. I saw firsthand how thrilling and devastating friendships and relationships are during this time in life. And, for the record, teens/preteens with social media borders on dangerous! {I know I sound old, but...!} Dang it kids can be mean online! They post stuff that is truly, truly awful! I wish I wasn’t as surprised as I was with what kids showed me, but dang it, I was! Yikes!

This silly, old office chair ended up being the chair that kids would sit in when they wanted to chat with me. I had to "Marie Kondo" it at the end of the year because of space, and I really did thank it for its service! 

Scary social media aside, these relationships were so fun and I am grateful that they were a part of my school year. I tried to soak in and treasure the moments I shared with the people that were in front of me. Some shared random, funny stories while some shared tearful intimate fears and problems they were having with friends or family. I felt a connection that seemed to seep into my molecules a bit more this year and it was a true gift for me as I continued to heal and grow from a crazy shift in what this job is and what it means to me. 

Another pure, unadulterated joy I found this year was my bond with my students, all of my students, whether they liked it or not, and Taylor Swift. If you follow me on Instagram, you know my obsession with my best friend Tay. Well, I brought that obsession into my classroom, and attending the Eras tour in March didn’t lessen my obnoxious devotion one bit. I’m going to the July show in Denver, so the nonstop playlists and Lavender Haze kept growing. These kids had no chance. They were stuck with any sort of reference I could make to her, random trivia, {her favorite dessert is cheesecake!} and yet another countdown to the July show. {46 days as of today!}

One of a few thank you notes I received that mentioned Taylor Swift. Oh, and my love for Starbucks too. #basic

Of course, in the midst of all this goodness, I am not totally delusional. Teaching in America and in Colorado still comes with its share of heartache and struggle. The hoops we have to jump through to do what we love really sucks. The constant fight for respectable pay, understanding the real terror of gun violence within our workplace, and our need to “justify” what we do is exhausting. There are district issues and building issues to deal with too. These issues, unfortunately, hit close to home for me.

I got caught in the crosshairs of a budget cut and have had to mourn the loss of this year’s dream job. I am VERY grateful to not only have a job, but to have a job that will hopefully have some crossover with my skill set, but I am also terrified…so here it goes…

Folks, I am going to be a 7th-grade social studies teacher next year. The curriculum for 7th grade is ancient civilizations--technically it’s called, World Area Studies: Eastern Hemisphere. Hmm. I’m not sure either! 

All I know is that I will really, really try to be creative with how I present information and I will hopefully get to help students be creative with helping them see their place in the scope of history and how their story matters within the stories that we’ll explore. I also know that I need to learn a shit ton of stuff I don’t know about! Like, a whole new professional vocabulary I know nothing about. At year 16 of teaching and year 52 of life… BUT! I love a new challenge, right? {HELP ME, BABY JESUS!}

I received several amazing thank you notes and messages in my yearbook that moved me and reminded me that all the work is worth it. The one below is one that just took my breath away. It’s relatively simple, but the power it holds for me is monumental. 

Dear Mrs. Laniel,

It has been a whole semester since your class and I can’t forget the magical feeling I got when I was in your class. I felt free and as if the possibilities were endless. I am so sad that Speech and Debate is not being offered anymore, that class was truly amazing. Thank you for inspiring me. I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by people who have been nurtured by you. I will miss you!

This meant so, so much to me. I just started bawling when I read this because these words captured what I have tried to build with kids. I know in my heart that no matter what I teach I will strive to be a safe space for students to be themselves. I will strive to give them a space to be nurtured. I will strive to be myself even if I don’t know what the Neo-Assyrian Empire is. 🙂

So, as summer starts and I begin my routine of doing some crash course history learning, reading novels I’ve put off, binge-watching shows, hanging out with my nieces and nephews as much as possible {oh, and their parents too!}, going to the neighborhood pool, planning our trip to the CABIN!, planning my parents 80th birthday party and family reunion, and of course seeing Taylor in July, I will continue to reflect on how lucky I have been to learn and grow with these crazy kids. I still love teaching middle school even if I have to learn a brand new curriculum to do it and I have more gray hair because of it. 

Cheers to summer break, everyone! 

 

What is the secret to a balanced life?

This month's Real Simple "We want to hear from you" question really got me thinking. 

What is the secret to a balanced life?

Balance.

It's what we all strive for, and I think, at our core, it's what we need. 

My "secret" is all about how I process.

{Please note before I go any further that most of the time for me balance is pronounced @#$%&^*@ and you know I don't speak Spanish.} 
I think that having a variety of consistent outlets to process all that life throws my way makes a huge difference. Variety is the key here. I have learned that my husband helps me process certain things and my best girlfriends help me process other things. I process through writing on this silly little blog, my personal journal, and writing letters to different friends and family. I have found that I am more reflective, productive and happy when I process all that I am learning through these different modes.  

I have also learned, the hard way, that I have to remember who gets what part of my life. While Brian absolutely listens with all his heart about work stuff, sometimes some of the  bitching philosophical stuff is best processed  over a margarita on the rocks {no salt}

 with someone in the biz. 

Spiritual journey stuff stays with my closest of the close and even then it's often guarded and my personal journal gets the brunt. 

My relationship stuff bounces around the most--between Brian and my girlfriends--depending on my issues. {Or theirs!}

Sadly, I am not very discriminatory about my soap box moments. You might get on the sour end of my rant and not have a clue what I am talking about;
but thanks for listening. :)
I am grateful to have outlets to process all the layers that make life, life and that I have a better chance to experience true balance when I do.

What's your secret to a balanced life?

Calendar Party!

During my first year of college, I lived in an all girls dorm. 

It was amazing.

Toby Kendal  at UNC housed about 30 girls. 

It was there that my concept of having deep, meaningful, important friendships with women blossomed. I didn't really have that many close high school girlfriends, so this was new to me, and frankly,
 it was life changing.

This space in my life deserves a whole series of sorts on this blog, so I will wait on that but
what I can't wait to write about is a ritual that was started by a few of us in that dorm that I think about every single turn of a new month. 

The Calendar Party!

I' m really not sure who started it,
{Umm, this was 23 years ago, folks, 23 years since my freshman year in college! YIKES! No wonder I can't  remember!}

but over the years, we perfected the recipe for the perfect Calendar Party

 and I am going to share it with you now. 

{Aren't you lucky?!}

Either on the first day of the month, or the last day of the month gather together your best friends and dress in a silly costume.

{Yeah, I'm not totally sure how or why this evolved the way it did, but we LOVED this part!}
Holding a calendar, go around and share something that you are grateful for from the last month.

After each person shares, stomp once, clap 5 times and stomp again.
Stomp, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, Stomp

Yes. That's an important step.

Then, go around the circle again and talk about something you are anticipating in the upcoming month. 

{The stomp-clap-stomp is quite necessary after this share too.}
Finish by changing your calendar to the next month at the same time.

These Calendar Parties were mildly ridiculous but I will never forget the impact they had on me. I cherish the habit of becoming reflective and creating a sense of true community within that reflection. 

 I love that we celebrated and commiserated over things in our lives together. 

It was a precious, important time in my life that I find myself cherishing even more now because life gets busy and often we forget to reflect and anticipate the goodness of our lives.

So.

All this is leading to my own Calendar Party of sorts. 

{I know it's June 2, yesterday was N.U.T.S.!}

May was filled with wonderful times with friends. We celebrated Brian's 40th birthday, our wedding anniversary (4!) and the end of my 4th year of teaching!!!!

We celebrated the wedding of Calley and Aaron--it was perfect.

I got to meet my "nephew" Kai for the first time.

 {Yeah, that's a smile...don't you think?}

It was topped off by a PERFECT night at Red Rocks with my friend Hannah. 

This month I also got to see one of my friends from my Toby Kendal days
{and possibly the Calendar Party starter...not sure, though  (23 years!!!???)...} at her son's graduation.
I don't have a picture, but it was extremely special for us to reconnect.

When thinking back to May, I find myself so very grateful for my close friendships. 

These people truly love me as I am--no matter what--and this is amazing. 

Stomp, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, Stomp.

And now it's June.

Oh June. You might be my most favorite month.

{But don't tell the others!}

What am I looking forward to in June:

CABIN!!!!!!!

Many of you are good sports for putting up with my CABIN! antics. 

I can't seem to post enough pictures, {of the same thing, I know...}

tell enough nostalgic stories, or anticipate the pure R&R that is the CABIN!

This year, the CABIN! anticipation is on steroids {if that's even possible!} because not only will I be spending 22 days there, {I KNOW!} I will be spending those days with these people:

and 

I. Can't. Wait.

{I will also be anticipating/adjusting to not having the Internet, so get ready for a blog-blast come July!}

Also on the docket for June is a little beach wedding in South Haven, Michigan. 

Hannah and Nick are gettin' hitched!

 And I get to be a bridesmaid. 

It's going to be epic. 

{Yup, I did just say that...} 

Stomp, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, Stomp.

So, there you have it.  My Calendar Party for May/June!

Maybe you should have a calendar party too, so you can find yourself reflecting and anticipating 

what's to come.

{Costume optional, stomp-clap-stomp, mandatory.}