A Little Bit About Me!

Okay, I guess I should have started out with this as my initial post, but what you will realize about me is that I sometimes tend to get the cart before the horse.

My name is Leigh Ragsdale. I have been teaching in an "at-risk" learning environment for the past six years.
I pride myself on thinking outside the box, allowing student expression and uniqueness, and  having fun. I believe that as a life long learner and educator it is imperative to be creative, inspire myself and others, and focus on what is really important in life! I honestly just want my students to LOVE coming into my classroom, laughter to fill the air, and the joy of seeing their light bulbs go off inside their brilliant minds!


When I first started teaching I thought that everything that I did had to look like EVERY teacher that I had  in school or I needed to do what my fellow teachers were doing. I spent hours on lesson planning that aligned with the GLE's and focused on what every textbook said was important.


I soon realized, that wasn't me. It didn't feel natural to me and it was forced with the students. I was using text books because the district had just  purchased a new book series so I felt that I had to be respectful. After working with them for a few months, I started noticing that not only were my students bored, I was bored! All of the creativity and wonder was removed from our day and couldn't handle it.

I started teaching, "The Ms. Leigh Way." Allowing students to be creative and innovate with their projects and daily assignments, making sure that every learning target was related to the real world and how they would use it. I started asking my students everyday what THEY wanted to learn about.
I quickly realized a few things:
*Students didn't know how to respond to choosing what they wanted to learn about, it was foreign land to them (Empower)
*They were depleted of their imagination and creativity (Inspire)

*Students need to be motivated by me, but most importantly themselves (Energize)
*Once they trusted me, they were open to learn new things, think outside the box, and be themselves (Innovate)

That is how my philosophy radically changed and I started making a difference everyday. I hope you enjoy my blogging journal, as it is a foreign land to me. I had to tell myself to, "practice what I preach" and as Nike says, "Just DO IT". I tell my students that, "you can not grow while in your comfort zone" so I thought it was about time to take my own advice, put on my big girl pants, and start this wild adventure!

Ms. Leigh

Give Thanks

My students had an AWESOME open discussion the other day. As I drove home and reflected on my day I realized that I didn't THANK them. So the next morning I wrote each of them individual thank you notes and handed them out during the day. I feel it is important that we give thanks to our students that help us LEARN everyday! They thought is was weird, but I think they liked it haha.
Short post, but very deep:)

Ms. Leigh

Why Do We Attach and Believe our THOUGHTS?

I am dumb. I am stupid. I am fat. I am ugly. I can't do it. I hate myself. I suck. These are ALL thoughts that enter our minds along with countless others. Of course, not all people think these things, they are just examples, but at some point we let our mind wonder to places that aren't pleasant, but most importantly NOT THE TRUTH!!!!! If we allow ourselves to attach to our thoughts, do they eventually become our beliefs?

After our open discussion I asked them about a time that they started believing their thoughts as the TRUTH.

"Why do we attach and believe our thoughts?"

I asked my students if there had ever been a time that people thought they were someone that they weren't?


The task:
 I gave them an index card. On one side they put the perception of what some people thought of them and then on the other side, they put the TRUE statement. They all shared very personal experiences and stories about times that they started believing their thoughts or what others "thought" they knew about them. It was truly a moving day for all of us. They were able to share their truths with their peers in a nonjudgmental and safe environment.

Walls were broken down today and deeper relationships were formed. I am a blessed human to be able to learn from my students everyday.

Light and Love,

Ms. Leigh