What Motivates Us?

What motivates you? For some that is extremely difficult to answer and for others it is innate. For me, it is easy, it is intrinsic. I am a self motivated person and as far as I remember I always have been. How did that happen? Why is it hard for others? Did my parents motivate me and just disguised it really well? There is a point, I promise...

I motivate others! That is what I do, but how do I do it? Why do my students and athletes do things for me that they wouldn't do for other teachers or coaches? I asked myself the question,"Leigh, how do you motivate others?" I was stumped, I can show you, but I can't verbalize it. 

So this is the best answer that I could come up with without showing you....

..................Be kind, be caring, and firm. If your students know that you have their best interest at heart at ALL times they will respect you and trust you.

FOLLOW THROUGH.....if you make a promise, keep it. No matter how tired or busy you are, no matter what....FOLLOW THROUGH

Be sincere....Kids can see through people that are not sincere with their words or actions. 

Get to know them...Ask what their favorite food is, what music do they listen to, what they hate/love about learning, what are their passions, do they hate/love their parents, why they think the way they do....YOU get the point lol

Have a clean slate....NEVER hold a grudge with a student or athlete. Everyday is a new day and you love them EVERYDAY! That is your job!

Let them know you are human....tell them stories about YOU. Times in your life that you wish you could have done differently, when you wished so badly that you would have just listened to you parents, choices that were negative and the outcomes...

Be a FUN person....some students and adults take life too seriously. You only get one shot people, make the best of it. LAUGH with your kids.... A LOT!!!! They really love that...

Push them...push them ALL OF THE TIME! If you show them that YOU see potential in them, they will not stop until they reach that potential and beyond! Pushing/believing in them is a KEY component for my students and athletes. 

Treat them as an individual...Celebrate their uniqueness....remember it and refer to it often (trust me, it shows that you care)

Invest in EVERY student. Give your time and energy to them and your return with come back to you ten fold (I think ten fold is a term? Not really sure:)

BE AWESOME!!!! If you are the best you that you can be...people want to be surrounded by that. Always be spreading the sunshine, promoting positive energy, and most importantly LEAD BY EXAMPLE!!!!! 

So I ask you on this Sunday evening, what motivates YOU to be awesome? How are you going to challenge yourself to make tomorrow and every other day you are on this earth AWESOME? Maybe you have never asked yourself these questions, maybe you should consider it? Peace....

Light and Love,

Leigh

What If Grades Didn't Exist?

What if grades never existed? Where would you be today if you didn't get a "C" in chemistry class, or a "D" on an essay that you worked hours on? Would your journey be different? What would it look like? Just because you received all "A's" did that mean you learned more than the person next to you that had all "D's"? Not because they didn't learn as much, but because they didn't turn in their homework? A lot of my "A's" were given to me not because I was actually learning or I was performing on a proficient level, it was because my parents made me do my homework. I would bring in tissue and glue sticks for extra credit and did every "bonus" activity that I could. The thing that sucks about that is, no one really actually tracked my learning. Sure, I received good grades, but I didn't really learn much?

Grades to me are outdated. I of course, have to give grades to my students because it is our district policy, but instead of putting emphasis on grades I devote time and energy to effective feedback. Today, our students don't want a "good job or nice work" they want quality feedback that they can grow and reflect on. Feedback has to be timely, specific and positive. There is a way to provide constructive criticism in a positive light.

On a side note, I NEVER give busy work, but if I did (word searches, crossword puzzles, etc.) I would NEVER give a grade for that. I never give grades for practice. How can I grade my students on something that I just taught them?

Our students need teachers that are 4G and fully charged at all times and know the
their students needs and respect their creativity.

Tonight's blog is to make you think
of how different your life would be if grades didn't exist when you were in school? Crazy to think about, but also kind of liberating!

There will be a more on this topic in the near future!

Enjoy!
Leigh

Our Teachers..Who Comes to YOUR Mind?

As I sit in a hospital room with my best friend in the whole wide world awaiting the arrival of her first born son, I ask myself the question,"Who are my teachers?" By teachers I am not just talking about classroom teachers, I am talking about LIFE teachers. We encounter thousands of teachers in our everyday lives. Some that leave a lasting impression, others that inspire and guide us and some that we learn what NOT to do in our lives..

Who are your teachers?
 When I reflect on my life, thousands of strong men and women enter my mind. Of course the obvious pops into my mind; parents, grandparents, classroom teachers, bosses, mentors and many others. But as I look at my beautiful, brave friend, I reflect on all of the things that she has taught me in my life and continues to teach me everyday. She teaches me to LAUGH and LAUGH really really hard. She has taught me how to be brave. When most people view our friendship they may think that it is the other way around, but it is opposite. She is the bravest person that I know. She takes chances and risks and has ALWAYS followed her dreams. Without her I don't know if I would have the courage to write this silly little blog. She is beautiful inside and out and I don't know where I would be without her in my life. I hope that everyone has a person like her in their life, and if not now, maybe in the future. Long story short, don't take the teachers nearest and dearest to your heart for granted. Thank them and LOVE them everyday. Let them know the impact that they have made on your life!

Questions I ask myself....

Do all people think like I do? Do we take for granted our most special teachers that reach us everyday? Are we so focused on ourselves that we forget ALL of the spectacular people that has helped mold us into who we are today? If you have a special teacher in their life I encourage you to call them or write them a letter (I know, totally old school) and THANK them. Let them know just how special that they are!

I hope this inspires you to go out and THANK a teacher or ask yourself what kind of teacher are you?

Big Smiles and Love!

xoxo Leigh

How Many Hats Do YOU Wear?

When reflecting on what I do everyday, I quickly realized that I could not contain it in a brief description or a box. Yes, I am a teacher, but what exactly does that mean? To me, when I asked myself this question, my mind went in about a million different directions....But I think that is what it was supposed to do. It is imperative when you work within the education world to be able to wear millions of hats everyday. No child and no day is ever the same and so, you must have a LARGE hat collection.

In our ever changing world our students need us to be their ROCK, a division in their SUPPORT SYSTEM, and their HERO. These to me are the three hats that have to stay consistent all day and everyday. Our kids have to know without a doubt that we are on their team, we love them for who they are, and they are ALL important.

Here are some other hats that I wear with real-life examples: hahahaha

Entertainer Hat: When I am in my classroom I am "on stage" everyday. I feel that it is critical to entertain your students so they can have a once in a lifetime experience every time they walk into their classroom. Some things that I do that have worked in the past....
*I jump up on my desk or tables and teach for a few minutes
*Maybe I sing (at the top of my lungs) old songs to wake them up
*Brainbreak!
*Take a walk outside or work outside
*Dress up everyday
*Be passionate about their learning
*Have a strong poker face
*Be funny
*be a blockbuster hit

Coaching Hat: Some students need a little extra motivation or drive. I believe that every student is "coachable". You can reach every student if you know them. As a coach encourages their players and comes up with a game plan to win, I do the same thing with my students:
*Be their biggest fan
*Use inspiring words
*Be positive
*When they struggle with something, support them
*Use relevant constructive criticism
*whooohoooo....get fired UUUPPPP!!!!!!!!!

Crazy Aunt Hat:  Everyone has one and I am one in real-life lol. For me it is extremely important for my students to understand that I am a human. That I understand what they are going through and sometimes life is hard. I try to relate to them as a role-model that offers advise to help them navigate through their crazy teenage lives...This one is easy for me:)
*Humanize yourself
*Listen
*Don't judge
*love them even when it's hard
*offer advise that you wished someone would have given you
*open their minds to new things

Tour Guide Hat: Teaching in rural Missouri my students don't get to experience different cultures on a daily basis. To me, experience is a KEY component in educating our students. They don't get exposure through text books or movies. They need to be able to truly understand what other humans are doing throughout our world!
*Current Event Monday: What is going on in their world and how does it affect them?
*I cook food from other cultures: India, China, Australia, Germany, etc...
*Etiquette lessons (here and around the world)
*diversity activities

The hats that are mentioned above are just a few that teachers wear everyday. Like I said there are millions of them. I will write about more later...Don't want you to get bored with it hahaha.

 It is important that we as educators remember that we have to continue to accumulate  our hat collections and be able to interchange them on a dime!

Happy reading!

Ms. Leigh xoxo

The Day My Life Changed Forever.....

As educators do you ever wonder what your students face before you see them in the morning? Where they slept, who was in their house, did they eat dinner, or worse...If you don't consider these situations and many more, shame on you. What we as educators sometimes forget to remember is that ALL students are not like us and never want to be...

Trust me, I would be amiss if I didn't mention that I never even imagined people/students living such a different life than mine. I grew up in a stable home, two loving parents and I was borderline spoiled (okay, if you ask anyone who knows/knew me, they would say extremely spoiled)! What I never realized, is how blessed I truly was. It took my first "real" job in rural Missouri to realize a world that I had been sheltered from for the first twenty-two years of my life. 

When I first walked into the Hillsboro Alternative School (by school it was on top of the Hillsboro Bus Garage) I can say that I was taken back. I honestly had no clue what I was walking into. I made it halfway into the common meeting room with all of the "at-risk" students (which I didn't even know what at-risk meant at the time) and quickly walked backwards out to take a deep breath...or 10. What I didn't know, is that this day would change my life forever...

To be honest, I was scared...How in the hell could I be scared? At the time I was living in St. Louis City and sharing the back of my apartment building with the local homeless people and my courtyard with the local drunks! These were just kids, right? I could handle a bunch of snotty nosed kids? So I held my head high, put my shoulders back, adjusted my designer pencil skirt, and walking into the room like I had been there a thousand times. After I left I called my mom crying, she told me it was going to be okay, and give a few days and if you are not safe, just quit... and then my dad got on the phone....Words that I will NEVER FORGET!!! If anyone knows my father, he has a way with words!

Me: "Dad, I'm quitting!  Mom said I could!!! (really 22 years old) You don't understand, you have no idea what these kids are like. One of the girls told me she wanted to kick my ass! (side note: this is a story in its own)"

Dad:"Leigh Marie, remember this...YOU ARE A RAGSDALE! Those kids can't get beat you, or scare you....you are tougher than them and they need you! If that doesn't work, I will come up there and straighten them out...

Well, after we got off the phone, I realized that I was there for a reason. A reason bigger than me, I was there to make a difference in their lives. What I didn't realize is how those students would change my life forever! 

With that being said, that group students taught me valuable life lessons that I will never forget, nor take for granted. It completely changed my outlook on life, my educational philosophy, and most importantly ME!  I owe those students a HUGE thank you for opening my eyes and removing the blinders that I had lived with for 22 years of my life. 

I will go deeper in my next blog post about personal experiences with my students, but I felt that some of the background was necessary  before I dove into that topic!

In short: Know your students...every single one! It will make a HUGE difference in their lives, and maybe in yours too!!!

Love and Light

Leigh

If I Had All of the Money in the World...My School

Yesterday in class my students and I were having a discussion about being global citizens. I was telling them that if I had all of the money in the world I would LOVE to open a school of 10-20 student. There would be no actual school building, no bells, no schedules, no rows of desks, no cafeteria lunches, no discipline code, no books, no state tests, no grades, no worksheets and no wasted time...First, they looked at me like I was crazy until I started to explain.....
 
I told them that my perfect school would be based completely on EXPERIENCE! It wouldn't start until high school, and I would choose students from the "worst" schools in the United States. I would take 2 or 3 from each school and we would begin our educational journey (honestly, it doesn't matter what type/kind of student was with you, it would work for ALL students)

This is KEY factor of the school would be...LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE...In place of the school building we would be boarding planes, trains, and automobiles and our classroom would be foreign lands. Instead of bells and schedules dictating their every move it would be landmarks, museums, and natural wonders guiding them through the day. In place of desks, we would be reflecting on experiences in parks, cafes, or with the local people deepening their knowledge. Students would be able to taste delectable cuisine from around the world. They could forget about processed chicken patties, frozen veggies, and whatever mystery meats that they are putting in their bodies. They would now be dining in Italy, sampling authentic tapas and paella in Spain, and where ever else our hearts desired. We would visit historical sites, build relationships with local townspeople, participate in customs and traditions. There would be no need for discipline, as it would be real world learning about safety measures in other countries. There would be no time for wasted time, every moment would be a learning experience.

They would be able to describe the different smells of each body of water, know how historical landmarks felt to touch, taste exotic creations, visualize and dream about the beautiful masterpieces and know what it is like to explore so many wonders of the world. I could only imagine being able to experience these things myself.

I honestly wonder what impact this would have one someone's life. Would it completely redirect their life path? Would it inspire them to change the world? Isn't that excited to think about? The possibilities are endless!

So...after describing this to my students and how awesome it would be...one of my students looked at me and stated, "Don't talk about it, be about it Ms. Leigh". My wheels started turning as I was questioning myself of why I haven't tried harder to make this dream of mine a reality....

Some people may say I am crazy, and that's fine by me, but I think it would be an awesome way to allow students to learn. I'm sure after attending my school for a few years, they would be able to surpass most kids their age on any standardized test put in front of them. Not because they are smarter...but because my kids would have EXPERIENCED IT!!!!!!!!
So in a tiny nutshell, that is my perfect school, you never know.....it may just happen one day!!!

Fruit for thought...also, if you know of anyone with an abundance of money and a love for education send them my way:)))))

Live with flow and ride the wave...

Leigh