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New Day. Baby Steps.

Today was a huge day for me. For the first time in my 23 year educational career, I found myself without a traditional classroom. Everything that I know: Taking attendance, scheduling within a bell-driven class, linking to standards, assessing, collecting, distributing, lesson plans, everything was different. Everything.

But, it was amazing. I was challenged, stretched, and incredibly busy. I collaborated with teachers to trouble shoot problems, shadowed other technology engineers to learn skills, sat beside teammates to learn how to do the various parts of the job more fluidly, and brainstormed with teachers in my building about ways to make their classrooms better (more engaging, more efficient, more innovative).

Today, I did a little bit of everything. Some well. Some not so well.

Going into my first day, I made a goal to embrace the day. By embrace, I mean that I intended to embrace every single minute. Embrace a productive struggle. Admit when I do not know the answer. Listen intentionally. Smile often. Express gratitude. Give grace. Especially to myself.

Growth is measured by the itty bitty steps that we take every single day.

I will look back to find that those little steps accumulate to great distance.

Value the growth.

Value the journey.

Inspired by Suzie Henderson’s blog One Step, One Day

My Big Goals for 2020: Week 01/52

My Big Goals for 2020

In setting these super big goals for the year, I committed to weekly pulse checks to measure my progress. With no quite one week under my belt, here’s where I stand. How are your goals going? What are you doing to stay motivated?

01: Get 6 – 7 Hours of Sleep Each Night

Since I am still on our holiday break from school, this has not been a problem. That said, this week will be my first ‘test’ – new habits are coming!

02: Save Money

One debt has been paid off, allowing me to rollover that cash into a second debt. Fingers are crossed that my HVAC unit continues to hold out – as replacing one debt with a different one is not on my list! When I was running on Thursday morning, it did not sound happy 🙁

03: Learn Calligraphy

I’m setting up my iPad today. I promise. No really. I am.

04: Purge 1000 items {Status: 62/2000}

In putting away Christmas decorations and tidying up after the holidays, I have been purging without abandon. So, I an reporting lots of success in this department this week by donating high school science books, clothes, and holiday decorations.
This week, the following items from my home found new homes:
Clothes (26), Books (8), Decorative Boxes (3), Candles (1), Holiday decorations (3), Beauty supplies (20), and Cleaning supplies (1)

Current Status: 62/1000 items out of my house!

05: Organize the Attic

Slight – very slight – progress in this area this week. I purged our Christmas decorations as they were packed to go back in the attic. Plus, we intentionally placed the holiday decorations together in one spot in the attic. This will give us a place to start when I dive deeply into this project.

06: Read 100 Books, including ALL of the DBC books. {Status: 02/100}

Some fun, nonfiction reading during the holiday break towards my 100 book goal.

(1) Don’t Lie to Me | Willow Rose {Fun Read}
(2) The Last Thing She Ever Did | Gregg Olson {Fun Read}

In Progress
(3) The Sound of Rain | Gregg Olson {Fun Read}
(4) Tiny Habits | Fogg {Personal Growth}
(5) Radical Candor | Scott {Professional Growth}

I am intentionally taking my Personal and Professional growth books slow,y so I can savor, learn, and integrate these reads into my life.

07: Try 52 New Recipes {Status: 01/52}

What do you do when your sister gifts you with three very ripe avocados?

Avocado Pasta. Seriously…this was a winner! Loved it! Tossed with fresh seafood that we had on hand. It was a nice break from our traditional holiday food, hearty, and healthy.

08: Get in Shape

This week, I maintained a 5 day run streak, logging 2 miles each day. I also carefully watched nutrition – cutting back significantly on Diet Coke (Yes, I know how terrible it is) and acknowledging my sugar addiction. See #OneMonthGoals below for details!

09: #OneMonthGoals with Michael Matera

Last year, I joined Michael Matera on his #OneMonthGoals journey. I ran every single day for a month – and it was glorious. This year, I am committed to selecting (and sticking with) one new goal each month, which I will document here.

January 2020: Run daily. 31 day running streak, here I come.
January Day 5 – logging 2 miles each day. Each time I lace up my sneakers, I run a little more and walk a little faster. And, I’ve already earned by January Apple Watch badge. I’m such a sucker for Badges!

10: Write/Send 52 notes/cards {Status: 0/52}

I found my stationary… so, I’ll work on that next week.

11: Redesign my sunroom

This begins with decluttering. See #04.

12: Do things that make me feel alive (One per month) {Status: 01/12}

Saying YES to adventures is something that I want to do more frequently. On Saturday night, we joined dear friends and their daughter – whose husband has just begun the next chapter in his career as a Chef at The Blue Point (Duck, NC). We have heard so many wonderful things about this restaurant, but we had never made time to visit. What a perfect time to go!

The Blue Point did not disappoint! From scrumptious appetizers of Warm Deviled Crab Dip, Hoisin Glazed Baby Back Ribs, and a seasonal charcuterie of duck, salmon, liver, and sweet potato bisuits, to a dinner of Pamlico Sound green tail shrimp ramen bowl, grilled bone-in pork chop over apple-cabbage slaw, and seared Outer Banks sea scallops over madras curry lentils, and wrapping up with Warm Southern Pecan Pie over Bourbon Ice Cream, Double Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee, and White Chocolate Ganashe Cake with Grand Marnier soaked raspberries, the food was decadent.

Without a doubt, we WILL return. Although, I doubt that I will ever see that many dishes cross the table during one meal… that was such a treat.

Secret Goals!

Secret Goal #1: This resumes next week! Stay tuned
Secret Goal #2: We’ve started this one… slowly but surely!
Secret Goal #3
Secret Goal #4

How are your goals going?

Cheers, Holly

Spilled Milk

As a former high school teacher {turned Instructional Technology Facilitator}, I have a confession. Teenagers are my absolutely favorite age of student with which to interact. They want to talk and share their opinions. They yearn for independence yet struggle when life isn’t easy. Their personalities are developing at a rapid speed which is evident in their wit, humor, and interactions of peers. They take risks and appear fearless. They are making memories that last a lifetime. They are making choices that impact the next chapter of their lives. I love it.

Yet. This path can be rocky. As a parent of two teenagers, I must constantly remind myself that there is a learning curve for teenagers. With increased independence comes responsibility, and teenagers will not always make the most sound decisions. Our response, as the adult mentors in their lives, matters.

Which reminds me of a story shared with me by a wise parenting mentor when my girls were toddlers. She reminded me, “Don’t fret the spilled milk. Teach them to carry the container.” She laughed that this would become increasingly important as the girls got older. {The story is here}

In this story, a child – in helping his mother – spills the entire container of milk on the kitchen floor. While the mother could have scolded the child for his carelessness, her approach was different. She used the opportunity to teach the child how to clean up the mess and how to effectively carry the delicate bottle to prevent it from happening again. After all, the milk was already on the floor. She couldn’t return it to the bottle. Yelling and screaming would change that, nor would it prevent it from happening again.

Teachable moment.

Empowering others.

With love and leadership, this mom took a minor disaster and turned it into a teachable moment and empowered her son with additional skills and confidence for future events.

Lessons learned:

The child practiced carrying the container – outside and filled with water, so that a spill did not matter as much – building skills and confidence that he would use the next time he helps her in the kitchen.
The child faced consequences – restorative consequences. In helping her properly clean the kitchen, he not only learned the importance of cleaning up his own messes, but he restored the kitchen to the way that it was before (maybe even cleaner). The consequences aligned with his error.
Love. This parent’s approach fosters a relationship that encourages the son to come to her with problems – guiding him on the proper way to clean up his messes and learn to prevent the same error in the future.

Parenting is a tough gig. Teaching is, too. How can we apply this lesson to our everyday interactions with our students and children?

Teaching example: A student miserably fails a test.

Restorative: Brainstorm ways that the student can restore his average by demonstrating mastery of the content.
Building skills: Does the student know how to study the content? Does the student have the materials necessary to prepare? Dig deeply into this – as this build skill sets and confidence that extend far beyond your class.

Parenting example: Your child gets a speeding ticket.

Restorative: Brainstorm that your child can restore the additional financial responsibility put on the family.
Building skills: Is your child giving himself enough time to arrive or cutting it too close, encouraging speeding? Does your child know how to identify places where the speed limit might change? Is your child paying attention while driving? This is a golden opportunity to encourage ownership and responsibility, as managing your driving speed is completely within the driver’s control. Powerful.

I see so many benefits to this approach – whether we are parenting in touch situations or teaching in our classrooms.

Adults are positive, loving resources for help.
Consequences should be restorative and aligned.
Effective change comes from the lesson learned.

Admittedly, this approach is tough – especially in the heat of the moment. However, remember the Story of the Spilled Milk.

Pause.

Be thankful that it happened under your watch, while you still have the opportunity to positively influence the outcome.

Stack of Towels

A stack of towels. Simple.

An item that every single one of us has in our home.

But, this stack of towels is more.

This is last gift that my mother gave to me… six months and one day after her death.

How did this happen?

The year before, I had remodeled my bathroom, and I requested new bath linens in a particular color as the perfect Christmas gift. Unbeknownst to me, both my sister and my mother purchased bath linens for me. When my mother learned that my sister had purchased the item, my mother – never one to dull our excitement over wrapping *the perfect gift* – tucked hers away, never to be mentioned again.

11 months later, in going through things hidden in closets and under beds, my father found this treasure.
Though tears, I opened this gift on Christmas Day.
A gift from an angel in heaven.
A gift so unexpected that it took my breath.

My Mother

My mother was a beautiful soul who loved nothing more than to create surprises. She would pick my girls up from school and surprise them with a quick ice cream celebration. She would show up at my house with fun surprises for my girls that she had picked up in her travels. She would spend hours creating Halloween candies, handmade Easter Eggs, or Holiday floral arrangements and deliver them to all of the ladies in our neighborhood – visiting for hours with each and every one. You can comb through her social media pages, and you will never find a post where she mentions these moments. She loved to make other people smile – and did not want public validation for her beautiful deeds. She cherished the smiles, laughs, notes, and personal visits … and she needed nothing more than her full heart.

I want to live more like my mother.

In my work, with students and adults, what warms my heart and fills my soul? What can I take away from each encounter to personally validate my work and fuel future steps … while intentionally skipping publicity/social media? What can I tuck away in the closet, forgetting completely, so that others can shine in the moment?

In short, what would my Mom do?

Physical Therapy: Long Term Gains

During a routine flip turn, she felt it slip out of place – like there was a void in the middle of her knee. After a few laps, she felt it pop back into place – accompanied by significant pain. This time, rest and relaxation, therapeutic swims, ice, and elevation did not help the pain subside. With fear and anxiety, we headed to the orthopedic surgeon, praying that we did not need his full range of services.

Diagnosis

Patellar Subluxation: The official medical term for dislocation of the kneecap (patella). Kneecap instability.

You see, your kneecap (patella) attaches near the bottom of your femur. As you bend and straighten your need, your kneecap moves up and down in a groove at the bottom of the thigh. Several muscles and ligaments hold the kneecap in place, and if these are injured, the kneecap can move out of its groove. This is exactly what happened to my daughter. The weakness of the muscles that hold her patella in place allowed her kneecap to slip to the outside of the knee, stretching the medial-patella-femoral-ligament.

Good news: No surgery!

Tough news: Rest and ice are not enough for a full recovery.

For a month, she invested in intensive physical therapy – that was specific to her injury, scaffolded to her response to therapy, and graduated to measure growth – all geared to increasing the strength of the muscles that stabilize her patella. Within days, there was measurable growth. That small growth encouraged her to diligently complete her home exercises, which fed the growth of her sessions. Slowly, the pain subsided. The weight bearing exercises increased. Range of mobility expanded.

Today, five weeks later, she was released to return to full participation in the pool: kicks, flip turns, dives. But, the physical therapy continues.

So, what is Physical Therapy?

Physical Therapy: Care that helps you function, move, and live better.

In thinking about my new role as an instructional technology facilitator, I have been wondering why people are resistant to try new initiatives, reflect deeply about current practices, and embrace change. And, more importantly, how do we move past this self-imposed barrier? I believe that the answer might be in Physical Therapy!

We often look at Physical Therapy as a regimen that follows a major surgery. But, our experience has been different. In my daughter’s case, physical therapy was a response to develop stability to prevent future injury. My daughter took two hours out of her week to meet with a professional who guided her through intense exercises and who prescribed her with work to do on her own between visits. Let’s use this strategy with instructional growth…

PT appointments = PLC meetings led by educational leaders/coaches, during which we dive deeply into instructional methods, practice, model, plan, and develop.
PT at home = Independently complete or practice tasks started in PLC. Prepare for next meeting by collecting data, penning questions, and reflecting on what is or is not working with your current regimen.
Repeat

While the PT (PLCs) are more frequent in the beginning, you quickly recognize the value of these appointments – in time, productivity, and results. Over time, you may scale back on the scheduled PLCs with experts, however you find yourself creating more organic opportunities for this instructional conversation with other passionate educators. Before long, you recognize that you no longer *need* the coach as a coach, but you long for the coach as a collaborative partner who brings ideas, passion, and energy to a rich discussion.

You are invigorated with lessons who have received an overdue face-lift, developed a relationship with a collaborative partner, and created a sustainable method to revitalizing your educational environment.

You prevented the educational injury commonly referred to as “burn out”.

With this knowledge, who wouldn’t invest in educational PT?

2020 Goals

My Big Goals for 2020

As many of you know, one of my faults is that I simply cannot live without a well-organized list. So, it would not be January without setting some lofty goals and committing them to paper. After following several blogs for a couple of years, I’ve decided to follow in the footsteps of Mavis and place my ‘mighty big goals’ right here for the universe to see. By updating each week, perhaps I can maintain accountability – and, maybe, inspire others to try their hand at something new, too!

Oh, and I also fully intend to document how I weave my #OneWord2020 into my everyday life here, too.

01: Get 6 – 7 Hours of Sleep Each Night

New responsibilities at work, early morning swim practices, and late night basketball games crashed my sleep habits in the fall, and I felt the wear and tear on my body – physically and emotionally. My goal is to prioritize my time better so that I can hit the pillow earlier!

02: Save Money

Save money and remove debt! I plan to select one debt and remove it from the monthly budget…snowball effect!

03: Learn Calligraphy

Isn’t that so pretty? In reality, there are people that can create this with pen and ink! I want to be able to do that! I have nice handwriting – so I don’t think that this will be a huge challenge, just time for lots of practice, patience, and a willingness to embrace growth over time. I’m going to share my practicing efforts with you, here!

Oh, and I bought a book to help me out: The Guide to Mindful Lettering.

To add a little pizzazz to this entry, I have also invested in a new iPad with pen and software to practice digitally. Who has tips to share?

04: Purge 1000 items

5 year ago, we purchased a home with less than half of the square footage of our previous home. While many, many things did not make the move, there are far more “things” that I can do without to simplify my life. Further, my father is purging his home – and, gifting many items to me. In my quest to remodel our beach bungalow, I’m beginning with a ruthless attack against clutter! 1000 items are leaving my home!

05: Organize the Attic

As I peek into this disorganized space, I realize that many of the 1000 items that need to leave are stored right here. I plan to tackle this area one box and board at the time. By 2021, this space will be floored, organized, and contain a lot less “stuff”!

06: Read 100 Books, including ALL of the DBC books.

In 2019, I committed to reading 75 books. By the time that the clock struck midnight on December 31, I had logged 100 books! I am sure that I can do this again. Last year, the book choices were split between beachy fiction (downloadable from my local library) and educational texts that I read with my voxer PLN. As I dive into books this year, I will share my takeaways here!

To kick off 2020, I already have a book stack:

Move Your Bus | Clark {Emerging Leaders read}
Permission Granted | Wilkins {Personal Growth}
Tiny Habits | Fogg {Personal Growth}
Radical Candor | Scott {Professional Growth/Book Study}

07: Try 52 New Recipes

It is so easy for me to find myself in a food rut, especially when planning family meals around packed athletic schedules and heavy academic workloads. Sadly, our weekly menu started to resemble that of a short order cook as we neared the holiday season. Not anymore! In my commitment to get into better shape, I plan to try one new recipe each week – with a full family review. Hopefully, this will encourage me to dust off some of the cookbooks (maybe purge a couple?) and might even expand our taste palette. Stay tuned!

08: Get in Shape

With so many changes in the life of our family, I have allowed my physical fitness to slide. 2020 begins the year to invest in me! I plan to do something physical every day: A run, Lift weights, Long walk with the dog, Pilates, Yoga, something. Every. Day. Last year, I logged 2019 miles with RunTheYear2018. This year, I am committed to running the entire year: 2020 miles. Anyone want to join me with RTY2020?

09: #OneMonthGoals with Michael Matera

January 2020: Run daily. 31 day running streak, here I come.

10: Write/Send 52 notes/cards

In our technology-driven, text-based, handheld world, written words are few and far between. In fact, I used to say that the mailbox’s purpose had dwindled to being a deliverer of bills – yet, online banking and e-bills have practically eliminated that, too. This Christmas, like all Christmases, I was delighted to receive Christmas Cards from my family and friends who still send them. I hang these proudly in my home and pour over them for hours – reaching out to those friends about what an incredible year they have enjoyed, how precious their children are, and how happy I am that we remain friends. Why should one wait for Christmas to share these thoughts? This year, I plan to write one note (at least) per week to spread cheer!

11: Redesign my sunroom

Currently, we have a cute little room in our home that is filled with windows, and it is an absolutely perfect sunroom. It desperately needs an overhaul, so I’m giving myself a year to make that happen.

12: Do things that make me feel alive (One per month)

There are things in my life that I absolutely live for: A cloudless day on the beach with a delicious book, a shopping day with my girls that has no timeline, exploring a new place, impromptu road trips… This year, I want to intentionally leave white space in my calendar to encourage more fun.

Secret Goals!

These are pretty big secret goals that I will definitely blog about once they happen! Until then, know that I am working diligently in the background to share awesome news with you sooner rather than later! 365-day deadline begins…now!

Secret Goal #1
Secret Goal #2
Secret Goal #3
Secret Goal #4

OK! These goals are out there for the world to see. I plan to check it on Sundays to update my progress – with funny stories and photos, as I’m sure that this will be a hilarious journey.

What are your goals for 2020?

Cheers, Holly

#OneWord2020

#OneWord2020. By this point, I’m sure you have seen the social media posts. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and everyone’s blog are filled with people ringing in the New Year (Decade) with their #OneWord202o carefully selected to frame their year.

Many years ago, I, too, embraced the #OneWord challenge. In fact, I traded lists of New Years Resolutions for #OneWord to drive my decisions and focus my reflection for the entire year. I’ve created artwork, designed screensavers for my phone, and placed my word on a Post-It note on my desk — all deliberate reminders to use it daily.

Previous #OneWord selections: Previous #OneWords include Fearless (2014), Move (2015), Simplify (2016), Intentional (2017), Cultivate (2018), and Embrace (2019).

Last year’s selection, EMBRACE, was particularly important. 2019 was a “Year of Lasts” and the beginning of a “Year of Firsts”. Going in the year, our family suspected that our time with my beloved mother was short. We embraced that knowledge – as well as every moment that we had – with all of the love that we had to give, right up until her last breath on the afternoon of May 24. In that moment, we transitioned from a “Year of Lasts” – with my mom – to the “Year of First” – without my mom.
Although I continued to intentionally embrace every emotion as it happened, 2019 may forever be the most challenging year of my life.

Just as our “Year of Firsts” began, so did our “Year of Lasts” – as my daughter began her senior year of high school. The fall filled itself with dual-enrollment courses, senior events, college applications and official visits, athletic seasons, and Homecoming formals… and, despite my excitement for her as she embraces her next chapter, I long for the days of ponytails, ribbons, and sandcastles.

Embrace.

These moments were important.

These moments deserved my attention.

The happy tears. The sad tears. The “I miss you so much it hurts” tears.

The smiles filled with pride. The smiles that are hiding pain.

The big accomplishments. The small victories. The losses.

EMBRACE was the perfect word to carry me through 2019.

2020 is different.

Each year, I wait patiently for the word to find me – in a quote, in a song, or in a book that I am reading, or in a conversation. I reach for a word that is different… not from a list. With only hours before this year’s chapter closes, I had started to worry that my word had not emerged.

I pondered. I researched. I thought. I reflected.

And, finally, with the help of my dear friend Erin, it happened.

My #OneWord2020 will be FOCUS.

Last year gifted me with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but, through it all, I embraced the journey. This year, I want to focus more on what is most important: My faith, my health, my family, my friendships, my personal passions, and my professional growth. While I will continue to embrace challenges and adventures, I want a clear FOCUS with my time and my attention.

In 2020, I vow to FOCUS on what is most important by

Challenging myself personally and professionally
Celebrating the journey and small accomplishments towards big goals
Making productive shifts in how I invest my time
Embracing opportunities to be imperfectly human
Being more present
Investing in my health with nutrition and activity
Finding joy in less
Saying goodbye so that I can say hello
Starting all over again…and again…and again…

#OneWord2020 Focus

Cheers to your New Year,

Holly

#OneWord2019

#OneWord2019. I’m sure that you have seen the social media posts swirling over the past few days. Many years ago, I embraced the #OneWord challenge. I traded lists of New Years Resolutions for a word that would serve as a lens through which to make decisions: how I spend my daily hours, set personal and professional long-term goals, and interact with those that I love the most.

Previous #OneWords include Fearless (2014), Move (2015), Simplify (2016), Intentional (2017), and Cultivate (2018). As I reflect, I realize that – each year – my word made a significant impact on my personal growth during that trip around the sun.

Each year, I wait patiently for the word to find me – in a quote, in a song, or in a book that I am reading, or in a conversation. With only hours before this year’s chapter closes, I had started to worry that my word had not emerged. Friends were sharing their incredible #OneWord choices: Relentless (Laura), Present (Erin), Dissonance (Don), Grow (Kristi), Relationships (Kimberly), Impact (Debbie), Metanoia (Jessica), and Speak (Heather). Aren’t these amazing selections?

I pondered. I researched. I thought. I reflected.

And, finally, it hit me.

My #OneWord2019 will be EMBRACE.

You see, life is a journey. Over the past year, it would have been impossible for me to imagine, on January 1, what the rest of 2018 would reveal.
2018 was a year of change. Our family survived parenting two high school teenagers with driver’s licenses, athletic schedules, jobs, and a myriad of college-level courses. My job continued to provide opportunities to grow as an educator and instructional coach. Personally and professionally, my faith was tested. In each adventure, I faced challenges, took risks, enjoyed successes and failures, and grew… oh my goodness, I grew.

Yet, throughout the year, I was so focused on the goal, the deadline, or the due date for the assignment, that I frequently missed the beauty of the journey. This year, I vow to change that: to embrace the journey.

Life is messy. Life is chaotic. Life is unpredictable.

Life is challenging. Life is unfair. Life is hard.

Life is beautiful.

Life is uncertain.

In 2019, I will embrace that uncertainty.
I will embrace the challenges as opportunities to grow.
I will embrace the changes as opportunities to learn new things.
I will embrace the journey for it may not happen again.
I will embrace every ounce of beauty along the way.

And, many years from now, I will name this chapter of my life.

#OneWord2019 Embrace

Netflix and Reflection

Happy *almost* New Year, friends.

Despite being a techie teacher, I have thoroughly enjoyed selectively unplugging for the past week. Between preparing for family birthdays and holiday events, I dusted off several books that have patiently waited for my return and enjoyed some of my Netflix favorites. Speaking of Netflix, I absolutely love the television show Blue Bloods. Although I appreciate a good cop drama, my favorite aspect of this show is the wisdom and wit of the characters, particularly Frank Reagan. In every single episode, I find myself writing down a quote or two that strike me as brilliant….and inspiring this post.

As I reflect on 2018 and create my vision board for 2019, I recognize that it has been a year of change – changes in our family, in our professions, and in the world that surrounds us. I have experienced the highest of highs – earning my National Board Certification and seeing our Dare to Innovate Virtual Professional Development formally published. I’ve also seen my share of challenges – challenges that tug at heartstrings and result in me leaning in more so than ever before.

As I binge-watched Blue Bloods this week, Police Commissioner Frank Reagan so eloquently stated,

” Situations like these don’t build character. They reveal it.”

Let that sink in.

We’ve all heard the saying, “Life isn’t fair.” Perhaps, life really isn’t fair. But, we, as humans, are created for challenges. We are resilient. The greatest of highs and the deepest of lows provide the best opportunities for us to show the universe the threads of the fabric that defines our character.

As I reflect on my role as a parent, educator, and colleague, I realize how it is more important than ever to embrace challenges rather than fear them. It is through life’s challenges that we reveal our character – and, perhaps, even test it – so that we emerge with more wisdom and resiliency that we entered, better prepared for life’s next mountain.

In the wisdom of Frank Reagan,

Life should be a series of daring adventures, launched from a secure base.

What better gift can we provide for the next generation that a space that is safe to daring take risks without fear of failure?

As I enter 2019, one of my goals is to intentionally create a learning space that is a secure base – in my home and in my classroom – that celebrates the pathway more than the success, that discusses strategies to overcome barriers to challenges rather than quiver in fear of failure, and reflect on the learning opportunities that accompanied the journey.

Here’s to 2019 – a year of adventure!

What I Learned from Hurricane Florence

Because I live on the Barrier Islands of North Carolina, I am no stranger to hurricanes. In fact, we typically face one or two each year, some closer calls than others. In the last 25 years, I have experienced the power outages of Hurricane Fran and Hurricane Isabel, flooding of Hurricane Floyd, the double whammy of Hurricane Dennis, the sound side devastation of Hurricane Irene, and our downstairs river due to Hurricane Matthew. I’ve also felt the eye of Hurricane Arthur pass over our little town – a sight and feeling that still, to this day, takes my breath away.

In 25 years, I have never felt the overwhelming anxiety that I experienced as Hurricane Florence inched closer to the NC shore. With wind speeds classifying her as a Category 4 (almost 5) and no cold water, wind shear, or fronts to slow her down, we braced for complete destruction. By nothing short of a miracle, our coastline was spared the devastation that a category 4 hurricane would have brought. However, our neighboring communities continue to face significant flooding that follows 30″ of rain in such a short period of time. The idea that a slight change in the hurricane’s course saved my town while crippling another weighs heavy on my heart.

In spite of it all, I learned several things.

1: Take your time.

Clearly in the red cone of possibility for the direct impact of a Category 4 hurricane, we needed to secure our house and pack necessary belongings to heed to a mandatory evacuation. But, we also needed to remind ourselves that we had time to make level-headed, mindful decisions. What needed immediate attention? What gets packed with us? What stays behind? Where are we going? With the hurricane still days away, we had time to truly think through as many scenarios as possible, allowing us to evacuate with a feeling of clarity and preparation. Although the future was uncertain, I knew that I had prepared as much as possible – and I needed to trust that the universe would take care of the next steps for me.

2. Over prepare

Our list was long: Pack. Clean. Video. Lift. Sandbag. Cover. Secure. Move. Check the list. Check it again. We spent hours preparing our home, our schools, and helping our neighbors. While we had a “Hurricane List” to use, nothing prepares you for the moment when you put it into action. Ultimately, our efforts were not needed, however, we did not know that at the time. One positive: We now have a real “Hurricane List”, tailored for our family, home, and neighborhood.

3. Aim high

When you think that you cannot possibly stack your freezer on an 8″ block to elevate it just a little bit more from flood water, you actually can. I did. What if that last push is what keeps it from flooding? Push. You can do it. You can, and you will.

4. Make Data-Informed Decisions

Every three hours, we closely watched the National Hurricane Center’s projected path (and storm surge) and the vlogs posted by local meteorologists. All information – mandatory evacuation, 8-10′ storm surge, 125mph winds, 20″ of rain – informed us to leave. This was not a decision that we made easily nor one that we took lightly. I cried as I drove away from my home – unsure if (or when) I would see it again.

5. Be flexible, free to change your mind

12 hours after evacuating, Hurricane Florence took a significant turn south, entirely removing my area from the possibility of a direct hit. While I dreaded what this forecasted for my southern neighbors, I also knew that I could safely return home. And, I did.

6. Experts advise, but they are not in the room with you

Although I earnestly listened to the hurricane coverage and heeded the advice of experts in the field, I also recognized that they were not in the room with me. Just as I used their advice to evacuate, I also used information that they provided to make the decision to return – despite a mandatory evacuation. Sometimes, your knowledge of a situation coupled with expert advice leads you to shift gears immediately. Trust your intuition.

How often do these same truths surface in our learning environments?

As teachers, we can benefit by taking our time to build relationships with our students, over-preparing for our classroom learning experiences, and always aiming high in our preparation for and expectation of our scholars. In our decision making, we commit to using all data – not just numerical data – to make informed decisions for our learners. However, we recognize the need to be flexible and unafraid to switch gears in the middle of a journey, for we are the experts in our classrooms.