working – I Write

Part One: Learning Conference

The Learning and the Brain conference is one I highly recommend to all educators. Thanks to Book Smart Kid, I was able to attend. It did not disappoint. The speakers passion and shared visions inspired and affirmed some of what I’ve long believed as an educator. I admit, though, that some of what they proposed was challenging.

What inspired me most during the conference is how much the cognitive scientists agreed with the philosopher’s of educators who taught me many years ago that the work of children is play, and that it should be preserved. That the brain is the most malleable during childhood and how much development is still happening for teens. That educators should strive to maintain positive, nurturing relationships with children because it enhances the educational environment of a child and that the educator and the learning environment must tease the curiosity of a learner rather than squash it.

The challenges I took away had more to do with letting go of what the system convinces us we must do. To throw out old time-wasters such as the ever popular Calendar time with younger students and homework. And to think more about filling the students work day with activity and work rather than the educator being the one talking, working and decorating.

Another challenge is for educators to stop filling the day with boxed up one-dimensional curriculum. Today’s children need to step our in courage to learn to make mistakes. It’s in the mistake where many learning opportunities lay. Teachers also need to become open and model their own mistakes and share what they’ve learned from their own mistakes. Scaffolding is a word that was used often at the conference and it makes sense because of the conference speakers emphasis about learning orientations. There was no science to back up the difference in learning styles. Instead, the differences are now called orientations. One student may be creatively inclined while another analytical while another might be motivated to learn by how practical the content studied.

There is much more to report, but I’m still processing much of what was presented. More soon.

~Peace.

Writing, sharing…etc.

I want to share a post I just wrote on my other blog. Why? Well, it’s kind of proof to myself that I have, in fact, been writing. No, I have not written much fiction, or my next novel or whatever, but I have written. And today, I realized that if put together just so, I might have the pieces s of a potential future book about tutoring young children…so there. 😉

Anyway, to update, I have been pretty busy lately, not with just writing necessarily, but with 3 part-time jobs. And one of these jobs isn’t quite like the others, but I do know why I like it, more on that later.

But, for now, I want to share about a conundrum. The holidays are coming at a fierce pace and I’m not ready. I told myself that this year I wanted to enjoy the holidays, but what does that look like for a busy woman? What can be accomplished without spending too much money and with little planning time? And sadly, I don’t have a dining table!!

Anyway, that is my conundrum that I feel it has been self-imposed. Though I may have an imaginative mind and devotion to traditions, I had completely forgotten about how one of my jobs is linked to the one tradition, that happens every year, ~~that I hadn’t really cared to participate in~~: Black Friday! But, here I am, a cashier on the busiest shopping days of the season. How’s that supposed to make my holidays merrier?

But, that said, as cashier in the heart of Seattle, I have enjoyed chatting with tourist/customers and learning about various cultures and their favorite traditions and foods. I have enjoyed getting to know new co-workers and experiencing challenges in a field I know nothing about.

But, I have also struggled with time management, time for personal relationships, marriage, homework, cooking meals, etc… and finding balance with life in general. My dreams, melt-downs and messy house tell me so. Of course, perfection will never happen and I don’t expect to have all the answers, but I trust that if I follow the way of peace and kindness, I will be okay. But, along the way, if you experience my dark side, I’m sorry. Really, I am.

I want to be a Jedi. I need to be a Jedi.

~Peace

Tutoring

If I’ve not mentioned it recently, I’ve been tutoring elementary students in reading since January of this year. I’ve been slowly trying to increase the number of student’s that I tutor without getting overwhelmed myself.

It’s September and school is in session and so, it begins.

Though the first few weeks, (even longer for younger students) are mostly about learning routines, the reading and homework soon begins and if you’re a parent of a student who struggles, then all the everyday stresses are compounded by the stress of your struggling student trying to keep up with his peers on top of all the “regular” stress of a new school year.

Don’t hesitate to ask for help. A student who struggles with reading needs intervention from family, but also from professionals. Reading is the key to mastering all subjects. The more help and attention a student receives, the better.

Progress is attainable. I’ve seen it.

https://brendamiscblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/28/progressing-with-reading/

Blogging

So, I saw a little symbol on my blog that indicated that I’ve been active on WordPress for 6 years! Really?! It was hard to believe! I want to be proud of that, but with my lack of writing activity lately, I feel a bit undeserving of the trophy icon. Regardless, I want to thank any supporters (likes and followers) that I’ve had on this and my other site Enjoy in those 6 years.

Although it’s very hard to connect with each and every follower and liker, I wanted to mention that before I like and follow sites, I do go out and take a peek at what the site is about and if I jibe with it, then I reciprocate the like.

On another note, recently, I’ve followed quite a few fashion/beauty websites that I admire and I don’t necessarily have anything in common with, but I believe in what they’re doing and how they’re sharing their fashion/ beauty knowledge (of which I have none) and how they positively present their face and body.

Now, as for me and my writing goals, well, let’s just say I’ve not given up, and that I’ve been mostly busy, but keeping the “head-journal” going as I go about with the other things I do. I read somewhere that some people actually “write” a novel in their head long before typing out the words on the keyboard. I think I’m experiencing that kind of data collecting lately. It’s fun and freeing.

It’s late, so thanks again for stopping in. Have a good rest of your week.

~Peace.

Day off reflections

This post will be a collection of random thoughts as I move to keep up with the rapidly changing dates on the calendar.

I believe the time is moving quicker than in the past and so each day, I wake up and remind myself that I’m not on vacation, even on days off. There is plenty of work to do each and every day and I’m grateful for it. There are many people who would be grateful to work or to have a family or to have two good legs to walk on. I have all this and more. I have been given much in my life and I ~~don’t~~ try not to take it for granted.

Next, I’m saying this next thing about myself, but I believe it to be true for most people. I’m not created to be any one thing. In this life I’m myself and have had the opportunity to experience and work on many things. Though I believe it’s best to focus on a gift, talent or knack to be the best at it, I don’t believe that a person has to only experience life doing the “one-thing”. I’m happy to say I’m experiencing life as a wife, mother, teacher, writer, artist, retail worker, etc.

As I move through life in the many roles/jobs I’ve been given, I consider the people who have been placed in my path. I consider what I may have to offer/give to the people around me and sometimes bigger, I consider what they may have to offer, teach, show, and challenge me with.

Though there is wisdom in holding your tongue and keeping your emotions in check (and I am challenged with this), I often wonder about all the things that other people hold back, the wisdom they’ve gained, the stories they hold, the lies they tell, the hopes they struggle to hold onto, the joy they’ve lost, the pain they carry.

Today, I’ve had some time to help, to ponder, to nurture, to cook, to write, to work and to face. It’s been a great day.

~peace.

What the ?

This will not be pretty, but I’m getting angry. Seriously, I’ve been sitting in front of my keyboard and draft after draft comes without me publishing. Lack of time is not the problem, even though this is true.

I mean, this is freakin’ ridiculous. Enough! But, I’ve dealt with this before, so I know the other is something deeper.

It’s not just in writing that this voice of doubt persists. It’s in other areas of my work that I hear this and enough is enough. I’m reaching out to higher powers for some help. I’ve had it.

That is all.

~Peace in your struggles.

Promoting a story

I wrote a story with my friend. Our story, Extraordinary Girl is a novel about a young woman who finds her way in the world despite her many obstacles.

For whatever reasons, I’ve not promoted it before, but I knew that the time would come for it to be out there where it belongs. (In the hands of readers!) Truly, it was not written for only ourselves to enjoy.

The process of writing a novel, even a short one, is long and tedious. It reminded me of when I was pregnant with my children. The first stages involved much preparation, excitement and thrill. But like pregnancy, the last stages of writing the book became tiring, heavy and frustrating. Birthing a book involved time, energy and even money to get enough of the kinks out.

And then, after completing the process, and reaching the end of a long race, I learned that the end of one process was really the beginning of another process, in which I wasn’t completely ready. And that process is promoting the work, our work. It is not a process I was familiar with, nor frankly willing to get acquainted with at that moment.

I mean, wasn’t it enough our story was out there, published on Kindle? And if it was written to be read, and put on a proverbial “shelf”, then it would be found and read. Right? Wrong. And honestly, I knew that. But hey, it was out of my hands, at least.

When I read about promoting a story, a piece of my soul immediately rejected the idea. Nope! Not interested in putting our work (hard work) out there to be criticized and rejected.

But now? Well, after months and month of working in other “arenas”, doodling, blogging and such, I’ve finally reached the point where I’m ready to promote. I’m no longer worried about the “public-eye” or ratings or inevitable rejections. All those things are not the measure of truth.

The truth is that what my friend and I did in writing a story together is an accomplishment and a beginning of a dream realized. To become writers. We created a character that we both believed in and birthed her story. We wrote. Yay us!

The Itch

I’m finally getting to the point of missing writing. I’d been busy doodling for the past month and now I feel my brain itching to begin a new story. I probably need to go over my notes from the class I took to begin the process a bit differently than the other story and hopefully to avoid the mismanagement of the many draftings, but we’ll see. That may be how I operate.

I’m running a tutoring business and staying organized is a challenge. After we move into our new place, I need to find a nook and keep it as a true home office.

That is my short update for today, hope all is well on your end.

~Peace friends.

New Year goals

The new year brings with it opportunities for restarts, even if it is just in my own mind, doesn’t matter. I’ll take it! I enjoy restart buttons as long as things I’ve worked hard on aren’t completely lost.

My goals for this year are to finish my story and get it to the point of publishing, perhaps I will try e-publishing. Seems reasonable.

I also would like to read more. I would like to try different genres and build my reading stamina.

I have a few clients for tutoring reading and I’m hoping that adventure goes well. I’m excited about helping struggling readers. Kids miss out on all the fun without help in the beginning years which is where I focus.

Last, I would like to continue building quality relationships with the people I love most in my life and also to force myself out of my introvert comfort zone and socialize with other people. They’re not all bad! 😉

That’s it for now.

~Peace and Happy New Year.

My Monday update

Hello all,

I’m not sure exactly what gotten into me, but now, I’ve decided to stretch myself in a several directions.

I’m still a writer and my story is finished, though unpublished and is awaiting a more exciting, satisfying end.
I’ve become (along with and because of my cool hub) a somewhat party “animal”, not in drugs or too much alcohol, but in the number of parties attended in one month. I’m just about ready to crawl under a rock. (but it’s been fun, really)
I, now, not only have a writing blog, a photo blog, but also a business blog as well. Yes, the educator side of me refused to die and is attempting to resurrect itself as an independent early childhood reading tutor.
I’ve also just started to volunteer with Literacy Source . It’s a program to help adult students to read. (Cool!)

I’m soooo excited to have found some places to grow, learn and get to know people.

That’s it and enough for now…

~peace navidad