This was SO me!!
Happy #WorldBookDay. Make sure to read something just for fun today. Or pass a book on to a friend, a child, a co-worker, a student…well, you get the idea. Books rock.
Author Archives: lisa
Happy Easter!
Happy Easter to all those who celebrate. Have a wonderful day of rest and renewal with your family.
This beautiful illustration is from the classic storybook The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter. It captures both the innocence and joy of youth & Springtime.
Find Your Happy Today
My happy is:
In the classroom, connecting with students. 
The “Aha Moments” when that student finally puts it all together.
The struggle that finally leads to success.
A little creek with some big rocks for sitting on and thinking.
The path, the journey, and sometimes the destination.
A cup of coffee with a friend.
Pages of a book, sometimes filled with notes I’ve made.
Smiles of children that are my heart beating outside of my body.
Writing just one word that makes a picture.
Finding beauty along the way.
What’s your happy?
If it makes you happy, go for it.xo~Lisa
“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” -Aristotle
“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” Dalai Lama
April is National Poetry Month. What Makes Your Soul Sing?
Hope makes my soul thing.
April is National Poetry Month. In honor of one of my favorite poets, here’s one of my favorite poems.
Emily was a very wise woman. Hope is always the thing. In education and in life!
What’s one of your favorite poems or poets? Let us know in the comments. It would be amazing to start a list of Word Artists here!
Mavericks, Outsiders & Rebels. Wise Words on Writing
Getting to the “heart” of writing. Here’s why outsiders, rebels and mavericks make the best characters. Some advice from writer Isabel Allende, who knows a thing or two about good writing:
50 Essential Books of Poetry That Everyone Should Read
April is National Poetry Month. Here’s a list of 50 Essential Reads! Happy reading. And hey–make sure to open up some Jack Prelutsky, too, for the simple & not so serious “fun” of playing with words and language! 🙂
No Net Around the Future. Simple Ways to Help Students Soar to Their Potential
Students Need the Power of Belief to Soar to Their Potential
Teachers. It’s hard. We ask a lot of you. We ask you to keep getting up in the morning and showing up in that classroom and bringing your A Game.
We ask you to notice the students who need the extra help and notice the students who need the extra challenge. And to do it with a smile and a magical “Mary Poppins” like presence in a classroom. Do all that but do it with fairly little community support and for not that much financial compensation, either. But do it all the same
because
Every
Student
Needs a Hero.
Keep helping our students realize that their potential is unlimited. They can soar and achieve any dream as long as they have someone in their lives that supports them. Our goal at College Ready is simply to let all students know, regardless of socio-economic background, there’s no net around their future.
They can soar to unlimited heights.
Reading to Write
This is what I always tell my students: to be a better, writer–read!
Empathy in Education: 3 Simple Steps
Here’s a simple and easy to understand definition of Empathy:
See…Listen…Feel
Put yourself in someone else’s shoes. We all need this reminder… children and adults, alike.
When kids understand and practice empathy, bullying decreases, in the classroom and online. Community and compassion increases. We need more of that–that’s the good stuff.
Take some time to help the young people in your life understand what empathy really is. And don’t just tell, but show. Some simple suggestions: start a random acts of kindness campaign on campus, have older kids serve as “buddies” to the younger students, collect pennies for peace, or suggest another easy community service project that gets the whole school involved. Kids helping kids is a constructive way to foster empathy and watch it grow. ![Kids-Helping-Kids[1]](https://collegereadycoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/kids-helping-kids1.jpg)
Best way to teach empathy–show empathy. Best way to affect change, not only in our classrooms, but in the world…be the change.
xo~Lisa, aka: The Happy Teacher
Happy Teachers: Changing the World in Three Easy Steps
Education (+) Confidence (+) Hope equals Peace. That’s our mission as educators, isn’t it? Yes, yes it is. With love, to all of you, for all you do to add a little more peace to the planet…thank you. xoxo~L.
Credit: This image is available via GottaTeachEmAll on etsy
College Ready 