Office Supplies, Lists, and Writing Therapy
Those who know me well will not be surprised to learn that I'm a list maker and a hoarder of office supplies. I love a new pretty notebook and a great pen. When school supplies go on sale at Target my husband lovingly puts up with the pile of notebooks and chart paper and fun pencils and pens that find their way into my cart. Lists soothe me. I like seeing what I need to do lined up and I like seeing progress as I check things off that are accomplished. I start every day with a list at work. I'd be naked without it. I have lists on my wall of my office and on sticky notes (purchased at Target- 60% off!).
Today was a horrible day. It started with a challenge at work. And, it wasn't a positive challenge that I could learn from. It was just a challenge I had to face and work through carefully. Then, it was an endless sea of meetings and emails. I learned I made a terrible mistake that resulted in miscommunication and someone's wasted time. I despise wasted time and I feel horribly guilty if I waste someone else's. I did that. I issued an apology. What's done is done and that is the best I could offer but it didn't make me feel much better. I found myself getting sucked into some self pity. Learning a new role is exhausting and I find each day I have much to learn. We learn from mistakes and they have value but today just felt like a big overwhelming mistake. I retreated home, vowed to ignore email for one hour, and lick my wounds.
When I returned home I noticed some fun new notebooks I purchased recently. I picked one up randomly and it was flowered and, in pretty gold letters, said, "Be Your Own Hero". Appropriate. I need to be my own hero today. I need to let myself make mistakes from time to time and then make them right, humble myself to apologize when needed, and move forward. I hate to admit it but I am human. I have bad days. They shouldn't define me.
I grabbed one of my favorite pens (Hilton clicker pens are the best!) and I began to write a list. I wrote a list of all the things I want to find time to write about. I wrote a list about all I did accomplish correctly today. I wrote a list about the things I love about teaching and working with students. I wrote an outline of a novel that lives inside of me that details my father's journey through World War II as a young man. I just felt the pen move across the paper smoothly and I wrote. My blood pressure is more normal and I'm not on the verge of tears any longer. I feel better. It was as if something inside of me was released and I was able to extend some grace to myself.
I opened my laptop and began to look up information on writing therapy. I found this statement and I love it.
One consequence of writing ones story leads to an interest in the experience of others
(writing-therapy)
That was true for me today. As I began to write I was able to get outside of my self, escape my self pity and guilt, and think about others and about the world around me.
Do we do this for our students? Do we offer them a journal and a cool pen when they are struggling? Do we have paper and pen in our quiet spaces for them? Could it be a tool to help students who need a change in perspective or who need to vent safely? Not all would utilize this tool but I think it could be powerful as an option. I never had a quiet writing spot in my classroom for a student who was struggling with something. I wonder if it would have made a difference for any of them over the years.
It made a difference for me today.
Today was a horrible day. It started with a challenge at work. And, it wasn't a positive challenge that I could learn from. It was just a challenge I had to face and work through carefully. Then, it was an endless sea of meetings and emails. I learned I made a terrible mistake that resulted in miscommunication and someone's wasted time. I despise wasted time and I feel horribly guilty if I waste someone else's. I did that. I issued an apology. What's done is done and that is the best I could offer but it didn't make me feel much better. I found myself getting sucked into some self pity. Learning a new role is exhausting and I find each day I have much to learn. We learn from mistakes and they have value but today just felt like a big overwhelming mistake. I retreated home, vowed to ignore email for one hour, and lick my wounds.
When I returned home I noticed some fun new notebooks I purchased recently. I picked one up randomly and it was flowered and, in pretty gold letters, said, "Be Your Own Hero". Appropriate. I need to be my own hero today. I need to let myself make mistakes from time to time and then make them right, humble myself to apologize when needed, and move forward. I hate to admit it but I am human. I have bad days. They shouldn't define me.
I grabbed one of my favorite pens (Hilton clicker pens are the best!) and I began to write a list. I wrote a list of all the things I want to find time to write about. I wrote a list about all I did accomplish correctly today. I wrote a list about the things I love about teaching and working with students. I wrote an outline of a novel that lives inside of me that details my father's journey through World War II as a young man. I just felt the pen move across the paper smoothly and I wrote. My blood pressure is more normal and I'm not on the verge of tears any longer. I feel better. It was as if something inside of me was released and I was able to extend some grace to myself.
I opened my laptop and began to look up information on writing therapy. I found this statement and I love it.
One consequence of writing ones story leads to an interest in the experience of others
(writing-therapy)
That was true for me today. As I began to write I was able to get outside of my self, escape my self pity and guilt, and think about others and about the world around me.
Do we do this for our students? Do we offer them a journal and a cool pen when they are struggling? Do we have paper and pen in our quiet spaces for them? Could it be a tool to help students who need a change in perspective or who need to vent safely? Not all would utilize this tool but I think it could be powerful as an option. I never had a quiet writing spot in my classroom for a student who was struggling with something. I wonder if it would have made a difference for any of them over the years.
It made a difference for me today.
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