10 lessons from blogging everyday for a year (365:365)

source: suewaters.com

source: suewaters.com

When I set out to do the blog 365 challenge, I wasn’t really sure what I was getting myself into. I’ve learned so much about myself, my profession, and my writing though this process. There were certainly times I wanted to give up, and there were other times that I wanted to keep going into year two. It is very ironic that during the times I wanted to give up, I would run into someone who mentioned my blog to me. In addition, there were a few times that people would send me kind messages on Twitter, Voxer, Facebook and in the comment section. Words can’t express my gratitude for the support!

 

Here are my 10 lessons I learned from blogging everyday for a year:

  1. If you are committed, you can do anything. I set a goal and worked everyday to achieve it. Sometimes, it is that simple.
  2. The inspiration was the easiest part. If you open yourself up, and work with amazing kids and teachers, there is inspiration all around.
  3. Constant reflection is a blessing. I value the time spent thinking about how to be better, and how to make education better.
  4. It’s OK if you get a little ahead, or a little behind. Let’s face it, I had some really busy times throughout the year. There were times that I needed to post a few in advance, or afterwards.
  5. My biggest influence in this process was Seth Godin. He blogs everyday and many of the blogs are not more than a paragraph. Yet, his blog posts are so profound.
  6. Image searching is almost as fun as writing the post. I love Google Images, and when I needed something to support the post, I would find such amazing images. I always gave credit to the author or the site (I think that is very important).
  7. What you do most, you do best – As I said yesterday, if you really want to get better at something you have to put in the time and effort. Writing everyday forced me to write, write, and write! I probably spent about 5,o0o hours (10 – 15 minutes for 365 days) writing. I will be honest, I have a long way to go. I still have grammar, syntax and spelling issues. My editing skills are lacking.
  8. In order to be a better writer, you have to read! Many of my posts were inspired by something I read. I want to especially thank all of the other education bloggers out there sharing their knowledge!
  9. It became part of the family – My kids have been excited about this blog since I started three years ago. I can still remember my son when he was in 1st grade telling his teachers, “Follow my dad @drspikecook on Twitter and read his blog at drspikecook.com.” Sometimes the kids were the subject of the blog, and they love seeing themselves in here!
  10. You never know where this will take you – I always wanted to write a book, and because of blogging I have a published book and have another in process. I’ve been able to connect with thousands of other educators from around the globe. I have become better because of all this!!!

Thank you for all of your support on this project. I am excited for the new year and new beginnings. I won’t be blogging everyday, but I will keep blogging.

What you do most, you do best! Repeat (364:365)

source: 10000hours.com

source: 10000hours.com

Whether you are scrolling though Facebook, Google + or even Twitter, people generally post about their passions, or what they appear to be good at. Why is this? Is it because they are bragging, sharing, or keeping themselves accountable? It could be a little of each, but chances are they have set goals for themselves and they are striving to get there. The images and the posts mark their progress.

 

For instance, do some of your friends post pictures of working out all the time? It is very possible that they post to inspire themselves, others or they could be sharing strategies or even holding themselves accountable. It is also possible that they have had a time in their life when they struggled with working out and made a commitment to become better. According to Malcolm Gladwell in the book Outliers, most people are not “gifted” but rather they put in the hard work and effort to be successful. Gladwell, after culling through some research, settled on the 10,000 hour rule. If you are willing to spend 10,000 hours doing something, chances are you will be successful at it. Think about it, you didn’t become a great teacher (or administrator) over night. If you worked 40 hours a week, for 45 weeks (as a teacher) it would take you about 5 and 1/2 years to get your 10,000 hours.

 

How long is 10,000 hours? Since we only have 24 hours in a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year, there is only so much time to devote to 10,000. Taking the example from above, if your goal is be in optimum physical shape through working out, and you could only devote 2 hours a day, it would take you about 13 years to get to the 10,000 hours. Does this mean that it will take 13 years to get into shape? No. But I hope you realize that theoretically you would be far better off then when you began. The 10,000 hour rule has drawn a lot of criticism, but for the sake of this post, just remember, if you put in the time, you will get results.

 

So what are you willing to try in 2015? Are you willing to put in the time and effort (along with resources, assistance from others, and good old fashioned commitment)? Remember, a 1,000 mile journey begins with one step (or one hour).

I’m lovin Bloglovin (363:365)

source: bloglovin.com

source: bloglovin.com

Thanks to my pal Jessica Johnson, I learned about Bloglovin. We are writing a book with Theresa Stager on Isolation in Leadership. In one of the sections, we provide practical tips for getting connected. Jessica asked if anyone ever used Bloglovin, and I admitted that I hadn’t. So I joined. It felt like 2012 all over again!

 

I went to the site to sign up. It is super easy to connect Facebook or sign up on your own. Then you find three blogs to follow. Guess who I followed? The first 3 principals I ever followed on Twitter… Eric Sheninger, Curt Rees and Jessica Johnson. Once Bloglovin sees the 3 blogs you choose, they suggest others to follow. It was fun going through and following the blogs of my PLN.

 

Then, if you are using Chrome, you will get a nice little blue plus mark in the upper right-hand corner of your browser. After installing the app in Chrome, you can text it to your phone to get the app. Super easy, and now you don’t have to wait for the email when someone has posted something new.

 

Are you a blogger? Go to Bloglovin to get the widget for your sidebar. It will help readers connect with your blog when you post.

 

Give Bloglovin a try and let me know if you like it…

Big dreams from #stuconnect (362:365)

source: carolynandersonmd.com

source: carolynandersonmd.com

So there are a lot of adults weighing in on their big dreams and plans for 2015. Want to hear what the kids from around the world are saying?Want to hear some BIG DREAMS?

 

Check out this video featuring kids from the following areas:

Greenwood Elementary, Minnesota

Watkins Elementary, Texas

Colegrio International, Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela

Navasota Intermediate, Texas

Richfield High School, Minnesota

Warner Elementary, Michigan

Byram Intermediate, New Jersey

Oregon Middle School, Wisconsin

RM Bacon Elementary, New Jersey

Penngrove Elementary, California

Sandy Hill Elementary, Maryland

St. Paul Schools, Arkansas

Cantiague Elementary, New York

 


Thanks to Tony Sinanis, Brad Gustafson, and John Fritzky for putting this together!  Add to the conversation by using the hashtag #stuconnect and dream BIG!

Before you plan 2015, reflect on 2014 (361:365)

source: magazine.coffeetalk.com

source: magazine.coffeetalk.com

Still looking for the New Year’s resolution (or change, plan, etc)? Before you jump into the change you want to make, take a look at what you were able to accomplish in 2014.

 

Take a few minutes (might take longer) and go through your calendar, twitter feed, or Facebook timeline. Using your Social Networks makes it easy to scroll through the highlights (and low lights). Facebook even has a feature that will make a short flip for you or you can customize it.

 

As you do this, write down a few things so you can put it all in perspective:

  • What did you accomplish?
  • What were your awesome moments?
  • What would you like to do over?
  • Were there challenges based on time of the year?
  • Did you spend enough time with family, loved ones and friends?
  • Did you make time for your own personal growth?

 

Hopefully these questions will guide your reflection on 2014. Based on your responses, this could guide your plan for 2015.

Go chase waterfalls (360:365)

The waterfall at Ringwood State Park

The waterfall at Ringwood State Park

Remember the song Waterfalls by TLC from the 1990’s? I can’t believe that song is 20 years old. I’m getting old! In the chorus, TLC sings, Don’t go chasing waterfalls, please stick to the rivers and lakes that you’re used to. I know that TLC was talking about something different, but for the sake of this post, I think you should go chase a waterfall the next time you are on a hike 🙂

Our family went on a post Christmas hike at the Ringwood State Park in beautiful northern New Jersey. I’m so glad we chose to do this as opposed to battling the millions of people who traveled into New York City.

 

Early on in the hike, we came across a waterfall. It was’t huge (probably 30 feet drop) but it was captivating. We stayed there for some time taking in the sounds, watched the flow, and of course took some pictures.

 

I asked my daughter what she thought of the waterfall, and she quickly replied, “I loved it.” I asked her why and she said, “It was cool and awesome.” I have to agree with her. I could have sat there all day!

 

I thought more about the waterfall throughout the day. There are many interpretations of the waterfall. Some say it symbolizes movement, renewal, or even spiritual awakening. No matter the interpretation, the fact is that waterfalls are amazing to look at and are a treat to come across on a hike. Go chase a waterfall!

Merry Christmas! (359:365)

source: chopeh.deviantart.com

source: chopeh.deviantart.com

One of the awesome things about the holiday season is Christmas. It is especially thrilling when you have two children (ages 7 and 10) to spend it with. These kids spent months anticipating the day when they would get their wishes granted. I know that the holiday is not about presents and gifts, but from a child’s perspective there is probably not a better day in the year.

 

What I saw different this year was how my children were also interested in the art of giving. They were interested in getting special gifts for their teachers, cousins and good friends. The kids even wanted to go the store for that perfect gift for Mom and Dad. I was really surprised when they insisted on getting presents for each other. Can’t wait for next year!

 

 

Bring the magic alive (358:365)

Our Elves on the Shelves

Our Elves on the Shelves

Yesterday was the last day of school in 2014. It was quite a day. I love how our teachers are committed to bringing the magic alive for our students! The day started off with two visitors from the “North Pole.” Two of our teachers dressed up as Elfs on the Shelf. They wanted to be outside so the parents in the car line could see, but the rain prevented it. So we set them on top of the “shelf” in a classroom and had students visit before homeroom. Kids were in awe. Our transfer students said to me on the way out, “Wow, we never had anything like that at my old school.”

 

Then we hosted our annual Sing-A-Long. We packed the gym and sang all types of songs to get the kids in the Holiday Spirit. At the conclusion of the Sing-A-Long we got all of the staff members to come down in front of the students and we sang, “We wish you a Merry Christmas.”  We all had our arms on each other and we swayed back and forth. I literally got chills.

We then showed a movie to the students and everyone enjoyed the rest of the morning. All of the classrooms bought pizza for the kids and they enjoyed lunch as they shared presents with each other.

 

It was a magical day!

Early indication of Genius Hour? (357:365)

I was reading Lilly’s Purple Purse by Kevin Henkes the other night when I came across something that piqued my curiosity (no pun intended). The book, published in 1996, is a story about Lilly, an out of the bok thinker, who goes on an adventure. When she is in the classroom, there is a section the teacher established called the Lightbulb Lab – Where Great Ideas are Born. 

 

Whenever the students had free time, they were permitted to go to the Lightbulb Lab in the back of the classroom. The expressed their ideas creatively thorough drawing and writing. Lilly went there often. She had a lot of ideas. ~ Keven Henkes

 

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse

Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse

Sound familiar? To me it sounds like the modern day “Genius Hour” or “Makerspace” that schools and classrooms are implementing. Was this book ahead of it’s time? Or is this something that has been happening in schools for a long time and now has a name, blogs and videos to showcase?

 

 

All I know is whether it is called the Lightbulb Lab, Genius Hour or Makerspace, we need more of it… If only those state administered assessments that determine our future wouldn’t get in the way…. Who knows where we would be????