Are You Your School's Grumpy Cat?

I confess, at times I have been the grumpy cat at school. As I realized it, I would go through this handy checklist I once heard in a sermon to see why I wasn't at my best and being grumpy:
H Am I grumpy because I am HUNGRY? Did I eat breakfast? Lunch? 
A Am I ANGRY about something unresolved from my life and find it hard to maintain   professionalism? Need advice, counseling, etc? Meditation? This could also be ANXIOUS. What steps can I take to feel more optimistic? 
L Am I feeling LONELY and isolated? Is there a friendly face at school? Maybe the maintenance crew?
T Am I TIRED? Silly question. Teaching is a full on, multi-level challenge. We're always some kind of tired. But what am I doing about it? Delegating? Early bedtime? Deliberately choosing R and R? 

Maybe a person is just a Type A and generally judgmental and bossy. Give it some thought, Ms/Mr Type A--how productive is that, really? There is more control and power in kindness. You can manipulate others through achieving mutual success, and be looking so good yourself.

Here is what the web is saying, Grumpy Cat.  

How to Get Along With ANY Teaching Colleague

http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2012/06/15/how-to-get-along-with-any-colleague 

Teacher Collaboration in Culturally Responsive Schools 

http://www.niusileadscape.org/bl/teacher-collaboration-in-culturally-responsive-schools-by-anne-hynds/

Congenial or Collegial?

http://howtobeagreatteacher.com/uncategorized/congenial-or-collegial/ 

Moving from congeniality to collegiality 

http://edleaderlounge.blogspot.com/2011/02/moving-from-congeniality-to.html 

What I've Learned About Being a Good Collaborator

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching-while-leading/2014/12/what_ive_learned_about_being_a.html 

Collaborating with Colleagues: Being a Team Player 

http://inspiringteachers.blogspot.com/2009/10/collaborating-with-colleagues-being.html 

Not getting along with other teachers
http://www.proteacher.net/discussions/showthread.php?t=142850 

Taking Care of Teacher

Here is some information and health strategies to stay well and effective.

There has been a reappearance of whooping cough and measles, so be sure these immunizations, as well as the current flu shot, are updated for the new school year.  I'm serious--better be safe than really sick for a long time! 

Staying Healthy and Managing Stress While Teaching

http://www.advice-for-teachers.com/healthy.html 

Taking care of teacher is not as much fun as taking care of your kids-- but we aren't superheroes, so get your shots.

Adult Immunizations: What You Need

http://www.webmd.com/vaccines/adult-immunizations-what-you-need 

Information for Schools & Childcare Providers

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/ 

Why air purifiers are important in schools  

http://www.slideshare.net/simonbajaykrishnan/why-air-purifiers-are-important-to-schools

Teaching takes an inordinate amount of mental focus and emotional output. But what happens when teachers are stressed or deal with emotional or mental issues?

Being There for Students When You're Emotionally Unavailable

http://www.bamradionetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2113:being-there-for-students-when-youre-emotionally-unavailable&catid=105:teachers-aide&Itemid=299

When the Teacher Is Depressed

http://anniemurphypaul.com/blog/ 

Are you in shape? What's that you say, its none of my business? Well, it's your business--and your future. So get up out of that computer chair and get moving! You'll be very glad you did.

Benefits of Being Fit & Eating Well - The President's Challenge

https://www.google.com/search?q=teachers+being+physically+fit&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb#channel=sb&q=benefits+of+being+physically+fit&revid=1883628429&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official 

Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389 

That's what I'm talking about!

Teacher's Healthy Classroom Checklist

This schoolyear teachers, students, and families are faced with serious communicable health risks to every generation. The first precaution is timely and appropriate vaccinations. Then, teachers (and families) should provide healthy environments and experiences so students and staff are less likely to fall victim to this year's serious round of infectious diseases. Influenza is serious this year. Whooping Cough has made a comeback, with Measles coming right behind. When watching the news, its like a movie and you expect Dustin Hoffman to appear in full hazmat suit, particularly when patient zero spreads measles from Disneyland. What's a teacher to do?

Five Ways to a Cleaner, Healthier Classroom

http://www.nea.org/home/32002.htm 

Teaching Students Healthy Habits

http://www.nea.org/home/teaching-students-healthy-habits.html 

Strategies to Keep Schools Clean and Students Healthy

http://www.cleanlink.com/news/article/Strategies-to-Keep-Schools-Clean-and-Students-Healthy--14643 

More Fresh Air in Classrooms Means Fewer Absences

 http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2013/06/05/more-fresh-air-in-classrooms-means-fewer-absences/

Study: Classroom ventilation affects student performance 

http://www.utulsa.edu/academics/colleges/college-of-engineering-and-natural-sciences/departments-and-schools/Department-of-Chemical-Engineering/News-Events-and-Publications/News/2010/December/Classroom-Air-Study.aspx 

15 houseplants for improving indoor air quality

http://www.mnn.com/health/healthy-spaces/photos/15-houseplants-for-improving-indoor-air-quality/a-breath-of-fresh-air 

Vaccines are Effective 

http://www.vaccines.gov/basics/effectiveness/ 

Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report

  http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

Educational Links 11/4/18

The Difference Between Assessment Of Learning And Assessment For Learning

https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/the-difference-between-assessment-of-learning-and-assessment-for-learning/

Two Riddles To Get Students Practicing Problem Solving Tricks

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/52274/two-riddles-to-get-students-practicing-problem-solving-tricks

Reflections on Situated Learning vs. The Traditional School System

https://catlintucker.com/

Classroom Management: Let Students Select Stories

http://www.teachhub.com/classroom-management-let-students-select-stories

Getting Student Input on the Burden of Homework

https://www.edutopia.org/article/getting-student-input-burden-homework?utm_medium=socialflow&utm_source=facebook

10 Ways to Neutralize Your Child's Anger

https://www.additudemag.com/download/angry-child-teaching-emotional-control/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=parent&fbclid=IwAR2ooSKlNux1FsFg3Qsf3ELE_GeYz0DqDck45DN5r1lBbv6CljrhdKTGH7M

Teachers are first responders to the opioid crisis

https://hechingerreport.org/teachers-are-first-responders-to-the-opioid-crisis/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HechingerReport+%28Hechinger+Report%29

“My job as a teacher is to be a first responder to poverty. If my students learn other stuff, too, that’s great.”

Greg Cruey, teacher, Southside K-8 School, McDowell County, West Virginia

Educational Links 11/3/18

Why It's Time to Rethink School Science Fairs

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/50849/why-its-time-to-rethink-school-science-fairs

November Lessons and Training Tips for Teachers

https://blog.mimio.com/november-lessons-and-training-tips-for-teachers?fbclid=IwAR2Ckt_pe7sRQiKsGC7fCywcPaRnNy9KkW4qiTlCRcVCLNTsHZy7Rz7QXno

Technology for social justice

https://opensource.com/article/18/11/technology-social-justice?fbclid=IwAR2gkeS1nqlXLISY_Y0zZcC0dgGh5WDV7emgwpoDYJ5GXbOjGWelHFq_D7s

How Graphic Novels Can Help Kids With Reading Issues

https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/learning-at-home/encouraging-reading-writing/how-graphic-novels-can-help-kids-with-reading-issues?fbclid=IwAR2n63w-U3SLyFK77Y9e1yh2PBJAHu9HLN2uzfsZITu3ToFCnSda6HpUZm4

A Conversation with Susan Cain: Bringing Out the Best in Quiet Students

https://tophat.com/teaching-resources/webinars-and-videos/susan-cain/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=cain_webinar&utm_content=2b&fbclid=IwAR1d0Li8INkgCjRfYdmLnVnsNpeQAXKvdgQXcNvUrZIvIlOQpHi7a-AvaqY

Three Thanksgiving-Themed Activities To Do This Month

https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2018/11/three-thanksgiving-themed-activities-to.html?fbclid=IwAR0ZrlGH3aOVbEbZCfK655fi79G-jkGXOI8ReTRuTfxc7FR-3P2Wbow2gAA

What's the Right Amount of Homework? Many Students Get Too Little, Brief Argues

http://www.specialneedsdigest.com/2018/11/whats-right-amount-of-homework-many.html?fbclid=IwAR23IISsT8vgjYzfi4-0fhpr27sEdg5836OCamYRupYmQ9c6ZSF6Wix21OM

"Eliminating homework is probably not as big a problem for high-income kids, because they have parents who will expose them to what they may not be getting after school," Bempechat said in an interview with Education Week. "It's lower-income students who are hurt the most when people argue that homework should be entirely eliminated."

Educational Links 11/2/18

National Novel Writing Month
https://nanowrimo.org/dashboard

Making an Event out of Art

https://www.edutopia.org/article/making-event-out-art?utm_medium=socialflow&utm_source=facebook

The Difference Between Dysgraphia and Expressive Language Issues

https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-disabilities/dysgraphia/the-difference-between-dysgraphia-and-expressive-language-issues?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg&fbclid=IwAR3TlCCA4YxkKcJAwnked47alnAwxNGICMRFtXjYT1yovzd4SSyAQ6EgJTo

Motivation and Engagement in Student Assignments

https://edtrust.org/resource/motivation-and-engagement-in-student-assignments/?fbclid=IwAR3e8P-1lKPaFVLQh_xCjVB34BNeN6wMuLuAqFTDm1h06SyNYIorLMpUtUs

Social Media As A Learning Tool: Five Suggested Uses for the Classroom

https://www.frontierinternet.com/gateway/social-media-learning-tool/?fbclid=IwAR3MxE_lBz6srz-ZiRVBuHVIqTgq5JI3sNRFe6eZVpn6plKS98JUhROni5k

7 ways to teach civil discourse to student

https://theconversation.com/7-ways-to-teach-civil-discourse-to-students-105724

The Batman Effect: What My Research Shows About Pretend Play and Executive Functioning

https://www.understood.org/en/community-events/blogs/expert-corner/2016/05/30/the-batman-effect-what-my-research-shows-about-pretend-play-and-executive-functioning?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=understoodorg&fbclid=IwAR3665HxVr_3260LpGB2hxNTrz72qeJI7fDXNgCr9FZ-NqQokZO75PZuREU

“Batman never gets frustrated.”

That’s a key insight we got from our research on executive functioning and pretend play. And it came from a 4-year-old in my research lab. Let me explain.

Executive functioning is a set of brain skills. These skills allow us to manage our thoughts, actions and emotions. 

Want To Be Cool? Listen To This

Baltimore by Palmer Hayden

Detroit Jackson - Cookin' Boox

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7RtzJMDMVM

 I realize this was on a commercial, but the music was so compelling that I actually watched the commercial to find the music on google. That's what google's for, right?