Monday Motivators!

It's already March!! 

That could be the only item on my list of motivators today.  

March means...

• Spring is around the corner. 
• The school year is around the corner. 
• Meg & Max's visit is around the corner. 
• Our possible move to Chicago is around the corner. 
• A lot of my friends will be bringing new babies into the world very soon. 

Additionally, the following motivators are charging me up 

this lovely Monday morning: 

 Spring is is showing its face all over my apartment.  

Check out the babies sprouting from my favorite household plants. 

 

 After 8 months of patiently waiting, I'm finally getting to begin some INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP this week!!!

 I'll be modeling, co-teaching, & facilitating conversations around guided reading, which is small group reading lessons for students at a particular reading level.  A typical classroom usually has students who need to be split up into about 4-5 groups. It's a classroom management nightmare if you don't have someone experienced to coach you. 

It's also the heart and sole of teaching children to read. 

BE STILL MY HEART. 

I'll also follow the same model as I conduct professional development on writing workshop. I have been dreaming about this and planning for this for so long now...I hope I'll be albe to follow through from now until May. These are my two favorite parts of teaching. 

I used to take writing workshop outside when the weather was nice. I love being outside and the kids get a kick out of doing "work" out there...the same place they go to play.

 I desperately miss having direct contact with teaching. 

This week, that will change. 

And next year if I'm really, really lucky, I'll get to do it even more often. 

It's what I was meant to do. 

This is probably the best time of year in New Orleans--weather wise. 

It's pretty brisk in the morning (high 40s) and then the sun peeks out and warms everything. 

By recess, the kids don't even need their jackets,

and on the weekends, I can sit on my porch & read my book without drenching my clothes in sweat. You go outside a bit chilly and then the close Southern sun warms you like a blanket. 

Any woman who says she doesn't do this (except our mom) is lying. 

This image much sums up me this weekend as I tried to 

indulge in LIFE a bit.  

As summer approaches, my mindset tends to lean this way. During this high-stress period of settling on next year's career plans, I need to stay focused in this way...thinking about my relaxing weekend keeps me centered during the week. 

Finally, I'll be basking in pride all week because on Saturday I set a new 

personal record in a 5K, finishing the 3.1 mile course in 24:30. 

I came in 5th overall for females an FIRST in my age division!!!  

I was also listed in the awards category on the race event site. 

There are no pictures from this race posted yet, 

but I'll share when they're up! 

I hope you all have something motivating you this week!