Sunday, December 8, 2013

Always Striving For Personal Excellence


The title of my blog is Teacher Excellence: Passion, Planning, and Perseverance.

I got the three P's last year, while researching a lesson for my "Dream It and Achieve It" Unit. I was watching a video by Homer Hickam, author of The Rocket Boys. The video inspired me, and rung true to my own passion as an educator.

In this post, I will revisit the 3 P's, knowing that sometimes, we all need a little reminder on what it means to be excellent.

Check it out....
http://youtu.be/Q4buVVdcBcY

Passion: The definition of passion changes daily for me I think. I do believe education is absolutely my element. I do love it, maybe too much at times, because it can interfere with a balanced family life. I'm still striving for excellence in this area, but I know that it is all about setting priorities and being proactive in the right ways.

Check out this video on being in your element...
http://youtu.be/xQrPviAAd4c

Don't Let Your Laddar Lean Against The Wrong Wall...
As a person seeking excellence, I must make sure my priorities are straight, and my personal mission statement is the focus. For me, God and family come first. But, do I always demonstrate that in the actions I take? Not always. Sometimes, I put work ahead of family, which is understandable, but cannot be a habit or I risk pushing my family away.

Check out the following video, which illustrates the importance of character and trust...
 http://youtu.be/ACukmJ_5HSo

Planning: This element of excellence is an absolute necessity for the field of education as well as home life, but it can be difficult. Personally, I struggled with organization for years. As a result, I commit myself at work to spend the extra time needed to make sure that I'm on top of things. However, at home, I can easily get distracted by various projects, and things like grocery shopping falls off the to do list. However, unless I want my family to eat peanut butter everyday, I must plan accordingly.

The following video is a different perspective. It highlights the hum drum reality of daily life, and how we can choose to react to it. Hopefully, we all look for the positives in our daily routines.
http://youtu.be/DaVrn1Sz0H8

Personally, I still love the Covey organizing system as far as planning goes. It just works for me...
http://youtu.be/ODyG5lKbH08

Perseverance: I don't believe anyone can make it in education if he/she doesn't have the strong commitment to persevere passed the difficult days. But, the same can be true for marriage and family. Everyday will not be a blissful experience. Our students can be challenging as well as our spouses and children. It's just the way it is. People of excellence know that, are willing to face those challenges, and make the most of it, knowing that life isn't all "sunshine and rainbows," as Rocky is quoted as saying. However, although difficult, the joys override the trials every time. The best things in life never come easily.

Clips for women who need to stay focused and persevere:
Lead Your Home
http://youtu.be/w3og4gXr7Pc
7 Secrets of a Confidant Woman by Joyce Meyer
http://youtu.be/DpsEZdI0pNw













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