The last five days..... of Reflect 31

We ended the last blog with your one word.

8/26/19 - Day 26: Reflect on the feelings you have about this coming school year…… if you had one word to describe your hopes for the year, what would it be? #oneword

My #oneword - LOVE ---- we need to send kindness and love out to students and educators #teachkindness #teachkindness #buildempathy #buildempathy #edchat #edchat #K12ArtChat #K12ArtChat #creativelyconnectededu #creativelyconnectededu @peterhreynolds

So on the way to work this morning I was contemplating my answer, Love and turned on One by U2. (Not sure if we've ever shared this but Matt and are big fans of U2. Their message of activism, service and love speaks to both of us.)

Yup ...we have One Love One Life in each other's handwriting on our wrists

The song One invokes so many feelings for me......... and I usually tear up.

One by U2

One love One blood One life You got to do what you should One life With each other Sisters and my brothers One life But we're not the same We get to carry each other, carry each other

One, one One, one

One One love, one life

My answer for day 26; one word for the year is LOVE. When it all boils down we are one, one community, one very connected globe and those of in education have chosen to take this idea very seriously. In our strange and turbulent times, Love is what we need more of, our students need to see caring, compassion and kindness modeled. These kids will be a part of highly connected global community and they will need to navigate a radically changing world. A path that will be so much easier for them with an open heart, that is empathetic and full of love.

After listening to One, one more time. It gave me the idea to use songs as our reflection inspiration for the last five days of Reflect 31.

8/27/19 - Day 27: Reflect on the uniqueness of your students, how do you encourage them to be who they are meant to be? To be proud of the person they are?

This is Me by Keala Settle, The Greatest Showman Ensemble

Songwriters: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out I am brave, I am bruised I am who I'm meant to be, this is me Look out 'cause here I come And I'm marching on to the beat I drum I'm not scared to be seen I make no apologies, this is me

and I know that I deserve your love (Oh-oh-oh-oh) 'cause there's nothing I'm not worthy of (Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh) When the sharpest words wanna cut me down I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out This is brave, this is proof This is who I'm meant to be, this is me

Look out 'cause here I come (look out 'cause here I come) And I'm marching on to the beat I drum (marching on, marching, marching on) I'm not scared to be seen I make no apologies, this is me

8/28/19 - Day 28: Reflect on being humble and kind in your career and in your classroom? How do you share this with your colleagues and students?

Humble and Kind by Tim McGraw

Songwriter: Lori Mckenna

Hold the door say please say thank you Don't steal, don't cheat, and don't lie I know you got moutains to climb but Always stay humble and kind When the dreams you're dreamin' come to you When the work you put in is realized Let yourself feel the pride but Always stay humble and kind

Don't expect a free ride from no one Don't hold a grudge or a chip and here's why Bitterness keeps you from flying Always stay humble and kind

8/29/19 - Day 29: Reflect on your classroom community, how do you teach students that they are better together, that they are smarter and stronger when they corporate and collaborate?

Love Wins by Carrie Underwood

Songwriters: David Arthur Garcia / Brett James / Carrie Underwood

When everybody's gotta pick a side It don't matter if you're wrong or right, no And so it goes, but I hold onto hope and I won't let go 'cause

I, I believe you and me are sisters and brothers And I, I believe we're made to be here for each other And we'll never fall if we walk hand in hand Put a world that seems broken together again Yeah I, I believe in the end love wins

Sometimes it takes a lot of faith To keep believing there will come a day When the tears and the sadness, the pain and the hate The struggle, this madness, will all fade away, yeah

I, I believe you and me are sisters and brothers And I, I believe we're made to be here for each other And we'll never fall if we walk hand in hand Put a world that seems broken together again Yeah I, I believe in the end love wins

8/30/19 - Day 30: Reflect on your daily routine, it's full of ups and downs sometimes your feel great and sometimes you feel beat down? How do you remember to see the bright side and remember the beautiful moments the beautiful days?

Beautiful Day by U2

It's a beautiful day Don't let it get away It's a beautiful day

Touch me Take me to that other place Teach me I know I'm not a hopeless case

See the world in green and blue See China right in front of you See the canyons broken by cloud See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out See the Bedouin fires at night See the oil fields at first light and See the bird with a leaf in her mouth After the flood all the colors came out