Positive Thinking Thursday {1-15-15}

It's Thursday, which means its' time for Positive Thinking Thursday.  Thanks for visiting!

In my 4th grade classroom, we have been working on developing a growth mindset -- the idea that mistakes are OK, we learn by trying, and even if we don't 'have it' yet, we will! My students have been super awesome with this so when I saw this quote, I knew it was perfect for this week's Positive Thought:

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As an added bonus this week, I'd like to share a short video that was shared with me on a Twitter chat earlier this week.  The topic was using our time to do those things that are most important to us.  If you have about 3 minutes, I hope you will watch:

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Wishing you an amazing day!

Positive Thinking Thursday {1-08-15}

Welcome to this week's Positive Thinking Thursday.  I hope you are having a great week back.

I saw this clip on Twitter and knew it just had to be shared:

As teachers, we are entrusted with a tremendous gift every day.  Isn't this what it's all about?

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Have a wonderful day! Stay warm!!

Positive Thinking Thursday {1-01-15}

Happy New Year!!  Welcome to the dawn of 2015...It's going to be a great year!  Thank you for stopping by today for Positive Thinking Thursday.  I think it's a great way to start your year off right!

I saw this on Twitter and thought it was SO appropriate for this first Positive Thinking Thursday of the year:

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Have a wonderful day and a blessed 2015!  I'm looking forward to learning with you in the new year.

Positive Thinking Thursday {12-18-14}

Happy Thursday, friends!  Just two more days until Winter Break begins.  That is the inspiration for this week's Positive Thoughts.  I hope you find some giggles here today!

So far this week, my students have been doing a great job of hanging in there.  We have stayed busy, which helps... a lot!  But I know not everyone is experiencing this bliss, so in honor of this week before Winter Break, I present this week's Positive Thoughts!

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I wish you a great last part of the week.  We can do this!!

See you next Thursday for Positive Thinking Thursday Winter Break Edition.  :)

Positive Thinking Thursday {12-11-14}

Thanks for stopping by for Positive Thinking Thursday, my weekly linky party where you can share your positive thoughts with all of us.  I am so glad you're here!

We have seven school days left until winter break.  We are lucky and have two full weeks off.  I'm sure the time will go quickly, so I want to make sure that I spend time doing the things that I want to do.  I don't want to get to the end of break and ask, "Where did all the time go?"

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How are you planning on spending your break?

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Wishing you a wonderful day!

Twelve is the Magic Number & Positive Thinking Thursday {12-04-14}

Happy Thursday, everyone!  I'm so glad you stopped by today.  I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving!

Before I get to this week's positive thought, I wanted to share a very quick, easy & fun writing activity that you can do today -- The Twelve Word Poem.

Why do you need to do it TODAY?  Because December is the 12th month and there are 12 days of school left before winter break.  (Really, you could do this any time, I just thought it would be fun to try to make as many connections as possible!)

Here are the guidelines:

• Your poem can only have twelve words.
• It must be about December.
• It must make sense.

That's it!

Here is the poem my students and I wrote together to get warmed up:

It's hard to see, but I wrote twelve lines on the board so we were sure to only use twelve words.

We have been studying a mentor poem each week, so the students thought it would be a good idea to put in some line breaks for emphasis:

After they wrote their poem, they typed them up, added a graphic if they wanted, and printed them out for their writing treasure chests.  Here are a few of their poems:

This was a great quick writing activity that even reluctant writers enjoyed because they only had to come up with twelve words.  I hope you will give it a try today!  (I'd love to hear how it goes if you do!)

And now for this week's Positive Thinking Thursday thought:

Life is crazy, crazy, crazy, isn't it?  I hope you will take a few minutes to stop and take in the beauty that surrounds you today and every day.

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Wishing you an amazing day!

Positive Thinking Thursday {11-20-14}

Wowza!  It's Thursday again, which means it's time for some positive thinking!  Thanks for joining me today.

This week's positive thought is in honor of one of my favorite teachers EVER -- Dr. Corey Thompson.  Corey was my classroom management instructor when I went back to school to get my teaching certification.  He is amazing!  This is one of my favorite quotes from Corey:

This would be a good one to share with your students, especially since we are getting to 'that time of year' when effort starts to wane.

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Positive Thinking Thursday will be on holiday next week, enjoying turkey and pumpkin pie!  I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Positive Thinking Thursday {11-13-14}

Hi everyone!  Thanks for stopping by.

This week, it's going to be short and sweet for me.

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And remember that after the darkness comes light...

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Positive Thinking Thursday {11-06-14}

Happy Thursday, friends!

Well, here we are in November and if there is a common theme running through the month, it is the reminder to be thankful for what we have.

I am so very blessed.

* My family is healthy.
* I have a job I love.
* My students challenge and engage me.
* I work with wonderful colleagues.
* I have a warm home with anything I need.

I could go on and on....

How about you?

I am participating in a 30 day blogging challenge over at Teach Thought Online Community.  These reflections are posted on my writing blog, Sweet Writing Life.  It's not too late to join up to share your #attitudeofgratitude.

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Wishing you a day full of blessings!

Positive Thinking Thursday {10-30-14}

Happy Positive Thinking Thursday!

What do you think of my new button?  :)

It is no secret on my 4th grade team that I am not a "math person."  I get it, but it takes a little more brain power than other things I teach.  I like to think that this puts me in touch with my students who struggle with or dislike math. I can understand what they don't understand because I've been there. (There's some positivity!)

So in honor of all of this, I am going the funny route this week with my positive thinking and poking a little fun at math.  Some of you may relate to these funnies as much as I did (I hope!).

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Seriously, I DO enjoy teaching math, but these were too good to pass up.  Watch out grammar...I'm coming for you next!

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Wishing you an amazing day full of lots of laughter!

Positive Thinking Thursday {10-23-14}

Happy Thursday!  Thanks for stopping by for Positive Thinking Thursday!

Life sure is crazy these days!  Lesson plans, report cards, parent-teacher conferences, assessments....the list goes on and on.  Some days I wonder if I will make it through to see the other end of November.

If we stop to think about all that is going on, it can be overwhelming. Focusing on what is going well -- and things that we can control --  will help us get through it!

I'll admit it...I am a natural-born worrier.  I think it comes with the territory of being a firstborn child. But I'm trying hard to overcome that and to only focus on now, letting everything else work itself out on its own.

It's not easy, but I'm working on it.

This week's positive thought is dedicated to all the worriers {like me} out there:

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So don't let that list of things that you have to do or things you can't control paralyze you, stopping you from doing those things that are within your control.  Worrying about them won't get you anywhere. 

Instead, use that rocking chair to read a book or watch a sunset.  

You'll feel much better in the end.

And those things you worried about?  They are going to work themselves out in their own way, in their own time -- without you.

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Wishing you a wonderful day without any worries!

Positive Thinking Thursday {10-16-14}

It's Thursday which means we've almost made it to the weekend!  :)  Welcome to another week of Positive Thinking Thursday.  I hope you find some inspiration here and leave a little yourself!

This week, I am featuring another positive thought that can apply to both you and your students:

We have spent a lot of time in my classroom talking about goal setting.  Many of my kiddos think that just by simply stating a goal, it will magically happen.

I wish!

Nope, goals require action.  But first, we must decide that there is something within us that we want to change.

Is there something in your life that needs some action?

Food for thought!

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Have a wonderful day!!

Positive Thinking Thursday {10-9-14}

Happy Thursday and welcome to Positive Thinking Thursday, my weekly linky party where you can share a positive thought with the rest of us.  I am glad you are here.  :)

This week's positive thought is all about baby steps....

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The important thing is to just BEGIN.  

What are you waiting for?

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Have a wonderful day!