A Look Back: ADHD Diagnosis, Bullet Journal, Cube Timers, Brain Dump, Growth Mindset, Katie's Teacher Tea, & Encouraging Words

At the beginning of 2018 I had the goal of trying to a monthly post, but I had such a difficult time trying to keep up with posting on the last day of the month...whenever I do blog, it takes me a long time, usually several different times of sitting down and working on the photo collages I make, the subtitles, writing, and adding links.  I got so very discouraged...this post was originally started back in April, but wasn't close to being ready to publish...then I thought I would combine April & May, then I just abandoned it...I want to put it out there though, even if just one person benefits from it, then it is worth it.  I am sorry for my lack of consistency.  I hope to share a few more things as I look back at the 2017-2018...if nothing else I will have a record for me to look back at in the future.

April 2 I got my official ADHD Diagnosis...so what does that mean now?  Well, I have been watching lots of videos on YouTube, these are all channels that I have subscribed to...

listened to podcasts, these are some I subscribe to...

I subscribe to ADDitude Magazine's email...they send multiple great articles a week...

I also have been reading several books as well Answers to Distraction is by Dr. Hallowell {two of the podcasts above are his, & I have heard him as a guest on other shows} The Healing Power of the Breath was recommended by Dr. Hallowell, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is mainly because I teach at  Leader in Me School, but it fits with so much of what I am learning about my brain & more...now, I did also buy Taking Charge of Adult ADHD by Dr. Russell A. Barkley, but ....hmmm...not sure where it is!! {very ADHD}

I am learning all I can about ADHD, how my brain works, and how to make my life better/how to address the challenges I have struggled with my whole life...so, these are some of the things I am doing/using....

I had seen on Instagram & Pinterest pictures of Bullet Journals & I thought it seemed like way too much work, but then I watched the How to ADHD episode about Bullet Journals and saw them in a whole new light...it has structure & flexibility...everything is in one place...it can be simple or creative...I first started with a 70-page spiral binder to see if it would work for me...I really liked it and switched to what you see above..I have my mission statement taped to the inside cover, the next picture is of my index {the beauty of the Bullet Journal...you can put things anywhere, you just list it in the Index so you can find it easily}, next is a picture of half of my weekly/daily log {including my tracking of being In the Word before in the World}, next I have a page about my Word for 2018~Joy, as I shared above, I am reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People & as I was reading I was struck by his idea of there being 'Lighthouse Principles' & so I did my own sketch note for that idea, one of my traits that seems to be a common ADHD trait is that I get really excited about things...for me frequently it is something new I have discovered, usually tied to learning &/or technology...I decided to periodically write down what I a currently excited about and date it, at the back of my Bullet Journal I am keeping a Book Log & Tracker...so far I am really liking my Bullet Journal & I feel like it is the right balance of organization/structure & creativity/freedom for me.

I can't remember where I first learned about the cube timer, but I started purchasing them as a part of my subscribe & save with Amazon, and I am loving them...for me it is a great tool to keep me on track for short amounts of time before and after school {more about that in the next section}...I like that they are tactile & I am not focused on the countdown like I sometimes am with a digital timer...I also love using them with my class!

I created this in the fall to help me get focused on what I need to do RIGHT NOW...I tend to use this before & after school, and at home on the weekends...I try to list only a few things at a time on the left with how much I want to accomplish {grade 5 papers} or for how long {7 min. organizing a specific area of my classroom}...as I am tempted to pull away to another task or when something pops into my mind when I am working, I list it in the brain dump~right side and that way I can come back to it later.  It has been a simple helpful tool for me.

I have been fascinated by Growth Mindset for several years, I love ClassDojo's video series about Growth Mindset is one of my favorite things about ClassDojo!  This board is a hybrid of two different sets that Amie has to offer...the first is from her store Glitter Meets Glue...I saw the glittery brain & got so excited that I bought it...I didn't take the time to READ the whole title...

then I found in her other TpT store PhotoClipz she had one for any classroom, but I couldn't resist using the glittery brain from the first set!...also, our school is a Leader in Me school & with Habit 1 we talk about using Proactive Language which fits with Growth Mindset perfectly!  This is one of my favorite boards in my classroom! {Amie has given permission to share this on my blog post...there just may be a new glittery version coming for regular classrooms ;-) I will add a link for it if and when that happens}

Katie Knight is one of the sweetest and kindest people I have met in the online teaching community...this spring for the third year she hosted a lovely tea for Southern California teachers in her beautiful home...it was wonderful to visit with old friends and meet new ones...and the food was incredible!  Such a wonderful afternoon!

To end this post, I have this taped into my Bullet Journal, it comes from the end of Jessica McCabe's TED talk and it is a reminder that I frequently need to reread. 

GYTO ~ Get Your Teach On National Conference

Last week I was so blessed to attend the Get Your Teach On National Conference in San Diego.  This conference was started by Deanna Jump & Hope King.  The focus of the conference was student engagement.  There were so many amazing presenters!  The energy was incredible during the whole 2 1/2 days!  2,500 teachers were pumped about teaching and you could see it, feel it, and hear it!

I was so glad to see my online & Teacher Meet Up friend Amy! We were in the 3rd-grade sessions together!  Melissa, my good friend, and first-grade teacher at my school attended the conference with me.  It was fun to spend time together and share about how this could have a positive impact on our school! We have already met once to share our thoughts, ideas, & inspiration from the conference.

I loved the whole 80s Rock Theme of the conference...we were even treated to an Arrowsmith cover band, Arrowmyth, to get us pumped up!  Hope and Wade King {they both teach at the Ron Clark Academy & coauthored The Wild Card} shared/presented together for the whole group as well as presenting in grade level sessions.  

For our grade level time we were in tables of 10, and we didn't just sit and listen, we sang, did call & responses with the presenters, did a breakout, worked with manipulatives, played games, had costumes, {glow glasses, lego glasses, spy hats & glasses, & superhero masks!} & worked together while having a BLAST!  I hope my students this coming year have as much fun learning as I did at this conference!

I loved ALL of our keynote speakers, but I have found myself reflecting on & pondering so many of the things that Michael Bonner said.  He became known for being on the Ellen Show {twice} after a video his 2nd-grade students made went viral.  Michael has such a huge heart for his students and it shows.  He found ways to help them have significant academic growth, but beyond that, seeing the joy & love in his students' faces tells the story I want to learn from! I have bought the Kindle version of his book Get Up or Give Up and have begun reading it. I am now following him on social media & I look forward to learning from him.

I was super excited to learn about Unicef's KID POWER program and I am super excited for my students to make a difference in the world just by getting up and moving to short videos, Kid Power Ups {brain break type videos similar to GoNoodle} & I have the app on my phone that is earning food packs called RUFTs for Guatemalans...if you know me or have been around my blog at all, you will know that my heart is connected to Guatemala & it thrills me that just walking can help others there!

It was great to see and talk to Deanna Jump again, she has such a big heart and touching story, see Hope King again {and although she has now met literally thousands of teachers across the country she did remember me from the previous times we had met} and meet & talk withWade King. Many of the individuals who are a part of Get Your Teach On have written books, presented a numerous conferences, and are connecting with thousands of teachers through social media...for one main purpose to encourage & help teachers so that our students are learning and growing...they are creating an Education Revolution!!  Check out the Rock Your School Event and join in too! (you can start by searching for the Facebook group Get Your Teach On & then you can learn about The Rock Your School Event happening Sept. 20)

Some of the Staff of GYTO included:

Hope and Wade King The Wild Card 

@_wadeking @elementaryshenanigans

Deanna Jump @mrsjumpsclass

Michael Bonner Get Up or Give Up

@michaelbonner_

Chris Pombonyo @chrispombonyo

Todd Nesloney Stories from Webb, Sparks in the Dark, Kids Deserve It!

@techninjatodd

Adam Dovico Inside the Trenches: An Educator's Guide for What You CAN Do in the Classroom, The Limitless School: Creative Ways to Solve the Culture Puzzle

@adamdovico

Lanesha Tabb @apron_education

Joe Dombrowski @mrdtimes3

Nicholas Ferroni @nicholasferroni

I have names linked to their YouTube Channels, Books they have written or co-written underlined (not linked) & Instagram name listed

BTW

@the.apple.basket.teacher is ME! {on Instagram}

LATE February & March Post...Only Hours Left of Spring Break, But it is Done!

I know that it is now the beginning of April...I am giving myself some grace...it's spring break & I will keep working on this until I am ready to hit the publish button...it was my goal for 2018 to post at the end of every month...the end of February I had been sick and dealing with some other things so this is my post for both February & March...Well, now it is Sunday night, the END of spring break...I managed to avoid most of the things on my 'Spring Break To Do List' including working on this blog...I did spend time with family, relaxed, and accomplished some other things...so here it is February & March...

In February I was able to go to a Leader in Me Symposium with 3 others from my school.  It was a great couple of days in San Diego.  We stayed at Town & Country Inn... we enjoyed the atmosphere complete with guard bunnies, flamingos, & large rubber duckies in a fountain!

My son Andrew is a freshman at CBU...he has played the sousaphone in the pep band & I went to several of the basketball games...this little guy is my grandson...we have been his guardians since November...he is such a joy & he loved visiting Uncle Andrew at his college...Uncle Andrew also enjoyed showing off his nephew to some of his friends during one of our visits.

A major highlight in February was attending the 3rd Annual Teachers Take Meet Up!  It was so wonderful to see dear friends & meet new ones.  We had a wonderful time and I am so grateful to the 'Fab Four' who have planned these great Meet Ups!

Later in February, our school had its 3rd Leadership Day...our theme was 'Why fit in when you were born to stand out'  the students did a great job as we had community members and staff from other schools visit for the day.

I met Katie at a Teacher Get Together Tea 2 years ago & have followed her adventures of the last year as her husband played Iago in the Traveling Cast of Aladdin...she went with Reggie & it was so fun to see her pictures of the places they went and hear about her journey...well, Aladdin came to Southern California & Katie was able to offer a special deal for friends & family...I asked my good friend Linda if she would like to go & take our daughters...we did...it was AMAZING!!!  We had dinner with Katie & Reggie after the performance & Linda's daughter shared how she had made the costumes for her high school's production of Aladdin & how she wants to be a Theater Major with an emphasis in costume design...Reggie invited us backstage!!!!  It was so wonderful, a memory none of us will ever forget!

In March, our 3rd & 4th-grade classes had a field trip to Legoland...it is about a 3+ hour bus ride to get there...I had been sick for a while with a sore throat & cough, but it turned out to be a great day for everyone...I highly recommend the ramen, it was all freshly made and the perfect thing to eat!!! The only major challenge...we were supposed to be back around 7...we got back around 9:30!...the buses refueled, EVERY child had to use the restroom at that stop, & traffic!  In spite of the long day, I know the students had a fantastic time!

In my last post I shared about Jessica McCabe's TED Talk & how my life was impacted by it...well, in March I got to meet her!!!  I love her YouTube channel 'How to ADHD'...it was also Tyler's 3rd birthday...he loved meeting Jessica's dog Chloe, had fun riding the train with his uncle & daddy, and getting a chance to spend time with his dad...we enjoyed his birthday dinner at Rainforest Cafe...it was a GOOD day!!

I love when things just seem to fit together!!  This school year I read & enjoyed Wonder & saw the movie...then I read A Fish in a Tree...both are EXCELLENT books & if you haven't read them, I HIGHLY recommend them both...I gave A Fish in a Tree to my principal to read, and then gave it to one of our 6th grade teachers...the 5th & 6th grade classes had read and seen Wonder & I thought Fish in a Tree would be a great follow up to Wonder...in Wonder the main character is a boy in Fish in a Tree it is a girl...the title is based on the quote supposedly said by Albert Einstein, "Everyone has genius, but if you judged a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it would spend its life feeling stupid"  The book deals with a girl with Dyslexia...the 6th grade teacher not only read the book, she read it to her whole class & they loved it too...at the same time Jessica from How to ADHD came out with her first song, Try Different (the Fish Song){based on the quote as well}...it all fit so well!!!  Okay, if you are reading this in the first 24 hours...possible typos!!  I just want to hit publish & get to bed!! {By the way, over break I WAS diagnosed with ADHD...the beginning of a new adventure for me!}

January Post~My Word for the Year & ADHD

I know that today is FEBRUARY 1st, but since I only came up with the idea of trying to post the last day of the month just a few days ago, I am giving myself some grace.  I figured that way I can collect ideas during the month, add to it as things happen and then publish on the last day of the month.  I think this might be the right plan for me.  I really do want to blog, even if it is just for me to look back at years from now. I do enjoy blogging when I don't let myself get stressed out or overwhelmed.

 Back in 2014, I decided to go with the idea of choosing a word for the year.  I had seen them being posted all over the web, and I really had been struggling with feeling 'stuck'...I didn't want to use the word 'unstuck' and  I was praying about it.  It was like a thought that whispered in me, "ASK me to get you unstuck" and I knew ASK was meant to be my word.

I followed it up with 'SEEK', but apparently never made a graphic for it. 

SEEK

The following year 'FIND' made sense...

I was so glad that 'NEXT' was my word for 2017.  It started out with some major personal challenges, and seemed to continue that way all year...I just tried to focus on the NEXT thing.  There were many blessings and joys in 2017, but many struggles as well.

 My 2018 word came to me during a time of prayer too.  I had it just kind of come to me, but once the word was in my mind, it was anchored in my heart...I feel so excited and blessed that 'JOY' is my word this year.  I have written out 4 key verses with JOY in them.  I have created these prints as a special fundraiser for an amazing ministry that I hope to share about soon.

 My last few weeks have been consumed with researching about ADHD.  It all started with this TED Talk:

I realized that I was relating to so much of what Jessica was saying...I found her YouTube Channel 'How to ADHD' and I have watched a TON of her videos, as well as other videos, podcasts, articles.  You would think as a teacher of 30 years I would KNOW what ADHD was...I mean I have had kids that were diagnosed with ADHD or that I suspected would be...most of them with signs that were obvious in the classroom...I learned there is so much more to it...so many things that I have struggled with my whole life...always feeling broken, that there was something missing in me, defective...I am on a waiting list to see a psychiatrist who had been recommended by someone I know.  I don't know if medication is in my future or not.  Jessica has an episode in which she talks about running out of her medication and what it was like for her...I cried watching it...I am hoping to create a ADHD Teacher Tribe on Facebook...please contact me if you can relate...I would love to connect!

 See you on IG or at the end of this month!!