A Teacher's Ruminations

#DigiLitSunday purpose This is a word that demands attention.  Commitment.  Focus.  Seriousness.  purpose   We all seek purpose in our lives.  Without purpose we are lost. Stranded. Without purpose we have no direction.  That's why we look for something or someone to give us the praise - validation -  that we sometimes desperately seek.  The validation that will reassure us our lives have purpose.  But, external validation is not what we need. As a mom, my purpose is to support my children as they carve out unique paths in the world. Although I cautiously dole out advice, it is just that. Advice. What my children do with it, and everything else they encounter, is what makes their life their own.  As a young mom, I was drawn to Khalil Gibran's poem about how parents are simply conduits for their children to this life. As they grow older, we need to let them go.  They need to mak...

How do I focus?   #DigiLitSunday This is a great question with several entry points and no easy answers.  I could write about how I stay focused, or not, by getting things done despite a myriad external and internal work demands.  Or, I could write about how I maintain a focus on what matters .  Or, I could write about how I make effective use of my time and stay on task.  Focusing is a disciplined response to something important or valuable. As a result, focusing is about paying attention and following through, no matter what else is going on at the time.  Truth #1: I have a hard time focusing on just one thing.   Truth #2:  It's really hard to focus on more than one thing without compromising something else. Starting a project is easy. However, completing a project is not. Yet, the satisfaction of having done so is what makes it all worthwhile. Truth #3: I take on way too many projects and responsibilities an...