Celebrate This Week

I’m joining up with Ruth Ayres for her weekly link-up, Celebrate This Week. Check out all of the posts linked up at her blog HERE. Thanks for starting this, Ruth!

Thursday I had a colonoscopy. Not typically a reason to celebrate, but celebrate I am. One, I’m done for another five years. Two, hospitals are one of my triggers for anxiety, but I did it anyway. Three, the results were good – always a reason to celebrate. Four, I was reminded of the power of connection.

Several friends knew I had this scheduled this week. Some shared shakes with me so I could eat lighter on Tuesday, making prep easier Wednesday. I had entertaining texts on Wednesday during my prep when I needed a laugh. And friends checked in with me Thursday morning when they knew I’d be arriving at the hospital and beginning to freak out a bit. Connection means a lot.

I’ve thought a lot about relationships and connection this week as I prepare for my NerdCamp presentation on Monday. I’m speaking about the power of building relationships in our classroom, how it can impact our students as readers, writers, people. One thing that Thursday’s colonoscopy reminded me was that it doesn’t take a lot to do something that matters. Texts, notes, small acts that show you care really mean a lot.

In our classrooms we get bogged down by all of the “stuff” we have to do, and that load seems to only be increasing. What I find is that the things I do that kids remember don’t take a long time. Post-its on their desks, high-fives or hugs on the way out, asking about what they did that weekend, checking in with them when I know they’ve had a big event – that is what shows them I care.

So thanks to those friends for making Wednesday and Thursday a little brighter. I’m celebrating you this week – and all of my students who make each day of school worth getting out of bed for. (And I do so love my bed!) Connections, relationships, that’s the good stuff.