August 2016 – Books 'n' Nooks

Back to School: First Day Jitters!

For a lot of us Canadians, school begins next week. And yes, teachers everywhere are hunkering down for 10 months of a lot of work. And it is no far-fetched notion that the first day gives a lot of us returning to school (staff and students alike) the jitters, which is why First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg is a fantastic book to read to your students K-3.

The author and illustrator, Judy Love, are very clever with the big reveal at the end of the book where we find out that the person with the jitters about her first day at a new school is a grown woman, a full-fledged teacher. This book provides a platform for discussion about your students’ feelings around their first day of school. Questions such as “How do you feel about going to a new school?” “What are some ways that you could help someone who is new?” are a great place to start. These questions can seek to calm down students who are nervous about their first day of school, and help other students who are not, become more empathetic to their experiences. It further raises a lot of other themes such as facing your fears, being confident in yourself, welcoming new people. And it has the added advantage of being funny! Your students will love the illustrations, dear teachers, and they will find it hilarious that their teachers’ feelings are not so different from their own.

Parents, this would also be a great way for you to prepare your little one for his/her first day (back) at school. To know that his/her teachers experience a similar struggle will allow your child to be a bit less worried about what to expect on his/her first day.

I know I tout a lot of books as must-have when I review them, but I usually review books that I think are particularly helpful or poignant. It is no surprise then, that I declare this book an absolute MUST-HAVE!

Happy preparing for the first day of school, dear teachers, students and parents!

Clean Eating: A Delicious Green Blend!

Vegetables are great, right? Well, sometimes it’s really hard to make them part of your diet. Let’s face it, in salads, they can be wonderful with your proteins and your nuts, but as a snack or just to make sure you’ve got your daily intake, they can be boring and maybe a tad less delicious. That’s where vegetable smoothies come in! I love clean eating; my mind loves it, my body loves it, my smile loves it! So, today, for lunch, an uncensored green smoothie was my main act! And the bonus? It was ridiculously easy! Here’s how I put it together:

Delicious Green Blend:

1. This recipe was prepared for one serving. Take 2 kale leaves, 2 celery sticks and 2 handfuls of spinach leaves.

2. Chop them up and stuff into your blender. Fill the blender about halfway with water.

3. Blend!

4. Enjoy with a fruit and yogurt mix. I used fresh chopped strawberries, blueberries and Astro Zero Strawberry-flavoured yogurt.

Change Will Come.

Have you been on the receiving end of a really bad day, only to get pulled into the negative thinking that heck, this is going to turn into a really bad life? Have there been piles of days when you honestly just cannot seem to win, no matter how hard you try? Like truly, nothing goes your way? I mean, you keep pushing for that goal, but you keep falling short. Every. Single. Time.

What exactly have you used during these rough times to rally yourself and rise up again? Or have you just given in, or walked away and called it quits?

Quitting on your dreams and your hopes should not be an option. Ever. Why put in whatever effort you already have, only to let yourself down? Because really, that is all it is, YOU are letting yourself down.

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. What is the difference between people who keep fighting and those who walk out before they have actually achieved their greatness? Determination? Sure. Self-discipline? Sure. Support from loved ones? Sure. However, the thing that I think pushes these achievers into a class all their own is the belief that today will not last forever. That this really awful and devastating moment of complete failure and hopelessness, will pass. There will be another day tomorrow, and they will get that chance to try again. And, at some point, change will come. Change is always coming after all. It only remains to be seen when, and who will be around to see it affect them positively.

I think a “change will come” mindset is difficult for a lot of people to grasp. Truly though, if you have grown up living one way of life and all of a sudden you are pushed to believe that it gets better if you keep trying, because change will come, well, you might not be as receptive to the idea as say, someone who was raised on that concept. And that is okay.

So, how can you actually train yourself to believe that this moment, this really crappy moment, will pass? Breathe. Take a deep breath and punch a stop in your mind with that breath. This may sound a tad like yoga practice, and honestly, maybe it is (just a tad), but it is the stopping of your negative and life-derailing train of thoughts that can help you switch tracks to something that is more hopeful. As human beings, we are geared to be hopeful. Even when we are busy whining about the awfulness of our existences, we are hopeful somewhere deep down that change will come, and it will come for the better. And so, a lot of us keep trying. And try we must, because “If at first you don’t succeed, try try again”.

Change will come. It must. And if we’ve worked hard enough, hopefully, it will be in our favour.

I Knew You Could!: Such an Inspiration!

I should begin this post by saying that I am quite fortunate to have friends and family who are loving and supportive no matter what twists my life takes. They jump with me on my highs and hold me through my lows. So, when a very dear friend of mine gave me this book to celebrate an important event in my life, I had to share it! This book is a great gift to someone who is in need of a little inspiration or encouragement, or just a pat on the back to show your support, but also a fantastic read for your students, dear teachers.

Written by Craig Dorfman with artwork by Cristina Ong, I Knew You Could! is a truly special book. Using rhyme to make the journey one that flows quite seamlessly, Dorfman draws in his readers with thought-provoking life lessons that can be applied at the different stages in our lives. What I love about this book most is that it is relevant. It uses the symbol of a train to chronicle a journey through life and along the way, likens a train’s experiences to bigger life experiences. The metaphors are rich and the similes just as compelling. This book is imbued with positive thinking that a lot of people can relate to. It draws attention to the harsh times we face in our life journeys, and positions hope and perseverance as the tools essential to get through the journey.It encourages the reader to be true to him/herself and rely on friendships and loved ones during hard times. It is a book truly that should belong on every shelf as the first piece of positive-thinking or self-help literature that one might own.

Teachers, do yourselves a favour and buy a copy. Not only will you love reading this to your students as you teach them valuable life concepts, but you will smile as you read this to yourself. Moms and dads everywhere, you might just want to head off to the store to pick a copy to read tonight to your precious little one(s). Trust me, you will be glad you did.

And to my dear friend (you know who you are if you are reading this), thank you for believing in me, and for this beautiful memento of inspiration.

#WhatItTakes – The Entire Olympic Manifesto

Here is the entire #WhatItTakes Olympic Manifesto put together by Sport Chek, Shane Koyczan and Sabrina Benaim. This entire poem exudes so much pride in the spirit of Athleticism, but mostly it embodies the beauty of the Canadian Spirit. I am forever proud to be a Canadian. Eh.

OPENING

We hope every seat is full

We hope you hear them cheer for everyone but you

We hope defeat is in your cards

We hope your hope splinters into shards

that you must handpick from the bleeding wound of your defeat

We hope that every athlete you meet

is better, more determined than you

But you need to be tested the same way wrong needs right

The same way ROAR needs FIGHT

You must fight to be here

You must pay with sacrifice

You must disregard the price of admission

If you want in, it’ll cost you. It’ill cost you broken bones and blood

We hope for a flashflood of fear and uncertainty

We wish this misery upon you because it gives birth to brilliance

There will be a moment in which everything you want becomes a singular goal

A moment of debt when every heartbeat you own can’t pay for every breath you stole

You must pay with the whole of you

Because this is the price and these are the stakes

you must pay for all the hurts and all the aches

you must open your heart like a vault and pay for your pain

because THIS is what it takes.

VERSE#1

What will you do when your lungs burn and your body shakes?

When the disaster in your muscles go from tremors to earthquakes?

How will you hold on when every rung you reach for shatters in your grasp and there are more ways to fall than there are to climb?

How will you keep going when the hands on the clock refuse to applaud you until your best time is a broken record that skips over your next heartbeat?

How will you move forward when your feet feel like anchors you must drag across the finish line?

How will you sharpen into an ! the curled up ? of your spine?

What will it take to keep you from doubting yourself THIS time?

VERSE#2

You have to ask yourself, is your prime ahead of you? Or behind you?

Will your worst days remind you that your best are still to come?

Is the drum in your chest loud enough to keep your challengers up at night?

Do you have what it takes when the fight goes into extra rounds?

Will the surplus of pounds you lifted be enough to prepare you for the more that is required when what comes next finally arrives?

Are you committed to the grace it takes to turn your falls into dives to cut through the surface of the water?

Will you have what it takes when there’s no spotter to save you, and no net to catch you?

When your mind asks for more, will your body match you?

VERSE#3

Greatness walks up to you, she asks you two questions :
Can you see yourself in me & are you ready?

To push beyond your limits while shutting out the noise
To wear well each earned bead of sweat because you’ve worked just as hard
With a different set of rules to triumph before the clock ever starts.
Ask them why they call you anything other than athlete.
You see expectations and break them wearing muscles and tears,
Each one a testament to your strength.
To erase the idea of what you are supposed to be is not what you are here for,
You came to show the world what you are capable of.

There is no box to check for greatness,

They’ll know it when they see it.

CLOSING

There is a war you wage on yourself every time you attempt to do better

The letter of resignation you wrote is a no thank you note you keep using for target practice

THIS is what it takes.

These are the brakes you cut to keep yourself from slowing down,

To keep yourself from stopping,

Topping your last achievement will never ever take less effort than your maximum.

What takes you from start to finish is more than the muscle around your bones.

May exhaustion turn your arms into the stones you must lif tif ever you claim victory

May gravity always be the foe that prevents you from taking flight

May there forever be more fight in the other guy

May you be blessed with the nightmare of constantly asking yourself why you should keep going?

Knowing the boundaries of your reach will teach you to extend past them.

Do not CONDEMN failure

You will come to know it

You will be crestfallen

You will be beat down

You will at times drown in the drought of your determination

You will stumble

You will make mistakes

You will learn there was a level beyond the hard way.

THIS is your education

THIS is what it takes!

#WhatItTakes Olympic Manifesto – The Last Verse

So, the Olympic Games have come to a close. The athletes will be flying back, and their stories of struggle and failure or triumph will make the waves for weeks, if not years to come. The last verse of the #WhatItTakes Olympic Manifesto dropped today. Shane Koyczan is back, and it is fitting. Here it is, then.

There is a war you wage on yourself every time you attempt to do better

The letter of resignation you wrote is a no thank you note you keep using for target practice

THIS is what it takes.

These are the brakes you cut to keep yourself from slowing down,

To keep yourself from stopping,

Topping your last achievement will never ever take less effort than your maximum.

What takes you from start to finish is more than the muscle around your bones.

May exhaustion turn your arms into the stones you must lift if ever you claim victory

May gravity always be the foe that prevents you from taking flight

May there forever be more fight in the other guy

May you be blessed with the nightmare of constantly asking yourself why you should keep going?

Knowing the boundaries of your reach will teach you to extend past them.

Do not CONDEMN failure

You will come to know it

You will be crestfallen

You will be beat down

You will at times drown in the drought of your determination

You will stumble

You will make mistakes

You will learn there was a level beyond the hard way.

THIS is your education

THIS is what it takes!

-Shane Koyczan

Tomorrow will feature the entire Manifesto. Stay tuned!

Canadian Poet, Sabrina Benaim – Look Out World!

So, as promised, here we are with the 3rd verse of the Olympic Manifesto that dropped yesterday, August 18th. This one was a surprise and a pleasant one at that, because this was not written and performed by Shane Koyczan (like I expected), no, true to Canadian form, Sport Chek injected diversity in the form of a very talented and up and coming poet, Sabrina Benaim. I am in awe of how our Canadian-ism has faith in its people and subscribes to the philosophy of everyone deserving a chance to take a stab at greatness. Here, Sabrina Benaim wonderfully delivers.

Greatness walks up to you,
She asks you two questions :
Can you see yourself in me & are you ready?

To push beyond your limits
while shutting out the noise
to wear well each earned bead of sweat
because you’ve worked just as hard
with a different set of rules
to triumph
before the clock ever starts.
Ask them why they call you anything other than athlete.
You see expectations and break them
wearing muscles and tears,
each one a testament to your strength.
To erase the idea of what you are supposed to be is not what you are here for,
you came to show the world what you are capable of.
There is no box to check for greatness,
They’ll know it when they see it.

-Sabrina Benaim

The last two lines are a stunner. Let them linger.

Hold onto Your Hat! Olympic Wreaths Just in!

To wrap up our theme of Olympic Games this week (and with the Olympics ending on Sunday), I had my students make Olympic Wreaths in class. I came upon a picture of this online, and found it to be an easy and fun activity that even my staff had fun doing!

Making Olympic Wreaths:

1. You will need sheets of green construction paper, paper plates (white or green) and a pair of scissors. All of these materials can be bought from the Dollar Store.

2. Take a sheet of the green construction paper and fold it twice so you end up with a small square.

3. Draw leaves on the green surface of the folded construction paper, filling it up as much as possible.

4. Cut out the leaves and store them in a (plastic) container.

5. Take your paper plates and cut out the insides. Hold onto these insides for later.

6. Put liquid glue onto the insides of the cut-out paper plates and leave one on each table for students to use.

7. If available, use flat-nibbed utensils for spreading (other alternatives: Popsicle sticks or dip leaves directly) the glue onto the plate and gluing the leaves one by one.

8. Glue leaves in one direction, or both, alternating every few leaves to achieve desired pattern.

9. When wreaths are ready, make sure to write each student’s name in marker. And, enjoy!

Commercials that Make Me Proud to be Canadian

Being Canadian is woven into the fabric of my being. When I leave my country for an adventure abroad, I wear my flag proudly. It is my identity. A BIG part of who I am. When people ask where I am from, I skip not a beat as I say, “Canada”, and then I smile, and then they smile. They know us the world over. They know us for our kindness and our friendliness. They know us because we care, because we are daring and because we are humble.

While we watch the Olympic coverage, and the media is abuzz with patriotic adverts to rally the Canadian Spirit around our athletes in Rio, these two commercials are the ones that make me so very proud to be Canadian.

Tim Hortons’ Commercial: Nothing says “I am Canadian” better than a Cup of Joe from our beloved Tim’s. No matter what your day is like, a drive to Tim’s can turn it around. So, when Tim Hortons came up with #WhyWeBrew, I knew it was an important moment. True to the Canadian Spirit, this commercial believes “Because greatness is not what you have, it’s what you give”. Yes, we are a nation of givers.

Air Canada Commercial: This one is an exceptionally clever marketing campaign to galvanize Canadians to travel, especially with the summer coming to a close. However, it is more than just a smart marketing venture, it is a snapshot of what it means to be Canadian; a look at our adventurous side.

“You’ll love your home, but its border will not be able to hold you…Maybe to prove yourself, maybe because you’re needed, maybe to show off your big bad superpower brain. That’ll be you flying the flag, that when you leave, they’ll remember that smart, helpful, confident, tough, CANADIAN.”

Long Live the True North Strong and Free.

Getting Ready for a Field Trip: What You Need to Remember

So, a field trip is coming up and you want everything to go without a hitch. Chances are, it won’t be perfect. There will be problems, but how do you manage the problems to minimize damage?

Organization is key to preparedness. Here are some things worth keeping in mind.

Before the Trip:

Emergency Information: Compile all emergency information into one convenient notebook or travel agenda. This can be one you use throughout the year for all field trips. Make sure to take this with you on your trip.

Allergies: If you are going somewhere where food is being served, or just outside where the elements might cause triggers for students with allergies, it is important that organizers of the event know which children in your group have allergies, and to what. All the staff in your party should also be aware of the students with allergies. Compile a list with detailed information and give each accompanying staff member a copy.

Lunches & Snacks: Make sure students and their parents know this is a trip. Encourage them to pack foods that are easier to carry: light sandwiches and light snacks with easily disposable wrappers are great options. Students should also be encouraged to carry bottled water, especially if trips take place during the hot summer months.

Media Release Forms and Waivers: Whatever liability documentation needs to be filled out, make sure it is done prior to the trip.Consider giving out information letters to parents with these forms at least a week in advance of the trip. Make the due date for all forms a couple of days before the trip, to allow for those students who might overshoot the due date.

Information for Support Staff: Are all your support staff informed of where you are going? Make sure that all pertinent information is available to each member. Consider compiling a package for each staff member with a map of the place, address and phone number of those in charge, student allergy information or other health concerns, schedule for the day, and any other information that would ensure a smooth and safe field trip. Remember, communicating with those who are helping you on the trip is key.

First Aid Kit: This should be prepared ahead of time and one person should be put in charge of it. Perhaps the person who has more experience handling emergency situations should be made responsible. Your usual suspects should feature here: Bandaids, gauze, alcohol wipes, Epipens for students who are too young to carry their own.

Identifying Attire: Consider having your students wear T-shirts that identify them all as part of a group. Perhaps your school has a uniform. If this is the case, make sure to remind students to dress to the proper uniform code prior to the day of the trip. If there is no uniform, consider having them wear school mascot T-shirts if these are available, or perhaps contact wristbands or chains.

The Safety Talk: Make sure you talk to your students about safety on a trip. Ask them questions about what it means to be safe. Alert them to different situations they might face on this trip, and then how they can protect themselves or a buddy from harm. A Buddy System is a good idea. Establish this ahead of time, with room for accommodations on the day of the trip, should attendance change.

On the Day of the Trip:

Supervision Groups: Depending on the students who are attending, establish a staff supervisor for each small group of students. If you have parent volunteers, they should receive the same information as all staff. Typically between 5-8 students per adult is a good number.

A Quick Check: Do a quick check before you leave. Do you have the First Aid Kit? Do you have the Emergency Information Notebook? Are all your students accounted for? Do each of them have their backpacks and lunches?

Buddy System: In addition to having supervisory groups and counting them all the time, and observing them all the time, making more responsible or older students, in charge of younger ones just means one more pair of eyes is looking out for each student. And that is always a good thing.

Cell Phones: Your cell phone should be fully charged for the day, and on Ringer Mode. In case of an emergency, you want to be able to pick up that call right away.

Count-count-count: Establish the total number of students attending the trip. Count before you board the bus, count while on the bus, count when you get off the bus. Count your students every chance you get. It only takes a second to lose one of your students, so staying on the ball about this one can be crucial.

Observe-observe-observe: Just like counting all the time, watching your students at every turn of the trip is important. You can heave a sigh of relief when they are all safely back at school and in their parents’/guardians’ possession. Until then, they are your responsibility.

Washroom Supervision: Always have an adult accompany groups of students to the washroom. The adult can remain outside to monitor students.

Now, while there are many more things you could do to ensure a smooth field trip, these ones are a really good place to start. Remember to stay calm in the event of an emergency. Cooler heads always prevail.

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15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31

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