Tag Archives: learning

243 days to overnight success. Thx Chris at AONC.

Posted on May 26, 2010 | 11 Comments

I’m heading towards a new milestone on my blog and it’s my 6,000 viewer mark. It sort of seriously freaks me out. Who ARE you people? ;) I wonder when it will REALLY freak me out. A million? 7 trillion?

Numbers. That’s all they are. Or is there something more?

♥You're an angel.

I spend a lot of time in the class room talking about grammar, parts of speech, adjectives and motivation. I found after fifteen years of teaching that not too many teachers actually brought up subjects like how to get good grades, developing good study habits, LIKING or even LOVING learning and one of my favorites, brushing and flossing.

Maybe that is why I started a blog, so I could spend more time thinking, writing and talking about what I find more important than grammar ~ inspiration, motivation and becoming a better person.

If you like what you are learning you are going to study harder. It’s just a theory. What do you think? Do you agree?

Like This!

Adjectives and numbers.

One of my friends asked me how I was going to measure the success of my blog. Well, define success. Is it when I make my life better somehow, your life better? Is it when I make a certain sum of money? Is it when I get a lot of compliments or comments on a post?

Or, is it when someone notices a small detail like having a band aid on my finger in my video? {if you answered yes here, please give yourself two points and a coffee break.}

How do you measure success?

Is it when you have fallen in love? Is it when you have a certain amount of money in your bank account? Is it when you are able to travel somewhere you have always wanted to go?

Or is it losing weight? Stopping smoking? To me, success is stopping, enjoying the moment and living in gratitude. For some reason, I always got caught in the belief system of needing and wanting more. I worked, and worked hard until I obtained my next goal. For some reason, there is always another goal right around the corner.

♥The gift of the blessing.

Lately I read in a book by Gregg Braden, called IQ Matrix, that all words are just words given to us to label things as children and we just accept them. I also learned lately that the opposite of whatever we believe can be proven true. So what is the truth? A collective consciousness? Is it when we have the house, the car and the family?

He also wrote some incredible insights about our DNA and how we are all interwoven in a divine, sort of holigraphic type way.

I think happiness is when we finally stop looking outside of ourselves for and accept ourselves exactly how we are; creatures of God, with our defects and our glory. Believe it kids, it’s self love at it’s finest.

I had earlier called my blog Serendipity because it means an unexpected result, I think. Well, what I did not expect when I started this blog was that I would get an extremely supportive and loving audience to write to. I didn’t expect I would find a way to show off my art work.

I didn’t expect that I would be making and sustaining more new friendships than I have in a long time. In a way it’s a bit sad that our society so openly embraces internet relationships when what truly matters are the people you have in front of you.

I didn’t expect I would be able to provide the tools necessary to good or great people to help their ideas become even better while some truly flourished.

Somewhere along the lines, my real life and my virtual life are becoming blurred. A teacher called me out of class today while I was teaching. It was super strange and out of the blue. She had heard that kids were making fun of my accent.

I was six inches away from her face looking at her eyes and thinking what is she saying? Has she called me out because she cares? Because she wants to know me? Because she is reprimanding me? Because she is praising me?

For goodness sakes I was in the middle of a lesson, half way through the sentence on the blackboard: A lorry is bigger than a van. That sentence must be more important, right? Or is it the face to face contact?

I think it’s communication. It’s an attempt to make our current situation a little bit better by talking. That’s our job, right, Chass? Just to make this world a little bit more beautiful?

You truly ARE angels.

I love that I have someone to write to. I love that you share. I love that you have become part of my life, virtual or real. They are all just words anyway.

Julie

Now it’s your turn.

I’d like to know how you evaluate success? What are the labels that society has given you that you just don’t agree with? Do you think the teacher pulled me outside to praise me or to reprimand me? What’s your view on virtual vs. real life communication?

Mostly, what kind of things can you and I do to make this world just a little bit better or more beautiful?

Thanks for reading. Comments are not only appreciated, they are paid. ;)

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8 life hacks to turn your end of semester blues into all the colors of the rainbow.

Posted on February 3, 2010 | 4 Comments

Talk

There is a field. Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I'll meet you there. Rumi

Here are 8 ways to turn your upside down days right side up.

1) Care I was saddened yesterday because I saw a fellow student get a bad grade and her world went to pieces. Her eyes went red, her tears started flowing, her lip was trembling and she started writing frenetically in her notebook. How can we as a society be completely unmoved by things like this?

2. Pray – True story. Not too far from my house a kid’s teacher finds out he was smoking and he jumps out the second floor window of his school because he’s afraid his parents will find out. He’s still in a coma. My class and I are praying for his recovery. When I talk to my students I’m so careful to encourage them. It would have been so nice if we could just communicate.
It’s life and death.

3) Offer Encouragement. I have a soft spot for kids who come from broken families. I am one of those and I can tell you it has been my defining moment as I grew. I rarely talk about it because I feel like mentioning the word divorce would break my mother’s heart again.

The wind longs to blog in your hair.

Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen. Emerson

Still, I offer encouragement to kids going through difficult times. The other day I was in the class room and there was a new kid. He’s a cool kid. He talks when he’s not supposed to and sometimes doesn’t listen to my answers but I understand him. I understand him because I took the time to find out he’s new because he’s no longer living with mom, but he’s living with dad.

4) Contribute I contribute what I can to make my home and family a happy one. Not all the time. OK, I’m far from perfect.

Rather, there’s ROOM for improvement. OK I’ll do better. I promise.

We all have the power to add special touches that make our lives better, such as putting out some flowers, some candles, some spices in the garden. I do it as often as I can because I love to share. I recently added my dot com name, my logo and my shop. Pretty soon I should be giving away a beautiful picture, if I can manage to part with it.

Sure my shop doesn’t actually work YET but I’ve put down the corner stone. It’s a wheel in motion and I’m enjoying the process.

5) Communicate Teachers: Don’t wait until the end of the semester to tell your kids how they are doing in class. Parents: Find out ahead of time by meeting up with the teachers. Kids: Ask your teachers how you are doing – don’t let them intimidate you.

Do what is asked. And then some. Please don’t push your children or students too hard. THEY have to WANT to learn. Guess what? Children love to learn.

6) Do your best and then a little bit more. It’s a triangle that has to work together: parents, teachers and kids. The reason this sweet little student was upset is because she’s scared to talk to her teacher because every time she asks her something she gets scolded or a bad grade.

7) Have a Positive Mental Attitude Find what’s good. Find what’s good. Find what’s good. I have to turn in my semester end grades day after tomorrow. I pray I’ve been fair. I think so. I have worked hard at teaching. I tell my kids my goal is to be their best teacher. I want them to succeed.

*8) Go the Extra Mile I particularly remember a mom who asked how her son could improve his grades. I said do something extra. This kid would bring me a translation on a weekly basis. Was I ever impressed. I’m certain his grade reflected it.

I wrote the girl who cried a little message. I told her I hope she knows that there are more things in the world more important than grades. But in her world, there aren’t.

What are your experiences with teachers and bad grades? How do you get your kids motivated to learn? Do you think it’s better to award good grades, punish bad grades or something in the middle?

Thanks for your comments.

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100 lists challenge writers, clear thoughts, inspire and motivate. Just like that.

Posted on January 20, 2010 | 4 Comments

Serving a fresh brewed pot of hot delicious blog content for your reading pleasure.

Here is my 2nd list of 100. My first was my first blog post in October. The idea is to get all of your thoughts on the page. There are only two rules. The first is to start all entries with the number 100. The 2nd is to write it all out in one sitting. I made it only to 80 then took a break before coming back to finish and edit.

Frills.

The reason this works is that it brainstorms to get all of your thoughts on the page. Then the benefit is that everyone can write a list and one day you can expand on one of your ideas. Or maybe someone else will. Also it provides a nice story of where you are in your life today.

1. 100 new ideas.
2. 100 reasons I love to blog.
3. 100 smiles.
4. 100 things I’d like to do right now.
5. 100 students who make me laugh.
6. 100 best paintings.
7. 100 pages.
8. 100 sweet things.
9. 100 rooms.
10. 100 fears of change.

11. 100 reasons change is good.
12. 100 comments on 100 blogs.
13. 100 best all time films.
14. 100 best all time books.
15. 100 times over.
16. 100 songs I love.
17. 100 books to read.
18. 100 ways to motivate you now.
19. 100 ways to write new rules.
20. 100 students who are going to ask me why.

21. 100 calls to my mom.
22. 100 beautiful people inside and out.
23. 100 friends I’ve reconnected with.
24. 100 best cities to visit.
25. 100 new words to learn.
26. 100 jokes.
27. 100 tickles for my kids.
28. 100 dinners I’d like to try cooking.
If. I. had. the. time. and. the. desire.
29. 100 ways to learn to love cooking.

30. 100 things I wish I knew before starting this blog.

Travel in style.

31. 100 excuses I’ve heard.
32. 100 excuses I’ve made.
33. 100 places to publish your work.
34. 100 days on a cruise.
35. 100 animals I’d like to hold.
36. 100 kids who need help now.
37. 100 places who could use your help now.
38. 100 ways I’ve learned to give.
39. 100 ways to be generous.
without. spending. a. cent.

40. 100 ways to improve your writing.
41. 100 colors on my paintings.
42. 100 flowers in my garden.
waiting. for. spring. to. come.
43. 100 sounds in a symphony.
44. 100 yoga stretches.
45. 100 people I love.
46. 100 random thoughts.
47. 100 deep breaths.
48. 100 apples on 100 trees.
49. 100 places to go running.
50. 100 blogs to read.

51. 100 reasons writing a 100 list works.
52. 100 people who have influenced me.
53. 3 people who have influenced me most.

Be inspiring.

54. 100 dinners to serve.
55. 100 reasons I’m happy to be involved in community projects.
56. 100 quotes to sprinkle around.
57. 100 voices that sound like vanilla cinnamon.
58. 100 best metaphors.
59. 100 file folders neatly organized.
60. 100 stories in the news I hardly believe.

61. 100 great motivational words like inspire and empower.
62. 100 babies who are all grown up.
63. 100 adults who act like kids.
64. 100 years of happiness.
65. 100 types of love.
66. 100 upside down tickles.
67. 100 silly memories from my childhood.
68. 100 years of solitude.
69. 100 things I wish my teachers told me.
70. 100 things my teachers taught me.

simplicity

71. 100 sports that make you strong.
72. 100 best all time athletes.
73. 100 best cities to live in.
74. 100 best quotations.
75. 100 best bible versus.
76. 100 best all time gadgets.
77. 100 things to give to charity.
78. 100 top wines.
79. 100 cool things to write on the back of sweat pants.
80. 100 all time best you tube videos.

81. 100 words that can change lives.
82. 100 minute lunch break.
83. 100 minute work out.
84. 100 best nature walks.
85. 100 countries in need.
86. 100 reasons to thrive today.
87. 100 pieces of wood to stack.
88. 100 ways to be a better person.
89. 100 people who are reading this.
90. 100 favorite restaurants.

91. 100 ways to cook potatoes.
92. 100 different sports.
93. 100 miracles.
94. 100 stories to tell.
95. 100 people who have linked me to their site.
96. 100 uplifting positive things to say.
97. 100 people making a difference in this world.
98. 100 things to do before I die.
99. 100 ways to be excellent.
100. 100 discoveries.

101. 100 ways to go the extra mile.
102. 100 things to learn.
103. 100 toys.
104. 100 best cars ever.
105. 100 of my favorite stories.
106. 100 kinds of spices.
107. 100 ways to make cookies.
108. 100 ways to cook vegetables.
109 100 gallons of water.
110. 100 trips to Florence.

Like I said, I like to put in a little big extra. That’s why I wrote a little bit more.

Hope you are well. Thanks for visiting. Please feel free to comment.
Julie

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74th day blogging with 1650+ visitors. WT? Cranking out fresh smiley blog content daily.

Posted on January 12, 2010 | 3 Comments

I’m going to remove my blog stats feature from my blog about Italy. Blogging has taken over my life. I’m going to try to only check my blog visitor stats once a month. Uh huh. Yeah. Right.

Love life! painted by yours truly Julie.

I just want to let my nice readers know how I appreciate each and every click you have made. I have a feeling it’s probably just one crazy maniac who wants me to think I’ve got a cool blog and has nothing better to do so he/she is clicking endlessly on my site. Thanks maniac. You’re keeping me sane.

Today’s theme is going to be about multi-tasking and/or doing one thing at a time. How many things can you do at once? Or is it better to do one thing at a time?

I feel alive when I am doing a zillion things at once. I can have two chats going on in facebook, the phone up on my ear as I’m skyping with my mom watching my children and husband play, listening to a cd while the television is on in the background and the teapot is about to whistle that the water is ready. I’ve also got 10 windows open on my computer and am reading, writing and watching a youtube video. Did she really just say that?

On the other hand I consider myself an entirely simplistic person. Breathe in, count to 10, hold, count to 20, breathe out count to five, repeat. Relax, eat well, do yoga. You can only do one thing at a time if you want to do it well so stay in the moment and concentrate, right? Focus. I’d call this a dichotomy if I knew what it meant. It’s sounds like a fitting word, doesn’t it?

I just looked up dichotomy in wikipedia. It’s actually fitting. Take that Mr. ‘I’m moving on’ blog spam man.

Surprise!

What do you prefer? Everything at once or just one thing at a time?

Hey kids! How are you?! Great to see you. Guess what we did AGAIN today? Yes, we went to the theater in the center of town and got a tour back stage. I went with two shiny teachers and a class of 22 bright students. All the world is a stage. I’m singing and dancing. I happily volunteered to go on stage while the lighting technician showed us how the spot lights work. I must be attention starved because before you knew it a girl named Giada and I were making up a dance routine.

We got booed. We bowed.

Arena del Sole

Tomorrow evening we will all be attending a show. It looks interesting considering the main actor is a man dressed as a woman. Is this appropriate for teenagers? We learnt that the theater used to be a convent with nuns then Napolean was in town about 200 years ago (uh huh) – anyone checking this for correctness? Then the theater got auctioned off to a crazy man who sold leather goods. At least that’s what our guide said.

As far as multi tasking in concerned.

For some psychotic reason I decided to write a guide ebook to getting your blog started and how to make it bloom. I noticed some people are having a hard time getting their blog off the ground so I wanted to share that information. Then I started writing it. It’s not a bad book by any means but still? In Italian they have a saying called ‘chi melo fa fare?’ It means who is forcing me? Everyone I’ve ever met in my life is writing a book so what? The world needs MY information? I don’t think so. And secondly, why would I do that? To prove I can? Breathe Julie Breathe.

I could just take off the picture and that would be that. Only problem is that I’ve already written about 24 pages. Once I start doing something I like to follow through. I just don’t want to put out a mediocre product. I’ll let you know.

Hope all of you are fine out there. Have a great day. Be inspirational. Make the changes you want. Be the change you want. Believe in yourself. You can do it. I know you can.

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Julie’s Art Gallery – Can you tell which one is an oil painting?

Posted on January 4, 2010 | 11 Comments

Lisa's

Todd's

Diana's

Kelli's

Lisa's

 

Mika's

 

Anne Marie's

 

My favorite

 

Chassity's

 

Gigi's

Shoe Cabinet

My living room.

Hi friends and welcome back. Today I’m sharing my art work with you. I started painting about two years ago when I was in the art room at a Middle School here in Italy. I was helping this sweet girl named Khadija who needed help with her Italian because both her parents speak Arabic. We ended up in the art room a lot.

Each of us has an artistic innate talent, like writing, singing, taking pictures, or playing music. What’s yours? Try to guess which one is the oil painting.

My facebook comments are viewable here:

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Posted in art gallery - if you're new start here, Inspiration, Italy, motivation

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8 days ’til Christmas. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Posted on December 17, 2009 | 3 Comments

How I love the holidays. I grew up in Southern California so when it snows for Christmas it’s a true joy. When we were growing up, it only snowed once and I remember putting snowballs in the freezer. I remember Californians complaining because it never quite felt like Christmas because it was hot outside. In southern California at Christmas time you can actually see candy apple red convertibles with a Christmas tree in the back seat driving along the coast with the sand and waves in the background. You can also get married in Las Vegas in a drive thru by someone dressed up as Elvis but that has nothing to do with Christmas in Italy.

Where was I? Italy. Oh yeah, I forgot. All this snow must have went right to my brain and I’m not even blonde. That’s a joke for you sis.

Christmas in Italy

Nine days left and counting. If you read my about Julie page above you would have seen that I’m a special aids AND English teacher. I teach English at one middle school and am a special aid’s teacher at another. When I’m in the classroom, I have two roles, I’m either teaching or helping. When I’m teaching I’m pretty easy going. I like to tease my students and tell them I’m 70. They don’t know. They tell me I look great for being 70. Then when I tell them my real age they still look a little quizzed because I think anything over 15 to a 12 year old is considered old. 20-40-70, who really cares. I don’t. It’s how we feel inside, right?

Playing with the Kids

I also like to tell them that there is a quiz today. They never seem to get that joke but I like it. Today I was not the teacher but I was the helper and I think I like that role best. It’s sort of hard to understand your position in the class because as you sit and listen to the lecture you start to think you are a student too. My math teacher friend teaches an 85 year old woman.

I highlight my student’s books and take notes for them. Then, I have to try to explain what I’ve learned to the kids. I’ll make them copies or whatever it takes to get them prepared for their ‘interrogation’.

Interrogation is a common practice in Italy. What it means is that instead of having a written exam the teacher asks each kid orally what was supposed to be learned. For example in Geography the teacher might as an open ended question about China saying Talk to me about China. That’s a BIG subject but basically it can be broken down into it’s physical characteristics, the climate, the government, the resources, the people, the culture and traditions.

When you work with special kids you have to make it simple if you can.

Around the holidays a lot of teachers just do normal lessons. I like to organize Christmas parties. I grew up with a Christmas party and I think it is good that the kids have one too. My five year old had his party today and I got to have a peek at the magic that lies behind the walls of a kindergarten.

Christmas Magic

Close your eyes and imagine this beautiful story book scene. It’s snowing outside, you park in front of the school. The kids are bundled up like Eskimos. Watch them as they put their little feet in the snow for the first time. They have to touch it. You worry that they are going to have wet shoes. The teacher has written everyone a note the day before that the kids should all wear red or white tops and dark bottoms for the Christmas party because Santa is coming.

I dropped off my five year old today and I stopped for a second that I wished was a lifetime to see about 20 little angels going about their angel making projects that included little fairies with sparkles and glue. Then cookies. And then I have to go.

I go to work that I love. Second period I sub and we make paper snowflakes. They look great on the window with the snow falling. In English we sing the song by Black Eyed Peas in English called I Got a Feeling. I’m happy to translate the lyrics. I help the new girl follow along. She’s sweet.

I finish teaching and I go to the teacher’s lounge where the math teacher has his guitar out and is playing beautiful music. Life is good. Life is certainly good.

Thank you for visiting. I’m overwhelmed that I’ve had so many visitors. Thank you.

Have a great day and feel free to leave a comment. I’d like to know what your schools or jobs are doing for the holidays. I see some of your pictures on facebook but I like the stories.

Julie

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Posted in Inspiration, Italy, journal, learning, motivation, teaching

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Getting the words on the page and out of your mind. Blog it.

Posted on December 1, 2009 | 6 Comments

One thing I tell my students is the importance of word choice. I’ll clarify. Let’s suppose that the only thing that is exists is this moment right now your eyes scanning this page. Do you expect from me to write something uplifting and helpful or the opposite? Notice that when I wrote opposite I chose a positive word.

That is what I call word choice. 

The road to positive thinking is a like a rose. It’s spring after a long winter of rain and wind and the sun has come out. It has spines to protect itself but look how pretty and fragrant. If you get close enough you will see the petals have built upon themselves to make a whole. Look closely.

I wrote recently in my facebook post that I’m becoming sappy these days. I cry when I see little fat baby hands in strollers. I am moved because God is great. God is Good. I look at the baby hands in the strollers and I think about my son’s hands. He’s eight. He has the most delicate little hands. I wish I could be like my mom and sculpt his little hands into clay to remember them always. But will the clay show the fleshy color and the blood that flows through them? Will the sculpture capture the sweetness of the essence that surrounds them?

I want those hands to stop growing. I want those hands to grow into a man. I want. I want nothing. I am. I am here and I am here now thankful for God’s many blessings.

I think the best teacher is the one who learns from her students. When I first started teaching English to Italians I would say ‘this is a … fill in the blank’. They would all contribute their Italian guesses to whatever it was and I was given at least two new words for every word I gave to them. Now that’s what I call compound interest. 

If I went in America I for a day, I could write a book about how different it is than Italy. If I went there for a month, I would write a nice article. If I went for a year I wouldn’t write anything at all. What I am trying to say is that the longer I have lived in Italy the fewer the differences I find between the two countries.

You know what I love? I love how people are willing to laugh. They are like kids just waiting. I want to laugh. I want to laugh with you now. I want to make you smile. I want to enrich your life some how today now in this moment.

When I wrote my post about inspiration a few days ago I got the best response from my best friend. I asked her if it was ok to publish and she said yes. Here’s what she wrote:

It’s the actual “act” of doing that makes that individual feel amazing and accomplished no matter what the task may be.  It’s the voice we hear when we are alone and need encouragement and support.  It’s the gift of a bestfriend who truly believes in you no matter what the circumstances are, It’s the tried and true method when one is alone and feels defeated, that a single voice or memory triggers the adrenaline and skyrockets the individual to find the strength to get up and try again. 

I am lucky. I want to know who is someone special in your life. How have they positively influenced you? I think we can all agree it is thanks to a special friend, a parent, a grandparent or teacher that we have all gotten where we are today. Today let’s count our blessings and look for positive words to enhance our lives.

Thank you for visiting. Please feel free to leave a comment.

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