"With Gladitude"
In the must-read, PD Love title, The Teacher You Want to Be, educators like Kathy Collins share essays that support "a set of beliefs that drive the actions of educators every day." Kathy speaks about the word, "collabrovisation". Collabrovisation: collaboration fortified with improvisation. Recently, I decided to channel my inner Kathy Collins and celebrate the word "gladitude".
When we view learning as joyful, we have much to be grateful for and much to share. It is this belief of gladitude that drives my learning. When educators and friends come together to share ideas, learn from each other and celebrate the joy of teaching and learning, this fuels my energy and gives me many reasons to smile. It brings me gladitude.
Each year, along with lead learners, Tony Sinanis and Glen Eschbach, I am proud to facilitate a Literacy Leaders' Forum. Before the days of EdCamps, it was a way of connecting educators face to face, networking, sharing ideas and a celebration of educators learning together. This year, we were thrilled to welcome my friend and Ed Collab colleague, Chris Lehman. The Lit Forum(#LILIT15) focused on collaborative conversations around the word gladitude.
When we view learning as joyful, we have much to be grateful for and much to share. It is this belief of gladitude that drives my learning. When educators and friends come together to share ideas, learn from each other and celebrate the joy of teaching and learning, this fuels my energy and gives me many reasons to smile. It brings me gladitude.
Each year, along with lead learners, Tony Sinanis and Glen Eschbach, I am proud to facilitate a Literacy Leaders' Forum. Before the days of EdCamps, it was a way of connecting educators face to face, networking, sharing ideas and a celebration of educators learning together. This year, we were thrilled to welcome my friend and Ed Collab colleague, Chris Lehman. The Lit Forum(#LILIT15) focused on collaborative conversations around the word gladitude.
Impacted by mentors and mindsets, I am fortunate to belong to a community of optimists. I get to work with and alongside lead learners who embrace the messiness of learning. They also embrace the journey of learning as life work. As part of our work together via The Educator Collaborative, Chris Lehman is a constant reminder that teaching is heart work. Everything Chris does, he does through the lens of love and joy. I am also honored to work as a staff developer alongside Tony Sinanis and Jericho School's community of learners. Tony Sinanis, has dedicated this year at Cantiague to the "year of happy". Tony and the community of learners at Cantiague, choose happy...every day. There is much love and gladitude in Jericho. Superintendent of North Babylon schools, Glen Eschbach, demonstrates what it means to be a true instructional leader who leads with gladitude: beginning each day with a positive mind and heart. We all share the belief that children and adults learn best when they feel happy and feel loved.
So, what did our day around gladitude look like? We had three rotating sessions with guided conversations of leaders to leaders around the following:
Chris Lehman and I led the conversation around gladitude in love, agency and energy. We build agency by connecting our goals to strengths that already exist. We find love when we teach to touch the hearts and minds of all learners. Lastly, we build energy by having energy ourselves. These steps to gladitude, support our beliefs about "Common Care" Standards and a curriculum of children.
My grandmother used to say, when you smile, the whole world smiles at you. Sometimes we rely on the wisdom of family. Sometimes we rely on the wisdom of friends. I am still smiling thinking about edufriends (too many to name) that influence my learning every day. For that, I have much gladitude.
What might it look like to teach, learn, and lead with gladitude? Share your thoughts below to join the conversation. Also more to come on gladitude in an upcoming blog via Educator Collaborative!
Tony Sinanis reminded us all that gladitude comes from happiness and happiness is all about relationships. Educators reflected on ways to connect with students and teachers in meaningful ways. By celebrating literacy snapshots, our students and our stories, we are building a culture of joyful learning. Together we must strive to create a learning space where the norm is happiness. When we do the possibilities are endless.
Glen Eschbach led a conversation around finding gladitude in our personal and professional lives. Participants spent time reflecting and celebrating what they love about their jobs. Adapted from Warrell's Glass Half Full, participants discussed steps to gladitude with a few of our own suggestions for literacy leaders. More to come in our Ed Collab post. Glen also shared videos on optimism that added to our conversation about what gladitude looks like. Gladitude can help #GrowtheGood, as supported by examples in this video from SoulPancake:
My grandmother used to say, when you smile, the whole world smiles at you. Sometimes we rely on the wisdom of family. Sometimes we rely on the wisdom of friends. I am still smiling thinking about edufriends (too many to name) that influence my learning every day. For that, I have much gladitude.
What might it look like to teach, learn, and lead with gladitude? Share your thoughts below to join the conversation. Also more to come on gladitude in an upcoming blog via Educator Collaborative!
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