The One Thing

I'm baa-ack! If you're new, I'll catch you up: this is my second blog post...And now you're caught up. Let's move on!

You'll remember in my first blog, I mentioned I had just attended the ACTFL Conference in San Antonio, Texas. If you've ever attended a training, workshop, or conference, you might recognize this Before, During, and After-conference cycle. Before: Preparation - which for me means: sub lesson plans, sub info (i.e. rosters, drill procedures, etc.), copies, and late-night packing. During: Lots of note-taking about new (to me) websites, apps, tips, tricks, and trade secrets. After: A slow descend into the "conference blues" - this is what happens when I look at my copious notes and realize the brutal fact that I can't do it all. I can't possibly use all these cool resources. I can't possibly implement all these strategies. I can't. I just can't. These are facts...rather depressing for the one who believes she's supposed to be able to do it all!

After a conference several years ago, as the facts taunted me with "Three days and all you have to show for it is a longer list of things you can't do on Monday," I got the nerve to talk back, and my rebuttal sounded something like this: "You're right, I can't do them all, but I can do this. one. thing." (insert pointing at my notes to punctuate my determination) The facts are right: I can't do all the things on the list...and I certainly can't do all the things if I don't even do one thing.

A wise man - Curly, from the 1991 movie City Slickers - reminded us to figure out "the One Thing." When I'm a student at a session, workshop, seminar, training, or conference nowadays, I'm on a mission to figure out "The One Thing." I take lots of notes; but this time my notes aren't a list of things I can't do, they are a list of applicants auditioning for the coveted "I'm gonna use this one on Monday morning" spot. Each session's tips, strategies, websites, and app recommendations are auditioning for the role of "the One Thing I'm going to implement/apply on Monday morning." Then, once I've chosen "The One Thing," I put all my energy into an action plan that will help me successfully implement that "One Thing." No more feeling overwhelmed that I can't do everything listed in my notes. I don't have to! I just have to do "One Thing" listed in my notes.

Tomorrow is Monday morning! Whether you learned something last week, last month, or even yesterday, Monday morning has to feel the impact of it. What's "the One Thing" you learned that will affect your classroom, office, and/or home tomorrow morning? You're already thinking of something, I just know it. What does it look like for you to take a step to implement it tomorrow morning. This is a challenge to me too, of course. Sure, I implemented Whole Brain Teaching last Monday and have seen positive results in my classroom. Tomorrow is a new Monday. I get to continue what I started last Monday and I get to add "One Thing" more. I might as well tell you that this Monday, I'm going to speak kindly and not sarcastically to the children who waited until the 11th hour to care about their grade. This may require more than a week of practice!

Okay, I shared mine. Now it's your turn. I would love to read a comment from you about what "One Thing" you are adding tomorrow!

And so it begins...with a risky leap!

"This is my first blog post! Yayyyy! I'm so excited!" Is that how newbies are supposed to begin their first blog? Am I the only one who, with those beginning words, really means "I have no idea how to start this thing and it's quite possible I'll just be blogging to myself"? Can we be real here? Please know if you choose to continue reading this blog and/or choose to follow this blog, I must "keep it real" about my journey, my victories, my struggles, the facts, and that may very well need to be a humorous telling so I can help me get over myself!

Since we're "keepin it real," let's talk about how I got into this whole blog situation in the first place. I've been told many times that I should be blogging. Respectfully-Opinionated Talker = Blogger? Yeah, I wasn't convinced about that so it was pretty easy to "politely ignore" those first 50 or so "You need to blog" suggestions. Then November 22nd happened and I'm happily minding my own business, enjoying my first American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) conference. My former friend (I unfriended her just a few moments ago) Amy Lenord (@alenord) recommended to Laura Sexton (@SraSpanglish) and to Sara-E. Cottrell (@SECottrell) that we should meet. These three ladies really are a few of my language teaching/learning heroes so I'm thinkin' "Cool. I get to meet two more of my language teaching heroes." Except it wasn't cool. It wasn't cool at all actually because these women quickly dispensed with the pleasantries and commenced to doing what they do best - push others (students and colleagues) right out of their comfort zones. There I was comfortably learning, growing, and sharing with my friends, my colleagues, and the few folks who have seen me present at a conference, workshop, or training. But noooo...That wasn't enough for these "pushy heffas" who said I need to be blogging so that they have greater access to my thoughts, ideas, and journey. Access to my thoughts, ideas, and journey...in a blog??? What the what?!? Ummm, I don't think you understand! My thoughts, ideas, and journey can be pretty scary for me to share with myself and downright petrifying to even think of sharing with other folks...in a blog! Ugh...and so it begins.

With all due respect, I hope you have some "pushy heffas" in your life too. You know, the ones who won't let you live, give, or be less than you were designed to live, give, or be. These are the ones you prayed for because fear or insecurity sometimes has a way of clouding that "just try it" you manage to encourage others with daily. It was the encouragement from my friends, family, and finally the aforementioned encounter with my language heroes that made the "call to blog" again on November 22nd one that couldn't be ignored any longer.


....Mmm-kay...now what? How do I end this thing? Do I sign off with a reflection question that points you to the deeper meaning of today's post? Or maybe I should end with a statement about those encouraging you to take the risk that you've tried your best to disregard.  Then again, I wonder if I just sign off with something deeply simple that will be my "brand" at the end of each blog something like "Work in progress"...I'll keep working on this closing piece of the blog because this certainly won't be my last one! (Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm sure that was another newbie blogging cliché...Look, you can't keep reading my blogs if you're gonna be all judg(ie) about my novice level blogging proficiency! #justsayin)