There's something quite exciting when you have a history with somebody and you see them do new and different things. - Tim Burton

I want to start my first blog off with a challenge:

Encourage someone when you see them doing something new or different. Lend them resources, drive them where they need to go, be a cheerleader, or a proofreader- Anything that shows support and encouragement. It is too easy to shy away from trying something new, even if it is a good step for oneself! So go forth, and be a positive voice in a friend’s life.

So on the subject of new adventures… we educators have had an interesting last year and a half. Distance learning, limited class size, individual supplies kits, internet outages, voice projection, canceled classes, hybrid teaching, new lesson plans, the list goes on and on. While knee-deep in the pandemic, we have tackled all of these new situations. Regardless of your success in each, you should remember to be proud of yourself and look back on your growth in such a short time!

A little over a year ago, I would never have guessed I would have a website, or gotten back into video editing. I have learned everything there is to know about Zoom and Google Classrooms while starting a list of ways to keep students engaged during the meeting! I’ve upped my game of finding common but effective tools for working in clay in your home, as well as I now teach quarterly workshops on home studio practices. The time has seemingly flown by while crawling along, however, that is possible!?

Who has time to remember to be positive and cognizant of self-care while in the middle of all that? Take a second and write down everything new you have tried in the past 18 months, be proud of that list! Now try something new that is just for you!