olw

One Little Word Check-In

Betsy Hubbard

The end of the school year always brings with it  a great opportunity for reflection. Often I find myself beginning to think about the year to come sometime in March. I start thinking about what I can do before the group of students I have leave the nest. I wonder what new opportunities I might try with the next crew.

My One Little Word (OLW) for 2016 is Possible. Last year, my word was Open. I remember thinking about how perfect the word had become at about this time of year back then because I was facing a change in grade-levels and there were a lot of unknowns. I’m finding myself in that same situation again this year. What will I teach when fall comes around? No one really knows quite yet. There is a lot of shifting and maneuvering of staff and I’m not exactly sure anyone will know where I land until a month from now. Until then I am optimistic and hopeful that I get the opportunity to work with third graders again in the 2016-17 school year. I have seen so many possibilities with this age group. There are so many things I didn’t know until now and I’d love to try again and do it better.

I’ve watched students who came to me with what felt like impossible situations in their way toward progress gleam past that struggle and show their voice in their writing. It has been wonderful reuniting with students I had back in kindergarten and first-grade to see their writing rise. Children who once wrote only a few lines now write paragraphs with dialogue, meaning, and figurative language. I remember looking at the end of year third-grade writing samples and wondering how on earth we would get to that point! Many have gotten there and several are well on their way with teams of growth from the months we have spent together.

As I finish out the year in the next two weeks I’m looking forward to wrapping up these experiences in hopes I can tuck them away for just the summer and unpack them when fall begins. The possibility exists but I will remain open as well as I venture into what feels like an unknown.

Possible

Published by Betsy Hubbard

Daughter, sister, wife, mother, teacher, and writer.

7 thoughts on “One Little Word Check-In”

  2. My word is positive. There have been many days I’ve yielded this word well. But there have been days where I have to remind myself multiple times a day… some times a minute to be positive. And I get frustrated with myself for not practicing my OLW more. Then I remind myself to focus on the positive and I realize I’m doing better than I think.

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  3. I come back to this every so often – my OLW is developing – wish is funny when I think about how old I am. I use to think one was “done” so to speak by this age but instead it is always a new beginning. So we are always developing in one way or another. Thanks for the reminder to reflect on where we are at this time of year!

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  4. My word is READY. It’s been the start of so many phrases over the year–ready to let go, ready for what comes my way, ready to see what happens, ready to listen…
    Now I’m ready for summer. It’s been a great word so far.

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  5. One of my students made a sign for our classroom that said, “I’m possible.” Possible opens doors and gives you the confidence to step through them.

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  6. I love OLW. I know of a shy young lady with some problems, yet many strengths, pick the OLW – “trust.” Under the word in small letters she added, “in yourself.” She has set and surpassed many goals this year and it’s been amazing to watch.
    My OLW is “nourish” and I’ve been working on nourishing food, emotions, nourishing students, my own children and grandchildren. It’s made a huge difference when I ask myself, if I do or say this, will it help me/them nourish and grow?

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