It has been awhile since I posted to this blog. I have decided to continue this blog so that I can share with you the little things and the bigger accomplishments that make each week terrific! I wanted to re-post an entry from the past that explains why I started this blog in the first place......
1/20/10
"Several years ago our principal retired and a new principal was hired. During the first few months of her tenure, she would frequently ask many staff members: "What was the best part of your day today?" The first time she asked me I will admit that I was caught completely off guard! I had to think about the day and come up with a response. While it's not hard to think of something good in every day, many times we just don't do it. We focus on the problems or the things that went wrong or the things we need to fix. Since that time I often think to myself at the end of the day to decide exactly what was the best part of my day. Sometimes it's easy to identify many great events of the day. Other times it's a struggle, but on these days I feel that it's the most important time to go over the day in my head to end on a positive note. As a result of that thinking I have decided to add a section to my blog called: "The Best Part of My Day.....". From time to time I would like to share with you the events of the day that were the best for me. Sometimes they may sound trivial, but for me it was "the best part of my day". Hope you enjoy it! Feel free to e-mail me with stories of "the best part of your day!"
So "The Best Part of My Day" soon became "The Best Parts of My Week" and each week I reflected on what made the week special. Since it is time to begin again, I want to reflect on the recent past to get things going.
In December of 2013 I received word that I had been selected as the 2014 Eastern District Association of AAHPERD - soon to be renamed SHAPE America (American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance - Society of Health and Physical Educators). I was overwhelmed and so incredibly proud to represent my school, my district, my state, and my family. Almost immediately, congratulatory wishes and opportunities arrived and I found myself thinking - "Why me?" Don't get me wrong, I work incredibly hard to provide a quality PE program for my students, but I know that there are many other outstanding professionals out there as well. I was reassured by my principal, administrators, friends, and family that I was deserving of this honor whether or not I believed it and I was humbled by the thought of it all. As one of the six elementary PE teachers in contention for the national award, the next few months were filled with video taping lessons, plans for both the EDA and National Conventions, and the amazing support of so many people - those I had known my whole life, and those that I had just begun to meet and will forever change my life. Examples like the support of my interim PE director, who I had just met this past Fall but made the effort to drive from New York to Rhode Island to attend the EDA Awards dinner, of my principal, who traveled from New York to St. Louis, Missouri to attend the Hall of Fame Banquet where the National teachers of the year were announced, and countless others who helped me to prepare for the event - my husband and family, Amy from EDA, Michelle from SHAPE America, and all of my Southeastern Zone and NYS AHPERD friends who are among my greatest advocates! While I was not chosen as the National Elementary PE Teacher of the Year, I am inspired by the work of the National winner and of all of the other candidates and am excited to be working with them this year! I am looking forward to some amazing opportunities during "my year as a TOY (Teacher of the Year)" as it is called. For starters, I will be on the panel at the Fuel Up to Play 60 Summit in May, and I am honored to be throwing out the first pitch at the Hudson Valley Renegades Baseball game in June! My hope is to chronicle these events as well as others - little and big - that continue to make up "The Best Parts of My Week"!
Have a great week! Thanks for reading!
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