REFLECT-REVISIT-REUSE

Reflecting is such a huge part of growing and doing what we do best, helping others. I have spent the morning going back through some of my past papers and ideas, and things of that nature. I had not forgotten about them, I merely forgot some of what was in them. It sparked a new desire

to revisit some of those previous ideas and theories. Today, specifically, I reviewed an action research paper I did when working in grad school. I really found that the information I discovered when writing that paper is something that I can really focus on right now. It is all about helping kids, right? With that dreaded STAAR test looming just around the corner, we need all the pep we can get.

Additionally, I encourage everyone to keep a journal. There are so many fantastic ways to do this and there are so many reasons to keep a journal. Sometimes, we just need to get what is on our mind, off of our mind. We are educators, a lot goes on between our ears. A simple brain dump can help us "reboot." Secondly, that information is important. When we write it down, we can revisit it later, and sort it out. Once we write it down, we can refine it and polish it, and make much better use of it. And finally, it is a great tracking method. You can go back and see progress or changes that have been made, in your life, the lives of others, and in the lives of your students. You don't have to have just one. You may want to keep a work journal and a personal journal. A journal is simply a working time capsule. Let it work for you.