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~ J Clay Norton, Ed.D.

The Book Chamber

Category Archives: Thankful

Nature’s Touch of Time

19 Friday Nov 2021

Posted by The Book Chamber in Memories, Reflection, Rest, Thankful, Thanksgiving, Time

≈ 1 Comment

Happy Thanksgiving

images-8

If you would like to download a printer friendly version of this with a washout watermark background, click here: Nature’s Touch of Time

 
Nature’s Touch of Time

The sky, more vibrant...
Hues, only Fall can bring.

A new scent in the air,
A smell earth and wood...

Trees different colors,
Showing time, once again.

Wind pushing warm breezes,
Held over from summer.

Leaves - blowing, falling...
Creating whisper sounds.

Blanketing the ground,
Nature's mosaic of color.

A harvest of memories to rake,
Piled high for enjoyment.

Reflections kindling the heart,
Small fires to warm the soul.

Fall, a season of change,
Restful...

Thankful for time.
The time of Thanksgiving.


©2021 J Clay Norton

To view previous year’s Thanksgiving thoughts, download here:

2018 – Thanksgiving Grace

2019 – Home

2020 – Pause and Reflect

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2021 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on…

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Teacher A̶p̶p̶r̶e̶c̶i̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ Value

07 Friday May 2021

Posted by The Book Chamber in Appreciation, coronavirus, COVID-19, Education, Heroes, Inspiration, Leader, Leadership, Teacher Appreciation, Teachers, Thankful, Value

≈ 1 Comment

This past Tuesday was National Teacher Appreciation Day, and this is Teacher Appreciation Week. So… a little history…

“In 1953, Eleanor Roosevelt stood up to Congress in hopes of convincing them that teachers needed a day to be recognized for all that they do. Until that point, the celebration of the day wasn’t clear… The National Education Association (NEA) in partnership with the Kansas State and Indiana State Boards of Education, lobbied Congress in order for the day to be recognized. Despite her best efforts, the first National Teacher Day didn’t become an official national day until 1980. At its inception, National Teacher Day was celebrated on March 7 until 1984 when it was moved to May. Thanks to the assistance of the National PTA, it evolved into Teacher Appreciation Week, giving teachers more time to bask in appreciation. A year later, the NEA established that the first Tuesday of the week would be National Teacher Appreciation Day.”¹

Now…
This year, let’s face it… Wierd cannot describe this school year. However, we have almost finished with it, and the credit goes to teachers. This year, more than any other, teachers have taught as they have never before. Instruction has been virtual, in-person, or a mix of both. Teachers have Zoomed in and Zoomed out. While education might have looked different, the work teachers have put in daily has provided a needed constant for communities and students’ lives.

value

However, there is a question that I would like to ask and answer. Is there a difference between being appreciated and being valued? I believe so. Often, it seems that teachers are appreciated for what they do, not so much for what and who they are. That, to me, is where the value needs to be – who teachers are.

For example, take a person in your life that you love… Yes, you appreciate the things they do for you. More importantly, you also value who they are and the value they bring to your life. That is what I think is missing with teachers; the value.

By nature, teachers play a critical and pivotal role in educating and shaping children who will become the future of our society. For this to happen, year in and year out, teachers constantly have to renew their certification, attend professional development, plan and work after school hours, provide customer service, spend their own money, etc. After that, even the subject they teach is regulated by the Federal and State Departments of Education. You might say, “Well, good; they should.” I do not disagree with some of it. However, the same scenario goes for doctors, CPAs, lawyers, or any other professional occupation. When it comes to needing help, we quickly value them. Professionals, unlike teachers, are not so much valued for their years of experience but for their production and results. Value towards teachers, it seems, stems only from how long they have been in the system.

Anyway, it is teacher appreciation week, and I value education and the teachers who make it happen. There are some quality, great teachers in our system, but they are often overshadowed by the negativity of education in general. We must have a paradigm shift toward the good that education provides.

Personally, I value the teachers who have had a huge impact on my life and have influenced and inspired the way I teach and lead, and I have had some great ones; rock star status worthy. I also value the teachers I work with; we have some who “bring it” every day. They are hero-worthy.

Value brings better productivity, engagement, longevity, and satisfaction. Let’s change the way we appreciate teachers. Let’s start valuing them. When we do, the appreciation will take care of itself.

¹ https://nationaltoday.com/national-teachers-day/

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2021 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts? Follow me on…

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Time to Detox Your Mind…

05 Friday Feb 2021

Posted by The Book Chamber in Actions, Choice, coronavirus, COVID-19, Crisis, Detox, Future, Kindness, Leader, Leadership, Memories, Purpose, Thankful, Useful

≈ Leave a comment

The other night, Heather asked me to order her some more “detox” herbal tea. We will detox our bodies to get the “bad” stuff out (and go major hungry at the same time) and cleanse for so many days. Why? So we can believe the labels that we will feel better and be healthier. After I placed the order, I started thinking about the detox idea and our bodies (I didn’t think long), which lead me to think about detox and our minds.

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But what about our minds? Do we ever detox them? Do you know what all we have stored up there? Yes, much of it is needed as a reservoir to glean from for the future. There are also many happy memory moments. But do you also know what we hang on to? (This is where I tell you, I am really good at this part. Not something I should probably be airing out anyway).

Nonetheless, it happens for all of us. More damaging than that is putting all the negatives that are happening in society in our minds. Now I believe we have to be well-versed on current topics to know what is happening, but if the negatives are all we dwell on, what chance do we have to emit positive leadership?

Think about this for just a moment… We are almost a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, our country is divided, some voices are shouted while others are muzzled, businesses are closed, school is Zoomed, events with little or no spectators, etc… Normal as we know it is not happening for the foreseeable future. TALK ABOUT NEGATIVE!

I guess I am just rambling… that’s what blogs are for anyway, right? Somehow, we have to detox and reset our thinking. If not for ourselves, then especially for others.

So, I figure here are a few things we can do to detox our minds… and yes, it will take a few days…

Hang out with “real” people.
Stay current on what’s happening in the world, but don’t read the threads…
Find something positive to read. By the way, if you are going to believe everything you read, start with the Bible. 
Be thankful about something.
As much as it causes distress when your favorite sports team does not win, it is not the end of the world.
Just be kind (see last week’s blog for this).

Nothing you have read today is a new or original thought. That’s the funny thing about writing a blog on leadership. Almost everything has already been said over time. The only “newness” comes from a different perspective or a twist on how something is presented. However, the problem lies in the fact that there is still “not good” leadership from many. Leadership conventions and seminars are still selling tickets. Books, papers, blogs are still being written. Surveys are still being conducted, and stats are studied to tell us what good leadership should look like.

So… why don’t we know, or why have we not figured it out yet? Your guess is as good as mine, but I will always believe it hinges on the idea of selfishness and what we put into our minds. We could all use a little detoxing; our minds and, I guess, our bodies too.

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2021 J Clay Norton

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year?

11 Friday Dec 2020

Posted by The Book Chamber in Choice, Christmas, COVID-19, Intentions, Jesus, Mask, Opportunity, Reflection, Thankful

≈ 3 Comments

Well, now that you have read the title, the song may be stuck in your head. Sorry about that.

Is it? The most wonderful time of the year? But it’s 2020, you ask… what’s wonderful about it?

How about this line in the opening verse…
And everyone telling you be of good cheer. Bah Humbug, for sure! I don’t want to be happy. I just watched the news, for goodness sake.

Second verse…
When friends come to call. No one is coming to see you, we all have to stay home.
It’s the hap-happiest season of all. Where’s the Tylenol? (credit to Clark Griswald)

Third verse…
There’ll be parties for hosting. Limit the number!

Fourth verse…
There’ll be much mistltoeing. Hard to do with the mask on.
And hearts will be glowing. More like aching.
When loved ones are near. Remember to stay 6′ away.

Well, I’ll say that there is much truth to what I have written above, and it is where we are right now. But, “as for me and my house…” Yes, it is still the most wonderful time of the year. I love Christmas time. It may not be what and how we want it, and yes, I am tired of it all, to say the least. However, it is up to me and my mindset to “be of good cheer.” Why would we not? It sure beats having a pity party (truly should limit that number of people anyway, and everyone who joins is probably wearing a “mask”).

So, be of good cheer…

  • Tell someone Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
  • Send a Christmas card or note to someone (I guess a text will work).
  • “Say hello to friends you know and everyone you meet.“
  • Sing Christmas songs.
  • Watch movies as a family.
  • Play good ole fashion board games.
  • Have a party with your family. They should be the ones you love and want to spend time with the most anyway.
  • Kiss your spouse even if there is not any mistletoe around.
  • Read the Christmas Story from the Bible (Luke 2: 1-21; Isaiah 9:2, 6-7; Matthew 1: 18-23)

Most of all, yes, it is the most wonderful time of the year… Why? For it is the season we celebrate the birth of Christ. Any opportunity we have to tell the praiseworthiness of Jesus and the Christmas Story, we should take advantage of. You might not realize who is listening. That will give you good cheer!

MEERY CHRISTMAS everyone…

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2020 J Clay Norton

Want more Leadership Thoughts?  Follow me on…

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