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~ J Clay Norton, Ed.D.

The Book Chamber

Category Archives: Time

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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Stop all the noise, I’m distracted and can’t hear myself think…

03 Friday Sep 2021

Posted by The Book Chamber in Captive, Classroom Leadership, Deciding, Decisions, Distractions, Importance, Intentional, Leader, Leadership, Teachers, Time

≈ 2 Comments

Two ideas got my attention this week… One, I was listening to a radio segment this past Saturday morning. The topic was about freedom and being held captive; we can be captive to others, and we can be held captive to ourselves. The other idea is from a statement our pastor said this past Sunday about how we allow noise of the outside world in our lives. If we are not able to set it aside, it will hinder our focus.  When I combined these two ideas in my head…

Well, as you know… it got me thinking…

We now live in a world of instant information. What one time took days and months to reach our ears are now at the touch of a button. I will confess, I am fascinated with news of what all is going on “out there.” If I let it, it will distract me, and it does to an extent. Our willingness to put that aside, in some ways, speaks to our mindset. And it does not have to be technology distractions. There are so many things that distract us; other people, family, your job, financials, sports… that putt I missed last Saturday morning, etc…

dealing-with-distractions-a2b8fa90

That said, it now leads to what holds us captive. Are we held captive to our distractions? Individual freedom can only exist when we are no longer captive to the distractions of our own minds. At some point, they can very well become weapons of “mass distractions.” 

Don’t get distracted 🙂 stay with me here…

As educational leaders (by the way, that is what all people in education should want to be), are we distracted from doing our jobs? What interferes with us so much that our minds are held captive? If they keep us from doing what we are supposed to be doing, it is not good. For me, one distraction is idle curiosity. I will Google almost anything. I will chase rabbits with or without meat on it. Does it benefit my life? In my world, yes, but big picture, not really.

Nonetheless…

As we educate, as we lead, our minds really need to be clear of distractions. I know, easier said than done. Can we hone in on our objectives? There is a clip in the movie “For the Love of the Game” where Kevin Costner’s role is a baseball picther. When pitching, he mentally says, “Clear the mechanism.” It is often very hard to do this, but I believe we are at our best when we do.

Bottom line… distractions disengage us. I would suspect that most people would want us to be engaged and the flipside of that as well. I guess, in the end, it boils down to what we are willing and not willing to control in our minds. What do we want freedom from? Don’t be held captive to the noise.

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…

Twitter @thebookchamber

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Gimme A Break… Spring Break That Is…

06 Friday Mar 2020

Posted by The Book Chamber in Family, Rest, Spring Break, Teachers, Time

≈ Leave a comment

This week is one of four weeks we all long for as educators… Yes, I said, educators. The other three include the week before Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the end of school. As I listen in the hallway, I hear teachers say, “Four more days; Three more days; I will be glad when Friday gets here…”

The need for Spring Break is real, even for teachers. That long break between Christmas and now… The hard thing, though, is making Spring Break last. Joking, at my house, at noon on Wednesday, I say, “Well, Spring Break is over.” I immediately get “fused at” by my family, but it is fun nonetheless.

So, how do we make Spring Break last? I believe it is by not focusing on what you have to do when we come back. Look at what you get to do next week (if you want to)…

Sleep late
Wear anything you want
Go anywhere you want, when you want
Eat when you want
Go to the bathroom when you want
Stay up later than normal
Take care of that much needed “stuff to do” around the house
Did I mention sleep late…?

You get the idea. What you do not need to do is think about the things that you do not have to do. By now, we are at our “wit’s end” trying to keep everything and everyone on the same page. Too often, we cannot rest, relax, and rejuvenate because of our lack of planning beforehand. Get what you need to be done for when we come back today and leave it. The goal is for you to leave the classroom mentally. You know the students do…

Being an educator is exhausting. The 10-12 hours a day get long, and that is just inside the building. What about the time outside the building? Yes, you need a break too. Go ahead and actually take it. Your family will probably appreciate it as much as you do.

I hope each of you has a great one. We will pick back up with the blogs AFTER Spring Break.

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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Honoring “TIME” in Your Classroom…

21 Friday Feb 2020

Posted by The Book Chamber in Actions, Agenda, Classroom Management, Communication, Consistency, Leader, Leadership, Meetings, Teachers, Time

≈ Leave a comment

“I can’t wait for the bell to ring.” Who makes this statement?

The student or the teacher? Or, both?

Being in education, now for 25 years, I would dare say both. But why? A lesson too hard, students too bad, you do not feel well, students disconnected, etc… the list can go on and on.

Here is what I believe, as a classroom teacher, your ability to manage or mismanage time somehow equates to your classroom management or mismanagement.

How many teachers do you see/know that are not prepared for “the day” of teaching? Forget about planning ahead; they usually plan behind… No one, even students, should have respect for unpreparedness. Especially from a professional adult. Now, some can get by with “winging it.” I know a few people like that, but eventually, that “wing” will snap and…

I have also been thinking about how time “flies” (I tend to do that the older I become). What I have figured out… it does, especially if you are enjoying your time. You know where this is going… Do you and your students enjoy your time together? I figure some of you are saying, “You don’t know my students.” You are correct, I don’t, but we know people, and we know ourselves. Find a way to make your class enjoyable because it starts with you. An inviting environment does wonders for time.

Time best spent is when everyone is involved. When a teacher “hijacks” the classroom, like money, students feel cheated. Or, if you always teach to a particular group in your class. You should not have to convince your students you know your subject. The goal is to convince the students they know the subject. Help them make their own discoveries and connections. Teach and facilitate your lessons and fill in the gaps when they have questions.

Most importantly, be prompt and pace the lessons. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone learns at the same pace. Yes, you might just have to repeat or redo some parts. And you know what, that’s good teaching. Do not rush a lesson because you have to get to the next standard or section. You might miss a valuable foundation that can change someone’s learning.

As a leader in the classroom, you take responsibility for the timing and the environment. This goes for any leader in any situation. All you need to do is change the classroom to a meeting or function and change lessons to agendas.

Of all the “things” educators cannot control, the two things that we can is our classroom time and management. Set one, and the other should follow. You set the standard with both, and please do not lower them.

Go be a great educator 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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