Mrs. Miller's Counseling News
Twin Oaks Elementary - Updated 11/22/21
Happy Birthday to me!
Twin Oaks Families:
My birthday often falls on a school day, and this year is no exception. I love coming to work and reminding myself of all the wonderful people, especially students, who bring joy, laughter and love into my very full life. I'm getting up there in age . . . 62 . . . seems like a pretty big number! With age comes wisdom, and a few other things too. It can be tempting to dwell on the negatives . . . my balance isn't what it used to be. . .my joints are stiff. . .I tire easily. Case in point, I FELL on the SIDEWALK last week for NO APPARENT REASON! Thankfully, I didn't sustain any major injuries, but it was a stark reminder that I'm getting older.
Here's a fun fact I learned about from a video I shared with one of my student groups last week. The brain is wired for negativity. Researchers have found that when presented a scenario from the negative perspective (glass half empty vs. glass half full) the human brain naturally seizes on the negative. Our brains get stuck in a negative loop that is hard to interrupt. It turns out that as we age, we tend to be better at viewing the world from a positive lens. By the time we are in our 70s, we are very adept at filtering out the negatives.
I've always been a "glass is half full" person. I like to believe that my positive attitude has helped me to get to this ripe old age with a smile on my face and contentment in my heart. Life is challenging, sometimes difficult, often worrisome and puzzling, but the research is on my side. Dwelling on the negative doesn't empower us to solve our problems, it simply sends us into "fight, flight or freeze." Take it from me, a wise old 62 year old woman, positivity is one of the keys to happiness.
If you want to learn more about the topic, click on the video link that follows this message.
In School This Week: Classroom lessons this week will continue to focus on the theme of Kindness and Service. I will share books and videos that support the concepts, and encourage students to think about how they might expand their thinking and take action in their school, at home, in their neighborhood and community. I want Twin Oaks students to know that even kids can be powerful agents for change!
Featured in this newsletter issue: Weekly Message, Classroom Counseling Lesson Schedule, How to Access Mrs. Miller Online, Parenting and Community Resources.
REMEMBER, I'm available via email and office phone Monday-Friday. Don't hesitate to reach out to me with individual needs. I'm here to support you! My email is: miller_de@4j.lane.edu. My direct office phone is: 541-790-3442. If you need to reach me outside of business hours, feel free to text or call my Google Voice number at: 541-972-3347.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Miller