Conscientious Teaching
A JMS Teacher Newsletter-February
WELCOME!
Be Silly
NO NEGATIVITY!
Enjoy Family Time
Calming Anxiety Strategies for All
- Take 10 deep slow breaths -- breathe in through your nose focusing on the sensation of your breath entering your nostrils. Fully expand your lungs.... hold.... exhale slowly to the count of six.... repeat
- Use progressive muscle relaxation--- tightening and then relaxing the different muscle groups throughout your body
- Imagine a peaceful scene --imagine a beautiful, peaceful scene using all your senses.
- Visualize Success -- visualize yourself facing an anxiety-provoking situation calmly and successfully.
- Listen to something relaxing - set up a playlist of music that is relaxing
- Physically release your anxiety --- if time permits and place allows, do a vigorous workout --- stress balls are great when time/place doesn't
- Spiritual resources -- pray for wisdom to know the right course of action and for the strength to be courageous
- Repeat a calming phrase - or a meditation mantra, such as "Peace..." or "Everything will be OK" or "Let's Roll."
- Focus of the present --- Do not focus on the past or the future, or make judgments about a situation.
February Calendar of Events
- February 1 -- Lamplighter Essays Due
- February 3 & 17 -- Wellness Point Presentations via PE classes & PreAth (coaches- see email sent previously for specifics)
- February 6 -- UIL Academic Meet
- February 10 -- TELPAS Training (core teachers only) 4:00 PM Library
- February 15 -- TELPAS Window Opens - start collecting samples for LEP students
- February 23 -- STAAR Simulation Gr. 8 Math
- February 24 -- STAAR Simulation Gr. 8 Reading and Gr. 7 Writing
- February 26 -- ELA Teachers TELPAS Calibration @ ESC starting at 9:00 AM
Faculty Focus
Mindy Holley originally from West Texas, has been in East Texas for 20 years and at Judson Middle School for 16 years. She has had the pleasure of teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Reading/ELA, along with, Theatre, Speech, and Teen Leadership. Mindy was chosen to mother three absolutely fabulous children, each with their own unique strengths and quirky personalities. Mindy and her family love books, live theatre, action and comedy movies, music of all genres (especially loud in the car), laughing, joking, being loud, football, musicals, being different, friends, plants, the color maroon, grilled cheese, people, loud pants, the weak in spirit, sparkle, Brave, God, pushing the limits, hats, cheesecake, road trips, flowers, colored pens (especially brown), kindness, dancing, and each other fiercely. Mindy hopes to one day be called Sparkle by many grandchildren, be able to retire from teaching with fond memories of students and colleagues, make a change for the better in opinion and policy on mental health in the public, private, school, and law enforcement arenas, and at any moment know how lucky she is to be a Chosen Child of God that is capable of spreading joy and laughter even in the darkest hour.
Email: mholley@lisd.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindy.holley?fref=ts