From the Instructional Coach
Fran Misener * Radnor High School
FEBRUARY, 2017
HABITS EQUAL HAPPINESS
I would be lying if I told you I had no apprehension about returning to work in January. I had an amazing holiday, with my wonderful family, in our new home. I slept in, if you call a 7AM wake-up call from a four-year old sleeping in. I ate good food. A lot of it. And there wasn’t much structure, but we were doing something fun every day. No wonder I wanted to keep the holidays going, right?!
But, you know what, I am so much better with routine. I started some healthy habits in January. I am proud to say that today, most of them are still going strong. Eating right, working out, practicing mindful meditation with Andy (from Headspace, it’s an app and I highly recommend it), and my younger daughter, Celia, who wants in on the action. Come March...I hope to start that administration degree...more on that below!
But, let me rewind to the mindful meditation. This is not something I did on a consistent basis, so I knew I needed to start small - five minutes was the plan - because I didn’t want to set myself up for failure. I had to revise my goal to 10 minutes per day because that is what Andy said I should do. Totally a rule follower over here! Anyone else like me?
Anyway, I wanted a way to keep track of my progress, so I am using a calendar to record my workouts and meditating. IF I do both tasks, I get to have a sweet treat after dinner. These days, it has been a serving of Thin Mints Girl Scout Cookies (did you know that is FOUR cookies?!) When I want to foster better habits with my girls, I do something similar with stickers and candy, so I thought I’d give it a try. It is totally working! It gives me a sense of accomplishment. The other thing I do is share my thoughts with the universe (YOU) because I somehow feel more accountable for my actions.
You know, this never looks perfect. Sometimes, instead of using Headspace, I use the “Breathing” app on my Apple Watch. And some of those workouts were completed on the weekend, due to a couple of extra snooze sessions on a certain weekday. And sometimes, I *MIGHT* have six cookies. Or, I may have the cookies over ice cream. But, perfection is not the point. I am looking for progress.
And I try to view every day as a day where I make progress. At home. And here. And a big part of that is having some healthy habits, so I feel good, energized, and can focus more on the positive!
So, what are your healthy habits? What are some ways in which you achieve your goals? How do you stay on track? What keeps you motivated? Feel free to share in the comments section below so we can all benefit from your tips!
2016 Goal Update
Is it so horrible that my goal was put on hold? Absolutely not. Because the opportunity presented itself again. Yesterday, I found out I was accepted into Eastern University's Early Learning Principal Instruction Coaching Program. I start in March! Yes, three weeks from today, March. By July, I will complete four classes. By the end of 2017, the final two. Eighteen credits. Nine months. One degree. Yikes. Actually, YAY!
It is crazy how things work out. I feel as though I would not have been ready for this opportunity if it were last year. I am excited. I feel rejuvenated. I am ready.
Thank you, Universe.
TECH DAY 2017
Reading with Technology
I hope to see you!
NEWESLA
VBooks PDF Reader
Upfront Magazine
Printfriendly.com
WOW
Contact Nick Holtman via Schoology with your suggestion.
We are always looking for fun and innovative ways to incorporate the WOW more into classrooms. Contact me with thoughts and ideas!
About Me
Hi! I am your Instructional Coach, focusing in the Humanities. As an Instructional Coach, I wear many hats. I can gather resources, visit classrooms, conduct book study groups, co-plan or demonstrate lessons, co-teach, assist with technology and the list goes on. If you need something that was not covered above, are still confused as to what I do, or want to borrow a hat, please contact me. I am looking forward to a great year!
Email: frances.misener@rtsd.org
Website: http://www.rtsd.org/Domain/933
Location: Radnor High School, King of Prussia Road, Wayne, PA, United States
Phone: 610-293-0855
Twitter: @franmisener