Sunday, November 11, 2012

Find Me On FACEBOOK....gulp!!

I know, I know! I have been avoiding Facebook for several years for lots of reasons......

1. I can't even keep two bathrooms clean at once, how would I ever find time to check Facebook?
2. It's for kids! I like the thought of letting my kids have their own clubhouse, a place to call their own, a place that I am not invited.
3. At the end of the day, I like to hang up my parent ed hat. In all sincerity, I take pride in being very available to my students.  I worry that if I come out on Facebook, that I will be doing parent education in my jammies at all hours of the day.
4. I do NOTHING in moderation. Not. one. thing. I am attracted to bright shiny things and have to force myself to be a grown up sometimes. Does Hazelden have a program for Facebook addicts yet?

With these concerns in mind, I did a thorough investigation about a possible future relationship between me and Facebook.  I asked friends who know me well.  I asked my kids.  I asked small business owners.  I hemmed, I hawed, and I stewed...... Eventually, I sat down between two twenty somethings that held my hand as they walked me through privacy settings and administrative details to my new place.

I am happy to announce that you can find a small part of me on Facebook beginning today!  I have a business page so that all of you who love to know what I am doing and where I am speaking next can keep track of me. I am working hard at making my classroom bigger than the one I occupy in Winona and I am very serious about engaging Minnesotans in a conversation to save childhood.  I am looking for champions of childhood.  I hope you are with me!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Katy-Smith/501711756519108

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Flipping for Books

I am so excited about Jon Klassen's new book! I will read it to you all on Saturday at the high school at 10:00am!

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Time to Say "Goodbye"





 
“Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” 
― A.A. Milne


I think I have it.  I have been obsessing for awhile about how to say goodbye to my blog.  It is time.  I don't want to say goodbye until I have a place to send you, my loyal readers, to though.  I will have that new place next weekend.  For now, for you and for me, it seems like a great time for some reflection and gratitude. I am truly grateful for the life and career changer being named the 2011 Minnesota Teacher of the Year has been.  I think I just might spend the rest of my life thanking people for the great opportunity to make my classroom so much bigger than I had ever imagined it could be. I have always been curious about limits, especially the ones we put on ourselves.  I had no choice in this but to embrace the advice from Dr. David Walsh.  He told me to "walk through every door that opens for you" and I did.  I am a better person for it and braver indeed.  I have been given a new sense of confidence in the work that I do.  Thank you for that!