Happy New Year!

Hello!

I cannot believe how long it has been since I last wrote. Believe me, my tardiness is not due to lack of ideas.

Transitions. I am in transition. Transitions are hard. Any woman out there who has given birth to a child can certainly relate to that statement. But transitions do not only happen in the labor and delivery room.

Transitions happen all the time. I know at the schools where I substitute, the concept of transitions occupy a vast amount of the school day. Students have to transition from the bus to the classroom. They transition during the day between specials or subjects. Then they have to transition to home. It is hard for students to stop one thing and then focus their minds and bodies toward another thing.

Transitions happen to adults as well. I am transitioning from a master's program to trying to find employment. My daughters are transitioning from Fall semester to Spring semester in college. My husband just celebrated his 51st birthday and he is transitioning into the mindset of what it means to be in the "youth of old age."

With transitions come some very good things. Transitions force us to evaluate where we are and what is important. Transitions have the potential to motivate us to dig deep inside, to find the passion to move forward. Transitions are necessary in life to help us appreciate and adjust.

So here are some of the things I have learned from helping my students during transitions.

First: use your zero voice and stop what you are doing.
Second: listen to the instructions.
Third: decide what you have to do to carry out the instructions.
Fourth: make a plan.
Fifth: follow through with your plan.
Sixth: be kind to others as you put your plan in place.
Seventh: reach your goal and be proud.
Eighth: be ready to listen again and repeat.

These are simple steps. They are practical and doable. They are valuable...whether we are students in school or students in life. I hope you take them to heart and practice them in 2010.

Have hope,
Donna