#Mission Mondays

"Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays?" - Office Space

We have all felt the dread of a Monday morning. The kids do not want to be there and it seems to take a little extra nudge to get them back on track for the work week. I will readily admit that I find myself dreading Mondays just like the kids do. I look at all of the things I need to accomplish in the week and count down the minutes until next Friday during more stressful days. To help combat this, I would give my self a Mission for the week. Something that has a positive effect for a student, a group of students, or other teachers. Some of you may have seen my #MissionMonday hash tag and RTed it. Thanks. For those who have not seen it or have ignored it, it is a great way to look at the week in a more positive light instead of the stressful 5 day forecast.

The #MissionMonday missions are never very hard or complicated. They are not going to revolutionize the world of education, but they can make a difference in a teacher's or student's life. One Monday I suggested that teachers stand in the hallway and say hello to students you have not taught. I teach in a High School of 1600+ students, so I was waving and smiling plenty that week. Some of those students probably thought I was out of my mind, but I think that some of the other students were happy to be recognized in the hallway. Too often students become wallflowers in our schools and a simple hello can go a long way.

Another Monday was designated to calling a parent with good news instead of bad news. Parents and students have been trained to expect bad news in note form or by way of telephone. I went out of way to note some good things about some of my students and let the parents know in email or through a hone call. Needless to say, many parents were speechless at first, but very happy to get the call. The kids were highly embarrassed on the outside, but I'm sure they were thrilled on the inside.

These little missions have allowed me to find the positive aspects of my job when the mounting stress of a work week try to overcome me. Start small if you are busy. These Missions are not meant to make your life more complicated, but a little more focused on the positives in our lives.

Join me in making the educational work week a better place by re-tweeting my #MissionMonday Tweets or even starting your very own. Sometimes a little push from the PLN can make a big difference in a teacher's day and that difference can have an impact on an entire school. Together, we can change the world of education and it might start with one little mission.

Good Morning PLN, Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to help fight the Monday blahs that teachers and students feel every week. This will not be easy, but I feel you are up to the task. As always, should you or any of the PLN be tired or stressed, the *rest of the PLN will be there to support you. Good luck.


*Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This was the original line at the end of the Mission Impossible statement. I really wanted to make a comment about Arne Duncan here, but I wanted to end the speech on a more of a positive note.