It has been quite awhile since I have last blogged, and it is because I have had a lot going on in my life. I have started climbing up the hill again from the valley.

During this time I have been reading alot and have come upon some great books that have gotten me through. One of these books is entitled, "The Power Of Small", by Linda Kaplan Thayer and Robin Koval. This is a great book. In this book it talks about how in our lives the small things that we do can make a big difference.

Each and every year that I have been in education the schools I have been connected with as a Principal have had a senior night at the end of the year. This is a time when graduating seniors come back to their elementary school and share about old times and discuss what they plan to do in their future.

During the night we ask the seniors to share a little bit about what they remember about elementary school and to share this with their teachers and classmates. Believe it or not,in the entire time I have been a part of these events, not one student has said the thing that they remember the most is tests and an assignment. They remember the small stuff like, recess, notes passed in class, kids that made fun of them, teacher quirks, announcements, computer games that were played, fifth grade day, and the fifth grade musicals.

These are the things that stick in the lives of kids throughout school. They are the relationships and the time spent in school not really doing school or is it. Maybe that is what school should be about, doing the things we have to do, but focusing on the things that really matter in the long run..the small stuff.

If you are a parent or a teacher or just someone reading this blog remember the next time you are all rapped up in something with your class or family...it isn't the big event that you are focused on right now that really matters, it is the SMALL STUFF!!

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR