Lessons Learned from the Bunny Teacher: November 2019

Monday, November 25, 2019

"There's no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are." Mister Rogers

PBS Kids

I saw the Mister Rogers movie today, "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," and I will be returning to the movie theater to see it again.

This post is my love letter to Fred Rogers for all the good things he brought to the world, just by being himself.

I won't write a synopsis of the film - but I will tell you that I witnessed the impact the film has on each person who sees it. I went to a 3:45 pm show, and no one got out of their seats until all the credits were finished rolling. I overheard people talking about the many messages of the film.

There is just something about the goodness, the tenderness, the compassion, and the loving attitude that Mister Rogers showed to every person he met that punches us - right in the heart.

How could a person be that good, all the time? Well, to be honest, he was an ordained Presbyterian minister, although he never really preached, the way most preachers do. He led by example. I had to laugh at the part in the film when the journalist asked Fred about his persona on set vs. his persona off set. He had not yet learned that Fred Rogers was the same, no matter where he was and whom he was with. The journalist also had to learn that Daniel Striped Tiger and King Friday the 13th were also Fred!

Everyone who sees the film should walk out with a sense of wonder and appreciation and tolerance for family, friends, and even people they don't know, because Mister Rogers message is clear and strong that "There's no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are." His message of forgiveness is one to carry in one's heart. His compassion for humankind is shown in every interaction he has with a person. His love for children and helping them to cope with the realities of life are brilliant and not a bit condescending. Mister Rogers taught the world about inclusion at its finest.

Our world today could use some hourly doses of the kindness of Mister Rogers. Maybe if enough people see this movie, the world will become a kinder and more tolerant and compassionate place.

By the way, if you want to read the piece in Esquire magazine that inspired this film, here is the link: https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a27134/can-you-say-hero-esq1198/

Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving! I hope you have a chance to see the film!

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.
Rittman Publishing, LLC ®

Please invite Grady Gets Glasses (and me) into your school. if you are not in the Pittsburgh area, we do virtual field trips with a group called Field Trip Zoom. www.Fieldtripzoom.com and a company called www.StreamableLearning.com GRADY GETS GLASSES was the winner of Best New Children's Book 2016 and 2018 (new edition) from The Authors' Zone.Grady also won a 2018 prestigious Moonbeam Award for Best Children's Book with Merchandise.

Visit Dede's webpage for complete details on her award-winning book, STUDENT TEACHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM A MASTER TEACHER. Many colleges have made the book required reading. Signed copies are available www.dederittman.com Dede is also a national speaker on The Three C's for Classroom success: Confidence, communication, and Creativity; Avoiding Teacher burnout; and many other inspirational topics.

I LOVE writing. And I love writing children's books- my newest passion. Although it will be a ton of work, I am looking forward to selling my books. Since I was a secondary teacher, I know that I have much to learn about elementary students, and I will have to follow my own advice and be my genuine self. However, I also know that I am passionate about helping kids who have to wear glasses, and that GRADY GETS GLASSES sends a positive message. I am willing to work hard and do all the things that also made me a successful teacher for 37 years. I remain inspired!

Elementary teachers in Western Pennsylvania and beyond - I am willing to come into your classroom in person or as a virtual field trip through a group called Field Trip Zoom. Check them out! http://www.fieldtripzoom.com/

Teacher friends- let me know if you want me to read GRADY GETS GLASSES at your school. I am willing to come in to discuss the creative writing process, why writing is important, and personal fulfillment through writing, along with reading my book. I would appreciate the exposure, and I would make signed copies available for purchase in your classrooms following the reading. Please email me at dederittman@gmail.com The website www.gradygetsglasses.com now has plush Grady bunnies for sale!
Please like Dede's new page Grady Gets Glasses for updates about her children's book. https://www.facebook.com/gradygetsglasses?ref=hl

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Wednesday, November 20, 2019

"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." Charles R. Swindoll

I am now a Brandon Matthews golf fan.

I did not know this young man on the tour until he lost the Argentine Open and did something extraordinary.

Brandon was playing the third hole of a sudden death playoff, and he just needed a little 8 foot putt to close out the win. Instead he missed it, because a fan yelled out during his stroke. He lost his concentration, missed the putt, and lost the tournament and his chance to gain an entry into next year's British Open. Of course, he was upset.

Later in the locker room, Brandon discovered that the person who yelled out at the most inappropriate time was a male fan who has Down's Syndrome. He changed his reaction from frustration and sadness to kindness. He said he wanted to meet the fan who cost him the win, not to confront him, but to talk to him.

Brandon grew up with a friend whose sister had Downs. Brandon's mom managed a group home for people with Downs, and Brandon wanted to make sure the man did not feel badly about all the negative attention he received after the outburst that cost Brandon the win. Brandon chatted with the man, signed a golf glove and ball, and even gave him a hug. I admire this young man's kind reaction to such an unfortunate incident. This is humankind at its finest.

This is a very fine young man, with good values and an understanding of how to treat others. His kindness and compassion toward the person who cost him the win was exceptional.

Yes, I am now a big Brandon Matthews fan, and if the Golf Gods saw any of this incident, I hope he will be rewarded with some wins and an entry into next year's British Open.

Here is a link about more of the story https://www.golfdigest.com/story/brandon-matthews-lost-a-playoff-and-potentially-a-british-open-start-when-a-fan-yelled-but-his-response-was-a-winning-one

And one more link https://www.today.com/news/golfer-brandon-matthews-forgives-fan-down-syndrome-who-yelled-during-t167546

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.
Rittman Publishing, LLC ®

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

#CardiganDay is Wednesday, November 13, 2019, honoring Mr. Rogers and WORLD KINDNESS DAY

Wednesday, November 13, 2019, is WORLD KINDNESS DAY. As part of the 65th anniversary and the Year of Kindness, WQED asks that everyone wear a cardigan sweater on Wednesday to honor kindness and the man who taught all of us to be kind, Mr. Rogers. If you aren't in Pittsburgh and can't stop by the WQED Studios, take a selfie in your cardigan and tweet it using #cardiganday.

Mr. Rogers, in his unassuming and patient manner, was a huge figure in the United States and beyond. Even now, years after his passing, his lessons of kindness stay with us. I hope his lessons will reverberate for many generations to come.

I have written about this before, but for my new readers, here is a little story. My late husband and I had tickets to the Pittsburgh Public Theater on the same dates as Fred and Joanne Rogers. We would often see them and exchange pleasantries. Once, a little girl in a beautiful lacy white dress saw Fred and ran up to him, saying, "Mr. Rogers! Look at my new dress! Isn't it pretty?" He answered. "Yes, it's very pretty, but remember that it is more important to be pretty on the inside." Mr. Rogers was exactly the same in real life as he was on television. What a great man.

Hope you wear your cardigan sweater on Wednesday, November 13!

Here is a link to an article about #cardiganday.

https://triblive.com/lifestyles/more-lifestyles/be-like-mister-rogers-wear-your-cardigan-for-world-kindness-day/?utm_source=second-street&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Triblive+-+Afternoon+Headlines

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.
Rittman Publishing, LLC ®

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." William Arthur Ward

www.whatsyourgrief.com

November is the month of two major events - my birthday and Thanksgiving. I am thankful for another birthday (67) - the eighth one since my husband died - but I find that every day, regardless of the month of the year or the day of the week, I have learned to count my blessings far better than I did when I was younger

I had to retire in 2011 when Scott was dying, and we had 11 months together. Then came the blur of funeral arrangements, clearing the house, fixing the house, selling the house, looking at condos, moving to a condo, and settling in. I had a few good years, but in 2014, the pain of arthritis caught up to me. I have been dealing with some serious and some annoying health issues for several years, and when a person does not feel well, their entire perspective is skewed. I decided several years ago that no matter how I felt, I was going to be thankful for small and large things, and show gratitude by speaking it aloud by myself and in front of others. For example, I had a chance to play golf at the end of October - and it was 68 degrees! I was grateful that I shouted out to my foursome, "Thank you, Lord, for an October golf game in beautiful; weather with good friends." Much to my surprise, the group echoed my thoughts with thanks of their own.

It feels really good to say THANK YOU aloud, even if no one is there. I actually say it several times a day.

I also like the idea of old-fashioned thank you notes. In this age of memes and texts and emails, a handwritten thank you note carries a strong message of acknowledgement. A person actually sat at a desk, chose a card, composed a message, and write the message just for the recipient. Then the sender took the additional responsibility to locate an address and zip code, place a stamp on the letter, and mail it in a mailbox.

Writing a thank you note takes a lot more effort than writing an email, and the effort is worth it.

I have saved so many thank you notes during my lifetime. From my 37 years of teaching, I have thousands of notes from students and their parents, telling me that I made a difference in their lives. During low points in my career, I would reread some of the notes to lift my spirits. Can't say I ever did that with an email or text message.

What are YOU thankful for this month? Why not share your gratitude in a handwritten note? Do you have a former teacher who made a big difference for you - and you never said THANK YOU? Teachers love to receive notes from former students, and to find out they are still remembered. If you are lucky enough to have parents who are still alive, I know they would love to read a thank you note from you. What about an older sibling or mentor? What would you write to them?

In full disclosure, writing a thank you note feels just as good as receiving one! Just try it, and you will see.

This November month of Thanksgiving is a perfect time to write and send an old-fashioned handwritten thank you note. I hope you write one - you will be surprised and pleased after sending.

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.
Rittman Publishing, LLC ®