Lessons Learned from the Bunny Teacher: January 2020

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

"Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses." Kobe Bryant

I did not know Kobe Bryant and his family, yet I feel like many other Americans feel. I feel like I just lost a good friend. I followed his amazing leap from high school basketball to the professional league, and we all watched in awe as he rose to the top of the game. He was quite a role model for young people. As a teacher, I liked so many of the traits that comprised Kobe Bryant and made others want to be like him. Here are my top five favorite Kobe quotes that match five of his wonderful traits.

1. Kobe's work ethic.

2. Kobe's desire to succeed.

3. Kobe's optimistic viewpoint.

4. Kobe's attitude toward failure.

5. Kobe's desire to help and inspire others.

The world has so few real heroes. Kobe was just entering the part of his life in which he could share even more of himself with his family and others.

Rest in peace, Kobe Bryant, and thank you for the beautiful person you were, and for inspiring us to be beautiful, too.

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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Thursday, January 23, 2020

"Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another . . ." Alfred Adler

During the 35 years that I taught at North Allegheny Intermediate High School, a good friend was a health teacher, with a wonderful lesson about empathy. Our building was just two grades - 9 and 10 - and Health was required for one semester in 9th grade. If you have taught high school, you know that 9th graders are very impetuous and even more impatient, but Debbie Stackrow taught the kids about being patient with the elderly, which in Pittsburgh, PA, is the largest population in our demographic. She had a variety of activities for this lesson, but I am focusing on just one.

As I recall, the kids had to wear glasses with some masking tape on the lenses and just a little window to see through (mimicking cataracts and macular degeneration); their fingers were taped together to promote immobility (arthritis); and I think some had to use a walker or cane, with hard kernels of corn in their shoes (joint pain/arthritis.). The students were asked to pretend "pay" a pretend "cashier" from a small change purse while wearing the glasses and using the taped fingers and holding the cane, which took much more time than they expected, and the whole thing was as frustrating for the payee as it was for the payer. Suddenly, the students in the classroom FELT what is was like to have those problems that strap the elderly population, and it was a true moment of awakening for everyone.

After the activity, the students discussed their frustration of having the faux handicaps of old age, as well as the manner in which they (the students) reacted to older people when they encountered them in everyday life. Debbie gave her classes so much to think about from that lesson. Oh, the power of a good teacher!

I sort of had to laugh at myself this week as I thought about my school days teaching and Debbie's lesson. I have been having terrible knee pain for 6 months, which has now become even worse. In fact, walking is such a difficulty, I found myself leaning on a cane to walk into the doctor's office, and using a walker while wearing a splint on the way out. Suddenly, I had young people in my path who "made way" for my temporary walker. They were perfectly appropriate, but Debbie's lesson immediately came to mind, as today was my first time as a challenged older adult. I never thought I would be old enough to need a cane or a walker!

My mother taught my brothers and me to honor our elders and to help them as best we could. I have always practiced the Golden Rule and empathy, and today I was the receiver of the that empathy from others.

Despite the political climate in America, I continue to believe that people are good at heart.

I am now on an anti-inflammatory medication and my knee is doing a little better. I have an MRI on Monday, and I have ditched the cane, but what a lesson to remember. Empathy is so important - and our world would be so much better if everyone practiced empathy.

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

Thursday, January 16, 2020

"In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

Emily's quotes

I am an avid Twitter fan and every day I read so much about Education. So many are doomsayers, but from what I have seen lately, I think teachers are doing a great job with shaping our young people.

Just yesterday, I gave my "BE AN AUTHOR" presentation to an after school group called JAM at Avonworth Primary School. Started by just two girls, the group makes and sells items for the good of others. This article explains the group and its purpose. https://www.wpxi.com/news/proud-to-be-from-pittsburgh/proud-to-be-from-pittsburgh-avonworth-jam/939598216/ The kids ranged from kindergarten to grade 6, and with just a few teachers, everyone seemed to know their purpose and expectations. Big kids were helping little kids, there was lots of activity, and everyone seemed happy. This was my second visit to this school in just a few months. "Be the kind kid" shirts and signs are everywhere! Here is a picture I took of one of the signs plastered throughout the school!

This school practices being a kind school, and the manners and demeanor of the kids and the staff model exemplary behaviors.

I feel so lucky that I have had the opportunities to present at this beautiful school! With great work like this going on in elementary schools, I feel the safety of our future leaders is in good hands.

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

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

"Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, caliper, and future of an individual." Abdul Kalam

A Z Quotes

I know have said this before, but I simply must say it again: I love teaching. And today at Thiel College, I really loved teaching!

My student teaching book (Student Teaching: The Inside Scoop from a Master Teacher, www.dederittman.com or Amazon) was the impetus for my presentation to the second semester's student teachers and the Education Department at Thiel College in Greenville, PA. Dr. Douglas Hazlett, Department Chair, has added my text to the required reading for Education majors. Doug is a man who has more years in the "real world" public school K-12 sector than he has in the university, and he likes using what he calls my "practitioner's handbook" with the students, to show real world experiences. I find this to be quite flattering, since common sense and solid advice learned from 37 years in the classroom is what I offer!

As I met and spoke with the new crop of student teachers, I discovered that their first day in the classroom will be tomorrow. Both the terror and excitement of anticipating that first day shone on their faces, and I remembered how I felt all those years ago. I can still recall those emotions as I anticipated student teaching : fear, excitement, self-doubt, pride, panic, then back to excitement. Even now, after all those years, I honestly can't think of any other profession that offers the thrill and excitement of teaching, because only in teaching is one shaping young minds, introducing new ideas, and shaping the future of the world.

My presentation -Three C's for Classroom Success: Confidence, Communication, and Creativity - was well received, and many points seemed to hit the mark with the the students and the professors as well. The student teachers reacted with lots of laughter and head shaking, as well as excitement. Although they were not a hugely talkative group, I could see that they are passionate about their subject areas, and that they are eager to share their passion for learning with others.They seemed to be well-prepared, and I also really like that! I also liked that they were dressed for success, confident, and ready to face a new challenge. They were already formulating their philosophy of teaching, and when I head words like "empathy" and "caring" and "growth" in our discussion, I knew this was a great group.

One of the many things I shared with this terrific group is this truth: no one knows where a teacher's influence ends, if, indeed, it ever ends. Personally, I believe that influence goes on into infinity. In my own life, I can think of and refer to many teachers who shaped my life and my teaching career. The group of student teachers I met with today brings me great hope. Hope for today, and hope for tomorrow. I feel confident that this group will share positive influences in their new classrooms, graduate from college, and become teachers and influencers for the next generation.

You see, I believe that there is no higher calling than being a teacher, and I am so glad these students heard that calling to shape the minds of the future.

Best wishes in your new lives as teachers! I hope you LOVE it!

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