Laughter is the shortest distance between two people. - Victor Borge

I don't really like presentations.  I always get super nervous, my hands shake, and I'm pretty sure that everyone is bored to death by what I'm saying.

Today I did a PowerPoint presentation on different cultures' weddings.  I picked three, thought they were interesting, but the students looked board out of their minds.  After the presentation, I had them read a newspaper article on one of the groups and how the elders in the community were concerned that their traditions were being tossed aside and that more Westernized ideas were taking their place.  The students then did a think, pair, share about it.  While they were pairing off, I walked around to see what people were saying.  I got to one part of the class, and two of the students said that I should teach every day, and the classmates sitting around them all agreed.  It made my heart smile to see that what I'm doing isn't for waste, and that the students do enjoy it (in hindsight, I should've realized the students were enjoying the presentation because they were all pretty silent during it, even though they didn't have to write any notes).

(Also, I did a 3-2-1 exit card, and for the 1 I asked for them to write one thing they enjoyed about the lesson.  One of the students wrote, "Learning about different weddings, and your laugh."  That also made me smile.)

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. - Herm Albright, quoted in Reader's Digest, June 1995

My first moment happened sometime last week.  I was on my way home on the bus after school, and the bus driver pulled over and ran into a store.  He left the door open and someone entered the bus while the driver was away.  What made my heart smile was that the person who came onto the bus, even though the driver was away, still paid.  There's so many stories about people being dishonest, but here was a case where a person was being honest when they could've gotten away with lying.  It was just such a nice thing to see.

All week I have been incredibly stressed and sick.  It's just not a good mix and hasn't been a whole lot of fun.  Yesterday I stayed up super late to finish two lesson plans and was really worried that my AT would think they were flops.  I wasn't looking forward to getting them passed by her, but couldn't think of any other way to get the information to the students.  I tentatively showed her my lesson plan, and immediately after reading my first questionable plan, she said, "Love it.  Keep it in."  My heart smiled to know that my work was appreciated and that she has faith in the work that I come up with, even when I don't.  (It also made my heart smile because it means I don't have to redo it tonight, so instead of been cuddling with my cat since she's been neglected lately).