Here’s your assignment for today: set aside one full minute to appreciate all the greatness around you.

Okay, okay. I hear ya loud and clear—“Sure, Diane. Get a grip!” “Yeah, right, like I’ll have time for that today!” (You didn’t know The Mailbox blog had ears, did you? )

Honestly, I do get that every minute of your teaching day is accounted for. However, I also get that every one of us occasionally needs a gentle nudge to stop the hurriedness and soak in all the good stuff that we can so easily overlook. That’s why I conjured up today’s assignment. So go ahead and smell the roses for a full 60 seconds. And if your administrator pops in, invite him or her to join you. Oh, and there isn’t a writing follow-up to this assignment, but if you’d like to report back on the greatness around you, please do!

Smelling the roses,
Diane

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Okay, my teacher pals. This is just for fun, and I’m not pointing fingers at anyone. In fact, if my fingers were going to point anywhere, they’d be pointing directly at me! The reason I’m posing a pack rat question is because I spent a few hours in my attic over the weekend. I decided it was time to unload some personal treasures I’d carefully stuffed overhead—many of which are from my teaching days. To substantially shorten this long-winded story, today my attic looks much the same as it did last week. I just couldn’t do it!  I have a theory that teachers tend to have pack rat tendencies because we are used to squeezing our nickels and pinching our pennies. What do you think? Do you have a tendency to keep a tight grip on your favorite teacher materials and mementos? Or am I a lone pack rat in the teacher universe?

Smiles,

Diane

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Teachers are the best! Teacher ideas are the best! You are the best! I know I’m gushing, but I truly want to say thanks a zillion to those of you who responded to last week’s idea requests. And if you missed out on this amazing opportunity to earn The Mailbox gift certificates, there’s no need to worry. You can count on more blog contests and giveaways in the near future!

In fact, here’s a crazy idea! Let’s have a giveaway today! We’ll call it Monday Math Madness! Simply share a favorite October math activity before the end of Tuesday, October 5, and your name will be entered in a drawing for a surprise gift from me! Plus you’ll have a great variety of math ideas for the month of October!

Have a great Monday!

Happily,

Diane

PS: Thanks again for last week’s great ideas! If your ideas are selected for publication, you’ll hear from us in two to three weeks. Keep your fingers crossed!

Congratulations to our winner, Kimberly!

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Happy Friday! What a fun week it’s been! Today is the fifth and final idea request for the week. If you’d like your ideas from this week to be considered for publication, make sure you leave your comment no later than Sunday, October 3. (See “One Week Only!” for details. And don’t forget that each of your ideas we accept earns you a $20 gift certificate to TheMailbox.com!)

Today’s topic is teamwork, which I think is hugely appropriate! We’re hoping you’ll share your ideas for working successfully with your school colleagues. I’d also like to recognize and thank each of you for being such a valued member of The Mailbox team. Think about this: would there be any publications from The Mailbox without teachers? No, sirree! Without the ideas and teamwork of teachers, there wouldn’t be anything to print on the pages! So keep the great ideas coming! The Mailbox staff—and teachers the world over—thank you for your teamwork!

Okay, now, get your fingers poised to tap out your best ideas. Remember, you could be just one idea away from your next purchase from The Mailbox!

Have a great weekend!

Diane

We want your ideas for other topics too! See Monday’s request, Tuesday’s request, Wednesday’s request, and Thursday’s request.

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