What Secondary Teachers Learned in 2015

As 2015 draws to a close, I'd like to take some time to reflect on changes I made teaching this year and ideas I discovered.   Secondary Sara had a wonderful idea of teacher-authors doing a "What Secondary Teachers Have Learned in 2015" blog hop, and I am stoked to participate!  My teaching practices constantly change, which makes teaching challenging and fun, and made this post a breeze to do.  Here are my Top Six A-ha! moments for 2015:


#1.  "Grade" as the kids go.
This a-ha moment came when kids were working on graphing.  As I circulated the room, I would stop to confer with a student, and by conferring, I mean look at their work and immediately give feedback.  Right away, I could see if a kid forgot the title, didn't number the y-axis by intervals, or switched the IV and the DV.  It made so much more sense to me to give this instant feedback, instead of toting all of the graphs home, grading them, making comments on them, handing the graphs back, and then watching kids recycle or throw away the papers.  If a student did everything correctly, I drew a star on the top of the page and they handed it in.  If a student made a mistake, I would talk them through it.  Almost everybody would ended the class period with a star on top.  When then next class began to do their graphs, I quickly recorded the grades of the previous class, and then repeated conferring with the new class.  This worked so well for me, I've done the same type of grading with other assignments.  Sometimes I even focus on only a few questions, usually the harder ones, and then don't even grade the simple, low-level questions.  (Shhh...don't let this secret out!)

***See the bottom of the post for a product to help kids practice graphing!

#2.  Do more pairing/sharing and give kids time to talk.
With my students this year, "pairing/sharing", "turn and talk to a neighbor", or "explain to a shoulder partner" has worked so much better than whole-class questioning and answering.  These methods ensure that most (I won't exaggerate and say all!) students have the opportunity to explain their ideas and get feedback from somebody.  Often, after partner sharing, I'll give an opportunity to share ideas with the whole class, and I do get more participation than if I begin by whole class sharing.  You do have to be vigilant as a facilitator- walk around the room, listen in on conversations, sometimes randomly call on a group to share out. 

Collaborative posters comparing cell organelles to things in various locations

Similar to partner sharing is partner drawing or diagramming.  For example, after students work together to draw a diagram showing what happens during photosynthesis, hang up all the diagrams and have students do a "gallery walk"- basically looking at all the other diagrams.  Give each student a small sticky note, sticker, or piece of colored tape to put on a diagram as a vote for their favorite.  Look at the Top 3 together and discuss why they are the best.  Super easy, and has the benefit of positive reinforcement from peers.

#3.  Tennis Balls vs. Felt and Zip Ties
I had seen this done in another teacher's classroom and loved the idea:  putting tennis balls on the bottom of chairs.  This idea works in so many ways.  For one, there is less noise as students move chairs around.  Also, the floors look amazing without the scrapes and scuffs that would normally be there by mid-year.  Also, I have several balls readily available should the need arise.  (This has also proven to be a drawback...the balls come off, and my boys just can't resist throwing them in between classes.)  So while I thought this idea was great, another teacher modified the idea in a brilliant way.  She cut up squares of felt and zip-tied them to her chairs' feet.  It looks pretty cool, and she didn't have to keep hitting up the local college's tennis coach for old tennis balls.  Her daughter set up the chairs in an hour while she was getting her classroom ready.  As far as I know, the felt has lasted a full semester and she also has the benefit of still shiny floors and dampened noise levels.  Let's hear it for anything that helps keep the noise down!

#4.  Skip the glue- use tape instead!

I love using an interactive notebook, but I always had kids gluing them shut.  It's bound to happen, no matter how often you tell them, "Dot, dot, not a lot!"  This year, I invested about $25 in some cool donut shaped tape dispensers.  Don't waste your money on those.  They broke the first time we used them.  I emailed the company (you know them, the ones who make the "good" clear tape.)  They were no help.  But then I found some dispensers at the Dollar Tree.  Who knew?  They've worked well- I bought six and they haven't broken.  My office lets me have as many tape refills as I need.  Taping instead of gluing is faster, less messy, and less of a hassle.  Such a small switch makes a huge difference.  Take the plunge- use tape, not glue!

#5  Freebies abound!
Who doesn't enjoy getting something for free?!?!  Whether you find a usable resource or get inspired by them, free things abound on the internet!  I've started a Pinterest board specifically for middle school freebies!  Feel "free" to check it out!
https://www.pinterest.com/kaichar/middle-school-freebies/

#6.  Buy a Pin Art toy!
My daughter asked for one of these fun toys, and I was skeptical that she would use it after the initial fun of making a few hand shapes.  I can happily report that we have played with this thing almost daily!  We grab items, make the shape, and then guess what the mystery item was.  We can usually tell, but sometimes the smaller items are tricky.  This is just a fun toy- I'm actually thinking about getting one for my classroom.  If only I can think of a way to prevent the boys from making obscene gestures in it...




My daughter and I had fun making images of a twisty straw, a stapler, and her hand.  :)

*** https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Graphing-Practice-25-Quick-Graph-Sheets-for-Bar-Line-Pie-Graphs-1880986

Enjoy reading some other tips and insights from other teacher-authors at the following links:

An InLinkz Link-up

The Bracelet...Teaching Grace, and Learning More

Science teachers have appropriately earned a reputation for being the go-to person at my school- we always need and have a variety of objects on hand~ a collection of plastic spoons, baggies, clay, thread and yarn, various sizes of balls (excuse me, spheres!)  Many times I have also made use of a "junk bucket," which for me is an old KU Jayhawk popcorn tin filled with stuff.  A foam visor.  A #6 birthday candle.  A door knob.  Minnie Mouse bubbles.  Just a lot of random stuff that the kids find fascinating.

The other day, I broke out the junk bucket for kids to use with finding the mass of things.  I teach four hours of 6th grade science, and by the time my fourth class was in session, I noticed that a particular green and white shell bracelet was missing from the junk bucket.  I felt like I had been punched in the stomach.  My own kids had stolen from me when I trusted them with my personal things.   I began a CSI-like investigation to find who the thief was.

1:05  I realized the bracelet was missing.  I asked if anybody in my 4th hour had seen the bracelet.  They had not.
1:06  The Boy With a Broken Arm comes to my room for a safe seat.
1:07  I looked through the kids' papers to see who had found the mass of the missing bracelet.  Only two girls from second hour had, and then nobody, so I sought them out.
1:08  Found girl one "Liza" in her social studies class.  She said she gave the bracelet to "Mindy."
1:09  Found Mindy in math.  She said she gave the bracelet to "Ben".
1:12 Found Ben in the hallway- it was passing period.  He said he put the bracelet back in the bin, but The Boy With the Broken Arm had shown him in the bathroom that he had the bracelet.

Interesting...The Boy With the Broken Arm had just been in my room, sent there for a safe seat.  I had to find him.

1:18  I found and confronted The Boy With the Broken Arm in his math intervention class.  He quite vehemently denied taking the bracelet.  "What would I even do with a bracelet?"  A search of his pockets and binder turned up...no bracelet.

1:21  I returned to my room, sad that one of my kids had stolen from me and I couldn't figure out who.  Then, on a hunch, I searched my safe seat desk.  Lo and behold...the bracelet!  

There was only one logical explanation.  The Boy With the Broken Arm had taken the bracelet, and when I discovered it was missing 4th hour, he hid it back in the safe seat desk.  

I wasn't quite sure how to proceed.  I had been both lied to and stolen from, and that feels yucky.  But The Boy With the Broken Arm had also done the right thing and returned the bracelet.  

I talked to the other teachers on my team about this incident.  The ELA teacher told me that he had a rough morning- he cried in her class when nobody picked him to be their partner.  He also sat alone in my science class.  He had been safe seated to me from the social studies teacher for distracting others.  It sounded like he just wasn't adjusting well to middle school.

After praying and mulling it over all evening and well into the night, I decided that I must confront The Boy With the Broken Arm the next day.  I wanted him to know that I knew that he had taken the bracelet, and he hadn't gotten away with it.  But that wasn't all- the word "grace" kept coming into my mind.  I felt like I had to help him experience grace.  

The next day, as he came into my science class, I called The Boy With the Broken Arm over to talk to me.

"Hi.  I know that yesterday you made a bad decision and you took the bracelet."

The Boy With the Broken Arm looked down.  He knew what was coming.

"I found the bracelet in the safe seat desk.  I know that you made a good decision too, that you returned the bracelet.  Thank you."

The Boy With the Broken Arm looked up at me and smiled real big.  "I knew you would find it!"  I couldn't help but smile back as I hugged him and he went on into class.

Later that hour, during work time, he came up to me and said, "You know, I make bracelets for my little sister sometimes."

"That's so nice of you!" I replied.  "How old is your sister?

"One.  Well, she was one.  She died last year."

Oh.  "What did she die from?"

"Leukemia."  That was all he said.  I could hear the sadness in his voice.  My heart went out to The Boy With the Broken Arm.  How difficult the past year must have been for him.  How many nights was he put on the back burner so his family could (rightfully so) deal with his sister's sickness and then death?  How many times had he been passed over?  Life is hard enough for a ten-year old boy, let alone one who has to deal with the tragedy of losing a sibling.

I was so thankful that I had been reminded the night before about grace.  He didn't need a lecture or a punishment.  He needed grace.

I gave The Boy With the Broken Arm the bracelet  (and a note saying that I had given it to him!)  He needed it way more than I did.  I hope that bracelet reminds him from time to time that he is loved and forgiven.

Something Positive from Something Negative- My Tale of the Failed Lapbooks

I love the idea of lapbooks. They engage students, allow creativity, tap into the artistic side, easily accommodate  group work, all while connecting kids to content.  I successfully used lapbooks with a regular sixth grade ELA class for an end-of-the-unit project on short stories.  The vice-principal came in while we we sharing them, and it was a positive experience for the kids, the vp, and me.

So this year, I had the fabulous idea to review our matter unit by making Interactive Matter Lapbooks with my sixth grade science students.  As the other sixth grade science teachers finished the unit with worksheets, vocab quizzes, and a review, my plan for lapbooks was a bit novel for a science class.  I would be hailed as brilliant!  The most creative science teacher ever!   They would learn everything there was to learn about matter and they would love it!  Kids would be switching their lifelong dreams of being NBA and NFL stars to that of being a chemist, a chemical researcher, or a developer of new products.  This idea was simply genius.

Armed with manilla folders, construction paper, scissors, glue, markers, and a rubric of course, I launched into the explanation of the lapbook, with each group having a packet of templates and directions.  As I hoped, the kids were thrilled to have a fun project, and to bolster their enthusiasm, I let them choose their own groups.  "Choose carefully!" I cautioned.  "You only have three days to finish this project, and everybody in your group will earn the same grade."

The students began the project by deciding who would do each element of the lapbook and filling out a timeline of what should be finished by when.  They could not get their supplies and begin the actual work until I saw and approved this plan.  (I patted myself on the back for this part!)  I called Day One of the project a success...but things quickly went south.

On Day Two, I noticed that some groups, somehow, had supplies but I hadn't approved their plan.  Some quick conferring fixed that.  I had a constant line of kids at the front of the room, asking for help on one part or another.  (Note to self: designate one person per group as the "asker.")  I felt like I was constantly repeating myself, and referring them back to the packet. ("See the directions here on page 5?"  "Remember that you have to write down the words and definitions before you cut out the puzzle pieces."  "No, rusting is a chemical change, not physical.  Go look at the list in your science notebook.") Two groups didn't know where to start...and I didn't find out until almost the end of class. 

Day Three held more disaster.  There was  a field trip for the gifted kids.  Timothy and Alex couldn't work because Mark took the project home with him and was absent.  ("I thought I told everyone to store their project in the drawer designated for your hour!")  My sample lapbook went missing.  Rosie was still meticulously lettering and coloring the cover she had begun the first day.  ("Rosie, you know the cover is worth only 5 points out of 100, right?"  "Yes, I know.")  Layla was refusing to work because her partner Stefanie said she didn't like her color choice.  The pockets for the various parts of the lapbook were sized wrong and kept ripping when the kids tried to put pieces in them.  The fortune teller/ cootie catcher for examples of elements, compounds, and mixtures was too confusing. Almost nobody was going to finish in three days.

So I extended the project to a fourth day.  Then a fifth.  The kids who were already finished were getting restless.  The sixth day was to be the absolute last day, no exceptions.  We had a summative assessment to take, the same one all the sixth graders in the building took.  

I packed up the lapbooks that night, took them home to grade, pulled them out at home, and picked up the one on top.  A cursory look told me it didn't have but three of the five elements.  "That's not a good one to start on, let me pick another," I suggested to myself.  The next one had a beautiful cover, but when I opened it, all the pieces fell out.  It was not complete.  The third and fourth lapbooks didn't fare much better.  I rifled through the pile of lapbooks, desperately seeking one that matched my vision of what they were all supposed to look like.  I found about four that were complete.  

This project felt like an epic fail.  I felt a flood of emotions.  Anger- that the kids couldn't follow directions, or improvise when something didn't go right.  Frustration- that my great idea had been a flop, and much of it was my fault.  Exhausted- it had taken a lot of energy to get the supplies, confer with kids, and manage classroom behaviors.  Disappointed- things just did not go the way I planned.  I couldn't grade the lapbooks.  I went to bed and mulled over the train wreck this project had been.

My nature is to find something positive in any situation.  What positives could possibly come out of this?  How could I turn this into a teachable moment for my students?  After the dust settled, I could see that this "failure" had some successes too.

1. My students' average test score from the pre-test to the post-test increased from 44.5% to 85.28%.  While they were working on their lapbooks, they were still learning.  This learning was on par with my colleague who did not do lapbooks, whose average scores went from 49.44% to 86.54%.  (Her final average was higher than mine, but so was her pre-test average.  Her scores increased by 37.1%; my scores increased by 40.78%.  We both did well!)

2. Sometimes learning is about the process, not the product.
I really did want beautiful lapbooks, and had intended for the kids to share them with other groups and look at the different examples they all came up with.  That did not happen.  As I handed back the sad lapbooks, we talked about my disappointment in them and what went wrong.  Their final products were not usuable.  We also talked about what they learned and how to do better on the next project.  In the process of making thelapbooks, the students learned some other skills and lessons. Time management.  Learning that it's better to chose people you work well with instead of friends that entertain you.  Problem solving.  The importance of following directions.  These lessons aren't part of my curriculum, but they sure are important.

3.  I learned to consider the developmental growth of my students.
I thought having step-by-step directions and going over them on the first day would be enough.  I thought that offering them choice and opportunities to be creative was great.  I forgot that sixth graders, while they might look mature on the outside, still have brains that are developing and not quite caught up to their bodies.  The tween brain hasn't yet fully developed to notice errors in decision-making.  The area of the brain that seeks pleasure and reward is highly developed by this time- no surprise, we've all seen how kids respond to winning and other rewards.  But the tween prefrontal cortex is undeveloped, so tweens may not be able to control impulses and emotions, or to make sound judgements.  This lapbook project's very nature set some of them up to fail- not for lack of effort, but for lack of brain maturity.   I would need to take into account abilities I thought they should have, but through no fault of their own, they don't.  (For more information, see the article "Are Teenage Brains Really Different From Adult Brains?")

4.  Failure isn't forever.
For this project, the score was Lapbooks 0, Chaos 1. I want a re-match!  I thought of ways to re-vamp the project to make it more middle-school friendly.  Next time, I will introduce each element of the lapbook earlier in the year.  We'll create puzzle pieces with vocabulary words.  We'll make fans with examples of biotic and abiotic factors.  We'll make a fortune teller- cootie catcher as a beginning-of-the-year ice breaker.  By the time we do our matter lapbooks, they'll know better what to do.  Plus, I will give a better time-line on finishing the project, instead of "you have three days."  There will be a few kids who won't need my structure, and for them, I'll quietly let them know that they are free to work ahead and embellish as they see fit.  

I am fortunate to have an administrator who has told me it's okay to take risks- and that if they don't work out, to learn from your mistakes and move on.  Which is what I will do.  I'm optimistic that the next time we make lapbooks in science, they will be works of art.

~C  



PHOTO CREDITS:

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/94168846@N00/552285749">inside full view</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)</a>

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/57868312@N00/15190891330">Lego headache</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a 
href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)</a>
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/34021024@N02/6305358689">Try again</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">(license)</a>

Every Student, Evey Day!

A few years ago, I started reflecting at the end of the school day where my attention had been on that particular day.  I realized that some kids got more than their fair share of my time- as I corrected behaviors, re-taught, and signed passes.  Some students got more appropriate attention- the outgoing kids who were fun to talk to, who volunteered answers, who asked thought-provoking questions.  But in every class, there was a ghost student.  You know the one- he or she does the work, doesn't bother anybody, doesn't ask questions.  At the end of the year, you wonder how it is that you went a full year and don't really know this kid.  There were also several students who weren't quiet and shy, they just didn't want to engage with the teacher or the class.  Talking in front of other kids is risky; pre-teens don't want to be wrong in front of their friends.  Some don't want to chance being rejected, for example, by raising a hand, but not getting picked.  In some classes, there were days when I didn't personally interact with half the class!  It bothered me.

I made it my mission to make contact with every student in my class, every day.  With class sizes of 24 kids, give or take, you would think this would be easy.  And it is easy, but it is also extremely easy to overlook those quiet kids.  You, the teacher, have to realize those ghost kids are there and make the effort to engage them.  You have to somehow keep track of who you engage with.  I have come up with a few strategies that work for my class (6th grade science!)

1.  Use name sticks!

This seems like an elementary idea, but it works for  middle school too.  For each class, write every student's name on a popsicle stick.  Decorate an empty can for each class, and you're ready to go.  I pull out names almost every time that I ask a question, need a helper, or want a "volunteer".  3 - 4 names come out for the warm-up or bellringer question, a few more as we read, a couple to help pass out papers, a few to give examples of answers, connections, a few for the exit ticket, and at the end of class, I have called on every student for one thing or another. 

2.  Use all-class response cards.
I got this idea from reality tv.  In the four corners of a piece of paper, I wrote the answers A, B, C, D.  On another paper, I wrote True, False, Yes, No.  I copied these back-to-back, cut them out, hole punched them, and tied them together.  I made 30.  They are quick and easy to use with power point questions, verbal questions, questions in a book.  Make sure that you tell students not to reveal their answer until you say to!  This system gets everybody involved in answering, and you can see right away if most of the class is getting what you taught.

3.  Use a dice to pick volunteers. 
My lab desks are pushed together to make tables of four, and my tables are numbered.  Each table also has each seat numbered 1 - 4, so I can roll the dice to pick a particular seat after the table is chosen.  I love rolling the dice (I know, "number cube") to pick tables for various things.  Lining up for lunch, reporting out to the class, getting supplies.  The kids love being chosen, because then they get to roll the dice for the next selection.  It's such a small thing, but they love rolling the dice too.

4.  Confer with kids weekly; track it!
Our district is heavily into the workshop model, which encourages daily conferring with the students.  Conferring looks like different things to different teachers, but what it boils down to is talking to kids about what they know.  You can print off a spreadsheet with each student's name, and write the date in a box each time you talk one-on-one with them about their learning.  If you do this weekly, you're doing better than me!  Meeting with each kid every two weeks is more doable for me right now, although ideally, I'd meet more.  I still have those high maintenance kids taking up more than their share of time, but this way, I can at least see when it's been a while since I've given personal attention to somebody.  I have a colleague that uses the free app Evernote to keep track of her conferring.  She loves it and is able to type in notes, take pictures, and all kinds of cool things with it.  I prefer the paper-pencil tracking, but Evernote is a great option for people who prefer technology.

5.  Pick helpers of the week.
I have on the left side of my white board each class listed with two helpers for the week chosen by randomly pulling out their sticks, of course.  I only fill out the calendar for as many kids as I have at a time, so if a new student moves in, they are added the next go-round.  You would think that middle schoolers wouldn't care so much about this, but they surprised me again by loving this idea.  They check the semester calendar all the time to find out when they are the weekly helper.  They are the ones who get to return things to the library, sharpen and keep track of my pencils (see my January 3, 2015 post!), take make-up work to the office, make emergency copies, and anything else special that pops up.  They really look forward to their week.  

 These ideas aren't earth shattering, but just having them in mind helps me make sure to involve every kid, every day.  There are still days when a kid walks out and I think, "Wow, I didn't even talk to him or her!"  But those days are fewer now than they were a few years ago, and that's progress.  
 

I Resolve to... My Attempts at Better Teaching

New Year's Teacher's Resolutions... we've all got them, whether we articulate them, write them down, or immortalize them in a blog. 


Sometimes our "resolutions" come from the admin, or are the action point take-away from a graduate class.  My resolutions are neither; they are simply things that I have mulled over and think I want to try to incorporate to be a better teacher.




1.  I resolve to begin class with time for students to review notes, re-read from the text, study flash cards, or converse with a neighbor about what we are studying.  I have been doing bellringers since the beginning of the year.  It's a battle I'm tired of losing.  The A+ kids do the bellringers, with no prompting, and that's why they have A+s.  Other students drag out the allotted 5 minutes with pencil sharpening, looking for the bellringer page, sitting in their seats doing nothing because they don't know or care to find answers, or engaging in general goofing off behavior.  I'm excited to try something different.  It will take modeling, consistency, and patience to get my 6th graders in the habit of doing the bellringer alternative, but I'm up for the challenge!




2.  I resolve to give my students time during class to interact with peers.  6th graders are mostly social creatures.  Even my quiet kids quietly like to talk to their friends when given the chance.  We all know the think-pair-share technique.  I forget to use it!  So I'm going to try to do better.  I have a game I use called "Talk a Mile a Minute."  It's similar to the $250,00 Pyramid game show, where you try to get a person to guess a word or phrase by describing the word.  I broke that out before Christmas, and the kids begged to play.  Why not give them more of what they like so that they will learn?




3.  I resolve to give students more choice in their assignments.  I know, this can be a pain.  Uniformity is so much easier than choice.  But I can manage to give them a choice every once in a while.  Crossword puzzle or draw a cartoon?  Design a poster or write a personified story?  I like having choices, so I need to offer different assignments from time to time.  Not every day, not every assignment, but I think I can manage once a unit!




4.  I resolve to explain, at least once per unit, how what students are learning relates to real life: a job, their health, the economy, whatever I can find in the news.  This is easier said than done with some units.  Studying cells?  Easy- we're all made of cells, and you can pull in lots of illnesses or diseases to make a connection.  Plate tectonics?  A bit more difficult if you live in the Midwest, but still doable.  There is the New Madrid seismic zone out there.  The differences between homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures?  Harder, but you'll have to get past the hilarity of the word "homogeneous" first.  I am up for this challenge!




5.  I resolve not to lose my cool when students tell me they don't have a pencil 15 minutes after we have started class, and already done two writing activities.  I will bite the bullet and buy $20 worth of pencils before I go back to school, and mark them with duct tape flags.  I will have a bucket of ten sharpened pencils.  I will have another bucket for dull pencils to go into.  There will be no disruptive pencil sharpening as I teach my mini-lessons!  I will have my two daily helpers make sure all pencils are returned at the end of class, and they alone can sharpen the dull pencils.  I will win the war on pencillessness! 

That's the plan anyway!  And if I've learned anything in my 16 years of teaching, it's always have a plan.

To view a compilation of FREE teaching resources, check out this board on my Pinterest account!
https://www.pinterest.com/kaichar/middle-school-freebies/


~C.


UPDATE:  Three weeks into the new semester, I am happy to report that my new pencil-checking-out system has been a HUGE SUCCESS!  I started with a dozen pencils, and as of today, I still have...a dozen!  Not one lost or stolen!  The erasers are pretty much gone; one was broken and is now taped together; a kid almost took off with a pencil, but remembered to bring it back when he got to his next class.  It's these little successes that make my day!

The First Step in Any Race

The first thing you do in any race is taking that first step.  Whether you're lacing up for your first run, or waiting for the starting pistol at a marathon, the beginning looks the same- one step. 


And yet...It's so easy to get caught up in inertia.  Sitting at the computer, reading about others' successes instead of pursuing your own.  Hearing about somebody's accomplishments on the news, while your bucket list hasn't even made it onto paper.  Clicking likes and updating statuses, but not really doing anything.  My intention is to break up the inertia in my life.  It only takes one step- one force that isn't counterbalanced- to undo inertia. 


Today, I'm taking one step.  I can't accomplish a dream in one day, but I can do at least one thing toward it.  And I can do one thing tomorrow, and the next day.  Soon, my singular steps will have gotten me a mile closer to my dream.  This blog is my first step...the dream is beginning.