Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1480924
Tips for a Successful School Year By Lyndie Aquila, Folsom Cordova Education Association COVID has changed our lives. We are hoping this school year will be the most normal one of the last few years. As much as we would like to forget COVID, we can take this opportunity to make positive changes and become better versions of our- selves by trying the following tips: • Engage in face-to-face conversation with classmates, friends, neighbors and relatives. Technology is great, but there is no substitute for human connection. • We are not defined by our GPA or our job title. For example, I am a daughter, photographer, friend, aunt, rad human and a teacher. • Remember to take time each day for yourself. Enjoy exer- cise, play a sport, read, play video games with friends, take a bath or enjoy a hobby. • Be present every day. Enjoy the talks in the lunchroom with your friends/colleagues, time going to and from work or school, sitting in your yard, or the morning cup of coffee. • Mental health matters. I start my day by high-fiving myself in the mirror, telling myself that I matter and deciding what I want from today. • It is okay to make mistakes or to FAIL (First Attempt In Learning). Nobody knows everything or has every skill mastered. Keep trying and if you give up eventually, you are simply opening time and space for something else. • Communities work best when all parties work together. For example, education is a triangle involving the teacher, student and the parent. Neighborhood watch groups work well if as many neighbors as possible are involved. • We all make mistakes; it is part of being human. Remember to be patient and explain tactfully if necessary. • Life is meant to be lived. Our time on the planet is short. If you are struggling, remind yourself this too shall pass. • As Whitney Houston said in a song decades ago, "Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all." Don't compare yourself to others. Try to be better than you were the day before. Hope you all have a rad year! We are all in this village together! Originally published in Empire Ranch Neighbors Magazine. An Epic Fantasy A dark plot unfolds in the western lands of the Kingdom of Swordbane with the formation of an unholy alliance, deliberate spread of a deadly affliction, and a newly conspired war on the horizon. Swordbane, just published by Riverside County Office Teachers Association member Paul Emerick, incorporates aspects of current events (a pandemic, ending a long military occupation in a distant country, social unrest, historical revisionism) in a fantasy-based story geared for adults and young adults. Readers will reflect on the causation and prevention of events, including war; flawed heroes; and complex villains. On Amazon, Barnes & Noble. 56 cta.org CTA & You From Within Often educators' creativity spills over into a book, blog, app or other work. We're happy to showcase members' talents.