Kissing the Blarney Stone

Nearly 20 years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Ireland. While I was there, I made sure to visit Blarney Castle and make my way up the tower to kiss the famous Blarney Stone. Legend has it that anyone who kisses the stone will receive the gift of eloquent speech. The word Blarney was described by Irish politician, John O'Connor Power, as "flattery sweetened by humor and flavored by wit". It's also called the gift of gab. To be honest, I had the gift of gab long before kissing the Blarney Stone, but it took me many years of experience to realize the power our words can have on others.

As educators, the main tools of the trade are our words. We use words to teach our students, communicate with our parents, and collaborate with one another. Our words inspire children to reach their dreams and find their own words. With social media, our words are no longer confined to our classroom or school, but can be shared with educators around the world. That's a lot of power to be able to tell our story and share our beliefs about education. Like all tools, we must be careful in the way we use our words.

With our words, we have the power to lift people up or knock them down. We have the power to build relationships or cause a rift. We have the power to spread the positives or echo the negatives. Our words have an impact on our attitudes and our students. I'm not suggesting that we all need to make a trek to Ireland to kiss the Blarney Stone, but I do feel that we all need to choose our words wisely as educators. Our words can help make a student's day a little better...if we choose.

It's a lot of work to kiss the Blarney Stone! (Yes, that's me:)

PEARLS OF WISDOM (Irish Edition) 

"Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy." - William Butler Yeats 

"We have always found the Irish a bit odd. They refuse to be English." - Winston Churchill 

"Being Irish, I always had a love of words." - Kenneth Branagh

GREAT EDUCATORS TO FOLLOW ON TWITTER

Jennifer Fox

Steve Wyborney

UPCOMING EVENTS 

Friday, March 17: Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

                              Spring Pictures & 4th Grade Picture 

Monday, March 20: Celebrate Monday Assembly 9:05 am

Tuesday, March 21: 4th Grade Living Wax Museum in the Gym
Wednesday, March 22: PBS Committee 8:05 am

Thursday, March 23: Staff Meeting with special guest Paula Kohler 8:05 am
                                  Elementary Principals Meeting 1:00-4:30 pm 

Friday, March 24: Bill Roberts from AXA in the lounge 8:00 am
                              Report Cards go home

Monday, March 27: Student of the Month Assembly 9:05 am
Tuesday, March 28: Elementary Principals at Wayne RESA 7:30-9:30 am
                                 All Administrators Meeting at Holmes 3:00-4:30 pm 

Thursday, March 30: Staff Meeting (PBS) 8:05 am
                                   Alena's Shower during lunch

Friday, March 31: 4th Grade to Johnson in morning

                              MIRM Awards Assembly 2:30 pm 

Monday, April 3 - Friday, April 7: Spring Break!