handwritten on January 18, 2020
It was lovey to just "catch up" with-what we call- our (extended family) this weekend. We caught up on life and life aspirations. We caught up on work and treasures and things to come. We caught up on present and future plans. People do underestimate the power of a good catch up. Sometimes you just need to stop and take a moment to look around you and realize-everyone does have the power to "catch up." Make every moment count-don't waste your time on those things that in the end-really don't matter.
handwritten on January 17, 2020
3.5 miles: Today was Friday and as I was running this evening, I came upon the very words which appear in my title-We have come a long way. And this conversation continued with my husband when he got home from work later in the evening and we embarked on our annual "night out"-something we look forward to every week. The conversation continued as we quite literally spent the entire dinner just reflecting on how far we have come. Coming from long distance relationships and travels to Duke followed by medical school applications and the whimsical acceptance into Pitt, followed by five long years of medical school with one year of research and weddings and festivities and family happenings in...
handwritten on January 16, 2020
1 mile: A thought of the day occurred today as I was driving to tutor one of my former students and that was this concept of " Melody Street." I think my life purpose has always been to get others to recognize the melody inside of themselves and so as I passed this street today on my way to have a "reading party" filled with balloons and silly string with one of my former students whilst building fluency, comprehension and completing a novel study-I thought to myself-there is always a reason to encourage another to travel down melody street too. Something I have pondered and understood over the past year is that detecting and creating a melody that is "just right" is simply impossible. But...
handwritten on January 15, 2020
3.2 miles: While I was running today, I was reflecting quite deeply on this idea of constructive criticism and the beauty of moving past internal barriers through accepting criticism graciously. And I was trying to rack my brain when I officially released myself that constructive criticism is not a death sentence. I truly believe children are born perfectionists (this is an innate quality) and I myself was one from birth. I was always a deep reflective individual, and I constantly analyzed myself to the point where I did (and sometimes still do) drive myself crazy. However, as a child, I really hated constructive criticism because to me- I looked at it as something incredible negative that...
handwritten on January 14, 2020
1 mile: I had one of the most humorous but also thought-provoking moments as a teacher today. I asked one of my students to help another student in figuring out an adjective. However, my directions were the following: Make sure you do not say the adjective. Rather, just tell the students what category it fall under and maybe he or she can figure it out. The students was stumbling a bit trying to direct the student without actually telling her the answer and finally the answer just slipped out. We had a lot of giggles from the class, and I made sure to thank the student for trying to direct.
Me: "Facilitating is a bit harder than you think!"
Student: "Mrs. Amoscato. This is why I could...
