About..

cropped-mtdc_new.jpg“Don’t count the days, make the days count.”  Muhammad Ali

The idea behind this blog resulted from the last few weeks of the 2009-10 school year. It had been an exhausting year of teaching. New content, new schedule, and it was the end of the year. Like my students I was counting the days until the end the year. But, I was also trying to make each day count. A new concept or skill learned is one more added to the repertoire they take with them to eighth grade and beyond. I became a teacher not because I am smart or I knew a lot, but because I wanted to share my passion about learning and in some way impact the life of an adolescent and make a difference in their life.

You can read my first post – Day 1 – 5/29/2010: What am I doing? to get a better perspective for the why of MtDC and why it is important to keep moving forward. I hope you find reading and following along as interesting as I do.

Thanks for stopping by and please feel free to connect, comment, and follow along.

44 thoughts on “About..

  1. I always feel like each of our actions have the power to affect others, not just through time, but through space (from one person to another, across continents if the influence is big enough).

    Add that to teaching and you have all the makings of someone who can better the world at scale. I liked reading this About page, Clay, and the Cassius Clay quote was amazing too!

    1. Thank you. My teases me about my posts and tells me I should give up teaching to be an ‘influencer’ but little does he know the true influence I have as a sixth grade teacher! Making the Days Count is just a side gig. Have a great day. Peace.

  2. I saw your little pixie on the list of ‘likes’ on Margaret’s blog and you looked so much like somebody I know (alas, from Switzerland) that I had to check you out…. and I still like what I see. Shall join the ranks of your readers for a while and have a feeling I will like what I’ll read…. Have known a few wonderful, inspiring and ‘saintly’ teachers and everybody who has your attitude should be – well I don’t know – knighted or ‘sainted’ maybe?
    Greetings from France
    Kiki

    1. Thank you – I’ve been following Margaret for some time now. I hope you do follow along – France is a beautiful country and I’ve visited many times, though sadly, my last visit was June 2010. I am looking forward to another visit again, but when is the issue. The blog began and grew during my last visit – five posts from Paris and one before and after… great memories of family and travel. When I began writing seven years ago, I had no idea I’d be here writing seven years, or more, later. I started following Margaret when she lived in France and have continued since her return to the UK. I hope you enjoy my travels through the US and life. Thanks for following up on the pixie and landing here. Peace.

    1. did not know that – thanks for the heads up. I’ll work on a fix. Thanks for stopping by and taking in Making the days Count dot org. From the look of your blog you, too work to make the days count. Have a wonderful week. Peace.

    1. Thank you for stopping by the blog. I’ve always dreamed of visiting Australia. Maybe someday. In the meantime, I’ll get my southern hemisphere fix by following you and another blogger from Perth. Have a wonderful week – where you are it’s Wednesday morning, I believe. Cheeers.

    1. Indeed, our purpose is all about the same – at least it should be… when I was going through teacher education I took a class about philosophy of education and we had to come up with our mission or “I believe…” statement. I have no idea or record of what I wrote, reflecting back I should have kept it and framed it, but I didn’t. However, after 16 + years teaching and working with kids, I do what I do to make a difference in the life of a kid. Hopefully one of the kids in my room will be inspired and pay it forward. I know I make the difference for some, not all. making the days count, one day at a time. Have a great day and thanks for stopping in.

  3. Glad to meet you! I am a middle school (6-8th grade) school nurse. I rt’d this blog, and hope you get many more followers! Thanks for making a difference even when you’re tired. Also, do you have a follow button or do I just do that via email?

    1. Dawn, if you are in WordPress you can click the Follow button at the top left hand side of the screen and you’ll get my posts in your reader or you can change the settings to get e-mail reminders. I will be updating parts of the blog to reflect a few things I have noticed and learned the last couple of days through class. Life is complicated and I’ll get a chance to write and post later this evening or tomorrow morning, at least that is the plan. Have a great day!

    1. Thank you – I use that quote often with my students, who some times would rather mark time than make it count. Either way, it’s a paradigm shift in thinking. Teaching is the best, I worked in restaurants as my first career and teaching in restaurants was more fun most everything else. It’s all relative. Have a great week.

  4. Thanks for stopping by Clay – I’m glad you did. I love the quote and fully agree with it. I love the reason why you started teaching and I’m sure you have made a difference to all your students. There are many teachers, but not all have passion in their hearts!

    1. thanks for stopping by… we have only so many days – like Charlotte said to Wilbur (from Charlotte’s Web) ..”what’s a life….” we all need to make our days count, make them worthwhile, and give back when we can, take when it is our turn. Have a great week.

  5. Yes, it’s all too easy to sit around counting days, rather than being present in the moment and doing something meaningful. There’s always something more in life to learn and explore, at any age. We can all use a reminder about that — thanks for providing it!

    1. thanks Meg – I took a peak at your place and we have common Midwestern roots. Mine a little west of you in Chicagoland, but I have a root system in Darke County. Have a great day, make it count!

    1. thanks for stopping by, I have come across a few of Ali’s other quotes and it is no wonder he is considered The Greatest… as a kid he seemed larger than life. Today as an adult, knowing all he went through, what he had to overcome, explains why. Again, thanks.

    1. Thank you. I’ve enjoyed reading your musings about parenthood and adulthood. I remember the days you are living right now. though, they weren’t that long ago yet, they are. Like your kids, each stage is characterized by an immense amount of personal growth where you are forced to re-evaluate who you are and what you stand for. Raising kids is the most challenging and rewarding job in the world and you only get one chance at it. Again, thank you.

    1. Watkins came from West Virginia coal country… I think. My dad was adopted and had an uncle who lived in Louisville, Kentucky. We moved around a lot and finally settled in Texas where all of my brothers and mom still live.

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