LELA House

Category: Writing

  • Summer Session Means Stress for Skeleton Staff

    Summer Session Means Stress for Skeleton Staff

    7/10/2017

    Good morning fabulous OWC coaches!

    Well, the time is upon us when the OWC traffic will ramp up. Students are coming off of the holiday and hunkering down to finish their summer terms. While f2f traffic has been light, the OWC has been busier this year than normal (as you know!). Based on how our numbers have increased steadily over the past AY, I anticipate this summer’s rush may be brutal.

    I’ll send papers to you as they come in, and I’ll watch your workload, so I don’t inundate you. Please do your best to adhere to our turnaround time. If you can’t, just let me know, and I’ll communicate that to students as I send them their confirmation notices. Oh, and of course, I’m adding our standard crunch time clause to the confirmation notices that due to increased usage, our turnaround time may be delayed.

    Please let me know your schedules, so I can plan out how and when to send papers your way. I appreciate your willingness in the past to work beyond your hours, and I’m asking if you’d be willing to do it again. As always, keep track of your hours, and we will flex your overages when the demand decreases. I’m so grateful for you and how you have handled our crunch times in the past. You all are the best.

    Per usual, if anything wonky happens or if any nastygrams come your way, let me know and forward all documentation to me. I’ll handle whatever comes up.

    It’s an honor to work with the best OWC team on the planet. I’m awed by how such a small crew serves so many students so well.

    Let me know what questions or concerns you have or how I can serve you better.

    Warmly,

    Laila

  • Session Notes

    Session Notes

    Higher Order Concerns

    • We talked about ways to develop a main idea using the following strategies
    • Listing
    • Scribing
    • Considering readers’ needs and what is missing that will help make meaning
    • Essay Organizer worksheet

    Lower Order Concerns

    I pointed out some patterns of error, including punctuation and how to recognize a sentence and know when sentences begin and end. I sent the student home with a handout on sentence fragments and run-on sentences, but we spent the bulk of the time in the session on developing the main idea.

    Student learning

    The student learned that a first draft is a great start, not a final attempt, and to reread work with an eye for what readers will need to understand. Student gained confidence in writing ability.

    Dr. Jones’ note to self: Glamorous my life is not. Satisfying it is, yes.

  • Introducing Dr. Jones

    Introducing Dr. Jones

    I have a character, Dr. Laila E. Jones, who runs a university writing center. In my head, her story unfolds through her writing – her emails, journal entries, Teams messages at work, text messages with loved ones, conference proposals, etc. I honestly have no idea where her story will take her or any of us, but I’m excited for her adventure to begin. Below is the first installment.

    June 5, 2017

    Dear Diary,

    Well, that sounds ridiculous – like I’m an angsty preteen, oh, I’m sorry, TWEEN. I sound like an angsty tween. Why even do we use that word? What was wrong with preteen that tween came into existence? I mean preteens were functioning just fine as pseudo adolescents (like pseudopodia perhaps?), and then somebody (who was it I wonder?) 

    Alright I’m back. According to Wikipedia it was J.R.R Tolkien referring to hobbits in their twenties prior to their coming of age, so it’s a blend of teen and twenty which makes so much more sense now. Why do we even use it for angsty prepubescent children? And should I have written portmanteau? It’s the word that was in my head (probably because it was in the Wikipedia article, but I didn’t have to look it up, so I feel good about that), but it felt pompous and self serving. Can I be pompous and self serving in my own diary? Is this a diary or a journal? It’s a journal. I do NOT plan on doing this daily, despite the advice of my therapist.

    So there. Journal reboot begun. And tween is a cool Tolkien word that I should figure out how to repurpose in society, so it’s less angsty. Like me. Ugh. I’m done.

  • Reading, Writing, and Ritual

    Reading, Writing, and Ritual

    When my family takes a road trip and we cross a state line, we all do the wave and chant, “[State name], woohoo!” It’s corny, but we look forward to it. At the outset of our trips, our teenage kids ask how many state lines we will cross, and we all keep watch as we get closer and closer to a state line. We look for literal signs announcing a state’s proximity and figurative signs like increasing or decreasing mile markers. When we see a state sign approaching, we make sure everyone in the car has a visual, and we time our cheer when the hood of the car reaches the state line. We do this every time. It’s our ritual.

    A ritual is a habit or routine laced with meaning and practiced with mindfulness. We all have habits, routines, and rituals but do not always recognize them. Habits happen so effortlessly, we barely realize we’re doing them. Much to my husband’s chagrin (I’m sure), I crack my knuckles as soon as I get into bed each night. I don’t think about doing it; I just do it. Routines, however, have intent behind them. Part of my bedtime routine is flossing and brushing my teeth. I must think about completing those actions; I’m not on autopilot, like I am with knuckle cracking. Reading is my bedtime ritual.

    Part of my reading ritual includes my routine of flossing and brushing my teeth. I don’t curl up in bed to read without having done so. Once I’ve gotten into bed, I grab my book, which lives within arm’s reach on my dresser, and settle in to read. The act of reading carries meaning for me. As I prepare to read, I often think about the gift of literacy and how it was systematically denied to people who look like me. I thank God for the gift of books and the time to read them. I contemplate the power of the written word, and I think about how reading shapes who I am. I anticipate the story arc of my book and wonder what will happen next. I focus on my task, and I relax. I feel my breathing deepen and my taut muscles release. Then I immerse myself in the world on the pages in front of me.

    Rituals play an important role in self care. They fill you with awe and expectancy. They allow you to consider your values and how you incorporate them into your life. They help you slow down and pay attention to the moment you’re experiencing, rather than dwelling on past moments or worrying about future ones. They signal your brain to switch into reflection and creativity, which can lead you into a flow state. They can also signal to others you’re experiencing flow. For example, I used to listen to particular music while studying my bible, and my husband knew to give me some time when he heard the music playing. Rituals help you place boundaries around the time and space you need for self care – boundaries both you and others will respect.

    Not every habit or routine needs to become a ritual, but reading and journaling are good contenders for busy educators. They are easy activities to practice and to squeeze into tight schedules.

    The first step is to make reading and journaling a routine. Some people can create new routines for themselves by the sheer force of their will. I am not one of those people. If you are, I applaud you. If you are not, I have some tips for you.

    • Decide you want to read and journal. You get to choose how to spend your time and how you will take care of yourself.
    • Tell people you are going to read and journal. They will cheer you on and hold you accountable.
    • Experiment. Play with different times of day and different strategies to find what works best for you.
    • Determine a trigger that aligns with the results of your experimentation. Pick some recurring event (like walking in the house after work) or habit (like walking on the elliptical) and tie reading and journaling to it. Keep a notebook by your door and pick it up on the way in the house to journal for a few minutes before launching into your evening activities. Decide that every time you go to work out on the elliptical, you will listen to an audiobook.
    • Repeat and adjust. Repeat the process and revise as necessary until you have established a routine. 
    • Show yourself grace. Forming a habit can take anywhere from 8 to 250 days, with the average being 66 days (https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/science/how-long-habit). Don’t beat yourself up, if it takes a while to get into a groove. You are learning and growing in the process.
    • Reflect. This step moves your routine to ritual. Think about why you’re implementing this activity in your life. Think about how it benefits you and your loved ones. Think about the gift of self care. Think about the activity itself, not your perceived failures of the day or your looming to-do list. Revel in who you are becoming as you partake in the activity.
    • Get support. Sometimes going it alone is hard. When you feel isolated, it’s easy to lose resolve and drift back into habits that don’t serve you well and don’t lead you toward self care. If you want to practice reading and writing as rituals with other educators, click HERE to learn more. 

    Reading and journaling rituals are educator self care tools, not just diversions to slough off. Taking care of yourself as an educator affects all areas of your life. Choose to practice self care today. 


    * * *

    I am doing a 31-day series on reading and journaling as self care for educators. Each day of the series has bonus journal prompts. Click to join the LELA House family of educators committed to nourishing their reading, writing, and creative souls. You’ll receive a link to the journal prompts and gain early alerts for upcoming LELA House ideas, courses, and products. You only need to subscribe once. I will add a new worksheet each day to the access link.

    Roshaunda D. Cade, Ph.D. is an educator, writer, and creator.  She offers life coaching and writing coaching to educators, as well as other opportunities for educators to practice self care through reading and writing. Check out her LELA House website to learn more about her services.  Roshaunda lives in St. Louis, MO with her husband and teenage children and enjoys reading, writing, dancing, and pushing her creative boundaries.  

  • #IntrovertEducator

    #IntrovertEducator

    I’m an introvert. My journey through self care as an educator speaks as much to my introversion as it does to my love of reading and journaling.

    I have adored my work in education. But it is hard, draining, even debilitating. I’ve loved my students and colleagues, and I’ve fully spent myself on my work. This typically left me irritable and unavailable at home. I was at my worst for the people to whom I wanted to give my best. So I fought against my innate introverted nature, which told me to rest, read, create, and write. Instead, I attempted to be who I thought I should be. I could function, and even excel in different areas at different times, but I didn’t thrive.

    To thrive in all areas of their lives is my hope for all educators, and self care plays an important role in that. Not every educator finds rest through reading, writing, and creating. Not all educators are introverts, but I know I’m not alone. So I’m trying to support introvert educators by encouraging them to make the time they need to read, write, and create.

    But it’s not enough.

    It’s not enough to encourage you to read, write, and create without giving opportunity. I’m working on that with some upcoming LELA House events. Similarly it’s not enough to give opportunity without giving time.

    I can’t make time, but I can provide opportunity, encouragement, and resources. I believe if someone had suggested I make some time for myself and offered me the chance to pursue my passions, I might have thrived rather than survived. I didn’t recognize what I needed, and being an exhausted introvert educator in an extrovert world made me question myself and my place in education.

    Everyone who rests by reading, writing, and creating isn’t an introvert, but I bet a lot of you are. And if you’re like me, you could use a community of other introvert educators – who understand your conflicting needs for solitude and camaraderie; how reading, writing, and creating rejuvenate you; how your superpowers show up differently; how you can love what you do and find it draining.

    So let’s talk about it. What’s your life as an #IntrovertEducator? What do you need to make it through the day? Leave a comment to join the conversation.


    * * *

    I am doing a 31-day series on reading and journaling as self care for educators. Each day of the series has bonus journal prompts. Click to join the LELA House family of educators committed to nourishing their reading, writing, and creative souls. You’ll receive a link to the journal prompts and gain early alerts for upcoming LELA House ideas, courses, and products. You only need to subscribe once. I will add a new worksheet each day to the access link.

    Roshaunda D. Cade, Ph.D. is an educator, writer, and creator.  She offers life coaching and writing coaching to educators, as well as other opportunities for educators to practice self care through reading and writing. Check out her LELA House website to learn more about her services.  Roshaunda lives in St. Louis, MO with her husband and teenage children and enjoys reading, writing, dancing, and pushing her creative boundaries.  

  • Quick and Dirty Post about Journaling

    Quick and Dirty Post about Journaling

    Journaling does not require a lot of time. I’ll repeat. Journaling does not require a lot of time.

    Rules of journaling

    1. Write at least one thing (word, sentence, paragraph – your choice).
    2. Don’t backtrack. If you missed a day (or a week or a month) don’t try to recapture what your life was. Just start where you are right now.

    That’s it.

    You’ve got this.

    * * *

    I am doing a 31-day series on reading and journaling as self care for educators. Each day of the series has bonus journal prompts. Click to join the LELA House family of educators committed to nourishing their reading, writing, and creative souls. You’ll receive a link to the journal prompts and gain early alerts for upcoming LELA House ideas, courses, and products. You only need to subscribe once. I will add a new worksheet each day to the access link.

    Roshaunda D. Cade, Ph.D. is an educator, writer, and creator.  She offers life coaching and writing coaching to educators, as well as other opportunities for educators to practice self care through reading and writing. Check out her LELA House website to learn more about her services.  Roshaunda lives in St. Louis, MO with her husband and teenage children and enjoys reading, writing, dancing, and pushing her creative boundaries.  

  • Let Life Inspire What You Journal

    Let Life Inspire What You Journal

    A new pair of shoes got me re-evaluating my whole life today.

    The shoes arrived a few days ago, tantalizingly packaged in a black and white box. I recognize the black and white design of my new shoes matching the box was coincidental, but I appreciated this synergy as I unboxed my new kicks. I haven’t purchased new sneakers in quite a few years, so my excitement level ratcheted toward high.

    I wore them around the house during my regular quarantine activities – washing dishes, doing various chores, pacing (because that’s exercising, right?), working at my desk, watching tv, snacking. The shoes were not uncomfortable, but I wouldn’t say they felt good. When you imagine a comfy pair of shoes that feel like walking on a memory foam mattress topped with cotton candy, these were not they. But I wore them all day with no discomfort, no rubbing, no blisters, no slipping, nor any of the other qualities I find abhorrent in shoes. I do not believe in a breaking-in period. I need shoes to fit comfortably right out of the box, or back they go. Today, however, I took them for a test walk in the park. It was not a test “run,” as I only move faster than a brisk walk in emergency situations.

    The advertisement touted the shoes allowed your feet to respond to the ground, that wearing these shoes offers the benefits of being barefoot with the protective features of a shoe. I noticed nothing special as I puttered around my house, but I immediately observed a difference when I stepped outside and onto the sidewalk. Apparently hardwood, tile, and carpet give more than concrete; I suffered the solidity of the sidewalk as I never had experienced before while wearing shoes. It didn’t feel uncomfortable, just new. I pondered this newness as I followed the sidewalk down to the corner, where I had to cross the street to enter the park. It surprised me to discern more flexibility from the street than I had from the sidewalk. What I experienced when I stepped on the blacktop park path, however, shocked me.

    The blacktop offered unforgiving resistance. Walking on it hurt. It didn’t hurt because the shoes felt uncomfortable. It hurt because my entire body reacted to the jarring surface with each step. The shoe company lauded its shoes allow your feet to respond to the ground by flexing and gripping, which allows your joints and body to absorb and disperse energy. I could feel my feet and body trying to do their jobs, but the blacktop wouldn’t allow them to do their work. I typically avoid walking through grass if I find a nearby pathway, but I didn’t today. I probably spent a third of my morning walk in the grass.

    Walking in the grass felt glorious. My toes flexed, spread, and gripped as I traversed the terrain. My body responded in kind. I experienced an unaccustomed balance and alignment. I recognized my body working and responding differently, efficiently. When I returned to the blacktop pathway, I noticed in ways I didn’t realize I could. Near the end of my walk, I followed a mulch pathway. That’s when I began rethinking my whole life.

    As I walked, I pondered why humans ever began ripping out earth and replacing it with concrete, but I understood the need for pathways. When I stepped on the mulch pathway, I wondered why more pathways aren’t mulched. While I could sense the bits of mulch through the soles of my shoes, I also experienced the soft ground and the variations in the terrain. I had found my memory foam, cotton candy experience.

    By the time I returned home, I wanted to rip out the sidewalk to nowhere that bisects my backyard and replace it with a mulch path leading to the garden I plan to plant. I also had ideas for the school I want to start. Instead of sidewalks, mulch pathways will crisscross campus. I thought about the ladies who love to wear their high heels and how difficult it is to walk through mulch in them. Toward them I thought, “I know your heels are sexy, but they’re not good for you, boo. Walk around in sensible shoes and stow your stilettos in your backpack for when you need style.”

    Now I understand standard shoe design protects your body from the hard surfaces of modern living, not just your feet. And I question modern living all the more.

    Instead of writing all of this in my journal, I shared it with you. This tale of discovery hits nearly all the suggestions I have for what to write as you stare down the blank page or blinking cursor of your journal.

    • Write about your events of the day.
    • Write your thoughts, emotions, reactions, and intuitions of the day.
    • Write your problems.
    • Write why you’re grateful.
    • Write how you want to progress on your goal for the next day (I wrote about long-term goals, instead.).
    • Write whatever you want to.
    • Write your prayers. When they’re answered, write that, too (I didn’t hit this one.).
    • Write what you need in the moment.
    • Write to remember.

    Journaling can seem overwhelming at times and frivolous at others. As educators, however, giving yourself moments to reflect on how you experienced your day will revive your stores of energy for the next.

    * * *

    I am doing a 31-day series on reading and journaling as self care for educators. Each day of the series has bonus journal prompts. Click to join the LELA House family of educators committed to nourishing their reading, writing, and creative souls. You’ll receive a link to the journal prompts and gain early alerts for upcoming LELA House ideas, courses, and products. You only need to subscribe once. I will add a new worksheet each day to the access link.


    Roshaunda D. Cade, Ph.D. is an educator, writer, and creator.  She offers life coaching and writing coaching to educators, as well as other opportunities for educators to practice self care through reading and writing. Check out her LELA House website to learn more about her services.  Roshaunda lives in St. Louis, MO with her husband and teenage children and enjoys reading, writing, dancing, and pushing her creative boundaries.

  • Pros & Cons of Manual and Electronic Reading and Journaling

    Pros & Cons of Manual and Electronic Reading and Journaling

    When you go to Braums and order a hot caramel sundae, the person scooping your ice cream will ask if you want whipped cream and a cherry. The only acceptable answer is, “Yes, please,” because you want both. Whipped cream is delicious, and so are maraschino cherries, but one could never substitute for the other.

    When choosing to read and journal manually or electronically, the only proper answer is, “Yes, please,” because both provide various benefits.

    Electronic Reading (on a device)

    Portability – You can read on devices you regularly travel with (phone, tablet, e-reader).

    Capacity – You can store or readily access hundreds of books and periodicals on an electronic device.

    Immersive experience – You can block out the world by listening to your reading material through headphones, and many devices allow you to take notes and follow links directly in the interface.

    Eye strain – Prolonged exposure to the light from electronic devices can cause eyestrain.

    Battery life – You must charge an electronic device, eventually.

    Manual Reading (physical material)

    Retain information – You retain information better while reading physical material, because you’re engaging more of your senses.

    Sensory experience – The feel and smell of books lure many like a siren song.

    Eye strain – You experience less eye fatigue when reading physical material.

    Portability – You can tote a book with you just about anywhere, but it’s not as convenient as a phone.

    Capacity – Books take up a lot of space, so you can’t bring along an entire library everywhere you go.

    I like to read on my phone if I’m catching up on news articles or reading something that doesn’t require my full focus. I will read on my Kindle or laptop if I’m reading something that requires more brain power. I do most of my device reading during the day. At night, I read a physical book as part of my bedtime routine.

    Handwriting

    • Comprehension and recall – You process information more deeply during the physical act of writing, so it’s easier to understand and remember what you’ve written.
    • Freedom – You can ignore formatting boundaries when you write longhand, enabling you to sketch, doodle, and live outside the lines.
    • Avoid distractions – You are less likely to face distractions when you aren’t on a device with notifications vying for your attention.
    • Time-consuming – It often takes longer to handwrite something than it does to type it.
    • Fatigue – You may not be used to writing longhand, and you can grow tired and experience cramping as you build up your handwriting muscles.
    • Penmanship – You have to write in a way that you can read what you’ve written at a later time.
    • Cumbersome – You have to plan to write on the go, if your preferred method includes ensuring you have paper and pen at hand.

    Typing

    • Fast – If you are a touch typist, typing is fast.
    • Comfort – You probably spend a lot of time at a keyboard or keypad, so typing may not feel as tiring as handwriting.
    • Formatting – You can easily format text you have typed.
    • Security – You can back up your journal to ensure you don’t lose any content, and if you’re using an online journaling app, you can even add increased security features to keep others locked out of your private world.
    • Legible – Your typed page is easy to read.
    • Distractions – You can lose your train of thought when typing on a device.

    If I have a lot on my mind, I’ll type, because I can get down the information quickly. If I’m wrestling with a concept, I’ll write longhand, because it gives me the mental space and sensory stimulation to cogitate.

    I begin a typical day reading my bible app on my phone, then reading from my physical bible and journaling in a physical notebook. I’ll catch up on news and events on my phone, then begin my day. During the day I read articles on my phone and laptop. And as inspiration strikes, I’ll write on post-its then move to my online journal to record my breakthroughs. In late afternoon or early evening, I’ll write again in my online journal. About 45 minutes before bed, I put away my electronics and pull out a physical book. For both reading and journaling, however, I’ll use the most convenient platform to serve my needs in the moment. More important to me than the platform is my readiness to read or journal when need and opportunity arise.

    * * *

    I am doing a 31-day series on reading and journaling as self care for educators. Each day of the series has bonus journal prompts. Click to join the LELA House family of educators committed to nourishing their reading, writing, and creative souls. You’ll receive a link to the journal prompts and gain early access to upcoming LELA House ideas, courses, and products. You only need to subscribe once. I will add a new worksheet each day to the access link.

    Roshaunda D. Cade, Ph.D. is an educator, writer, and creator.  She offers life coaching and writing coaching to educators, as well as other opportunities for educators to practice self care through reading and writing. Check out her LELA House website to learn more about her services.  Roshaunda lives in St. Louis, MO with her husband and teenage children and enjoys reading, writing, dancing, and pushing her creative boundaries.  

  • Two Simple Ways to Improve Your Writing – Reading and Journaling

    Two Simple Ways to Improve Your Writing – Reading and Journaling

    In ninth or tenth grade, I wrote a story on the life of a piece of pocket lint. I don’t remember details about that piece of pocket lint, but I know it had an epic journey, and I felt good when I turned in the assignment. When my teacher returned my story to me, a big red F glowed across the top of the paper with a note that read, “You wrote a wonderful essay, but the assignment was to write a short story.”

    Ouch! Thus I learned I’m a natural essayist. Over the years, however, I’ve learned to write a decent story (and a better essay) because of immersing myself in reading and writing.

    Improved writing may not seem like a desired outcome for educator self care, but educators write a lot. Take as Exhibit A the comment my teacher wrote on my essay. She succinctly and simultaneously praised me and critiqued me. That comment was a beautiful piece of rhetoric, fully capturing my teacher’s personality. I had this teacher for both 9th and 10th grade English, and she didn’t mince words. She told us what she thought, but she also encouraged us to improve. I didn’t enjoy having her as a teacher, but I’m glad I did. She daily modeled the power of language.

    Language, via the written word, is a large portion of educator communication, whether it’s in a lesson plan, on a smart board, in an email with a parent or colleague, in a journal article, or what have you. The self care of reading and journaling encompasses the bonus of becoming a better writer, which makes life easier. Who doesn’t want that?

    The two best ways to improve writing are reading and writing.

    Reading exposes you to various styles, genres, and tones. It also immerses you in grammatical and mechanical patterns of the language. Reading builds your vocabulary, and it inspires you by example (both what to do and what not to do).

    The more you do something, the better you get at it, so naturally, journaling improves your writing. When journaling becomes a habit, you unlock your own writing voice because you’re working in a private space without an audience (meaning you’re not worried about how you seem to others). It’s in this space where you develop your unique writing voice, with its own rhythm and use of language, that you can then use with a wider audience. Using your own voice in your writing makes your message authentic and alive.

    As I contemplate my writing growth, I realize voice excited me about my essay on the life of a piece of pocket lint. Your writing voice reflects your personality, how you see the world, how you describe the world. I’m a person who assumes pocket lint has grand adventures. Quirky? Sure. But uniquely me. My writing reflected that.

    Up to that point in my life, I wrote and read copiously, perhaps compulsively. After that experience, however, I turned away from writing and fanciful reading. I became more cautious in my subject matter and expression. Returning to reading and journaling later in life redirected me, and now I more freely unleash my voice in my writing. I’m better for it, and I like to think my writing is, too.

    * * *

    I am doing a 31-day series on reading and journaling as self care for educators. Each day of the series has bonus journal prompts. Click to join the LELA House family of educators committed to nourishing their reading, writing, and creative souls. You’ll receive a link to the journal prompts and gain early access to upcoming LELA House ideas, courses, and products. You only need to subscribe once. I will add a new worksheet each day to the access link.

    Roshaunda D. Cade, Ph.D. is an educator, writer, and creator.  She offers life coaching and writing coaching to educators, as well as other opportunities for educators to practice self care through reading and writing. Check out her LELA House website to learn more about her services.  Roshaunda lives in St. Louis, MO with her husband and teenage children and enjoys reading, writing, dancing, and pushing her creative boundaries.  

  • Reading and Journaling Improve Mental Acuity

    Reading and Journaling Improve Mental Acuity

    My first job out of college was as a hall director and director of minority affairs at a small college. I later added early alert coordinator to my list of duties. I loved it, but ever restless, I left to pursue full-time graduate studies. While in graduate school, I taught composition and African American studies courses. I spoke one day with a mentor, explaining to her I wanted to work in both the academic affairs and student affairs sides of higher education. I loved my co-curricular work in residence life, and I loved my teaching work. She told me doing both would be impossible. I understood her point, but I never accepted her premise.

    Before completing my doctorate, I got a job directing a writing center at a different university. To say I loved my work would be a gross understatement of the truth. Writing centers are magical places that support writers, readers, learners, students, faculty, and anyone who stops by. I got to teach courses, work with students and faculty directly on their writing, supervise a staff of students and professionals, plan the trajectory of a campus-wide service, and dip my toes in the activities of the other services under the academic resource center umbrella. Plus, I had amazing colleagues. I neared the nirvana of working in both academic and student affairs. But I got swept by a tide of restlessness that propelled me in a swift trajectory from position to position.

    Next I worked as an assistant director of the academic resource center, which was a great dual appointment between the student-facing center and the faculty development center. I also served as the campus plagiarism czar. Then I became a high school teacher, the hardest job I’ve ever had. I loved my students, and I loved teaching them, but I didn’t love the thing that is being a high school teacher. Everyone told me my second year would be better, but one person, my department chair, told me I should stop. She said, “Roshaunda, your passion for your students and your expertise are clear. But you don’t like being a teacher, so you shouldn’t keep doing that to yourself.” I belatedly realized she was right. I left teaching high school a worn out wreck. Reading and journaling helped sustain me, but they didn’t make me fit into something I wasn’t designed for. I figured I must only be designed to run writing centers, so I got a job running the writing center of a large online university. I loved it, but I got restless. Now I’m a life coach and writing coach who supports educators through coaching and various reading and writing activities.

    During this decades-long cycle of gaining experience and managing restlessness, I read and journaled. At various points I did them habitually or sporadically, depending on my mental and emotional state. Once I started teaching high school, however, reading and journaling became daily habits that I’ve realized I need. Reading and journaling helped me understand myself better, improve mental clarity and focus, increase empathy, and enhance my creativity and problem solving ability.

    Self Knowledge. As you read, you learn what you like and resonate with as you explore authors, characters and genres. Journaling helps you discover trends in your thoughts and behaviors as you track your personal development over time. Regular journaling creates a historical record of where you were, where you hoped to be, steps you took, and where you are now.

    Clarity and Focus. Reading forces you to concentrate for extended periods of time and practice following storylines and arguments, thus improving your clarity and focus. Journaling helps you transfer ideas from your head to paper, which opens up mental capacity to think, process, and solve, rather than using up all of your mental space for storage. Increased clarity and focus also yield improved ability to understand and pursue your goals.

    Empathy. Reading about other people’s lives and struggles helps you put your own challenges into perspective and empathize for others. Writing from your own perspective, then rereading and reflecting on it, helps you understand other’s perspectives more readily. Journaling about gratitude similarly improves your ability to put yourself into someone else’s place.

    Creativity and Problem Solving. Reading improves your analytical skills and memory. Following a complex storyline or argument requires you to store, recall, and reconfigure information. Reading also opens you to various types of problems and ways to solve them you may not have experienced in your life. These lessons boost your creativity and problem solving acumen in everyday life. Exploring your thinking and psyche through journaling reveals and produces patterns you didn’t realize existed, which unlocks your creative problem solving in all areas. Also, playing with words and language and style boosts your creativity. Boosts in creativity spill over across your entire life.

    Through years of reading and journaling – years of honing my insight, clarity, empathy, and creativity – I realized I am desperately passionate about education in all its facets. I want to know everything about PK-12, higher ed, public, private, secular, religious, students, faculty, administrators, and anything else education has to reveal to me. I want to understand how and why we as individuals, families, institutions, and as a nation journey through our education system. I strive to know what we mean by good education and knowledgeable citizenry. I am called to create ways to support educators and learners both inside and outside of classrooms, regardless of how impossible the task may seem. Restlessness didn’t propel my job changes; desire did – desire to experience, understand, and grow the field I love. I’ll recognize my next leap for what it will be, a strategic step in my transformation journey.

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    I am doing a 31-day series on reading and journaling as self care for educators. Each day of the series has bonus journal prompts. Click to join the LELA House family of educators committed to nourishing their reading, writing, and creative souls. You’ll receive a link to the journal prompts and gain early access to upcoming LELA House ideas, courses, and products. You only need to subscribe once. I will add a new worksheet each day to the access link.

    Roshaunda D. Cade, Ph.D. is an educator, writer, and creator.  She offers life coaching and writing coaching to educators, as well as other opportunities for educators to practice self- care through reading and writing. Check out her LELA House website to learn more about her services.  Roshaunda lives in St. Louis, MO with her husband and teenage children and enjoys reading, writing, dancing, and pushing her creative boundaries.