Dot Day and Making Our Mark

Over the weekend, I was enjoying a cup of tea.  I love the brand of tea I drink because there are little inspirational messages on the string of the tea bag.  This is my message from Sunday:  

It was like the tea philosophers knew I was going to update my blog about Dot Day.  Those words are so simple and true!  At Laurel Mountain, we have master teachers in our classrooms. They are teaching our students to be creative, to think outside the box and to be problem solvers. And what a perfect message to receive this weekend because Sunday, September 15 was International Dot Day. You might be asking, "What is Dot Day?" Well, here is a short explanation from the International Dot Day website:  http://www.thedotclub.org/dotday/

"International Dot Day, a global celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration, began when teacher Terry Shay introduced his classroom to Peter H. Reynolds’ book The Dot on September 15, 2009.

The Dot is the story of a caring teacher who dares a doubting student to trust in her own abilities by being brave enough to “make her mark”. What begins with a small dot on a piece of paper becomes a breakthrough in confidence and courage, igniting a journey of self-discovery and sharing, which has gone on to inspire countless children and adults around the globe.

And each year on International Dot Day – with the help of people just like you –the inspiration continues. What started as a story in the pages of a book is transforming teaching and learning around the world as people of all ages re-discover the power and potential of creativity in all they do."

Last Friday and today several classes at Laurel Mountain participated in Dot Day by reading Peter Reynold's book, creating their own dot art and making their mark in this world.  The students at Laurel Mountain are using their talents, gifts and energy to make the world a better place.  And that is what Dot Day is all about.  This is what helps set LME apart.