end of the year questions

A year ago, when Mimm turned 10, I asked her questions.
Today she turned 11. I asked her a different set of questions. She said that last year'ss questions were better. She claimed that she had no memory of what happened this year. Climbing around on the kitchen chairs, jumping to the floor, squeezing next to me on the sofa, bouncing her finger on my tummy sure helped to refresh her memory. I think it is going to be interesting to look back at the answers next year.

Inspired by Katie Clemons

Mimm's answers

1. What are five words that describe the past year?

dance, singing, TV, friends, desserts

2. What’s something that made you smile last year?

A card my sister drew to me, melting snow in spring, swinging on a big swing, when I am thirsty and get to drink a large glass of water, when parents get home after work, when sisters come home for the weekend

3. What’s something that made you ache last year?

people stepping on my heels and not apologizing

4. What are five moments with others that you really loved last year?

when I made a cardboard house in the living room with my friend
spending a day at the Riga Zoo and Sigulda Adventure Park with the family
going to the movies with my sisters
being in the corn labyrinth with my class
taking a train to the city on my dad's birthday and eating a cake for breakfast

5. What mistake did you make last year? What did you learn?

I didn't let a photographer take pictures of me in a dance camp. I learned that when a professional photographer takes pictures I should let her take a picture of me

6. What’s a great gift you gave to someone in need last year?

Taking pasta, flour, sugar and chocolate for holiday charity

7. What do you hope to learn or accomplish in the coming year?

I wish to learn to do a full split and circle from handstand to bridge

8. What are your three wishes for the new year?

I wish to have a pet, a new kitchen and to reorganize my room


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Since Mimm was willing to answer the questions, I thought it would be fair to answer myself too.
My answers

1. What are five words that describe the past year?

Bigger picture - seeing various schools in Estonia and Holland, reading and discussing educational issues broadened my understanding of what is possible

Awesome people - lucky to meet super teachers, inspirational school leaders, thoughtful and caring young people ready to start a new school

Risk-taking - still can't believe I said yes to public speaking experiences

Growth - glad that I am still learning as a professional and growing as a person

Calm 

2. What’s something that made me smile last year?

tulips in Amsterdam,  van Gogh's museum, students learning, Mimm dancing, middle one's graduation, giraffes, peaceful marsh lakes, Mom's 70th birthday, hours of reading, photos I took,  friends and cakes, 

3. What’s something that made me ache last year?

a young woman's death, a little boy's death, a young woman's heart attack

visiting Anne Franke's museum, the hate talk on refugees issue

4. What are five moments with others that I really loved last year?

a spring day bike ride in Holland

a summer day with a family at the Riga Zoo

a summer evening concert with my hubby in an old manor house

an impromptu family photo shoot at the countryside

a fall morning including a dance performance, cafe and bookstore with my daughters

5. What mistake did I make last year? What did I learn?

Not pushing for/demanding help for a student who needed it. I think we could have supported him much more last school year. I have learned that I need to keep asking for help, there is always a solution, sometimes it just takes more time.

6. What’s a great gift I gave to someone in need last year?

I think that saying yes and spending summer days helping a group of people starting a new school was a gift both ways. Also agreeing to give a workshop to university students was my gift of time where I got a gift of energy and learning in return. 

7. What do I hope to learn or accomplish in the coming year?

I wish to become a better leader to nudge them grow and take risks, to get us working effectively together to improve teaching/learning and support all students, to create a culture of thinking and have playful, creative, productive planned and unplanned meetings, reach out beyond our school walls and country borders, at the same time staying calm, balanced and joyful.

8. What are my three wishes for the new year?

I wish: 

health, ever so precious, for everyone 

to spend rich and warm time (moments, hours, days) with the family

opportunities to learn, play and laugh