Skip to main content

Sticks and Stones


As a teacher I realize the importance of words. I know that a careless comment can cause serious damage, and a well timed phrase of encouragement can change everything.
I know the power of words. However, so often I forget. I don't put the filter on. I let things pour out of my mouth without deciding what should go and what should stay ( in my head!). The back of the book quotes that we use "30,000 words a day" and encourages us how to make them count. 30,000 is a lot of words. Sadly at the end of the day -- I can only remember a few of them. Too often, I am remembering words that wish I hadn't let slip out. I agreed to participate in this book tour hoping for some good reminders and encouragement to be more careful. The book came through in that area.....but provided much more. I was expecting this short little book to just be full of proverbs about controlling our tongue and plenty of examples where praise changed someone's course. I was selling my words short! There is so much more crammed into this tiny book. It starts with ways to improve your self talk, stresses the importance of the written word, gives tips on how to say things ( good and bad), some etiquette for communicating with technology ( ok, so I should be keeping up with my blog better….sorry friends!), and even prayer.

Where to get the book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0310282535
The author's website: http://acecollins.com/
Other bloggers on the tour: http://www.blogtourspot.com/collins-blog-tour/collins-blog-tour-stops/

Comments

ace said…
Thanks for your kind words. I am so pleased by book touched you as your words did me.

Ace Collins

Popular posts from this blog

different

Someone recently sent me a meme about tattoos. I reminded them that I have over half a dozen, although none in such obvious places as the picture. I thought about it while I washed my hair, and how once my hair was also purple, and what kind of memes could be found about that. And also, my nose was pierced. Other than the first two tattoos, none of these were things I did in my youth. All were in my thirties. Currently my hair is a plain brown in a sensible cut. My tattoos all easily hidden with most clothing and only my ears are pierced. As this decade closes I have made efforts to dress more professionally, drink less, stay on top of the laundry although I still refuse to make my bed and talk at an appropriate volume level. Yet, I only looked back on my purple-haired days with longing rather than regret. See, I used to do those things to be different.   Sometimes I’d feel just a little trapped by my suburban life although perfect, felt a little too predictable. I fel...

multiple choice

As I write I am procturing a test ( yes on a Saturday, and no I am not getting paid for it.) The room is silent. The only noises I hear are pencils scratching on papers and pages turning. If I listen closely enough I swear I can hear their brains turning. I have always been a good test-taker. I would still regularly brag about my SAT scores if it wre socially appropriate to do so(or an actual indicator of anything meaningful). There is something comforting about multiple choice. (well as long as you don't have the crappy all of the above or none of the above choices...just the classic A, B, C, D variety). There are parameters. Multiple choice means you have options. The right answer is right in front of you, and all you have to do is find it. Even if you don't actually know which one the right answer is there are usually clues, it can be narrowed down or worked backwards. Even a blind guess is likely to be right 25% of the time. These aren't bad odds. All you have t...

Turning the question

My school has been sending me to some inquiry training. The “i” word has been thrown around since my education classes in college. It is one of those things that is really good as a concept but kind of hard to pull off in the classroom well. For lots of reasons. But the big one number is because teachers are reluctant to let go of the control. To let the kids loose with a concept and see where they end up. Let them discover, own it and share out all on their own. Without intervening. Then push them a little bit further and clear up any misconceptions that they are holding onto before they slip out your door. This is supposed to be the most meaningful way for a kid to learn. For them to discover rather than memorize. One of the other problems with inquiry and science is that kids have stopped learning how to ask questions. My son bombards me with whys all day long. Why are owls nocturnal? (which comes out a lot more like “not-turtles”) Why do I have to take a shower? Why ...