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Andrea would love the opportunity to support you, your leadership, staff, and/or students. Book a FREE 30 minute consultation to book a speaking engagement or design professional learning. She will discuss your needs and ensure the presentation is tailored to your requested outcomes.

Have you ever heard of energy vampires? An energy vampire is anyone or anything that drains your life of positive energy. This person or thing can consume your mind and fill your day with negativity. After reading more about how to overcome energy vampires, I wanted to share tips and tricks with you. #1 - Recognize the Signs Recognize when you are around someone or something and begin feeling drained. What physical reactions are happening? Do you feel a tightening in your chest? Are you tired? Do you have a headache? Take time to identify the signs, so you can learn what lifts you up and what leaves you completely drained. #2 - Take a Deep Breath Did you ever have someone tell you that deep breathing was good for you. Well...if you are a Mom who has given birth, you know how important breathing is to overcome excruciating labor pains. This same mantra is important in your daily life. In moments when you are feeling completely zapped, take a deep breath. An app that has helped me is Calm. When I have long drives by myself, I listen to Calm to help center me. Check it out and let me know what you think. #3 - Set Boundaries It can be hard to be clear with others but it is so important. Telling someone that you can or cannot do something may be hard. Trust me...I know. It's not about convincing someone else that they have to feel the same way as you. It is about saying, "This is what I need for me to be healthy." Boundaries are especially important if someone tries to push your buttons. You have a sizzling feeling inside. In that moment, breathe, and choose not to react. Trust me...you will never regret not overreacting. #4 - Step Back and Take a Look Have you ever taken the time to identify who or what aggravates you? In Oprah Magazine, Judith Orloff MD writes about the law of energy. The law states that we attract people who are exactly what we struggle with. What did she mean by this? She states that if you often feel angry, notice if you are often around others who are angry. Do angry people drain you? If yes, focus on your own anger and learn how to address it. Once you have worked through these feelings, you may find that angry energy vampires no longer affect you. There are so many tips and tricks that I am sure you have too. I would love to learn more. Share your tips and tricks at the hashtag #leadwithsunshine on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Let's help each other conserve our energy, peace, and happiness, crush the energy vampires, and take our power back.

I love searching for motivational videos. As a former English teacher, I loved using www.wingclips.com as journal or discussion starters in the classroom. Wingclips uses modern day movie clips to illustrate lessons and inspire. The videos are even categorized by themes (love that). As a leader, I think it is just as powerful to share motivational videos. We can all fall into moments, entire days, or sometimes even weeks/months, where unfortunate or downright awful circumstances can begin to control our thoughts and actions. I sincerely believe that it is vital to find someone or something that can help you to overcome the circumstance. When I stumbled upon the YouTube channel: Fearless Soul I began clicking on video after video and finding motivation, topics to write about, and sharing with friends/family that I thought would be encouraged or inspired. Throughout my 18 years as an educator, instructional coach, and leader, I have always believed in the importance of viewing/reading anything you would share to ensure it aligned with core values such as integrity and kindness. As I watched the video that inspired me to write this blog post, I loved the message: you should not allow your circumstances to control your life and happiness. This message shared by Fearless Soul is so important and the advice that follows: "Leave the darkness of your past behind so it does not block the light of your future." "If someone did you wrong, the ONLY WAY you can win, is if you let go and move on. If you live in hate, they win. If you live in the victim story, they win." "If you want to win, you must focus on building your future and start right now." Let's join together and commit to not allow circumstances to control our life, our happiness, or our future. JUST FOR FUN - 20 Questions will make you smile As you finish out your week, I wanted to share a fun game my daughter likes to play. You can play this game with a friend in the car, with a classroom full of students, during professional learning for staff, or with a relative you what to learn more about. My daughter calls the game "20 questions." She always reviews the rules of the game before we begin. :) They are simple: Step 1: Decide who goes first. My daughter Avery likes to say she can go first because she is always the youngest when we play. Step 2: The first player asks a question that everyone has to answer. Sometimes we play would you rather or we ask questions that cannot have yes or no answers. Here are a few examples: If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? Would you rather go skiing or lay on a beach? Step 3: After each person gives their answer, the person to the left goes next and asks a question. The game continues until you have asked 20 questions. We usually play until we are done eating. How do you win? That's the best part of the game. Everyone wins because you all learn something new about each other. I hope you enjoy the game as much as we do. P.S. Need a good book filled with questions you could ask? Check out 3,000 Questions About Me at Target.

Do you spend time trying to figure out who you are? Or comparing yourself to others? Stop comparing yourself. You were made for a purpose. You are unique and that should be celebrated. Maybe a situation, person, or comparison trap has made you believe you aren’t enough. Don’t believe the lies. It might not be simple to just wake up and be ok. It will take time but anything is possible if you try. Do you wish you were healthier but have struggled for years. Is it your eating habits or food consumption getting in the way? Are you in a toxic work environment or unhealthy relationship? Do you allow your mind to fill with negative thoughts and find yourself complaining? Whatever you struggle with, there is help out there. It could be a person, a doctor, an app, journaling, choosing different people to surround yourself with, faith, exercise, therapy, or reading. For me, I have struggled with my weight since I was in middle school. Recently, I discovered Noom. I cannot tell you how helpful this app has been for me. setting bite-sized goals learning the psychology behind my food choices learning more about nutrition having a coach who checks in on me and encourages me tracking my food tracking my water intake tracking exercise What this app has taught me is that anything is possible if you try. If you invest in yourself. If you believe you are capable. If you realize you are enough. STOP and REFLECT What is a bad habit you need to break that is causing you to think negatively, eat unhealthy, complain, or feel awful? Now write why you feel that way. What thoughts go through your mind when you reach for the mini chocolate cupcake or you want to start complaining about someone? Make a goal to spend an entire day focused on changing one thing. Maybe it’s drinking more water, removing yourself from unhealthy conversations, or reframing your thoughts. Life is a gift. Stop trying to prove your worth. If you are waiting on validation from someone else, you will always feel like you are starving. Remember...everything you need is within you. You are already enough.

Lead with Sunshine Magazine As I started writing Lead with Sunshine , I wanted to offer encouragement. I wanted to spread kindness and positivity. Over the last nineteen years as a 6-12 educator, instructional coach, assistant principal, and district leader, I have compiled ideas and resources from students, families, colleagues, leaders, authors, and national speakers. I have always tried to find a way to share what I learn. My first year as an Instructional Coach, I made 101+ Tech Tools thinking it would be helpful. I have spent years creating resources, presentations, anything and everything with the intent to help. I have learned a few important nuggets about creating and sharing along the way: 1. Keep. It. Simple. 2. Be clear. 3. Don't push content at someone that is not ready. 4. Follow up with support. I used these nuggets to create this magazine. I wanted it to include quick reads, questions to make you reflect, and tools to support you. My hope is that you will walk away feeling inspired and ready to conquer the week by leading with sunshine. Click to read this week's Lead with Sunshine magazine. Sign-up to receive the weekly magazine in your inbox. Email Thank you for subscribing!

Consulting Andrea Paulakovich is an enthusiastic leader, educator, speaker, and writer who thrives on innovation and refuses to settle for the status quo. She has served as an educator for 19 years. For 18 years, she worked in the second-largest district in the state of Kansas. Rated as Forbes Top Five districts, her servant leadership spanned K-12 educators, students, families, administrators, and district leadership. Her passion for education includes working with community members, colleagues from her professional learning network from California to North Carolina, and co-designing professional learning with associates from Solution Tree, Kagan Cooperative Learning, Nearpod, Microsoft, and Dave Burgess Consulting, to name a few. Her experience in K-12 education has spanned district leadership in teaching and learning, professional development, instructional technology, curriculum design, instructional coaching, summer programming, being an Assistant Principal at a Middle School, and teaching English Language Arts at the middle and high school level. Andrea is passionate about: Leadership Instructional Coaching Innovative Teaching Engagement Strategies Instructional Technology School Improvement Differentiated Professional Learning Explore topics below and then use the book a consultation button to set up a free 30 minute consultation. We will identify your goals and customize a package to meet your needs. Leadership Click here to explore topics. Pictured above: Andrea collaborated with high school students to build their leadership capacity and introduce the keynote speaker, Hamish Brewer, at a symposium for 2,700+ educators. School Improvement Click here to explore topics. Pictured above: Andrea consulted with Michael Maffoni, with Solution Tree, to provide research-based training for K-12 educators and administrators. Link to Solution Tree: https://www.solutiontree.com Instructional Technology Click here to explore topics. Engagement Strategies Click here to explore topics. Pictured above: Andrea collaborated with content coordinators, students, families, and district leadership to design a game-based website for students to review key skills in math, ELA, science, social studies, library, physical education, fine arts, and music. Pictured above: Andrea designed a speed dating game for staff of 130 to learn more about each other while having fun. Click here to explore topics. Click here to explore topics. Innovation in Teaching Professional Learning Pictured above: Andrea attended Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia and learned from Ron Clark and Kim Bearden, among many other amazing educators. She returned to her district and implemented ideas into the Summer Programming for grades K-7. Pictured above: Andrea collaborated with Dave Burgess and Tara Martin to coordinate a #tlap Teach Like a Pirate Twitter chat that included educators from her school district.

Innovation in Teaching Innovative teaching is about looking at curriculum and instruction from a different lens. It is how you combine the art and science of teaching. It allows you to meet all learner needs. 1 Innovator's Mindset This interactive session will open your eyes to an innovators mindset. ​ How can you take the day-to-day and turn it into magical learning experiences? ​ Audience: Administrators; Educators PK-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 2 Back to School Challenge Are you excited about the beginning of the year? Looking for a new way to spice up the first day? This session will provide you with ideas for a back to school challenge. Audience: Educators 6-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Online Self-Paced Learning 3 End-of-year Student Reflection Final exams. Projects. Students sitting quietly in rows. Are you looking for a way to spice up the end-of-the-year? Want your students to end the year with as much excitement as the first day? Look no further. This session will provide ideas to help you see the end-of-the-year in a different light. ​ ​ Audience: Educators 6-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Online Self-Paced Learning 4 Design Thinking in the 6-12 Classroom Are students still sitting in rows in your classroom? Reading textbooks? Completing exams provided by textbook providers? Do you need a different lens to ensure students are prepared for their future? Attend this session to learn about design thinking. Audience: Educators 6-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 5 Layered Curriculum: HyperDocs Need a way to differentiate learning so you can spend more one-on-one time with students? Look no further. The answer is a Layered Curriculum. Audience: Educators 6-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 6 Daily Lesson Essentials Have you ever wondered what should be included in Tier 1 Effective Instruction? This session will help you develop your districts literacy of effective teaching. Audience: Curriculum Coordinator; Administrators Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Workshop 7 Understanding by Design: Using design thinking to shift our thinking about teaching and learning Are you looking to overhaul curriculum? Need to shift mindsets? Ensure students are prepared for their future? This session will use design thinking to design a new mindset about curriculum and instruction. Audience: Curriculum Leaders; Administrators; Staff Length: 60 minutes Style of Presentation: Workshop 11 Authentic Audience Challenge Have you ever wished your students could have an authentic audience? This self-paced HyperDoc will allow you to explore resources and reflective questions to learn how to engage your students beyond the walls of your classroom. ​ Audience: Educators 6-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On 12 The Art of Feedforward Do you spend hours and hours grading? Wonder if students even read your feedback? This session will explore the idea of Feedforward. Spend more time at home with your family, friends, or with hobbies, while student gain independence and understanding of the importance of self-reflection. ​ Audience: Educators 9-12 Length: 30 minutes Style of Presentation: Hands-On Please email to set up a free consultation. We will discuss your needs to ensure the professional learning opportunity will meet your needs, your staff, your school, your district, or your corporation. Let's Work Together Book a consultation