Guest Post by Angela Watson & a Fab Giveway!

I'd like to welcome the beautiful and FABULOUS Angela Watson of TheCornerstoneForTeachers.com.  She was a classroom teacher for eleven years, and currently works as an instructional coach and educational consultant based in New York City.      

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   Thanks so much for inviting me to share about my books! Last summer, I published Awakened: Change Your Mindset to Transform Your Teaching to share the story of how I went from being professionally burned out to feeling rejuvenated and ready to handle whatever life in the classroom brings. In the book, I explain the practical steps I took--and that you can also take--to develop thought habits that produce an unshakeable sense of contentment, motivation, and purpose.

There are a lot of aspects of teaching we can't control. But Awakened shows you how to focus on the aspects that you do have influence over so that you increase your perception of control. It shares how to lessen the demands you feel, decrease the mental and emotional energy you expend, and enhance your positive, rewarding feelings.

Those sound like pretty abstract concepts, but I approach them through the lens of my own experience so that each principle is tied closely to daily classroom life and has lots of practical applications. I share stories of big mistakes I've made, and what I've learned from there. Some of my story is tied into my faith. But Awakened is not a Christian book: it was written to speak to ALL educators, regardless of their faith or lack thereof.

For those who do want to seek out the biblical truths behind Awakened, I published The Awakened Devotional Study Guide for Christian Educators. The guide elaborates on what the Bible has to say about renewing our minds. It’s 8.5 x 11 and is designed to be a workbook where you can record your thoughts and respond to what you’ve read.

Each devotion is 4 pages: the first page includes the corresponding Awakened reading and an opening reflection where you can write down your initial thoughts as well as notes from Awakened if needed. The second page has the devotion and a wide left margin for notetaking. The third page has the application questions (with space for your responses) and an additional scripture reading (with space to add other related Bible verses you’re reminded of.) The fourth page has a “to do” challenge with a work space and a prayer.

You can use The Awakened Devotional Study Guide for Christian Educators on your own or with a group in your community. I’m also offering the first and only online Bible study developed specifically for educators. We're only two weeks into the study right now: it began August 5th and continues through the week of January 27, 2013, so it's not too late to join! We’ll be working through one devotion together on a weekly basis. The application questions will be posted on a private blog each Sunday. You can read and respond to the devotion any time during that week, and then the next set of questions will be posted the following Sunday.

Here are the details and sign-up for the online Bible study group and to get ordering/purchasing information. You can also read the reviews of the book and online Bible study book club from those who participated in the focus group.

 Thank you for letting me share this with you today. I hope that Awakened and The Awakened Devotional Study Guide help you maintain your enthusiasm for teaching this school year, no matter what daily challenges come your way. You can find all sorts of free teacher resources on my website, or check out my blog of free devotions for teachers. Enjoy!

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Angela has offered to give away a copy of either or both of these books to one reader of Fabulous Fourth Grade Froggies!   Enter by following the instructions below.  Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway