The Blank Plan by Dominic A. A. Randolph

the blank plan

A __________ [FILL IN THE BLANK] PROJECT

inspiration… …He had bought a large map representing the sea, Without the least vestige of land: And the crew were much pleased when they found it to be A map they could all understand.

"What's the good of Mercator's North Poles and Equators, Tropics, Zones, and Meridian Lines?"

So the Bellman would cry: and the crew would reply "They are merely conventional signs!

"Other maps are such shapes, with their islands and capes!

But we've got our brave Captain to thank (So the crew would protest) "that he's bought us the best— A perfect and absolute blank!"… from "The Hunting of the Snark" by Lewis Carroll

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introduction… readings: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130108201517.htm http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/april/walking-vs-sitting042414.html

our lives are filled… …filled with activities, events, things, stuff, distractions… …let’s find some “blank” in our lives that will help us clear our minds, …be present and think wildly and freely about possibilities… …at the start of the new school year, let’s add a bit of blankness to our daily lives… …here are seven ideas that can turn into habits and can easily be slipped into our classrooms, our schools, our lives that are intended to spur creativity and offer us all a sense of calm…the blank plan!

______________________[fill in the blank]

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blank space reading: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/06/09/rethinking-thecolorful-kindergarten-classroom/

…frame a space on a wall in your classroom and/or office that is blank and that seeks participation from students, other teachers, or yourself… …put ideas in your blank space, take them down, start again…

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blank screen reading: http://op-talk.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/27/will-an-internetbreak-make-you-socially-smarter/

…turn off the computer, the phone, the tablet, the TV and live for a time without any interference by a device… …it is not enough to hide it, since it calls you when it is in a drawer or a bag… …turn them off and live without them for a blank time…

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blank time reading: http://theenergyproject.com/blog/the-rhythm-of-greatperformance

…the calendar is filling up…quickly put in some slots…blank slots…they are moments of possibility in days filled with checklists and things to do…moments to let your mind wander and do something that is rewarding or not do anything…blank!

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blank mind reading: http://time.com/3682311/mindfulness-math/ …spend two minutes at the start and/or at the end of the day clearing your mind… …you can do this alone or you can do it with others… …sit in a chair…close your eyes…feel your feet on the ground…relax your shoulders and neck…breathe deeply and exhale slowly…do this for two minutes…open your eyes …remember the calm and blankness of the moment throughout your day…

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blank book …remember the joy of starting a new notebook for a class at the start of the year…remember the inviting liberation and promise of a blank page… …start this year with a blank notebook….

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blank meeting reading: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology …meetings are so predictable! …get together some of your favorite friends & colleagues to have a meeting... …hand out the agenda below and let the blank discussion roam creatively…

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blank talk reading: http://www.ericdigests.org/1995-1/think.htm …there is a wonderful dynamism to conversations where everyone is trying to say something; however, often, in discussions like these, it is difficult to get in a word edgeways and it is hard to think in the babble… …privilege pauses in a conversation! Enjoy the “pregnancy” of a good pause…if you pause more in your classroom, in your discussions, in your life, you will find that more creative and thoughtful blank moments blossom…

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