Throw Kindness Like Confetti —Seen at PS 264K in Brooklyn

By dianeravitch

June 7, 2023 //

Categories Childhood, Goodness, New York City

17 Comments Post your own

speduktr says:

June 7, 2023 at 6:41 pm

What do all the post-its say? Ways to be kind?

Boy, do we need that!!

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- gitapik says:
  
  June 8, 2023 at 8:47 am
  
  That would’ve been a nice touch (“Oh…but much too WOKE!!!”), but no. All about the colorful confetti look.
  
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Miles Patrick Yohnke says:

June 7, 2023 at 8:10 pm

Dear Diane, everyone,

This just warms my heart – throw kindness around like confetti.

I also like the ‘up’ and ‘down’ visuals that we see. We all can be either upbeat or beat-up. It’s a choice. An attitude. We control our attitude. Let’s make it a positive one.

“To be nobody but yourself – in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you like everybody else – means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight – and never stop fighting.” – E. E. Cummings

On February 21, 2014, a composition titled: “Parenting License” was released. It wasn’t just a story. It was a new platform for living.

We have to create a new platform for living. This ideal or template is not totally accurate, is it? The truth is actually right in front of us. The fact that people within our governments lie, cheat and steal for their own personal gain. And for what? All these different types of wars that transpire. We have websites for safe adultery. Safe adultery? And what are we accomplishing with all of this? What ethics are we setting for our children?

Listen to the talk and tone in the school classrooms and hallways, in malls, the workplace, everywhere. Look at how people need alcohol and drugs to somehow bear their own existence.

The basic fundamentals of life have been misplaced.

Is anyone happy? How many cry in their own private homes? How many can barely cope with their own existence? Turn on the television and watch not only the news but the programming. On display is all this lowbrow thinking of reality programs, movie plots, and this ME mindset. It’s all this ME greed and ‘bling’ that will somehow embrace us with happiness. For most, the chase is all we know. And what we are chasing is someone else’s conception of what we should be. Well, that template is the wrong template. It doesn’t work.

Decade after decade we have done this. It just demonstrates that we haven’t developed our brains enough. That we haven’t grown much further mentally or socially than the apes. If one continued to make the same mistakes over and over they’d be called “Mad.” Yet, this is all we see in this world. The stats demonstrate and prove that 97% of the world is extremely unhappy. When is that going to change?

On April 1, 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak formed Apple Computer. It took Steve Jobs over two decades to really see the vision for Apple as a great mainstream personal computer come to vivid fruition. He never wavered with their Apple operating system. He knew that the operating system of a PC (piece of crap) was a second-rate product.

It took a long time to change how society and people thought. People accepted and embraced that the breakdowns of their PC’s were normal. Much like how this world runs.

Well, I’m here to tell you that drinking, drugging, eating too much, buying recklessly, all this jealousy towards our fellow person, this hatred, these holy wars, these oil wars, these greedy wars, these religious wars, these wars, all these are an incorrect platform for being.

My article: “Parenting License” is a different pathway. A new platform for a new personal self. It’s not going to change the world overnight. But at least the content is created. Now what I ask is that everyone take an ownership of the content (story) and start living and sharing it. And over time, like the Apple company, we will see a real market share develop. This one, though, will be one where people are now comfortable in their own skins. Where everyone is equal.

The first time anything new is proposed it gets labeled as “risky” or “strange.” You’re going to walk on the moon? You and Wilbur are building what? Heavier-than-air flying machines? You Wright brothers are sure gullible! Black and white children attending the same school? Have you lost your mind?

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world,” said Mahatma Gandhi.

We need to change what reality holds, be the doers of deed. To be the stern strife of healthy living; one of achievement, bound with honorable behavior, to strive to bring ever nearer a better day. Do show us how the souls of these warrior-foe take flight. Today, our spirits soar.

Parenting License:
https://salmonstudio.wixsite.com/yohnke/post/parenting-license

And what do we do? We throw kindness around like confetti. We never waver from this choice. We never waver from this attitude.

One love.

One way.

As always, love is the way!

Thank you, Diane. Thank you everyone. We got this! All of us from this moment on are going to throw kindness around like confetti.

Write it down and place it on your nightstand. Look at it before you go to bed. Dream it. Look at it when you get up. Have another copy of it in your pocket.

People will challenge you. Be indifferent. But that’s not you. That’s just them. Their day. It is in these trying ties your attitude cannot waver. You mentally think about your nightstand, your pocket. The message! And in that time remember you have two ears and one mouth for a reason. Listen to them. How can you lend an ear. A hand. Be there for them. I mean really be there for them. Love thy neighbor. Love thyself.

And throw kindness around like confetti!

Love,

Miles Patrick Yohnke

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John Ogozalek says:

June 8, 2023 at 5:49 am

A nice picture especially considering the turbid skies we’ve been seeing here in the Northeast these last few smoky days.

It’s been such an odd hue, looking out the windows at the elementary school where I’ve been subbing the first part of this week.

I’m always amazed that teachers find the time to organize these great bulletin boards etc… on top of everything else they need to do. I was catching my breath in a kindergarten classroom yesterday after the kids went to gym class. And I was perusing the wonderful decorations around the room. Longtime high school teacher that I am, I’m always in awe of how my colleagues in the primary grades teach these little human beings -and do it so well.

If only I’d had more time to be in all these great classrooms seeing what other teachers were doing all these decades that went by. I feel like I’d have been all the better for it.

Any sense of what is on those slips of paper?

The school listed is in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn. An “elementary school for the arts”, which is a nice idea considering all the attention (and bucks) thrown at STEM stuff in recent years.

According to the school’s online calendar, its book of the month for May was “I Am Human” by Susan Verde.

[Not to wade too deeply into politics here, but it seems like some of the adults running the U.S. in 2023 missed this idea in their formative years.]

Nice choice of a book, PS 264. And, by the looks of your website, it appears you’ve done some great work this year. Have a FUN summer.

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- Miles Patrick Yohnke says:
  
  June 8, 2023 at 11:03 am
  
  Dear John, Diane, everyone,
  
  First, my heart goes out to you, to those in NYC and surrounding areas right up into eastern and central Canada. I’m in Western Canada thousands of miles away but we too have had our own air issues. Forest fires. Much of 2021 for us had that same look in the sky. It was very dry that year and our farmers never had a harvest creating food shortages for the world and a 2-billion-dollar bail-out for the farmers here in our province of 1 million people.
  
  Sadly, this is all brought on by climate change.
  
  Keeping with the theme of ‘Throwing Kindness Around Like Confetti’ and NYC can we start here with a short 2-minute video that Julia Cunningham made and released yesterday, June 7th. Watching it you’ll clearly understand why I start here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2oSqkKJ-NI
  
  And John you talked about time and teachers. I marvel at Diane Ravitch and what she does with her time. I thought I wrote a lot each and every day, but she makes me look so lazy. I mean every day she is at it. No days off, no holiday’s for Diane Ravitch. Right there, Diane Ravitch teaches us all how to come at the day. And oh, did I mention she is 84 years young.
  
  John, everyone I’ve experienced the best teachers and the worst teachers. It’s brought me to the conclusion that teachers, surgeons should be the highest paid professions. Certainly not athletes.
  
  Imagine a world where teacher John Ogozalek is on the cover of many magazines and talked about by the media. Analyzed for hours and hours for weeks on end.
  
  That John Ogozalek just signed a 10-year 310-million-dollar contract. Imagine that world?
  
  Can I have everyone’s time?
  
  I’d like to bring you into that best and worst teacher. I’ve written two articles on my past. There is much subtext found in them that expands far beyond the teacher. But time and what we do with our time. It is also about the wondrous aspects of life.
  
  But first I must share these kind words for me. This will heighten what you’ll read in my stories. Without those best teachers none of these words for me would have been created.
  
  Dear Miles,
  I am an Evangelist and media personality here in Nairobi, Kenya. I share inspirational stories on the radio and utilize them during my many sermons. As of late, I have been sharing what I receive from you. You are such an inspiration. The inspirations you post on the internet have given millions of my listeners hope. Long live and may God bless you.
  Regards,
  Evangelist Lucy Wa Ngunjiri
  https://www.facebook.com/Evangelist-Lucy-Wa-Ngunjiri-Official-417910054887639
  
  “Philippe Petit reminds me a lot of you, and how you are always so driven and focused.”
  Dr. Aaron Bazylak https://draaronbazylak.com
  President, College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan & Planet S Magazine “Dentist of the Year.”
  
  “What can I say ‘you’ are a brilliant and talented man. Your words about songs is so profound. It’s as though ‘you’ are ‘music’.”
  Stephanie Rose
  New York author
  A regular correspondent for the Sally Jessy Raphael Show.
  
  “Your words of wisdom go a long way. I know by your person, feelings, and mind, that defeat is not an option, nor is it a word that comes to your mind. You are a person who gives each and every individual you come across a sign of hope, and that better things lie ahead.”
  Trevis Kolomay
  Territory Manager, Praxair Canada
  
  John, everyone, here are those two stories and I’ll finish up addressing the opening and climate issue.
  
  Teach Our Children Well
  https://salmonstudio.wixsite.com/yohnke/post/teach-our-children-well
  
  School’s Out?
  https://salmonstudio.wixsite.com/yohnke/post/school-s-out
  
  Regarding your hue. Your air.
  
  Holy wars.
  Oil wars.
  Greedy wars.
  Religious wars.
  
  But we also have another war. It’s our air. We have an air war.
  
  We must change our lifestyles.
  
  I’ll finish with a press release I did a few months ago.
  
  John, Diane, everyone I wish you a most blessed day throwing kindness around like confetti.
  
  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
  Subject: Earth Day 2023
  Release Date: April 19, 2023
  
  EARTH DAY 2023 – INVEST IN OUR PLANET
  
  “Only when the last tree has died, and the last river been poisoned, and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.”
  – Cree Indian Proverb
  
  “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.”
  – Mahatma Gandhi
  
  This Saturday is Earth Day. To coincide with Earth Day 2023, I have included two compositions: “The Grey Owl Challenge” & “The Bicycle Ride.” This is the moment to change it all – the business climate, the political climate, and how we take action on the climate. Now is the time to summon our unstoppable courage to preserve and protect our health, the health of our loved ones, and our livelihoods.
  
  For Earth Day 2023, we need to act boldly, innovate broadly, and implement equitably. It’s going to take all of us. All in. Businesses, governments, and citizens – everyone accounted for, and everyone accountable. A partnership for the planet.
  
  Happy Earth Day to you all!
  
  As always, love is the way,
  
  Miles Patrick Yohnke
  
  To read “The Grey Owl Challenge” please click on the link below:
  https://salmonstudio.wixsite.com/yohnke/post/the-grey-owl-challenge-1
  
  To read “The Bicycle Ride” please click on the link below:
  https://salmonstudio.wixsite.com/yohnke/post/the-bicycle-ride
  
  Please feel free to share this with your friends and colleagues and to post it on any social media that you use. Thanks for caring, sharing, and reading.
  
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  - John Ogozalek says:
    
    June 8, 2023 at 7:53 pm
    
    Thanks for the positive energy, Miles.
    
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  - Miles Patrick Yohnke says:
    
    June 9, 2023 at 12:01 am
    
    Thank you, John! I hope you and everyone has a beautiful Friday throwing kindness around like confetti!
    
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- Ed Johnson says:
  
  June 8, 2023 at 1:43 pm
  
  John,
  
  Thank you ever so much for your post. As soon as I glanced at the image, “I Am Human,” my mind went immediately to wanting to steal it. I could have used the image earlier today. Then I realized it’s the book cover! So, I go check it out at amazon.com. Then that led to discovering the book is one in a series of beautifully awesome books for children! …
  
  I am Human
  I am Me
  I am Courage
  I am Peace
  I am Yoga
  I am Love
  I am One
  
  I’ve ordered the series for the youngest grandchild, the great grandchild, and for restocking My Little Free Library. My Little Free Library is my way of sharing children’s books of a certain type with neighbors and community and for neighbors and community to share books as they please.
  
  This really is just to say how grateful and appreciative I am that Diane’s presence here brought you here for me to learn and to discover something I would not have otherwise learned and discovered. As I always say, “Funny, how God, The Universe (GTU) seems to operate.”
  
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  - John Ogozalek says:
    
    June 8, 2023 at 7:51 pm
    
    They do look like great books
    
    Credit to those educators in NYC!
    
    Take care,
    
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Mary D. says:

June 8, 2023 at 11:07 am

In the elementary school where my grandchild attended last year there is a large bulletin board in the main corridor named the Kindness board. Anyone seeing someone doing a kind act, they told their teacher and their names were posted on that bulletin board. My grandson won the Kindness Award the end of the year. Of course he had good role models – his parents. My grandson is now in the habit of being kind and helping others. He held the door for a group of people going into a restaurant. One person commented on his courtesy. I asked who they were. Like I suspected, they were teachers.

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- Miles Patrick Yohnke says:
  
  June 8, 2023 at 11:46 am
  
  Mary D, your wonderful comment reminded me of my dear friend, Adam Sawatsky. All he creates is positive stories and these stories get picked up across Canada. Here is a sample:
  https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2571116
  
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  - speduktr says:
    
    June 8, 2023 at 1:41 pm
    
    Love the rainbow bench. There are so many of those stories. We need to hear more of them.
    
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  - Mary D. says:
    
    June 8, 2023 at 4:14 pm
    
    Ms. Yohnke, I too love to hear about acts of kindness. I too, love the Rainbow Bench. Teachers have great power in spreading kindness. I truly believe you can’t give away kindness; it bounces right back at you.
    
    I wished someone would do some research and find out how many of these mass shootings were committed by someone who never felt good about themselves; never praised; and worse yet were retained in a grade.
    
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  - Miles Patrick Yohnke says:
    
    June 9, 2023 at 12:14 am
    
    Mary don’t worry about ‘Ms. or Mr.’ It’s all good!
    
    Excerpt from my ‘School’s Out?’ article:
    
    When I was introduced in the hallway that first day, they asked for my last name. “Yohnke,” I replied.
    
    “Like donkey? Yay! Can we call you “Yohnke Donkey?”
    
    “Sure,” I replied. I wanted to be accepted. I had only failed once, but really I should have failed every year. They simply pushed me through.
    
    This kid, the one who asked if he could call me “Yohnke Donkey” could have beaten the crap out of me. He was 6′ 2″, drove himself to school, had a full beard and was in grade 8. Grade 8! Many were like this. Not he, nor anyone else, would ever call me “Yohnke Donkey” in those 4 years. That was the only time.
    
    Being at Sion was so unlike being at my elementary (fitting adjective, pun intended) school, where I heard that “donkey” phrase so many times each and every day, and “retard” was a commonly used name of address. If I had a dollar for every time, I was called a “retard,” I’d be a millionaire today.
    
    The students at Sion High School were like me. We had all been humiliated beyond words. No one picked on anyone at Sion. There was a great respect for one another that existed within those school walls. Great passion and devotion were given to each and every one of us.
    
    Full article here:
    https://salmonstudio.wixsite.com/yohnke/post/school-s-out
    
    So, Ms. I’ve been called far worse 🙂
    
    And Mary, your comment on mass-shootings can we read this quick two-minute read:
    https://salmonstudio.wixsite.com/yohnke/post/no-recovery-for-someone-dead
    
    Mary, Diane, everyone, thank you so very much for your time. I greatly appreciate it and you.
    
    Love,
    
    Yohnke-Donkey
    
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Mary D. says:

June 8, 2023 at 4:18 pm

Oops! I see the glaring error and can’t correct it.

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- dianeravitch says:
  
  June 8, 2023 at 5:27 pm
  
  Mary D, did I fix it?
  
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  - Mary D. says:
    
    June 9, 2023 at 10:23 am
    
    You are a sweetheart! Thank you!
    
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