Tag: growth

Posted on

It’s Time to Kick Some Class! (of 2022)

Graduations across the globe are underway and thousands of students are about to enter a new chapter of their lives. Facing uncertainty can certainly be unnerving, and there are many new stressors that accompany the change. For high school students, they are figuring out which college to attend, what major they want to pursue, or if they even want to get a degree. College students are now faced with finding a lifelong career and hoping it is relevant to their degree and doesn’t turn into a dementor who sucks all the happiness from their life.

Fortunately there are plenty who have experienced graduation and lived to tell about it. Even more fortunate, I am blessed to know some pretty wise people who were willing to impart some of their wisdom with you. So for those graduating high school, college, trade school, or those who chose a different direction, these words are for you.

“Once you graduate, you quickly learn that there are two kinds of people: your friends and those who were friendly just because you had a class together that one time. And that’s okay. Treasure both friendships and learn from them.”

-Kassidy Baird (Yours Truly)

“Always expect more of yourself and take others with you on your way to the top.”

“Don’t be afraid to do something just because it seems interesting! There’s a lot of pressure to build a resume or look good for college applications or whatever, but taking time just for the things you think are cool or fun is so important in being well rounded and not getting stressed!”

“It’s okay to not have it all figured out right now, or even five years from now! Find what brings you joy, be yourself, and trust in your own personal journey.”

“Don’t rush into anything and just live in the moment. Be where you are and accept all of yourself and life will work itself out.”

“Find what you love and follow that passion. But don’t be afraid to try new things on the way. You may be surprised at what else lights your fire.”

-Twin 1

“Find something you love! So often we get caught up in ambition and what’s next, when in reality life goes so fast! Take some time for yourself to get to know what you like and what things excite you. There are so many more opportunities for your future than you could ever realize! The best part is that most people love talking about what they do and would be more than willing for you to come see their day-to-day. Explore, travel, and ask lots of questions. When what you do excites you, you will love life and make the world around you a better place.”

-Twin 2

(It isn’t super relevant that they are twins but I think it’s fun to see the similarities in their responses when they didn’t know what the other had said).

“Start applying now. And know you have more experience than you think.”

“It’s not about what you know. It’s about WHO you know. Network and be KIND.”

“Enjoy the day. Let your family take the pictures and celebrate the crap out of you. You deserve it.”

“Don’t get sucked into the rat race. After high school, for the first time, there’s all this flexibility and independence and it gets really easy to judge our own paths by the milestones we see other people hitting or not hitting (whether/when people are married, when people get degrees, if someone got a degree, other people who get right into working/careers). But life is flexible for a reason! You don’t have to have it all figured out, so don’t get caught up in measuring yourself against a measuring stick that doesn’t exist.“

I hope you guys enjoyed these words of wisdom! I have plenty more nuggets of advice that I will share in a future post. What advice do you have for the graduating class of 2022? Share your advice in the comments! Who knows, you could even end up being quoted in my next post.

Posted on

Let’s Grow With A Growth Mindset!

Have you heard of a growth mindset? Many schools are embracing and adopting this idea for their teachers and students to study and use in their work. What is a growth mindset? Why is it important? How can we use it to our advantage? 

There is research that our brains can and will grow. Our learning is not limited to our brain’s capacity, but to our drive and work, we put into the learning. Having a fixed mindset is thinking, “I am who I am. My personality, abilities, and intelligence cannot change because they were predetermined when I was born.” A growth mindset is saying “I can learn and change who I am and how I act if I am willing to put in the time and effort to grow, stretch, and learn.” 

Challenges, failures, and shortcomings are welcomed with open arms to those with a growth mindset because they view them as an opportunity to grow and learn. This infographic is one of my favorites to show the difference between a fixed and growth mindset. 

Carol Dweck Ph. D, who has researched the idea of a growth mindset and wrote a book on the idea states, 

“Do people with this mindset believe that anyone can be anything, that anyone with proper motivation or education can become Einstein or Beethoven? No, but they believe that a person’s true potential is unknown (and unknowable); that it’s impossible to foresee what can be accomplished with years of passion, toil, and training.”

So now that we know what is it, why is it important to us? Well, the obvious is for our students. Let’s teach them to have a growth mindset, let’s show them how they can positively affirm in their minds that they may not be able to do it… yet. But with work, they can. 

But let’s also remember ourselves. Wherever you are in the education field, not only are you educating students, but you’re educating yourself as well. You are constantly learning about new teaching methods, new education findings, information on your students, information about your school. The education never stops when you’re an educator yourself, so apply this to you! 

Maybe that ESL endorsement class is hard for you. The homework is overwhelming and time management isn’t in your favor. You can’t do it… yet. But you can do it if you try! 

I have told my daughter for as long as she could understand me, “We can do hard things!” and I’ve said it to her often, as well as had her repeat it back to me while she is attempting something difficult such as riding a bike for the first time. I recently changed our positive affirmation to give her a little more information and confidence. 

“I can do it if I try.” 

We can do hard things and I want her to remember that. But I also want her to know that “if I try” is just as important in repeating and saying to ourselves. We can try new things, we can do hard things if we try!”. 

How do you use a growth mindset in your classroom? What have you seen as an outcome of using a growth mindset not only for your students but for yourself? 

Quote and info-graphic from brainpickings.org

Posted on

My #OneWord2018

I don’t remember where I came across this book trailer last year, but the opening line lingered with me long after watching:

“The word power itself is sort of this dirty word. We don’t like to talk about it, we don’t like to name it–it seems unseemly. And yet, if you don’t understand how power works–what it is, how it flows, who has access to it, who does not–you are essentially being acted upon.”

I love citizenship. Digital citizenship, physical citizenship, local citizenship, global citizenship. I like pondering our ever-shifting roles as individuals and as collective groups. And I enjoy considering how our rights and responsibilities can help us facilitate meaningful change.

Occasionally, however, I allow my focus to get side-tracked to the more pessimistic aspects of change: how long it takes, how many naysayers arise, how insignificant individual deeds seem. All of which invariably leads to feelings of frustration and even helplessness.

In those moments, it seems like all the rights and responsibilities in the world still fall flat for a rather acted-upon existence.

I’ve selected power for my one word goal for this year to face those helpless feelings head-on. To remember that all change starts with the individual. To really live the adage, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” To focus on the fact that we truly are more powerful than we think because there are always ways we can take action.

I want to find out more about my personal power. I want to get to the other side of fear and find out what choices are available to me to be the change. For me, this might look like…

…researching how I can better prepare to serve future local students when I return to teaching, many of whom are learning English as a second language (so excited about my book recommendation from Donalyn Miller that is currently en route)–to contribute to a strong literacy approach in our school district.

…volunteering with the local bicycle committee–to make my 7 year-olds’s bike trips to school safer and to work toward cleaner air.

…reaching beyond my comfort-zone to learn more about my neighbors and how we might connect–to build a stronger sense of community and safety, even in a part of town often written off as shady.

…working to better walk the talk of agency and empowerment with my own small children–to build my personal congruity and commitment to growing values as an educator and parent.

I look forward to a year of choosing power over fear. I believe that  as I explore and better understand my own power, I will be better equipped to teach and empower my future students. May this year be only the beginning of a lifetime of choosing to focus on what is most conducive to change and personal peace.

featured image: DeathToTheStockPhoto

Posted on

Inquiry Into Goal-Making

We’re in the business of growth as educators. But the act of actually setting tangible goals can be intimidating for us all. Why not start by investigating with your class what it means to set goals to get the dialogue going?

Resource #1: What’s Stopping You From Achieving Your Goals by Soul Pancake

Resource #2: One Little Word by Ali Edwards

Resource #3:  Kids Health Facts on Setting Goals

Resource #4: Kobi Yamada & Mae Besom’s books (these are wonderful provocations to help students consider growth and progress through problems and ideas).

Provocation Questions: 

  • What is a goal?
  • Why do people set goals?
  • What are the different perspectives on setting goals?
  • What is our responsibility to grow?
  • How does an individual’s goal-setting impact their life? Their community?

featured image: DeathToTheStockPhoto