My thoughts about reading The Art of Possibility Chapters 4 - 6:
Wow! I am sure thousands of people can relate to the feeling of being a “success” or being a failure to ‘society’. I like how Ben changed the ‘being a success’ to “how will I be a contribution today?” I am a queen of figuring out if I am a success/failure. I LOAD myself up with a zillion things to do so that I can be a ‘success’ where in reality I am just setting myself up for failure due to lack of time. Everybody wants approval from others. If we could train our minds to just focus on what we do contribute on a day to day basis we would be so much happier. We all do need to remember we are leaders. Many of us who are teachers can be HUGE leaders in our students lives for motivating them into positive passions instead of negative things such as gangs and poor school performance.
I am in love with “rule number 6 – Don’t take yourself too seriously”. I have a perfect example in my own life about ‘don’t take yourself too seriously. This year my kindergarten class is a very ‘tricky’ class. Usually I have the ‘perfect’ classroom with a quiet working environment. This year I have a class with many different ADHD problems, challenged learners, and many broken homes. I was getting so frustrated with myself that I wasn’t making as much progress with MY students as I had in past years. And MY class wasn’t the perfect class to look at and watch. I took a step back and decided to ‘lighten up’ (even before I read this book) and decided to go with the flow. I am now FALLING in love with this group of kids. I kicked back and now I can focus on the STUDENTS instead of MY ‘perfect’ classroom. We have fun and I am now getting to them. We still have a lot of academic progress to make, but we are making progress!
I also enjoy the way this author writes this book with stories. It makes the book more personal and it touches me emotionally as I read them. It motivates me to want to change.
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What a great learning moment. It is amazing how much students can teach us! To surrender and let go of our preconceptions of what "perfect" is. How truly incredible that you were conscious enough to really let go and listen to the needs of your students. As an art teacher in a NYC public high school, I too have many humbling moments and often times have to re-evaluate my approach and attitude depending on the class. I would have been eaten alive long ago if I took myself too seriously! Learning should be fun, and students can feel it when the educator is experiencing it as well.
ReplyDeleteKatie,
ReplyDeleteReading your blog reminded me of Kung Fu Panda, where the Kung Fu Master Oogway says "Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.
What you were able to do with your class is amazing it is because you let go of the past and decided to live in the moment! I am sure your student are really appreciating this change as you are now better prepared to guide them to reach their potential.
Just my random thoughts
Sarah Rudder Chulhan
Louise said;
ReplyDeleteKatie,
I agree that we all can relate to the success/failure society. I also find myself doing too much. I make a list of the many things that need to be done, and as soon as I eliminate one, I put two or three more on. Just take your time, concentrate on the necessary/important ones and remember they all do not have to be finished in one day. It will be there tomorrow. That is what I had to do.
I read somewhere that Albert Einstein said he was not so much more brilliant than anyone else, it was that he just focused on one thing. Most people are focused on too many things at one time, and never accomplish what they want, or tend to go in circles. They are spreading themselves too thin, and never get back to where their focus should be.
I also heard this song by T.D. Jakes, and this one verse I will never forget,
“Winners are failures that never quit”
If we stay on track, we will be successful!
Taking my cue from how little ones learn how to walk I imagine that a healthy educational systems is all about the idea that education is nothing more than failing forward.
ReplyDelete