Hooray For Monday

Humans thrive on being seen and heard, and the reflection shared in this week's Hooray For Monday often pushes us to think of new ways to see and hear our students more. . . . . . . Written version: https://inspiredteaching.org/curiosity-and-school-connectedness/ Resources: Sunshine vs. Up All Night Reflection Sheet: https://mcusercontent.com/b82ba57eebd6ac2ac331f5104/files/5a3ad1f4-2f8e-dbbc-4968-9d668627bb55/Sunshine_vs._Up_All_Night.pdf Finding the Zone of Proximal Development: https://inspiredteaching.org/finding-the-zone-of-proximal-development/ What Would Make You Look Forward to Coming to School: https://inspiredteaching.org/what-would-make-you-look-forward-to-coming-to-school/ Professional Learning: March 8 Inspired Teaching Institute: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/435759878527 March 11 Inspired Teaching Institute: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/512528134447

If we deepen our relationships with our students and let learner needs inform every approach we take to strengthening connections, we’ll improve the school experience and well-being of the children in our care, and ourselves as well. Written version: https://inspiredteaching.org/the-urgent-need-to-increase-school-connectedness/ Resources Emotion Continuum: https://www.instigatorofthought.org/emotioncontinuum Warming Up with Mutual Respect: https://inspiredteaching.org/warming-up-with-mutual-respect/ 8 Closing Activities to Build Classroom Community: https://inspiredteaching.org/8-closing-activities-to-build-classroom-community/ Articles to share with parents: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/20/well/family/mental-health-teens-parents.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/02/15/teen-girls-mental-health-suicide/ https://theconversation.com/how-to-help-teen-girls-mental-health-struggles-6-research-based-strategies-for-parents-teachers-and-friends-200052

Whether you’re an adult flying a helicopter or a child learning the skills you’ll need to fly on your own one day, it’s good to keep your curiosity in shape. Our continued growth as learners is fueled by our capacity to figure things out. Written Version: https://inspiredteaching.org/when-the-helicopter-is-going-down/ Resources Exploring the power of curiosity and deeper learning: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1nPlHM5jXda0OOGdoHUU0p?si=8323907c91b04020&mc_cid=5694e94423&mc_eid=UNIQID Marvelous Math Activities Finding Pi: https://inspiredteaching.org/finding-pi/?mc_cid=5694e94423&mc_eid=UNIQID 25 Math Explorations: https://inspiredteaching.org/25-math-explorations/?mc_cid=5694e94423&mc_eid=UNIQID 25 More!https://inspiredteaching.org/25-more-math-explorations/?mc_cid=5694e94423&mc_eid=UNIQID

When we increase the occasions in which our students experience moral beauty, we build our collective capacity to feel and create awe and joy. As teachers we have the opportunity to nurture the moral beauty that already exists within every child, and every adult as well. Written Version: https://inspiredteaching.org/moral-beauty/ Resources Jenna's Source of Curiosity: Origami Heart Design: https://origami.guide/origami-hearts/origami-heart/?mc_cid=277e13a10f&mc_eid=UNIQID How Awe Can Help Students Develop Purpose: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_awe_can_help_students_develop_purpose?mc_cid=277e13a10f&mc_eid=UNIQID Finding Smiles: https://inspiredteaching.org/finding-smiles/?mc_cid=277e13a10f&mc_eid=UNIQID What's the Most Common Source of Awe: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/whats_the_most_common_source_of_awe?mc_cid=277e13a10f&mc_eid=UNIQID March Inspired Teaching Institute: Wednesday, March 8, 7pm ET: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/435759878527?aff=odeimcmailchimp&mc_cid=277e13a10f&mc_eid=UNIQID Saturday, March 11, 9am ET: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/512528134447?aff=odeimcmailchimp&mc_cid=277e13a10f&mc_eid=UNIQID

Young children have a lot to teach us about concentration, about focus, about how to be fully present. Yes, we can turn to apps and books and other more “sophisticated” tools. Those certainly have their place in teaching us how to be present. And, we can sharpen our curiosity muscle and wonder about what it’s like to be a young child, a true master of being in the moment. Written version: https://inspiredteaching.org/learning-from-the-masters/ Resources Once Upon a Time: https://inspiredteaching.org/once-upon-a-time/?mc_cid=0fabc54dca&mc_eid=UNIQID What's in the Bag?: https://inspiredteaching.org/whats-in-the-bag/?mc_cid=0fabc54dca&mc_eid=UNIQID Creating with Materials:https://inspiredteaching.org/creating-with-materials/?mc_cid=0fabc54dca&mc_eid=UNIQID

Each week at our Inspired Teaching staff meeting, we begin with a brief exercise. This past week, each of us responded to the question: “What are you curious about?” The question connects directly with Inspired Teaching’s work to promote the kind of teaching that fuels - instead of stifles - curiosity. Written Version: https://inspiredteaching.org/the-opposite-of-curiosity/ Resources: Random Walk: https://inspiredteaching.org/random-walk/ Finding Yourself on the Line: https://inspiredteaching.org/finding-yourself-on-the-line/ Interesting, Important, Useful; https://inspiredteaching.org/interesting-important-useful/ February Inspired Teaching Institute: InsPIre Curiosity Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 7p ET: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/433481373457 Saturday, Feb. 11 at 9a ET: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/512526980997

On Thursday, January 26th, Center for Inspired Teaching will host a special, online, Speak Truth event. Speak Truth is a student-led series of respectful conversations, themed around both current events and larger social issues. Student-facilitators work with teachers to prepare, and then each Speak Truth session is run for and by students. Adults are welcome to attend - to observe, listen, and learn. Thursday evening’s event is titled “Talking Across Dividing Lines,” It will be an opportunity to understand how and why to engage with people whose experiences, perspectives, and opinions differ from our own. It will feature a wonderful guest speaker, Helanius J. Wilkins. Helanius is a performance artist, choreographer, and changemaker whose own work is dedicated to bridging the differences that separate us. Inspired Teaching’s Director of Teaching and Learning, Jenna Fournel, interviewed Helanius for more insight into his story, his art, and his passion for curiosity. We hope you find his thoughts as joyful to listen to as we did! Speak Truth: Talking Across Dividing Lines registration: https://forms.gle/aPAHP1cC2B5L8yjy7 More information on Helanius J. Wilkins and his work: https://www.helaniusj.com/

It’s comforting to have people agree with us. And this desire to “be right” leads to motivated reasoning which ultimately leads to finding comfort in our own bubbles. Internet search engines and social media algorithms have been fine tuned to feed into this aspect of human psychology.  But there is value in intentionally seeking out people with different viewpoints. We grow, intellectually and emotionally, when we engage our empathy and strive to learn what people with different life experiences have to say. And we lose a lot - as individuals and as communities - when we avoid challenging ourselves to listen to folks whose life experiences have led them to very different conclusions than the ones we hold. Sign up for Speak Truth: https://inspiredteaching.org/youth/speak-truth/?mc_cid=804dab4bcc&mc_eid=UNIQID Blog Post: https://inspiredteaching.org/talking-across-dividing-lines/ Resources: Emotional Intelligence For Students And Educators https://culturesofdignity.com/blog/blog-cultures-of-dignity/emotional-intelligence/ Anti-Bias Education https://www.teachingforchange.org/educator-resources/anti-bias-education Do Something Performance Tasks https://www.learningforjustice.org/classroom-resources/student-tasks/do-something February Inspired Teaching Institute https://inspiredteaching.org/inspired-teaching-institute/

It takes a lot of people to create and sustain a movement. And Hooray For Monday is part of Inspired Teaching’s movement to create a radical shift in the school experience for every child, away from compliance and toward engaging, curiosity-based learning. Written Version: https://inspiredteaching.org/gratitude/ Resources: Games that Build Student Expertise Institute Resource Guidebook: https://simplebooklet.com/gamesthatbuildstudentexpertise?mc_cid=804dab4bcc&mc_eid=UNIQID#page=1 Speak Truth: Talking Across Dividing Lines (Jan. 26, 6p ET):https://forms.gle/aPAHP1cC2B5L8yjy7?mc_cid=804dab4bcc&mc_eid=UNIQID Inspired Teaching Institute: Growing Student Expertise Through Inquiry Wed. Feb 8, 7p ET:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/433481373457?aff=odeimcmailchimp&mc_cid=804dab4bcc&mc_eid=UNIQID Sat. Feb 11, 9a ET: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/512526980997?aff=odeimcmailchimp&mc_cid=804dab4bcc&mc_eid=UNIQID

Children spend a lot of time with us in schools. One of the most useful things we can teach them is how to build the skill of turning worry into action. Written Version: https://inspiredteaching.org/action-as-antidote-to-worry/ Resources: Making Re-Solutions: https://inspiredteaching.org/making-re-solutions/?mc_cid=bc2ce5ac0f&mc_eid=UNIQID Make Way for the Monarchs: https://inspiredteaching.org/make-way-for-the-monarchs/?mc_cid=bc2ce5ac0f&mc_eid=UNIQID Zoom Out: https://inspiredteaching.org/zoom-out/?mc_cid=bc2ce5ac0f&mc_eid=UNIQID Speak Truth: Talking Across Dividing Lines, Jan. 26 at 6p ET: https://forms.gle/aPAHP1cC2B5L8yjy7?mc_cid=bc2ce5ac0f&mc_eid=UNIQID Hooray For 2023 Desk Calendar: https://inspiredteaching.org/hooray-for-2023-calendar-request/?mc_cid=bc2ce5ac0f&mc_eid=UNIQID January Inspired Teaching Institute, Wed. January 11 @7p ET:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/433474392577?aff=odeimcmailchimp&mc_cid=bc2ce5ac0f&mc_eid=UNIQID