Hooray For Monday

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

For many of us, the New Year is a time when we make resolutions – promises or commitments to ourselves or to others toward positive change. The word resolve means determination to get something done, and that’s an important goal for all of us to take into the New Year. But if you add a beautiful hyphen, the word resolve becomes re-solve, and that means to solve something again. And the word resolution becomes re-solution, meaning another, or different, solution. Written Version: https://inspiredteaching.org/new-years-re-solutions/ Lesson Planning Guide: https://inspiredteaching.org/making-re-solutions/?mc_cid=1efa1bd498&mc_eid=UNIQID Jan. 26 Virtual Speak Truth, ft. Helanius Wilkins: https://forms.gle/aPAHP1cC2B5L8yjy7?mc_cid=1efa1bd498&mc_eid=UNIQID Hooray For 2023 Desk Calendar:https://inspiredteaching.org/hooray-for-2023-calendar-request/?mc_cid=1efa1bd498&mc_eid=UNIQID January Inspired Teaching Institutes: Jan. 7: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/484315359277?aff=odeimcmailchimp&mc_cid=1efa1bd498&mc_eid=UNIQID Jan. 11: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/433474392577?aff=odeimcmailchimp&mc_cid=1efa1bd498&mc_eid=UNIQID

There’s something about the end of the year - holidays filled with dazzling light, reflections on months gone by and the new beginnings that lie ahead - that stirs our emotions. This stirring can be complicated, but also awe inspiring. Written Version: Resources: Speak Truth: Talking Across Dividing Lines registration https://forms.gle/aPAHP1cC2B5L8yjy7?mc_cid=8cce182e7e&mc_eid=UNIQID Hooray For 2023 Desk Calendar request: https://inspiredteaching.org/hooray-for-2023-calendar-request/?mc_cid=8cce182e7e&mc_eid=UNIQID January Inspired Teaching Institutes: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/394070313917?aff=odeimcmailchimp&mc_cid=8cce182e7e&mc_eid=UNIQID

When we have the opportunity to step away from a challenge – whether it’s a word puzzle or a lesson that’s not clicking or a student who’s hard to reach - we tend to come back to it refreshed. Time away offers the gift of new eyes that help us see solutions we couldn’t when we were in the thick of things. Written Version: https://inspiredteaching.org/vacation-and-brain-incubation/ Resources: "Why Do You Teach?" Aleta's article in ASCD: https://www.ascd.org/blogs/why-do-you-teach?mc_cid=83e1b28f61&mc_eid=UNIQID See With Fresh Eyes: https://www.instigatorofthought.org/seewithfresheyes?mc_cid=83e1b28f61&mc_eid=UNIQID Can Taking a Break Lead to 'Aha!' Moments?: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-refugee-experience/202103/can-taking-break-lead-aha-moments?mc_cid=83e1b28f61&mc_eid=UNIQID#:~:text=Researchers%20call%20these%20breaks%20from,solution%2C%20try%20taking%20a%20break Study Shows How Taking Short Breaks May Help Our Brains Learn New Skills: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/study-shows-how-taking-short-breaks-may-help-our-brains-learn-new-skills?mc_cid=83e1b28f61&mc_eid=UNIQID