Change A Heart, Change a Mind, Change a Mood

Let's have a real talk. Moving into the fourth week of the semester, I have felt myself occasionally either spiraling into despair or soaring into inspiration. This major is hard. There are a lot of projects, a lot of lesson plans, and a lot of expectations that get thrown at you all at once so hard and so fast they must be going ninety on a twenty-five mile per hour road. There have been a lot of times this week that I have found myself complaining about all the things that I have to do. On the other hand, there have been occasions when I have felt my heart melt into a puddle of warm brownie batter thinking about the family I have in my cohort and about the potential of my future students. This week's video and reading investments dug deeper into those ooey-gooey emotions and have inspired me to change my tune of I have to to I get to. 

Say It Louder For The People In Denial The Back

Me thinking about student potential.

My momma raised me to be a strong, independent woman, so when I think back to my teenage years when no one took me seriously I still feel that sting. Listening to the TedTalk "I'm 17" by Kate Simonds brought back some of those fading feelings. Kate brought to light a very real problem in a lot of young people's lives; their opinions, thoughts, and ideas are not seen as valid because of their age. As a recent graduate of Teen Academy, I can attest to many occasions where I have had to hold my tongue and let the adults figure life out. Even worse, there are many times when I have run to get an adult because I have been conditioned to believe that good solutions to problems can only come from an adult. Putting an educators lens over my young adult spectacles, this is a very real, very serious problem in our classrooms today. People under the age of eighteen deserve to be listened to. In "I'm 17", Kate talks about how teens have more spontaneous, creative brain pathways while adults have more constant, unchanging pathways. Therefore, young people have the potential to generate solutions to problems that have gone unfix for decades, but because of their age, their ideas are considered less valid than an adults. If we were to take our students seriously, encourage them to participate in class often, and empower them to believe in their full potential, there would be no one to keep them from literally changing the world. That kind of power needs to be utilized and celebrated in the classroom. That kind of power deserves to be listened to. Period.

Who Matters?

Us. Them. You. In the TedTalk "You Matter" delivered by Angela Maiers, I got next level inspired to grow into a truly incredible educator. Angela highlights that all of us are told very seldom not only that we matter, but that we are essential to this life. Students do not only deserve to be told that they matter, but deserve to believe that they matter as well. Being important and knowing it is essential to why we were created. Putting power behind that purpose and giving students the knowledge that someone needs them is a catalyst for changed hearts, minds, and moods. Oftentimes, we set our expectations of others low to avoid disappointment and reduce the stress of those around us. Angela helped me to realize that when you ask your students for genius, it usually shows up tenfold. There are a lot of ways an educator can limit their students potential. I do not plan on allowing myself to limit my students by not believing in the power of their genius and I cannot wait to be blown away by what they are capable of. So as I reflect back on this week and think about how there are quite a few things that I have to do as a college student, I find myself rejoicing in all the things I get to do to be a better me for my future students. Helping them to realize that they matter is just one of the incredible joys I hope to experience as an educator.

Reflective Asks

Knowing that I have a lot of room to grow into the educator I want to be, I came up with a few questions to ask three different groups of people who I believe can help me to help my future students know that their age does not define them and that they matter a whole lot.

For my future students... "When has someone helped you to realize they matter? How can you help someone else to realize that they matter today?"

For my Cooperating Teacher... "How do you help your students realize that their thoughts are valid even at a young age? Have you seen a difference in those students who you have helped to convince in your classroom?"

For my cohort members... "What are some ways we can change a heart, change a mind, and change a mood through instructional techniques?"

"Taylor"ed with love,