Third Eye Education
  • Read
  • Listen
    • Season 2 | 2022
    • Season 1 | 2021
  • Meet
    • writing team
    • podcasting team
    • origin & founders
  • Collaborate
    • connect with us
    • mission & vision
  • Share

Saving Students & Saving Ourselves

12/12/2021

 
by Amit Sood (with a frame by the Third Eye Education writing team)
Picture
No question, this school year has started off like no other. On Third Eye Education alone, these last few months have been fodder for a handful articles rooted in frustration (see: You Have Learned Something/You Have Lost Something, Finding Our Portals to Transcendence, and We Are the Leaders We Seek). Add in the fact that many entered this year thinking it would be a ‘return to normal,’ and it can be a very hard pill to swallow.

When stuck in a situation (or a series of situations, to be honest) that is disquieting, it can be easy to dwell on the on the negative. When drowning in a glass that’s half empty, it’s hard to acknowledge that it’s also half full.  

Which is why here we lean on Amit Sood, who we’ve collaborated with before, to highlight (1) a way we can reengage students and (2) a way we can reengage ourselves. 

​1  |  Reengage Students with Voice

In January of 2021, Sood noted the following in his Dear Friend column, first published in the Rochester Post Bulletin:
Want to help someone feel good? Let them speak 

​Do you know what is common between dark chocolate, surprises, gambling, winning the house in bingo, and meeting people who agree with us? Each of these experiences causes a surge of a chemical dopamine in our brain’s reward network. That surge feels uplifting, sometimes intensely so.
 
Another activity that increases dopamine in our reward system is talking about the self (saying the word “I”). “I do this,” “I do that,” “This is how I feel,” “I like this,” “I don’t like that,” and so on. Research shows when we talk about ourselves, our reward network activates, and we feel happy.
 
No wonder 40% of speech and 80% of social media content is people talking about themselves.
 
When you choose to listen to others mindfully, even if you cannot solve their concerns, you are helping them. This is because when they inform you, their brain’s pleasure center activates. People would even give up a monetary gain in favor of the joy of sharing information. At least that’s what the research shows.
 
So, a simple way to connect with others and make them happy is to sit back, relax, and enjoy hearing them speak — about themselves. Try this today with someone who may have missed an engaged sympathetic ear for a long time.
 
Listening to others with complete presence is such a simple way of spreading happiness. No wonder we have two ears for each mouth!
Related listen: Give Students a Say with Myron Dueck
To transfer this to the classroom, might it be possible to increase student engagement by increasing opportunities for students to use “I”?
  • I felt this book was challenging because…
  • I think this rubric wasn’t fair because…
  • I turned this assignment in late because…
 
It doesn’t mean we can’t still push deeply into content:
  • I felt this book was challenging because…might lead to ➡ and here are three examples from the text that highlight my point!
  • I think this assignment too hard because… might lead to ➡ I still don’t understand how to use math mountain—can I use another way to get the answer?
  • I turned this assignment in late because… might lead to ​➡ I don’t understand how this applies to the field I’m planning to go into. Does it apply? Can you show me?
Related read: Shifting Views on Assessments: Avoiding Blind Spots

2  |  Reengage Ourselves with Antidotes

In March of 2021, also in his Dear Friend column, Sood noted:
Give no one the power to affect your health
 
Hera was the wife and sister of Zeus, the sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion. Hera was known for her jealousy and vengeance, which came partly as a reaction to Zeus’ infidelity.
 
The difficulties Hera faced weren’t unique to her life or her times. Many of us face difficult interpersonal situations that awaken a different Hera within us — the Hera of Hatred, Envy, Revenge and Anger (the kind that produces violent rage). Research shows this HERA predisposes us to a multitude of medical conditions.
 
Just as a physical body fighting an external infectious agent becomes inflamed and injured, and a country at war finds it difficult to keep its citizens peaceful, when we intend to hurt others — either because they hurt us or because we feel hatred or envy — we hurt ourselves.
 
Research shows a mind fighting itself or others predisposes the physical body to cardiovascular disease, cancer, infections, inflammation, dementia, and even premature death. In one of my workshops on forgiveness, a participant got up in the middle and said, “I can’t give my ex the power to increase my risk of dementia. That’s a good enough reason to forgive him, as much as I hate to do that.”
 
The other reason HERA damages our system is that once we are mired in the habit of getting angry, feeling hatred, harboring envy, or seeking revenge with one person, we deploy these missiles to the rest of the world. We paint the world with our negativity and seek out reasons to validate our inner negative feelings. These feelings start defining our life’s course.
 
Locked in the HERA prison, we start despising the world, jeopardizing our peace.
​
HERA often sneaks in from an unguarded corner of the mind when you aren’t watching. It then multiplies, like a newly hatched virus against which you have no immunity. Carefully guard your mind — not just its living room, but also its attic, basement and backyard — from any elements of HERA, and sweep it clean when you find them hatching.
 
Crowd your space with the antidotes — gratitude, compassion and forgiveness. Transform your negative thoughts, so they surrender to these higher values.
 
When you convert your hatred into compassion, envy into inspiration, revenge into forgiveness, and anger into acceptance, you’ll save yourself and the people you love from much suffering.
Related read: Why Does the Frame We Use Matter? Embracing Curiosity Over Judgment.
To transfer this to our educator selves, might it be possible to “Crowd [our] space with the antidotes — gratitude, compassion and forgiveness?
  • I’m going to lose my prep hour to sub for a teacher out quarantining…might shift to:
    • …but this way at least I can meet the students who I’ll have in class next year. (gratitude)
    • …I hope he doesn’t actually end up getting Covid. (compassion)
    • …yet I’m not going to make do with the lack of sub notes considering he likely had to leave on short notice. (forgiveness)
  • I can’t believe she used that racial slur…might be followed by:
    • …at least I have a strong relationship with her and we can talk about this. (gratitude)
    • …it hurts me to think she may be others who thinks that okay. (compassion)
    • …but I’m going forgive this instance of poor word choice now that we have discussed it and start fresh with her tomorrow.  (forgiveness)
  • That email I just received really cut to the quick…might be followed by:
    • …yet, at least I know they’re engaged and passionate about this. (gratitude)
    • …I wonder what’s troubling them that they felt the need to be so curt and condescending (compassion)
    • …I’m going to share this with my principal to loop her in, and then just delete this so I can move forward. (forgiveness)

Perhaps we can use Amit Sood’s ideas as our life raft: two tools that might help us dry out and float. Once safely on a raft, our clothes no longer waterlogged, it may just be easier to see that the glass we’re floating in is also half full. 

Dr. Amit Sood is one of the world's leading experts on resilience and wellbeing, executive director of the Global Center for Resiliency and Wellbeing, and the creator of the Resilient Option program. He has also athored many articles and books, including The Mayo Clinic Guide to Stress-Free Living.

Focusing on Our Students Requires Focusing First on Ourselves

6/26/2021

 
​by Andy Johnsrud
The past 18 months of teaching have played out like the crazy “teacher dreams” many of us know too well.  But rather than showing up in our subconscious in the month of August, we lived it!  We all lived through what felt like a circus funhouse version of distance-hybrid-make-crap-up-as-you-dance-under-a-spotlight version of school.  The weirdness of the past 18 months also provided a sustained and sometimes brutal assessment of some of the most basic things I think I know and do as a teacher.  
 
We all struggled and got to see some things about our students and ourselves.  Sometimes that view could be truly harsh as it revealed my judgment, lack of control, feelings of inadequacy.  Sometimes that view was so very tender and revealed care, connection, empathy, and compassion with my fellow human beings of all ages.  Many times this sustained focus kicked my bum and left me so far past vulnerable that I didn’t always know if I had what it takes to do this job.  Note: none of these feelings were new--magnified and intensified, yes...but not new.   
 
The struggle and challenge of these past months can be wonderfully fertile soil for me to grow, both personally and professionally.  This is certainly not to be read as, “got things figured out now.  Check that off my list.”  This is the heart of our shared humanity and of being a teacher.
 
For me, acts of simple honesty to oneself and letting go of what we don’t control can help open a space.  In that space we may be able to bring our most open and authentic care to one’s self.  This is actually for the direct benefit of one’s students and their well-being beyond school, as well as for YOU.  
​
STOP TO REFLECT
​

This space for reflection is something that is important for me looking back at the challenges of COVID and looking forward to how I can continue to show up for myself as a teacher and for my kids at school.  There’s a popular mindfulness acronym S-T-O-P that can be a powerful tool both in the moment and over the longer term.  Over time this simple can help take advantage of space during life’s predictable challenge, celebration, and all points between. Stop and take care of yourself using a well-known mindfulness practice of the same name.  
Arrow pointing to
S for STOP

Say the word to yourself, aloud or just in your head.  Take this one-word command to heart, physically and mentally.  A moment or two can be enough of a mental and physical speed bump for many people.  This is a chance for a little space in the midst of whatever is happening in life for you.  Be gentle and kind with yourself as you STOP. 

Adult Nervous System IS the Interverntion

A healthy mind-body system can be thought of as having both awareness and hope.  Getting to that hope requires action on my part.   This is not something we find in pedagogy nor plans nor assessment.  My own growth has been helped by daily mindful practices, including meditation.  
 
Pause for a moment to think of someone (teacher, parent, et al.) who had a profound impact for the better.  What are two-three words that describe this person?  It may be that those descriptors include terms that denote connection, limits, empathy, love and other traits.  More than anything I believe that children, as humans (!),  learn between the words and academics.  They learn through the feeling and presence of the adults in their lives.  This is another great hope--and a tremendous responsibility.  My nervous system matters in “regular times” or “pandemic times”--the way I show up matters and can be a gift or a detriment to my students and my classes.  This takes awareness and provides hope.  There is something I can do for myself that will benefit others.
 
Patricia Jennings' research shows us what we intuitively know and hear:  we actually TEACH better when we take care of our own nervous systems.  Anyone who has ever taught knows that when one kid is hyper or "off" or whatever, there's a domino effect in the class.  
 
Most of us are self-aware enough to know that that's true of our own regulation as well!  These both clearly affect the class. A well-regulated adult nervous system IS the intervention.  Simple.  Not magic. Not easy. Not instant.  It requires work over time.  Many people do this through mindfulness or meditation. ​
Related reading: Being Alive is Being Imperfect

Survival of the Nurtured

The psychologist and Pepperdine professor Louis Cozolino studies the social nature and adaptability of the human brain.  He has famously said that, “[w]e are not the survival of the fittest. We are the survival of the nurtured.”
 
Many of us know the misleading claim that Darwin’s ideas can be reduced to “survival of the fittest.” This is contrary to what I know as a teacher.  Teaching, learning, and nurturing are not a zero-sum game.  Rather, Cozolino reminds us that as we modern humans change and adapt we need social connection.  These connections are at the heart of what it is to be a good teacher, parent, person.  
 
A number of good teachers teach about the importance of caregivers taking good care of self first.  The notion of “survival of the nurtured” can reframe our work (and self-care!) as something we owe to our students for our benefit and their benefit.  The former is an act of caring for children because it gives foundation for the latter.  If the “bottom line” or “go-to” is always change/alter/fix, we risk missing a key opportunity for giving our kids what they truly need on a most basic human level.  
​

Paradox is the Name of the Game

We do lots to try to help kids cope and learn about life. Raising resilient kids who think for themselves is a paradox.  We know kids have to struggle, and hurt, and fall down, and make mistakes because they are human and this is how humans seem to learn best in the real world.  This is how we instinctively know kids need to make mistakes and need us to offer the time and space, within limits, to figure things out for themselves.
 
The petri dish of 18 really weird months of unexpected conditions gave us a chance to see how we might recast and reconsider what it is we really do daily as teachers.  This is a window, an opportunity to look at what I can really offer students as people.  Experience has taught me that showing up for my students directly and unguardedly is what I have to offer my students.  This is SO hard because we don’t want kids to suffer any more than possible--especially when the world turns upside down.  But when I do this I can start to share emotional regulation and offer calm and secure relationships to my kids.   This connection and relationships are basic human needs.   Just like we preach to our kids, adults need time and practice to develop skills, too.   Mindfulness is a tool for basic awareness.  Mindfulness can bring greater awareness to my conditions and reactions AND my students’ conditions and reactions.
Clearing: Do not try to save the whole world or do anything grandiose. Instead, create a clearing in the dense forest of your life and wait there patiently, until the song that is your life falls into your own cupped hands and you recognize and greet it. Only then will you know how to give yourself to this world so worth of rescue.
Published with permission by Martha Postlethwaite

Control: That's a Funny Dream

It can be painfully clear that we have very little if any control over our students’ lives outside the schoolhouse doors.  The weirdness of the past 18 months has put an exclamation point on that for us: thank you very little COVID-19!  I think it has also exposed some of the “theatre” of school:  all the things we well-intentioned adult-teacher-types are going to “do” to “fix” kids to “learn” them what they need.  Now don’t get me wrong, systems, pedagogy, and curricular design are wonderful tools--just maybe not the magic fixes we quietly look for given the desperate conditions some of our kids and families face.   Throughout my teaching career, our responses have been driven nearly singularly by notions and ideas of improvement plans, curricular design, and top-down initiatives.  These are all fine...but, Maslow before Bloom is a cliche saying for very real and valid reasons.
Related Reading: Rethinking Education - Using the Pandemic as Inspiration for Innovation

Read More
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    ​Third Eye Education posts weekly articles focusing on education and innovation. 

    Archives

    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021

    Categories

    All
    Adaptability
    Autonomy
    Belonging
    Change
    Classroom Culture
    Collaboration
    Communication
    Community
    Creativity
    Cross Curricular
    Discomfort
    Empathy
    Engagement
    Feedback
    Flexibility
    Impact
    Initiative
    Intentionality
    Mindfulness
    Perspective

    RSS Feed

    Tweet to @thirdeyeed
Picture
Articles
Podcast Episodes

​Third Eye Education is supported by Dover-Eyota Public Schools
  • Read
  • Listen
    • Season 2 | 2022
    • Season 1 | 2021
  • Meet
    • writing team
    • podcasting team
    • origin & founders
  • Collaborate
    • connect with us
    • mission & vision
  • Share