The Benefits of Positive Reinforcement

As each week unfolds I continue to see the importance and impact that our positive actions and words have on others. Therefore, I am going to continue my blogging on the topic.

Last Monday, administration engaged in conversation around the book Fostering Resilient Learners. I had the opportunity to facilitate the conversation with the secondary principals and assistant principals. The dialogue was rich and honest. The consensus in the room was that we must look at what trauma our students are going through, and then we must understand how our  responses and interactions play a role in perpetuating the trauma or a role in helping to heal the trauma. I can't help but wonder what would happen if we began to chip away at the negativity in our society? What if instead of honking and yelling at the driver that cuts us off, we took a deep breath and recognized that the other driver made a mistake, a mistake that we more than likely have made once in our lives as well. We could brush it off and experience it as a moment amongst many larger and more important moments in our lives. The thirty seconds we save on expending negative energy is thirty seconds we don't model negative behavior for the youngsters that might be sitting in our backseat. Yes, I too have yelled and been consumed with anger merely because another driver made a poor choice. I in turn made another poor choice that potentially created a cycle of this behavior with my own children. In order to break the cycle I must consciously break the automatic response.

I can't help but think about Ivan Pavlov and his study on classical conditioning from the 1890's. Pavlov's dogs over time began to salivate at the site of anyone in a lab coat since they had been conditioned that they would receive food from those individuals. Ironically, we seem to see this phenomena of conditioning when we look at cycles of negative behavior.  It plays just as a much of a role when we are looking at the impact of positive reinforcement. I am not talking about extrinsic motivations, dangling a carrot to entice someone to perform. I am talking about the intrinsic motivation that we all have from birth. Think about that feeling of euphoria when you nail a presentation and you receive kudos from your colleagues. Or, that amazing feeling of gratitude for life when a baby giggles and smiles at the mere site of your face.

We CAN change the reality that many of us don't like. We can commit to positively reinforce the actions and behaviors that we want to see in our colleagues, our students, and ultimately our society. We must reinforce what is being done well. We must highlight and showcase the strengths of our peers and our students. We must mend any mistrust and replace it with open and honest communication. Don't be afraid to have those that you are leading come out from the shadows and shine bright. True leaders are able to create more leaders and empower those that they lead to be the absolute best they can be.

There are many examples of this throughout our district. Grange Middle School has a staff shout out wall (saw that on Twitter).  Many sites recognize staff at the beginning of their staff meetings. Some of you leave a positive note behind after visiting a classroom. Remember, what we model with our staff, they will in turn model with the students. :)

Grange Middle school has a wall for staff shout outs!!

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!

Kindness and its Power.....

We often hear the message to spread kindness. It sounds very simple and in reality it is. I think we can often underestimate the power of a smile. On Saturday I went to the park with my daughters and one of their friends. As we walked back home my oldest daughter decided to start waving to the cars and saying, "Hi." Well, as you can imagine the first car that passed the passengers waved back. She giggled and then the momentum took off. My youngest daughter and her friend joined in and also started waving and then yelling, "Hi!" A few cars passed and the drivers looked at the girls but they did not wave back. That did not discourage them. They actually seemed more energized to "get more people." They jogged to the corner where more cars were passing and they started their waving, smiling, and yelling, "Hi." Each time a car passed where the passengers or driver waved back the girls would giggle and become more excited about continuing. One car even honked and boy did that pump them up. Many drivers smiled as they waved and drove past. I heard the girls talking to each other and saying, "I think we made them laugh. We made their day happier." I would have to agree with them. Even as I watched the interactions I was smiling and laughing.  A smile and a laugh can be all you need sometimes to move your day into a more positive direction.

Every time I am out on a jog I give the head not or wave at the individuals as we pass one another, which is customary. I have felt compelled lately to take it one step further and give a true high five, but I keep chickening out. Well, yesterday on my jog, that started in the clouds and ended in the rain, I followed through and gave a high five to another female jogger. It was clear she thought I was just going to give the customary wave but she reached out and reciprocated with a high five back. The result was very interesting. I began to smile and actually felt a sense of encouragement on my end. I was able to dig a little deeper and go a little faster. It is hard to put into words but a rush of glee washed over me and having that sense that we both acknowledged one another and gave each other a quick, "Good job you've got this," it helped to make the task at hand a little easier.

As you move through your day you will interact with many people. Give a smile, say hi and start spreading that chain reaction of kindness. That smile or friendly gesture just might be the one thing that helps someone turn things around. :) The Great Kindness Challenge does not officially take place until January 2017 Great Kindness Challenge but that should not stop all of us from spreading kindness on a random basis. The video below, I saw several years ago but it is such a good visual on how helping someone out can go so much further than you would ever imagine.

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!

Understanding the Teen Brain

I had the privilege of attending a two day training hosted by Solano County Probation last week on the teenage brain. The title of the session was, "Policing the Teen Brain." The training was actually focused on law enforcement and probation officers but it has so much relevance for anyone that works with youth on a regular basis. It is so important as adults that we are aware of how teens process and respond, so that we can more appropriately engage with our youth and de-escalate situations. Check out the resources provided by Strategies for Youth: http://strategiesforyouth.org/

My takeaways from the training were more effective ways of communicating and interacting with youth based on brain science. 

• The teen brain is going through massive changes
• Youth perceive, process, and respond differently than adults
• Youth don't see, hear, understand, or act like adults consistently
• The brain finished growing at age 25
• Adolescence is a period through which youth pass

When dealing with youth and their behaviors, keep in mind ALL that lies under the surface. Behaviors are the surface, life experiences are underneath. 

We must be flexible and adjust our styles. Everyone is not coming with the same experiences and background knowledge.  Take a look at the speed limit sign below. Does this sign symbolize how many of your students feel in class each day?  

Now, go one step further and add traumatic events or mental illness to the life experiences of a youth. That only further compounds the importance and necessity for caring adults and adults that will take time to listen and build relationships. Did You Know: 4 million children and adolescents suffer from a serious mental illness.  Did You Know: 1 in 5 teens have a mental illness.  We MUST take the time to learn, understand, and apply research based, brain science strategies in working with our youth. If we don't face the realities and adjust our approaches we will be failing the young people of today.

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!

#Movetober Challenge

The sound of the waves crashing against the sand and rocks as the seagulls chirp above. No, I am not sitting at the beach but instead I am listening to these sounds as I take a few minutes for mindfulness. A week ago I dowloaded a meditation app that ties with my iPhone's health app and gave it a try. I was looking for something that would help me to slow down my mind and help me to become more present. I have to say that after a week of spending between five to ten minutes a day meditating, I am beginning to feel the benefits. When we go through our days at the speed of light there is so much around us that we miss. Taking time to slow down and be more present helps to ground our minds and our intentions. After posting on Twitter that I was beginning the practice of mindfulness a teacher in the district reached out to me to tell me that this year she started using the practice with her high school students at the start of class. She has seen a huge improvement in her students' state of mind and overall happiness and desire to be in her room. If you are interested, two good apps for the iPhone are Calm and Simple Habit.

                                      

Things have been going well lately and I have a lot to be happy for. I am extremely happy that I was able to complete the #100milechallenge for September. It was Friday, September 30th and I still had to complete seven miles before the end of the day. My plans to get in some walking in the AM and at lunch did not pan out. That meant that I had to get all seven in after work. I left later than I planned but when I arrived home there was still some daylight. I received encouragement from my family to get my running shoes on and head out the door. My 9 year old daughter joined me and we headed out. As we were finishing mile 2 my husband and oldest daughter drove up and pulled over next to us. They checked in on my progress and my youngest daughter decided to hop in the car and let me finish the last five miles on my own so I could go a little faster. :) I headed off. During the next five miles the sun set and I was running in the dark amid the street lights and lights of the cars. But, I remained vigilant and I was committed to finishing the seven miles. When I completed mile seven I was tired but felt AMAZING for accomplishing the goal. I truly believe I met this goal because of the motivation and encouragement I received from others.

Mile 5 as the sun was setting

We have a new challenge for October and I encourage all of you that read this post to be part of the challenge! The #movetober challenge is a trifecta and includes accomplishing 50-100 miles, 100 minutes of meditation or 30 min. a day, and incorporating planks into your daily exercise routine. For those of you on Twitter, I encourage you to post your progress and use the hashtag #movetober and tag the following people in your post. I guarantee you they will fill you with positivity and motivation to continue and reach your goal!! This is the team that pushed me till the end and helped me hit the 100 mile mark!!

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!

#Encouragement #Teamwork #Positivity

Several of us on Twitter have been encouraging each other on a daily basis (during September) with our efforts in completing the #100milechallenge. What started out as a Twitter challenge morphed into practice for a race that took place on Saturday. It was at the race that I was able to meet someone that up until that point I had only interacted with on Twitter. Even though we had never met face to face before that moment we still had each other's backs and provided words of encouragement. ALL of us completed either our 5K or 10K and I can definitely say that through the encouragement, motivation, camaraderie, and support it was easier to complete and much more REWARDING.

It feels good to be part of something bigger than you could ever be alone. It is amazing to see people that you care about accomplish milestones in their lives. We can do so much through visualization and positive thinking. When we encourage one another and spread a positive message we become change agents.

Think about the amount of time you spend in your day focusing on negative thoughts. The more you dwell on negative thinking the more you will bring negativity into your life. Try to consciously focus on the positive things you want to have happen in your life. I remember a few years ago listening to Jack Canfield speak to us at an NEU conference. He spoke about the power of visualizing your goals and how that can help to make them even more achievable. Focus on the attributes you want to bring out of yourself or even out of  your co-workers. Spend time building and fostering those attributes. The more time you spend on the your goals and aspirations, the happier you will be and you will be able to attain your goals!!

I was reminded tonight about a group of local teens that are spreading a positive message and making life better for the less fortunate in our community. Skate for Change is a group of teens that go out and bring socks, water, and other essentials to the homeless and struggling members of our local community. These teens aren't looking for recognition for what they are doing; they do this to help those that are in need because they see it as the right thing to do.

Take some time to focus on your goal(s). Visualize yourself reaching your goal(s). See what steps you need to take and again visualize yourself making those steps a reality. Write it down, Tweet it, make your commitment! Then, each day continue to visualize your goal(s) and keep moving in the positive direction. As a #TEAM we must continue to #ENCOURAGE one another, spread #POSITIVITY, and provide #SUPPORT to each other to help everyone on our #TEAM be the strongest and best they can be. 

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!

"The quality of every human activity ultimately depends on our motivation." --Dalai Lama 

The Mighty Redwood Trees

On a day trip this weekend we headed to Mendocino County and visited the Redwood grove that is home to the Chandelier Tree. A tree that stands 315 feet tall, has a diameter of 21 feet and is around 2,400 years old. The base of the tree has been cut into and now visitors are able to drive their cars through the center of the tree. Despite its age, size, and damage, it still lives and is as majestic as ever. We can learn a lot about perseverance from the Redwood trees.  They have survived through thousands of years, weathered many storms, and still remain MAGNIFICENT.

Our lives are much like the Redwood trees. We all have talents and amazing potential. We all have abilities and passions.  We often deal with challenges and struggles and yet we MUST continue to stand TALL.  Live your passion, live what you love. 

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." --Marianne Williamson

"It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.  How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now if you know what you're worth then go out and get what you're worth." --Rocky Balboa

"What is the purpose of your life? What is your plan? Know what it is for you. That is what will give you the motivation, that will allow you to connect with others like never before." --Unknown

"He who says he can and he who says he can't are both usually right." --Confucius

"Break the rules, not the law, but the rules.  Trust yourself no matter what anyone else thinks. Don't be afraid to fail. Anything I have ever attempted I was always willing to fail. Keep pushing because you believe in yourself and your vision." --Arnold Shwarzenegger

“Wanting something is not enough. You must hunger for it. Your motivation must be absolutely compelling in order to overcome the obstacles that will invariably come your way.” --Les Brown

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!

Looking up while inside the Chandelier Tree

One of the may Redwood trees in the grove.

Next Generation High School Summit 2016

What an amazing few days I have had. I had the privilege of attending the Second Annual Next Generation High School Summit at the White House yesterday. Superintendent Corey and I arrived in Washington DC on the evening of September 11th and had some time to visit the memorials. I had never been to Washington DC before and it was both a beautiful and touching experience.  I was in awe of the beauty and magnificence of the buildings, memorials, and feeling of the city. I have always been a very PROUD American, but on Sunday, I felt an even deeper pride and compassion for all those that have laid the foundation for our great country.

Yesterday we participated in an all day Summit on Next Generation High Schools.  The Summit had representatives from states all across the country.  Here is the White House Fact Sheet on Next Generation High Schools.  Additionally, here is a document that describes strategies to take when creating a Next Generation High School: Using Evidence to Create Next Generation High Schools.

We were able to hear how school districts are beginning to redesign their high schools to truly fit the needs and demands of our current student populations. Some redesign has been in the form of charter schools, some has been in the form of policy changes, and others have been districts committing to no longer maintaining the status quo. Our morning session was captured by the White House; see the Youtube video below.

There were student speakers as well that were able to speak about their journey through both traditional high schools and their most recent experiences in redesigned high schools. A major takeaway from all of the students was that their new experiences were much more relevant and engaging because they did not focus on content in isolation or through low rigor tasks. Instead these students spoke about their experiences in thematic schools and project based learning environments that are teaching them problem solving, questioning, and application of new ideas. 

We too can make these shifts and changes in our schools. We don't need to wait for mandates or directives. We need to really take a look at how we are guiding our teachers and supporting our students. Give your teachers freedom to present their content in meaningful contexts. Give your teachers the ability to take risks and venture out away from traditional approaches to the curriculum. If we want to ensure that our students obtain a high school diploma that truly means they are prepared for college and career, then we need to ENSURE that our students are not just merely turning in work and passing exams. We need to ENSURE that our students are developing skills that transcend the classroom and equip each of them with the ability to see a problem and devise a plausible and executable solution. And...we must continue to BUILD relationships. Each of the student speakers spoke about a pivotal and influential adult in their lives that have supported them on their journey and given them the strength to succeed. Examples were one student's foster mom, another was a  mentor from the community. 

It is imperative that we are telling EACH of our students they are valued and that they CAN and WILL be successful. It will not always be an easy road, but we must provide the supports and structures for our students to succeed. We CANNOT allow any student to fail in our school system. We CANNOT make excuses. We need to COMMIT and use our current resources in the most efficient manners possible. Don't be that leader or that teacher that does something day after day just because it is, "How it has always been done." Instead, be that leader or teacher that does something because you see that it will impact a student and provide a better experience for him/her than they had the day before. 

It is so important that each of you finds the strength inside of you to really see what is happening in your classrooms and on your campus.  Do you see a school where each of your students are excited to come to school and that you have 100% confidence that in each of your classrooms real learning is taking place?  If you need to make changes, then make them. Don't wait for someone else to do it. Be the VISIONARIES that I know you ARE!! 

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!