Small things in our power to do that can still make a big difference in our days:
- Close the door sometimes–this may be symbolic to remind you it is your classroom.
- Step back and look at the bigger picture–sometimes we focus on the details and don’t see that generally in our work, there are many positive elements–might be just step back to hear the buzz of students talking about their work with each other.
- Break a rule–look for opportunities to stretch your options—this can lead to unimagined results.
- Bear Witness–once a group said to me, “You made us sound so smart.” I just synthesized their conversation. They hadn’t realized how brilliant their thoughts were until they heard the evidence reflected back.
- Let go—be sensitive to when the job is done, the lesson learned, ideas fully explored and move on.
- Change beliefs. Learning that gets in the bones occurs when it is used, applied, connected to action.
- Test trust—trust might be infinite as it continues to deepen through opportunities to see if a person comes through or not. We learn what we can trust different people for. We learn the extent and qualities of how we can be trusted too.
- Remember joy–look for reasons for joy especially when you are at a lowest point.