Want your learners to behave like champions?
The power of your thoughts is astounding! Sure, you've heard about the impact of your thoughts multiple times, but how often have you really stopped and been mindful about how your thoughts shape your actions and beliefs about your learners?
This morning while out on my morning walk, I became keenly aware of the power of my thoughts.
I was walking along enjoying the beauty of an overcast morning with minimal humidity. It was a welcoming experience from the previous mornings sauna saunter. Suddenly, my gaze fell just before my left foot landed on a baby copperhead. It was dead. Road kill, but still...
I walked on and on absorbed in my thoughts of upcoming activities and thinking thankful thoughts as I looked around at the beauty surrounding me. It was a quiet, still morning accented with tweeting and twittering. Again, my gaze fell toward the ground just before my foot struck a medium-sized copperhead. What? Two snakes in one walk! I shuddered. Thankfully, it wasn't moving because of the tread marks across it's back. (I felt gratitude toward the car that spared me.)
After about ten steps, I jumped back and my heart skipped a beat. Another deadly snake.
No, it was a deadly twisted branch masquerading as a snake.
This whole encounter got me thinking about the power of my mind and thoughts. The previous encounters (which were unpleasant) were branded in my brain. I had snake on my mind. Therefore, anything that even resembled a snake signaled my brain to jump and be scared.
How does the power of our thoughts impact our students?
In the same way my mind formed an opinion about a stick or anything that looked looked similar to it as being a snake, our minds form opinions about our learners based upon our previous experiences with them and our thoughts.
How can we be mindful and shape our thoughts for positive outcomes for our learners?
It's super simple but not always easy.
Take captive every thought.
Be mindful. Our learners rise to what we expect of them. Our thoughts reflect our actions and expectations. So, begin thinking positive thoughts about all learners. (Even the ones that my annoy you.)
Part of being a STRONG educator is omitting negative. You can read more about it here.
In my upcoming book, I go into more detail about omitting negative and being a STRONG educator for your students and life.
Simply put: to get positive outcomes from our learners, we need to think positive thoughts about them. Think about their potential opposed to their current actions. Scaffold them toward their potential.
I've noticed on social media many student affirmation station photos with a mirror and positive words surrounding it for students to say and visualize for themselves. It's a great place to start, but we educators need to speak those affirmations to our students too and those begin in our thoughts.
Treat your students like eagles and they will rise. Treat them like an ugly duckling and they'll believe it.
You get to choose.
You get to choose how your thoughts will shape your opinion of your students and their outcome.
Think positive!
You make a difference!
Pamela
Do you get frustrated with challenging students? I get it. Go from frustrated to happy and peaceful.
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