Awesome Stories 289

/ October 8, 2016

This week Awesome Stories brings you better communication, better teaching and better friendship!

Call-Out Culture

I’m glad to see the media addressing the issue of our call-out culture. Asam Ahmad offers a very insightful look at the harm we do to each other in the name of calling out mistakes, problems and bad behavior. The growing trend to call out people, especially on social media is not helpful to creating real relationships, or reform. This same problem has infected our politics, organizations and media. We need to quit judging, attacking and labeling people. If we channeled all the time and energy we spend in these activities into more productive ones like listening, building connections, finding the common ground and looking for actual solutions, then we could transform the world!

Enlightened Teaching

Teachers at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, MO had a great idea to help kids in their school. Jamie McSpadin challenged her fellow teachers to acknowledge their students by telling them they are appreciated and important. They created a video of the teachers telling students how they were appreciated. Clearly, the project was a success, filled with many tears and smiles. When was the last time you appreciated your students, children or co-workers? We all thrive with encouragement. Go Team!  🙂

Better TeachingThe Courage to Teach, Awesome Stories

Parker Palmer has spent his career becoming a better teacher. This article, culled from his book The Courage to Teach, shares the wisdom gleaned from over 30 years teaching. His core message is that the best teaching comes from the integrity and identity of the teacher. The more we listen to our inner teacher and understand ourselves as complex beings, the more we can bring to the teaching environment. Great teaching goes beyond techniques and is guided by a clear understanding of the Heart of a Teacher.

Better Friendship

Dylan Siegel certainly understands friendship. Deeply touched by his friend’s illness, Dylan wrote a book with the idea to help raise money and heal his friend, Jonah Pournazarian, who suffers from a rare liver condition called Glycogen Storage Disease. The book, called Chocolate Bar, caught fire with friends, family and more for it’s simple but heartfelt message. Dylan has raised over $1.1 Million for his friend. I don’t know whether to be inspired or intimidated. May more kids find the compassion and inspiration to lead us to a better world. Thanks Dylan.

May we find ways to be better people, reaching out with love, courage and compassion. 

 

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35 thoughts on “Awesome Stories 289”

  7. The call out culture is real and…awful. I love the idea of turning that into positive energy. 🙂 I also love the part about showing gratitude to students. I might have to do that with my after school program.
    Hope you’ve been well. I’ve just been swamped with work and building a new website. 😛

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    • I bet you see all kinds of behavior in your classes. If you use the gratitude idea, please share how it goes. I’m sorry you’re so busy, but it’s nice that you have the skills to build a website. I’m well, and still job hunting. Have an inspiring week Cynthia. to using words to inspire, uplift and empower… 🙂

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