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 Teaching
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.
These stories are #SoChocolateBar! ❤
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A groovy kind of love! 🙂
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Good posts, beautiful blog.
Congratulations.
Welcome to see my creations:
http://paintdigi.wordpress.com
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Thanks for visiting my blog. Your digital art is wonderful. I’d like to use one of your images to match with a poem if you’re willing.
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welcome friend
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What preferes paint you?
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Right now I like #35. does it have a title?
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You can use paint 35 for your poetry to your post. friend going there
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Thank you.
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you’r welcome friend 🙂
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Great stories once again, Brad! Who doesn’t benefit from being reminded that they matter, they are loved, they are valuable to all that is…
Peace
Michael
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Exactly Michael. Imagine the wonderful world we might create!
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I love the link of compassion and understanding in all these stories Brad.
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Thanks Andrea. They seem to be my growing edge these days. 🙂
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What a fabulous set of stories, Brad. Every single one. I’ve copied the link for the first two to share with certain friends. Thank you.
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I’m glad you found value in these stories. Thanks Cynthia.
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Thanks, Brad! What a lovely bunch of stories full of really meaningful ways we can be better…kinder. Hope you are well and that your weekend is wonderful 💚
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You are most welcome Lorrie. Thanks for dropping by with your bubbly energy to brighten my day. 🙂 Are you away from the storm or somewhere safe I hope?
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Hi Brad…thanks for thinking of me! We were evacuated and I know there was a little Divine Intervention as we were able to secure a hotel room at the last minute! I think b I will post about it tomorrow…but yes…all is good 🙂 ♡♡
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Wonderful Lorrie. ❤
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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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Excellent post, Brad…particularly since I am so interested in issues connected to education and media, as well. Teachers who are both positive and engaging do some of the best work!
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Thank you Kate. That sounds like wonderful work. I hope more of us will use words to uplift, inspire and empower. I hope we can find ways to work together as people. Currently, we seem to be stuck in a culture of divisiveness and calling-out others.
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Sadly, that is true. Keep putting your positive voice out there, Brad!
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I will and hopefully more will join. 🙂
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Great post.l! I really love reading/seeing how we build each other up instead of the opposite- especially with our youth. Thanks for sharing this 🙂
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Thanks for reaching out and connecting. May we use our words and photos to inspire and uplift others. blessings, Brad
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That video of teachers appreciating their students was incredibly moving. Thanks so much for sharing the awesome, and spreading it around… 🙂 H xxx
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My pleasure Harula. 🙂 May we all nurture and appreciate the people in our lives.
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Love this post Brad.. Yes! may we all strive to be better and to show others our appreciation and gratitude.. It builds confidence and heals us.. And brings out the best is all of us.. Awesome.. xxx
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I am very grateful for our positive, loving and supportive WP community. Thank you Sue! ❤
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Like wise Brad.. Likewise xx
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As always…great post, sir…very positive….all great stories…love the story on the call out culture…you are so right…more and more negative energy calling people out instead of listening and learning!!
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Agreed Kirt. I hope we can find ways to work together.
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