Do
you know the book Yes Day, by Amy Krouse-Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld? If not,
find the YouTube video and give yourself a treat! The book is told from a kid’s point of view,
about the one day a year when his parents answer every request with, “Yes!” As
the book illustrates, the fruit of Yes Day is liberation and joy!
Are
there yeses at the end of this uncertain semester that could open opportunities
for educators and students? Perhaps requests met with a spontaneous, “Yes!” would
spur creativity. When students and
teachers have had an overall healthy educational diet, a few “just for fun” goodies
can be thrown into the mix without calamity. It’s unlikely that a “yes” will lead to
anything catastrophic, and the freedom and resulting positivity are worth a
risk. So, let’s say yes as often as possible and sort out the details
later.
These
times are mostly uncharted territory for educators. Some of the questions you
are asked this week will be trivial, and some clearly will not be. I really don’t know what questions you’ll be
faced with, and you probably can’t anticipate them, either. I do feel certain there will be requests you
don’t have a ready answer for. When the
next question might be something we’ve never faced before, it’s hard to feel
prepared.
When
we feel unsure, or when we don’t have the energy to think through all the possible
outcomes, “no” can feel like the safe response. Instead, give yourself permission to say “yes.”
Prepare your mind and mouth for it so that “yes” spills easily from your lips. It will make the asker happy, and you can
figure it out together. That one word could smooth over a lot of tension.
Saying
“yes” can be a relief for both the receiver and the giver. Having a ready “yes’ will also free up
emotional energy for you. Dealing with
resistance can be exhausting, and you don’t need to engage in energy-draining
activities right now. When you feel
overwhelmed with uncertainty, remember the option to just say, “yes!” I think we could all use a few more yeses
these days!
This
week, you might want to take a look at:
A
video explaining social-emotional learning:
Thoughts
about reflecting on distance learning:
Book clubs as activism:
How
a teacher of ELs is reaching students the old-fashioned way:
Adding a personal touch to remote learning:
That’s
it for this week. Happy coaching!
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very nice blog Executive Coaching Melbourne
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