The Great Motivator
In our last issue, we began to write about the nature of mindsets - specifically focus as a skill that can actually be practiced and then adapted as a frame of mind. We admit that this isn’t easy - the shifting of mindsets requires the self awareness necessary to create change. And commitment to change requires optimism.
It’s been our observation that many are not quite ready to embrace an optimistic view of education; claiming it’s ‘broken’ clings to hardships, but it does not venture a plan to build past them. The message we receive here is that it’s not possible, we must start over. Is it any wonder teachers feel defeated? And repeating ideas like this, over time, can not be good for anyone.
So what happens now? Positive mindsets only put a bandaid on the present moment. They are more fixed mindsets than they are oriented toward growth. As good as it might feel to think positive, educators need much more than that. They deserve much more than that. They need to believe in their own ability to influence good things.
That is optimism. It is better to say “Education has some complex problems - like, really hard. I’m not sure how it’s going to happen - but something better can.”
Optimism is a commitment to change that is mindful of the present. It recognizes hardships as learning experiences, and uses that to propel forward. We all want this. But without an actual belief that our reality is not broken, we are likely to remain disheartened. We need to ensure action.
In this respect, you might call optimism the great motivator. And students need to see it in us before they’re able to adopt it themselves. It’s all about how we see adversity and productively struggle with it in visible ways.
This is a mindset shift we can not afford to deny ourselves - or our students.
New Blog: Mountains and Canyons
Speaking of the challenge of motivation, our new article discusses its biological underpinnings, and the importance of productive struggle - with focus - toward sustaining it. The mountain above is where it all takes place.
And when you’re done reading, we’d love for you to click here to share what you’re thinking in our Twitter Community, as well as connect with other optimalists. 🐠
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💬 The Next #Optimalist Chat…
Join us on Twitter Thurs, May 12, at 8:30pm ET, for a discussion on Intrinsic Motivation w/ Carla Meyrink. Carla is the Founder and director of The Community for Learning, and hosts a wonderful blog at The Teaching Experiment. To participate in the chat with Carla, just follow #Optimalist on Twitter!
📚 Book Study Launch
The first ever Optimalist Book Study has begun! We are reading Peak Mind: Find Your Focus and Own Your Attention by Dr. Amishi Jha. We are studying the science of attention to learn how to better train our brains to practice focus, and explore ways we can use it to transform learning. Interested in what we’re doing? Sign up here.
📰 The Optimalist Recommends…
As a complement to the work we are publishing, we would like to give you a path to discover the words of other educators and researchers who share our philosophies. Today we bring you an introduction to realistic optimism in the classroom.
Tips for Teaching Realistic Optimism | Edutopia
🧘 Mindfulness Moment
Each issue, we will offer you an element of mindful living that you can try yourself and hopefully in your classroom. This week, Simon Sinek takes two minutes to break down the difference between optimism and positivity.
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