Showing posts with label mindset. Show all posts
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Life's GPS
Today I'm still thinking about that student who called me his map. On a follow-up conversation Friday morning, he said that I was his GPS. His Gruener Positioning System. Isn't that so sweet? When he realized his name also starts with a G, he said it should really be called a G2PS.
What he doesn't know is that on Friday, shortly after that fun conversation, I was having a little full-blown meltdown over something that today seems really insignificant and small. And you know why?
Because I was letting some trivial small stuff overwhelm me and
overshadow the awesomeness
that should have been looming larger than life,
like the fact that The Giving Tree at our Book Fair
was picked clean so that our friends who might not
have gotten a new book this time around did,
the fact that to keep up with our bigger class sizes this year,
three ukuleles that were donated to our Lab on Friday
just in time for Social Stations to start on Monday,
and the fact that our upcoming SOCKtober collection will allow us to celebrate our riches by helping warm up the homeless.
These things matter so much more than that pesky tough stuff.
How quickly we can descend from the mountaintop into the valley
and how difficult it can be to get back up.
But get back up we must.
And I have an idea how my student's G2PS idea can help.
What if G2PS stood for a Gratitude & Goodness Positioning System, if in the tough times we were grateful for the good things.
Intentionally.
On purpose.
With resolve.
What if we took a page out of the Scott Hamilton book of life
and embraced challenges as opportunities to get up and grow?
Just recently diagnosed with his third brain tumor,
he's choosing to focus on celebrating life,
and he's grateful to have been
"blessed beyond my wildest imagination."
Or a page from the book of our favorite ventriloquist Dennis Lee.
He had a horrible car collision this past spring that left his left side broken from head to toe. He still uses crutches to get from pillar to post.
But it didn't break his spirit.
As he gets up and continues his trek around the globe,
his motivational message doesn't focus on asking why?,
but instead, why not?
Why not try?
Why not use tragedy to triumph?
Why not find the blessings in the burden?
So vulnerable.
So inspiring.
So real.
On the mountaintop.
And in the valley.
Gratitude and goodness.
In all things.
How much better could life be if we would all get back up
and forge forward into our new normal fueled by
hearts full of overwhelming gratitude and goodness.
Talk about your road map to success ...
Thursday, October 6, 2016
The Thumb Team
Today I'm feeling grateful to one of my third-grade girls, who surprised me this morning with this beautiful, one-of-a-kind necklace. What a terrific way to start my day, with the words, "Mrs. Gruener, I made this for you."
Shortly afterward and still basking in the glow of the warmth of her kindness, my friend and former Assistant Principal Mr. Whitlock stopped by with a surprise from The Thumb Team. A few weeks ago, he told me that he was leading a group of specials teachers during their Professional Learning Community (PLC) time that he fondly referred to as The Thumb Team. They're called that, he explained, because they sometimes feel a little different, like the thumb on a hand. But, he was quick to add, that they are as every bit as important to a school family as a thumb is to a hand. Isn't that a great analogy? So I offered to give them each a copy of my book if he'd like to lead a book study. He accepted, that study started on Tuesday, and he was bringing me a stack of bucket-filling thank-you notes. How much happiness can one heart take? I thought I might burst from the joy.
After school, I spent an hour with these superheroes.
We read Max's Magic Seeds,
then painted these character rocks
to plant around school and spread sunshine!
Before they left, because it's a Making Magic Community Education class, we learned how to put a second bottom into a bag and make it look like there's nothing in the bag because it is hidden between the two bottoms.
Have you ever tried that trick?
Yesterday, I had a Change Theory chat with the counselors in the district;
 |
| Slide adapted from CharacterCounts! 5.0 training. |
here's a link with a link to
The Elephant, The Rider & The Path clip I shared.
Finally, in case you missed our #CharacterEdChat tonight,
click the graphic below for the archive.
Happy weekend!
Monday, September 5, 2016
Why Mindset Matters
Lately I've been thinking a lot about mattering.
You know, things that matter.
Like kindness.
And how we treat each other.
Like relationships.
And mindset.
I'm super excited to be going to Montana
to talk about why Mindset Matters in the middle of the month.
 |
| Click the graphic for my guest post about the matter. |
But why, exactly, does mindset matter so much? When I was growing up, we thought that an IQ pretty much determined what a person was going to be able to achieve in life. We now know that the brain is a muscle that gets stronger as we learn and grow. And the more we learn about the brain, the more important it becomes to unlock those errant beliefs and rewrite those old messages.
Here are two video clips that explain mindset really well:
And just like how the three kinds of empathy depend upon and build on one another, mindset {cognition} must come first before other skills can fall into place.
So how exactly do we teach mindset?
Enter this fantastic new resource by school counselor Lisa King.
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| Click book cover for more info at NCYI. |
It came in the mail last week and I devoured it in a day. Then I went back through it to highlight and earmark pages. It's filled with puzzles, coloring pages, book recommendations, brain teasers, and lesson plan activities. There's a mindset chant you can use and some creative ideas for a Mindset Social Station.
Using a MINDSET acrostic, the chapters address these areas.
And though it is called a Counseling Curriculum, I would totally love to see it in the hands of any caregiver who has a stake in the future of a child. I especially like the last chapter, that encourages and empowers our future leaders to take what they know and teach others.
Need a little ditty or song to seal the deal? Here's one I wrote for my friends in Montana; feel free to add it to your mindset arsenal.
It's knowing, embracing, and living the fact that every day is a new chance to be
the best version of you that you can be. That's why mindset matters!
Sunday, September 4, 2016
A Stronger Song
I almost didn't go to church this morning, because it's a holiday weekend here, and I was feeling kind of lazy. But we're starting a Karen Kingsbury book study and I'd invited my friend Carol to join me for our Sunday School class so I went, because I said I would. And I'm so glad I did, because our teacher shared this video clip, which really has me thinking, reflecting, and wondering.
It's so interesting, the two versions of Amazing Grace that this talented music director sang. The first one was pretty textbook, safe and clean. But when the host gives him a new perspective from which to sing it and couples it with his permission to bring it, his voice amplifies and he sings with incredible passion.
So today's question is this: What makes your song better?
Is it trust? A willingness to be vulnerable? Knowing your why?
Is it a safe place? Community? Unconditional positive regard?
Lately I've been thinking a lot about my recovery from being hit
by that drunk driver because that life-changing event ended up
strengthening my song.
It taught me to slow down and savor,
it taught me to be grateful in all things,
and it taught me to forgive.
Even though it was a dark season of panic and pain,
the whole ordeal held an opportunity,
the burden hid a blessing.
I just had to be willing to look for it
and be ready to recognize the gift when it found me.
It took a lot of patience, persistence and perseverance;
sometimes more than I thought I could muster.
But it was totally worth the work.
Liz Murray had this to say about staying the course:
It takes courage to change our song,
to trust enough to leave the script,
to share our music with passion,
to sing it out for the whole world to hear.
How will you sing a stronger song today? Tomorrow?
This week? This month? This year?
This week? This month? This year?
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Just Keep Swimming
Today I'm thinking about a story that Scott Shickler shared last summer at the 7 Mindsets University. It's about a legendary swimmer named Florence Chadwick. It was on the fourth of July of 1952, and this 34-year-old woman who had already swum back and forth across the English Channel set out to swim the stormy seas of the Pacific Ocean off of Catalina Islands en route for California. The water was choppy and the weather chilly. A dense fog hung in the air, making visibility so difficult that she could hardly see the boats alongside of her. After swimming for fifteen hours, Florence begged her mom and trainer, in one of those adjacent boats, to allow her to stop, but they told her she was close and encouraged her to keep on. Unable to see the shore, Florence became disoriented and just couldn't go on. She was taken out of the water, only to be told that she was less than a half a mile from her goal. It was the only time she had quit.
In a news conference the next day, Florence said this:
So my reflection questions today include:
What are the things in life that keep you in the fog?
and
How easy is it to lose sight of the shore because of that fog?
Who is in your boat, helping you stay the course?
and
What are the benefits to perseverance and endurance?
What are the risks?
If you could talk with Florence Chadwick, what would you ask?
What would you say? And how would those words help you
to keep on swimming the next time you're in the fog?
Friday, March 18, 2016
My Name Is Blessing
Today is bittersweet, because it's our last official day of Spring Break 2016. What a glorious week of restoration and rejuvenation it has been. The sun shining through my window is calling me outside for some more Vitamin D, so today's post will be short and sweet. It's a bittersweet story about kindness and hope, one which was shared with me by my friend Jen Hammerle.
 |
| Click the book cover to go to the author's website |
Based on the true account of a Kenyan child with a physical disability, this tale finds a young Muthini living with a kind grandmother Mumo, who is struggling to make ends meet for him and his eight cousins. Check out this beautiful book's trailer:
Mumo, whose name means Grace, is forced with a difficult decision to journey to a Orphanage where Muthini might have a chance at a better life, but will they even allow a child whose name means Suffering to stay?
On my first reading, I wasn't sure I liked that the Orphanage was going to change the little boy's name, and I'm not sure my students will either. Use this as a springboard for a discussion about the importance of a name. What might, could, would be the difference in life for a child whose name means Suffering vs. one whose name means Blessing? Should the Orphanage take Muthini as he is or is there a benefit in changing his name? What does this have to do with mindset?
Create an empathy experience: After reading the book aloud, ask for a volunteer and tape that student's fingers down to recreate what it was like for Muthini Baraka to only have the use of two fingers on his one hand and none on his other. What skills might they still do handily? What things will be difficult to do without assistance? What is the experience of missing fingers like? How does it feel? What do you want or need to adapt and thrive?
Blessings are everywhere. As a follow-up activity, encourage students to make a list of their blessings. Can they get to 50? 100? 500?
For more engaging activity suggestions from the publisher, click {here}. For more information about the author's work at Creation of Hope, click {here}.
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Recovering, Reflecting, Returning
We've all had 'em, those days, the terrible, horrible ones when you wish you could have a do-over ... or, better yet ... that you'd have stayed under the covers and not come out in the first place, right?
So how do we recover, relax, reflect & return gracefully
so that we can, in turn, help our children learn to reboot?
That was the assignment that Free Spirit gave me;
click their adorable graphic below to read my suggestions.
Our friend, ventriloquist Dennis Lee, lived through one of those days two weeks ago and is now recovering from that life-threatening collision. We were blessed to visit him in the Rehab Center yesterday and deliver this big box full of handmade get-well wishes, admiration and love from the school families at Ferguson Elementary, Westwood Elementary, and Bales Intermediate.
And talk about your growth mindset and optimism; we caught him with that signature smile and effervescent personality sketching notes for next year's show.
Despite the trauma.
Despite the many broken bones.
Despite the long, rocky road to recovery in front of him.
Resilience doesn't get much more graceful than that.
He expressed his gratitude to those prayer warriors who have been covering him as he heals and he assured us that he can feel the power of every one of those prayers. Then, with an unwavering faith that will only serve to strengthen his testimony, he promised that he will be back on stage one day.
We are so proud of you, Dennis Lee.
Thank you for being a beacon of hope, inspiration and light.
We're behind you as you rest, restore, recover & return.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Mindset Matters
Happy March.
Today I'm excited because my guest post on resilience is now live; click the graphic below to go to Free Spirit Press and read all about it.
I'm also delighted that I've been invited to present a parenting workshop on Mindset tonight in a neighboring district.
Click {here} to view and/or download the handout.
I use this tangible to show what our brains look like
when they're in fixed mindset mode and growth!
Here's a guest blog post at Free Spirit if you want more info.
And a bulletin board we used to unlock fixed beliefs:
Here's one of the slides I love to share:
I use this tangible to show what our brains look like
when they're in fixed mindset mode and growth!
Here's a guest blog post at Free Spirit if you want more info.
And a bulletin board we used to unlock fixed beliefs:
Here's one of the slides I love to share:
Want more Mindset info? Check out my
Growth Mindset Pinterest page {here}.
One final note to my faithful readers: Today marks post number 1300 at The Corner On Character. That being the case, it's nearly impossible to make sure that links that are live when I post will continue to work in the days, months, and years ahead. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause as you connect to learn and grow with us.
Friday, January 22, 2016
PPBF: Penelope Perfect
Today's PPBF pick is perfect.
Well, uh, Penelope Perfect that is.
Title: Penelope Perfect
Author: Shannon Anderson
Illustrator: Katie Kath
Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing
Date: August 20, 2015
Suitable for: ages K - 3rd
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Themes: anxiety, perfectionism, resilience, growth mindset
Brief synopsis: After her house losing power causes Penelope to oversleep, the mishaps in this young perfectionist's day align to brew the perfect storm. Can she survive an imperfect day and learn to let go of some of her perfectionism in the process?
Opening page:
They call me Penelope Perfect.
If you know me, I'm sure you agree.
Have you ever heard of Old Faithful?
Well, that geyser has nothin' on me!
Copyright © 2015 by Shannon Anderson.
Excerpted with permission of Free Spirit Publishing Inc. All rights reserved.
Resources:
*Read this article for tips on Putting Perfectionism In Its Place.
*Read Magnificent Mindsets to spark a growth-mindset discussion.
*Play the So What? game with your child(ren) to help get to the root of worries, anxieties or fear and change errant thinking about the end result. Start with a statement: You wake up late for school. Then ask {in a kind, non-judgmental tone} So what? Well, I'll be tardy. So what? I'll miss the morning warm-up. So what? Well ... you get the picture. It's a great way to get perfectionists to see that making the mistakes they fret about aren't likely to ever be something they can't rebound from and resolve.
*Springboard a geography lesson about Old Faithful and geysers. Look up where on the map it is, then challenge students to research other National Parks and find out what, if anything, sets them apart.
*Watch this video clip on resilience and discuss it:
*Make an anchor chart H-map and compare and contrast Penelope's tale with
Why I like this book: I see a lot of Penelope in me; she loves order and wants everything to line up thrives when everything aligns. And while there's nothing inherently wrong with that, it does pose a problem that could easily spin her out of control when her orderly routine is upset. In true perfectionism form, the more we control, the more out of control we feel. So when stuff that we can't control takes over, it's how we bounce forward from those upsets that will ultimately make a difference. Such an important life lesson for people of any age.
The activities and suggestions in the back of the book will help the readers who tend toward perfectionism work toward letting go of some of the worry and anxiety that's associated with that fixed mindset. Life will go so much more smoothly when we learn to celebrate mistakes instead of letting them paralyze us, a gift Penelope receives in the aftermath of her imperfect present and the laughter that ensued. Use the claim ~ Laughter is a resilience skill. ~ as a conversation starter or as a writing prompt to find out if/how they've used laughter to jump a high hurdle or overcome an obstacle.
Check out this book; I think it'll be the perfect addition to your collection.
Then head to Susanna's blog for today's other PPBF titles.
Update: The evening of the day this posted, my Dad sent a message to me with a quote he'd just read: Perfection is the enemy of good.
We are all connected, aren't we ...
Friday, November 20, 2015
PPBF: The Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish
Happy Friday! Let's start with some grateful things ...
First, I'm excited about the opportunity to deliver the keynote address in my home state in June. Here's the save-the-date flyer that just came out;
who wants to meet me in Milwaukee?
Next, I'm so grateful to be guest blogging over at Free Spirit Publishing; click {here} to read yesterday's post about helping hungry students through food insecurity.
I'm also tremendously thankful that our tree is filling up. It is such a special treat to peek into our students' happy hearts and see what they appreciate.
Don't you love how the character cam caught the sun's rays
illuminating our gratitude?
UPDATE: Our tree just keeps blooming with blessings!
Finally, I'm swimming with delight that this week's PPBF also serves as a stop on the #poutpouttour.
Title: The Not Very Merry Pout-Pout Fish
Author: Deborah Diesen
Illustrator: Dan Hanna
Publisher: Macmillan Kids
Date: September 8, 2015
Suitable for: ages 3-6
Fiction
Themes: holiday spirit, generosity, mindset
Brief synopsis: When Mr. Fish decides to go shopping with a fixed mindset about what the perfect holiday gift is, he comes up empty-finned. Will Miss Shimmer be able to help him unlock those errant beliefs and complete his quest?
Opening Page:
In a festive ocean corner,
Fish were decking out the reef,
Hanging tinsel, bows, and lights
In a holiday motif.
Resources:
Enjoy this endorsement at Picture Book Reviews {here}.
Create a visual display to showcase no-cost gifts.
Why I like this book: In true Pout-Pout Fish fashion, there's a echo verse that young children will grab on to and easily memorize ...
"A gift should be big,
And a gift should be bright.
And a gift should be perfect -
Guaranteed to bring delight.
And a gift should have meaning
Plus a bit of bling-zing,
So I'll shop till I drop
For each just-right thing!"
... begging us to seize that teachable-moment extension about the fixed-mindset expectations of our friendly fish.
In the end, Mr. Fish is given a beautiful gift from Miss Shimmer, the key to unlocking his beliefs about what gifts should be and adopting a
As an additional creative enrichment activity idea, invite students to re-write the book's poetic refrain with their beliefs about gift-giving. Then encourage them to exchange their work with a critical friend to see if their beliefs are fixed and could benefit from being unlocked.
And what did the author Deborah Diesen hope that we'd glean from her underwater holiday jewel? Here's some timeless wisdom about gift-giving from a recent interview:
Q: Do you have any tips for parents of toddlers about the joy of giving gifts rather than just receiving them this holiday season?
A: Kids love to give presents and they especially love having an active role in the process of creating presents. Try a craft idea or a project that's extremely simple and stress free, and then let your child have at it with a minimum of help. The more messy, lopsided and imperfect the results, the better. Have fun with the process and as you do, you'll create not just gifts, but memories as well.
This joyful holiday treasure spotlights hand-made presents from the heart;
give yourself a gift and check it out.
For more PPBF picks, visit Susanna Hills blog {here}.
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