To encourage dialogue and reflection about self-care, making time for ourselves, and ‘refreshing’, our topic/question for the dinner table is: What strategy(ies) do you use to ‘refresh’/recharge to have more energy? Refreshing Our Systems (Week of 12/12/21) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
Blake's Guiding Lights
Our Students
Blake's Core Values: Respect, Responsibility, Resourcefulness, Reflection
Our Essential Question: How can we cultivate and curate the progression of student learning and growth?
Our Mission: Blake Middle School believes in a living mission statement, based on the concept that our community seeks and respects knowledge, integrity, character, wisdom, and the willingness to adapt to a continually evolving world.
The most important attitude that can be formed is that of desire to go on learning. - John Dewey
You cannot teach today the same way you did yesterday to prepare students for tomorrow. - John Dewey
The cold and rainy last Saturday provided a good ‘reason/excuse’ (and, I’m acknowledging that I should need the weather to be the ‘good reason/excuse’) to stay inside, sit by the fire, and relax. Amidst sports games for the boys and some holiday ‘prep’, we did our best to have a pretty relaxed weekend.
A Soft Place to Land
by Jane R. Shore
“My community gives me permission to dream big because they permit me to fall, which leads me to rising.” @Luvvie Ajayi
Because we all can and want to do and be and say and try scary things.
This year has flung us all up into the air. And I don’t want to land where we started. I don’t want the new normal or the old normal. But I do want us to jump into fear, with a soft place to land.
Where are we landing?
Being surrounded by people who show us that community is a verb is my soft place to land. I am endlessly inspired and heartened by people who commit to one another like this.
“In a legitimate democracy, (a soft place to land) means that your well-being is considered and your ability to help design and give meaning to its structures and institutions is realized.” John Powell, design architect at the Stanford d.school
Other People Don’t Think You’re a Mess
by Anna Bruk in Scientific American
We all have weaknesses, and all know hardship. But it’s difficult, even on a good day, to admit we are struggling, to ask for help or to apologize when we are out of line.
…the best way to break these cycles is to admit our difficulties to others. That step can be excruciating and frightening, but keeping problems to ourselves can create even more long-term complications. After all, unacknowledged feelings and frustrations rarely stay under the rug. That is why it is important to figure out how to openly articulate one’s feelings or thoughts even when that form of expression leaves us feeling exposed or uncomfortable.
Across a variety of situations, such as asking for help or admitting to a mistake, people perceived their own displays of vulnerability more negatively than others did. We refer to this pattern of conflicting perceptions as the “beautiful mess effect.”
In a safe environment and with a responsive conversation partner, a vulnerable stance in close relationships may have tremendous benefits.
…people who don’t have a lot of compassion for themselves evaluated an admission of their own mistake more negatively than when they imagined others who took the same step. Highly self-compassionate study participants, on the other hand, did not fall prey to this beautiful mess effect. In their evaluations, the difference in how they viewed displays of vulnerability in themselves versus others was significantly smaller than in people lacking self-compassion.
…being kinder to ourselves may give us a safe place to land, no matter where showing our vulnerability leads us. Then, we don’t need to have as much faith in the notion that everything will go smoothly if we share our struggles with others. Instead, we can have more trust in ourselves to handle the outcome either way.
Sampling of Responses from Last Week’s ‘Question of the Week’: What are you currently wondering about?
- High School
- What falafel is
- I am currently wondering about why people waste so much time, when they don't have much time at all.
- Nothing
- My future
- Nothing
- I wonder how far technology will take us. I wonder if technology is a reflection of humanity or if it mutes our humanity?
- I am wondering about when we won’t have to wear masks in school and when COVID will pass
- Winter break and spending time with my family.
- I am wondering about how long my science test will be.
- I am wondering why horrible things happen to good people.
- How does light form colors? How do animal bodies work? Also - when does the mask mandate end?
- If covid will get worse
- What will I do this weekend?
- How normal this school year is compared to others
- I am wondering what it would be like to know how all my students' families are doing right now.
- I am wondering about why people don't care about everyone, and why people think that they are better than anyone else.
- I'm wondering if I'm going to do good on the math, english and science quiz.
As always, let me know of any questions/concerns.
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Take care.
Nat