“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.” –Plato
This week:
For 36 years I have been teaching the wisdom traditions to elevate humanity. For more than two decades, my wife has concurrently been teaching women’s self-defense classes to empower women. She recently created a curriculum for men to socialize other men about their role in being part of the solution.
Finally, sexual harassment awareness and a swift societal response seems to have reached a tipping point, as evidenced by the number of cases being brought to light in all walks of life as reflected in this recent article.
I was ‘Propositioned, Touched, Patted and Groped’ on Capitol Hill:
When I hear some men shrug off the spate of sexual harassment claims and accuse the women of lying, I’m quite certain I am not alone in that it makes me want to scream…
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2017/12/05/capitol-hill-1980-s-propositioned-touched-patted-pulled-groped-cheri-jacobus-column/919324001/
The antidote for gender inequality and power imbalances that are insidious and pervasive today is education in our formative years focused on competence and character so we can create a new normal for the next generation.
Below are some poignant examples we can both learn and teach to help us persevere and thrive:
The Great Kindness Challenge:
The Great Kindness Challenge is one day devoted to performing as many acts of kindness as possible.
It is our hope that this day will inspire a lifelong commitment to service and kindness. Anyone can participate in The Great Kindness Challenge. To be a part of this special, world-changing event, all you need to do is download The Great Kindness Challenge Checklist and choose how you would like to honor and celebrate this special day.
You don’t need to spend any money, provide any personal information or make a commitment of any kind. We just want you, and many others around the world, to enjoy giving and receiving acts of kindness. Together we can raise awareness of the power we all have to make the world a better place, every day, with even the simplest of acts. We invite and encourage groups of all types – families, clubs, teams, religious groups, etc. – to honor and celebrate The Great Kindness Challenge together.
https://thegreatkindnesschallenge.com/
The Power of Being Seen:
In Nevada a simple strategy pushes teachers to look beyond the lessons and this strategy will work for ALL of us…
https://www.edutopia.org/article/power-being-seen
Passion and Perseverance:
Angela Duckworth’s vid on Grit covers passion perseverance and potential of individuals based on social research
https://www.skillsoft.com/online-learning-resources/video_other.asp?f=angela-duckworth-true-grit.mp4
Now Add some GRIT to Accomplish Your Goals:
https://leaderchat.org/2016/09/13/add-some-grit-to-accomplish-your-goals/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
Encouraging Students to Make Mistakes to Improve Math Outcomes:
Teaching students to persist using a mindset that allows them to make and learn from mistakes.
Often, that involves creating a classroom atmosphere that allows students to take risks with their thinking without fear of being laughed at or corrected…
https://edsource.org/2017/san-francisco-unified-encourages-students-to-make-mistakes-to-improve-math-outcomes/590253
Thanks this week go to Jill Mc, Paula C, Paul S, Ken B, & Brenda H.
Please pay it forward!
Love,
Neville
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“If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow”
–John Dewey 1859-1952
Happy Soul Food Friday! 