A common image when thinking about optimism is the glass half full. The chemist would say the glass is full, ½ liquid and ½ gas. This image doesn’t fully capture what optimism is, how it is learned, and how it can be used to improve your life. To do this we need to look at research, Disney movies, and anecdotes from prisoners of war.
Martini E. P. Seligman professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania is one of the leading authorities on learned helplessness and its relation to optimism and hope. Here is a 23 minute video on the new era of positive psychology.
www.characterlab.org talks about optimism as a strength of will. “Optimism is being hopeful about future outcomes combined with the agency to shape that future.” It is important to see this definition in two parts. Hope for the future, and the agency to shape the future. Looking at optimism with a growth mindset recognizes that bad things happen, but they are often temporary and how can I change my situation through new efforts or strategies? There is a genetic component to optimism, but genes are not destiny. “This isn’t your traditional “glass half full” optimism (which some might call blind positivity) because optimistic people seek to directly connect their own power and actions to the future they want. For example, after getting a bad grade on an exam, an optimistic student believes that studying harder or differently will earn her a better grade on the next one. Another critical part of optimism is not “catastrophizing” a situation. For example, when a friend doesn't want to play that day, the optimistic kid imagines that his friend is having a bad day, not that no one wants to be his friend.” https://characterlab.org/tools/optimism
Growing up I loved the Disney movie Pollyanna. This 1960’s movie about an excessively cheerful and optimistic orphan Pollyanna, both made me smile, and scratch my head.
The glad game was cute, as was the scene where the Pollyanna is excited to get a Christmas gift only to discover that in the gift is an old pair of crutches. She initially looks understandably disappointed but then exclaims, “At least I don’t have to use them. Pollyanna’s name has morphed into a noun to describe an excessively or blindly optimistic person, and Pollyannaish adjective; unreasonably or illogically optimistic. Pollyanna misses the point of what true optimism is. It is natural to get upset when bad things happen. We shouldn’t respond with blind optimism as Pollyanna does, but must exercise our agency to shape the future for the better through new efforts and strategies. We must realize that, with a growth mindset our current situation is not set in stone, written in our genes, and outside our control, but we can influence our circumstances for the better.
Our third example comes from a prisoner of war the late Vice Admiral James Stockdale. He was the highest ranking naval officer to be held prisoner during the Vietnam War. Jim Collins writes about the Stockdale Paradox in his book Good to Great, “The Stockdale Paradox is named after admiral Jim Stockdale, who was a United States military officer held captive for eight years during the Vietnam War. Stockdale was tortured more than twenty times by his captors, and never had much reason to believe he would survive the prison camp and someday get to see his wife again. And yet, as Stockdale told Collins, he never lost faith during his ordeal: “I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade.”
Then comes the paradox: While Stockdale had remarkable faith in the unknowable; he noted that it was always the most optimistic of his prison mates who failed to make it out of there alive. “They were the ones who said, ‘We’re going to be out by Christmas.’ And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they’d say, ‘We’re going to be out by Easter.’ And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart.”
What the optimists failed to do was confront the reality of their situation. They preferred the ostrich approach, sticking their heads in the sand and hoping for the difficulties to go away. That self-delusion might have made it easier on them in the short-term, but when they were eventually forced to face reality, it had become too much and they couldn’t handle it.
Stockdale approached adversity with a very different mindset. He accepted the reality of his situation. He knew he was in hell, but, rather than bury his head in the sand, he stepped up and did everything he could to lift the morale and prolong the lives of his fellow prisoners. He created a tapping code so they could communicate with each other. He developed a milestone system that helped them deal with torture. And he sent intelligence information to his wife, hidden in the seemingly innocent letters he wrote.
Collins and his team observed a similar mindset in the good-to-great companies. They labeled it the Stockdale Paradox and described it like so:
You must retain faith that you will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties.
AND at the same time…
You must confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.
For me, the Stockdale Paradox carries an important lesson in personal development, a lesson in faith and honesty: Never doubt that you can achieve your goals, no matter how lofty they may be and no matter how many critics and naysayers you may have. But at the same time, always take honest stock of your current situation. Don’t lie to yourself for fear of short-term embarrassment or discomfort, because such deception will only come back to defeat you in the end.”
This month our family focus is on gratitude. I’m grateful to work at the Comstock STEM Academy. I’m going to give you a little glimpse into some of the awesome things happening around our school. Truly showing gratitude starts with recognizing the benefits we receive from others and then it results in an outward action to make your work, home, & physical environment better.
Last night was a board of education meeting that started with two students on the world champion Stryke Force First Robotics team talking about their experience. A sophomore said when I saw the score, and I saw we were world champions I started shaking and I couldn’t feel my legs. The sense of pride and excitement was palpable. Teachers were honored for the impact they have on students by receiving excellence in education awards. A speech language pathologist shared a moving testament to how the school district, the superintendent, and her staff supported her this past year. I left the board meeting feeling blessed to be a part of this school district.
I walked around the school with six families yesterday and talked with them about why our school is a dynamic exciting place to send their child to school. I shared our vision of giving students a solid academic foundation and fostering a love of learning. We visited a middle school science class that was getting ready to dissect sheep hearts. Students were “gloving up,” and donning their lab coats and goggles, a third grader on the tour cringed a little, and the 5th grader stood up a little straighter and leaned in, in anticipation. I asked, “Do you want to see the heart?” His eyes lit up. In kindergarten students greeted visitors with a smile and talked about how much they like recess, hot lunch, and math. First graders were reading books, and working together in learning centers. Second graders were busy sharing the data they collected from a walk to Morrow Lake, and debating if a tree that grows in the water was a land plant or an aquatic plant. Third graders were learning about geometry and discussing polygons. A shy preschooler told one of the students I can draw a cube, and the students said, “Wow that is pretty hard, I can only draw a cylinder” We walked into fourth grade and I thought the students were taking a test. The teacher said we just read two stories, one about “The Case of the Missing Necklace” and the other about “The Case of the Missing Homework.” After reading the source articles students were full of ideas they wanted in include in their rough drafts titled, “The Case of the Missing Hamster.” 5th graders were mapping out food webs, and debating if plants ate sunlight, or how did they get their energy? Visiting the art classroom Mr. G. took a freshly fired first grade flower out of the kiln. It looked like a new species of purple, glassy, hibiscus.
Last week after school 40, 3rd through 6th graders from Let me Run, and Girls on the Run ran a practice 5k in 40® and rainy weather. We were soaked, and we had a blast. Many students ran further than they ever have before. Parents and coaches ran, or cheered in the rain. I’m grateful to encourage, and run with our teams.
Throughout the day teachers work to excite, encourage, and challenge students and that doesn’t happen by accident. Behind the scenes teachers come in on weekends, during the summer, and in the evening (two of them missed board recognition because they were at school planning and prepping for the next day). They bring papers home to grade and plan once their own kids are asleep, and the dishes are done. They spend their own money, or work extra to write grants and go to the public library to fill their rooms with books, and resources to provide opportunities for students. They shove food in their mouth in 15-20 min by the time they drop their students off at recess and warm up the leftovers they brought for lunch. I was a teacher for 10 years before I became the director of the STEM Academy, I know. Teacher thank you for all you do to make the STEM Academy an exciting place to go to school!
This month let’s recognize and appreciate the benefits our kids receive from their teachers. Let’s show them a little love and tell them they are appreciated. Write them a note, bring them an apple. Smile and say thanks.
To learn more about gratitude watch this 4 minute video from Dr. Robert Emmons of UC Davis.
Dr. Robert Emmons of UC Davis talks about Gratitude from Character Lab on Vimeo.
Zest is a strength of the mind and is also referred to as vitality. It is an approach to life that is filled with excitement and energy.
http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-zest-a-lemon-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-198570
Actively participating, showing enthusiasm, approaching new situations with excitement and energy, and invigorating those around you, positively affects you as a student and a person. Young children often naturally exhibit these character traits, and they unfortunately wane over time, but then increases later in life.
At the STEM Academy we make it a goal that we are not only helping students grow academically but we are connecting them with things they can have enthusiasm for. We strive to foster a love of learning, in addition to helping students grow academically, socially and physically. Parents can help with this. Often we think that zest is related to being extroverted, and that this is a fixed disposition of each child, they are or they are not. Characterlab.org points out, “Zest is about exhibiting enthusiasm and feeling energized. But zest doesn’t need to be loud—the quiet, introverted artist can approach her latest project with zest, even if she is alone in her studio.” Teachers and parents can observe zest in several ways that include,
- Actively participating by asking questions or listening closely
- Showing enthusiasm through smiles or excited comments
- Approaching new situations with excitement and energy
- Invigorating others around you
Zest is a character trait that can be nurtured and you can grow whether you tend toward extroversion or introversion.
I would like to encourage you to take some time and reflect about what you are enthusiastic about and share that with your child. I am excited about being in nature, and spending time with my family.
Over spring break I went hiking in the Smokey Mountains with my family and we played in a cold mountain stream for about an hour. My little daughters feet were nearly blue, but she loved making boats out of leaves and sending them over the rapids with her cousins. It excited me to share my love of nature and the outdoors with my family and I came back to the STEM Academy recharged and energized. Here is a link to Character Lab with additional readings and information about the character trait of zest. https://characterlab.org/tools/zest
I asked this question to some of the 8th graders working in the library today. One said, "Easy: to accomplish my goals." Another said, "to help people, or to make the world better."
"What is the reason for your goal?" I asked.
"Hmmmm, that’s a tough one," the students thought.
Have a conversation with your child(ren) about purpose, and it may surprise you.
March is reading month, and one of the best ways to connect people is through stories. Think of some of the classic children’s books like Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are.” What does this story tell us about family, love, and imagination?
Or Ezra Jack Keats, “The Snowy Day” where Peter has an adventure, enjoys the snow, and learns how to deal with the changing problems that confront children as they grow up.
Or “Harold and the Purple Crayon” by Crockett Johnson. This book about Harold and his magic purple crayon takes us on a journey through Harold’s imagination, escaping dangers, and traveling to far-off places; at the end, Harold comes to a surprising realization.
Many stories can help us think about purpose. I recently revisited a Time.com article I read a couple of years back. “The sense that your personal life is meaningful to you is a cornerstone of psychological well-being,” said Michael F. Steger, director of the laboratory for Meaning and Quality of Life at Colorado State University. Not only that, it is “tightly tied to being happier, more positive, more confident, more caring, more helpful, more resilient, and more satisfied in your life, relationships, and work.” Who doesn’t want that for their kids? Who doesn’t want that for themselves? Character Lab talks about purpose this way. Purpose is a strength of heart, and it can be cultivated. Strengths of heart are interpersonal, helping strengths. They help you relate in positive ways to other people. Some strengths of heart include gratitude, purpose, self-control, and social/emotional intelligence. In a blog post on medium.com Chris Hullman gets in the mind of a middle-schooler and quips, “I could be changing the world right now, but instead I’m solving for X.” Click on the link to see an awesome resource that helps us have conversations with our kids about finding value in classwork, and why it matters.
Dr. Bill Damon of Stanford University talks about Purpose from Character Lab on Vimeo.
Teachers and parents take note of expectancy-value theory and what it says about helping students answer the ‘why’ question. What do you think? What is your purpose? What is your favorite children’s book? What are barriers to instilling a sense of purpose in our lives?
Here is an article from Harvard Ed. Magazine. It resonates with me as I have meetings with parents who say my child is bored... and I reply as my mom used to reply to me if I ever dared to say that forbidden 5 letter word, boredom is a personal problem, go out and play, climb a tree, read a book, catch frogs in the creek.
As I walk around the STEM Academy, most days I see engagement, excitement, and challenge. Lets continue to put the responsibility for learning to students, the responsibility for engagement to students, but lets also strive to show them how the work we engage in is relevant. Encourage your kids, preteens and teens to rise to the challenge. Work hard even when you don't feel like it. Feel the sense of satisfaction that comes from doing the right thing when no one is watching. Reading this article helped me add tools to my education tool belt to support teachers, students and parents.
From the article “We have to stop seeing boredom as a frilly side effect. It is a central issue. Engagement is a precondition for learning,” he adds. “No learning happens until students agree to become engaged with the material.”
"“If you see human potential as a bell curve and there are only some kids who are going to be great and most kids are mediocre, then engagement really wouldn’t matter,” Rose says. “But if you really believe that all kids are capable, then you would build environments that really worked hard to sustain engagement and nurture potential.”
"Rose adds that high schools rarely take advantage of an adolescent’s cognitive development. Teenagers “take on identities; they’re more socially oriented. This is the first time when abstract ideas can be motivating. They become more politically engaged and think about things like justice. Yet we’re still keeping them in the kind of education system... that wants nothing from them in terms of their own ideas. School has already decided what matters and [what it] expects from you. It’s like an airplane: Sit down, strap in, don’t talk, look forward. Why would it be meaningful?”
The beauty of relevance, Rose says, “is that it’s free. If you’re an educator or curriculum developer, and you saw your responsibility to ensure every kid knew why they were doing what they were doing, you can do that tomorrow.”
"But the biggest shift we need,” Rose believes, is much more elemental. “We need to get away from thinking that the opposite of ‘bored’ is ‘entertained.’ It’s ‘engaged.’” It’s not about pumping cartoons and virtual reality games into the classroom, it’s about finding ways to make curriculum more resonant, personalized, and meaningful for every student. “Engagement is very meaningful at a neurological level, at a learning level, and a behavioral level. When kids are engaged, life is so much easier.”
Ms. Anderson the 2nd grade teacher at the STEM Academy shares this video with her students.
I'm encouraged and excited to lead a building that values engagement, and works to meet the needs of ALL students. What are ways you battle boredom? How do you encourage your child or student to stay engaged?
-Mr. Chopp
Today I received a book from my college and friend Mrs. Caswell @casswellsusan, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. I have been wanting to read the book since it came out last May. Mrs. Medendorp has read it and shared what she learned with rave reviews. Here is an exert from the amazon.com review of the book.
"In this instant New York Times bestseller, pioneering
psychologist Angela Duckworth shows anyone striving to succeed—be it
parents, students, educators, athletes, or business people—that the
secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a special blend of
passion and persistence she calls “grit.”
Drawing on her own
powerful story as the daughter of a scientist who frequently noted her
lack of “genius,” Duckworth, now a celebrated researcher and professor,
describes her early eye-opening stints in teaching, business consulting,
and neuroscience, which led to the hypothesis that what really drives
success is not “genius” but a unique combination of passion and
long-term perseverance.
In Grit, she takes readers into
the field to visit cadets struggling through their first days at West
Point, teachers working in some of the toughest schools, and young
finalists in the National Spelling Bee. She also mines fascinating
insights from history and shows what can be gleaned from modern
experiments in peak performance. Finally, she shares what she’s learned
from interviewing dozens of high achievers—from JP Morgan CEO Jamie
Dimon to New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff to Seattle Seahawks Coach
Pete Carroll.
Among Grit’s most valuable insights:
*Why any effort you make ultimately counts twice toward your goal
*How grit can be learned, regardless of I.Q. or circumstances
*How lifelong interest is triggered
*How much of optimal practice is suffering and how much ecstasy
*Which is better for your child—a warm embrace or high standards
*The magic of the Hard Thing Rule
Winningly personal, insightful, and even life-changing, Grit is a book about what goes through your head when you fall down, and how that—not talent or luck—makes all the difference."
If the amazon.com review didn't wet your whistle to learn more about grit maybe Angela Duckworth's TED talk about the subject is more up your alley.
Another great resource is the video from www.characterlab.com about Grit.
Dr. Angela Duckworth talks about Grit from Character Lab on Vimeo.
December is a great month to talk with your family about self-control.
I’m not just referring to resisting the urge to keep eating holiday sweets, or the desire of little kids to create long lists for of wants, but also to reflect on how to develop self-control. This character trait is both strength of heart, and strength of mind. Character lab defines self-control as controlling one's own responses so they align with short- and long-term goals. Self-control predicts academic, personal, health, and economic outcomes. The famous “marshmallow experiment” showed that preschool students who demonstrated more self-control had better academic and social outcomes decades later—including less drug use and higher SAT scores—than did those who demonstrated less self-control as young children. Check out the link to see some examples of observing self-control, an evidenced based tool for developing self-control called WOOP, which stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, and Plan. Also there are two short videos about what the research says about self-control.
Dr. Walter Mischel talks about Self-Control from Character Lab on Vimeo.
Dr. Ethan Kross, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan, talks about Self-Control from Character Lab on Vimeo.
On a personal note I am working on exercising self-control as I train for the steelhead ½ ironman in Benton Harbor, Michigan on August 13th. I’ve never done this distance of triathlon (70.3 miles) I will be working on exercising self-control as I resist the snooze button, and stick to my training plan the next 9 months.
- Mr. Chopp
“The Science of Character” The Science of Character (8 mins) explores the neuroscience and social science that proves that we can shape who we are, and who we want to be in the world.
"The Science of Character" - new 8 min film from The Moxie Institute on Vimeo.
Here is a taste from the discussion guide for (ages 10-14) For complete discussion guide, go here: SOCDiscussionGuideAges10-14.pdf
- Take a look at the periodic table of character strengths. What are your four strongest character strengths? (LINK: PeriodicTableCharacterStrengths.pdf)
- How can you use them to improve your life? How can you use them to improve your community?
- Now look back at the table of character strengths. What are three character strengths you'd like to develop?
- Pick one of the strengths you want to develop. What’s something you could do right now to bring more of that strength into your life?
In the first week of October I am asking that you watch, “The Adaptable Mind.” This short video explores the skills we need to flourish in the 21st Century. The film begins with a question to the world through social media: what’s a great example of a 21st century mind in action?
Of the hundreds of inspiring stories that flooded in, one stood out: Los Angeles-based professor and artist, Mary Beth Heffernan, was listening to coverage of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa and how isolating and traumatic it must be for patients to interact only with hazmat suits for weeks on end. She thought, “what if they put pictures of their faces on the front of the suits?” Thousands of letters, grants, and hurdles later, Mary Beth’s story reveals that, while there is a lot of fear that technology is displacing our jobs, the skills we need most in the 21st Century — curiosity, creativity, taking initiative, multi-disciplinary thinking, and empathy — happen to be skills that machines don’t have; only humans have.
Share your thoughts on our FaceBook page or in the comments section below!
This month our family focus is on having a growth mindset. Having a growth mindset means understanding that intelligence can be developed. Find out why telling your student, “You’re so smart,” may backfire by watching the video below.
A growth mindset is critical to school success and linked with grit. Research shows that a growth mindset predicts increased academic achievement and can help narrow gaps (e.g., racial achievement gaps, gender gaps) that may be seen otherwise. Post your thoughts on the STEM Facebook page!
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