I know that 36 is short- but it is a saying that I live by: “Look for the best in everybody.” There is good in everyone but sometimes we just need to let it shine. Especially in students who are developing and coming into their own, it is amazing to see their transition and development. Kids are always learning new lessons and sometimes it is one of these lessons that turns them into a new person.
I am also a firm believer in chapter 37- Watch what they do not what they say. People in general can say whatever they want to say. They can say they want to do something but until their actions are shown you can never know the true intention. Unfortunately, people lie and try to convince themselves or others of things by what they say. I try to teach my students that actions speak louder than words, as the old saying goes. I want them to show potential employers how motivated they are. I want them to take the extra initiative to go the extra mile. These are the conversations that we have!
It is important to look for the best in everybody. Sometimes students need to qualify what is the best and be able to find it in students who they are not friends with. Giving them opportunities to work with others in different ways, using technology, doing research or writing together gives them the opportunity to discuss various topics and see the good in each other that they might not have seen in their peers outside the classroom.
I really liked reading chapter 53, Never Give Up. I think I would choose this message to share with my students because it could carry over to any challenge they are facing in their school or personal life throughout their lifetime. I think it would be a topic that the kids could relate to, and share what strategies they tried to overcome an obstacle of their own. I think it is meaningful that Randy shared his challenges (brick walls) and how he overcame them in order to show his progress over time.
It's good for kids to know that we all will encounter walls one day...it's how you chose to get over them that matters. This defines who you are and the path your life will take.
Chapter 36- "Look for the best in Everybody." I really try to do this- and Randy is right- when you wait long enough- people will usually show you their good side. Working in the same building community for 20 years, you find this about your colleagues. You get to know them really well. Everybody has good points, you just have to be willing to see them. That's even the same with this challenging group of students I have- they have all shown me their sparkle, but some take longer than others to do so. Then, once it shows, you find a way to help them show more of it!
I’m opting for chapter 32 - “Don’t Complain, Just Work Harder.” I enjoyed Randy’s message in this chapter as he pointed out his friend who had every reason to complain but didn’t. I won’t even begin to say that I don’t ever complain, but I try my best not to as it doesn’t solve anything. I’m constantly trying to show my students that, as Americans, no matter how hard we think we may have it, there’s always someone somewhere else who has it much, much worse. It goes back to our beginning of the year discussion on perspective. Haven’t we all complained at some point in our lives about getting a cold shower in the morning? I know I have! Honestly though, Let’s step back and think about the people who ONLY have cold water in their houses. Or those who have NO water in their houses. Or even those who don’t have access to clean water at all. We really do live a life of luxury without much to really complain about. Yet here we are, complaining. I think I’m even using this post to complain about those who complain too much. I guess my point is that we could all stand to complain and expect less, and to be a lot more appreciative and grateful for what we do have. I think this is a very important lesson to pass on to students, and just one more reason to travel and learn.
You are definitely right, we probably all find ourselves complaining more than we want to or should. I am always amazed by the people who do seem to always be positive about things.
I really like the idea in Chapter 54 of being a "Communitarian". "Rights have to come from somewhere, and they come from the community. In return, all of us have a responsibility to the community." So many student's today assume they have rights without bearing any responsibilities. It just doesn't work that way, or shouldn't! If we can teach kids to look out for each other and they will be looked upon in return, it would make for a much happier place in this world.
I liked this chapter too, Kristen. When Randy said, "Everyone has to contribute to the common good. To not do so can be described in one word: selfish". I think that describes a classroom environment pretty well. If a student isn't contributing to the whole, they are hindering it, and appear selfish.
I like chapter 32 " Don't complain, just work harder". I encounter a lot of whining and actual crying with my younger students when things get hard. Randy said "complaining does not work" . I think kids need to know that sometimes things are suppose to be hard and it's ok to feel anxious and uncomfortable. We just need to keep working, that's the only way it will ever become easier for you. This is a good lesson to learn when you are young.
One of the concepts I already share with my students is covered in Chapter 51 "No Job is Beneath You". So many of them have big ideas (and sometimes egos to match) about what kind of job they will get right out of high school or college, without realizing that they will probably spend several years working their way up from the bottom. I always advise them to take on the jobs that no one else wants, and do them to the best of their ability. There are a lot of people who will have the same skills as they do, so they need to stand out in other ways, like work ethic, being easy to work with, etc.
When I read chapter 39, I put a star next to the first sentence: Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. What a great way to look at things that might otherwise be viewed as a negative. In just thinking about this for 2 minutes in my own life...I tried out for cheerleading in high school and didn't make it (can you believe it?) but I gained experience auditioning in front of a group. I applied for a job in college at Rite Aid and didn't get it, but I got experience filling out job applications and interviewing. I think even my 2nd graders could benefit from making a list like this!
I would share chapter 53 - Never Give up - with my students. As Randy says those brick walls are there for a reason and being able to overcome those obstacles is an amazing experience in life. I have experienced these brick walls throughout my life, and I think my ability to just keep pushing forward has made me the person I am today. No matter how hard something is, you just need to persevere. My students will face challenges through out their lives that I may never understand, but I feel it is important for them to know struggle happens and they can overcome any obstacle if they just keep trying.
I also chose #53. I like your opinion of it and that you mentioned perseverance. This is a great lesson to teach students, and that all the obstacles they go through makes them stronger.
Talk about brick walls! That is really a powerful lesson to learn. Sometimes when you think it cannot get any worse, it seems to get worse. But there is always Someone who will pick you you up when you need to be carried! He is so good!
Although short, the chapter that resonated most with me was number 43: "The Friday Night Solution." I am a firm believer in hard work. After a particularly hard day of practice my football coach said, "If there was an easy way to do this we would, but it just takes hard work." I have remembered and shared this many times. It is a temptation to look at someone's success and wish we could get lucky like they did, but their success is due more to their work and preparation than luck. Hard work also has the advantage of making you feel good especially when you accomplish a goal.
I hate when people attribute someones success to being lucky. It undercuts all the work that has likely gone into getting to the position they are in. Luck to me is the byproduct of hard work, and shortcuts for hard work almost never workout.
There were a few chapters that I really felt would make an impact on the lives of students. They are great lessons for all, and could have a place in so many areas. The first was Chapter #28: Dream Big. This story of Randy being at camp when Men first walked on the Moon, and it was televised, is a great visual. And it proves a point of how inspiring that event was. I also liked #32: Don't complain, Just work harder. This story was inspirational about Randy's landlord having a very unfortunate accident, but it never made him give up. He went through a terrible time, and was still a "non-complainer." The lesson to be taught to students here is "any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won't make us happier." My third favorite was #53: Never give up. This chapter was interesting about his admissions into Carnegie Mellon; the point that he is making is a valuable lesson to teach in any classroom.
Chapter 29 Earnest is Better Than Hip reminds me of what my father has said since I was a kid, "Boring makes all things possible." We used to groan at this, but it is true. Do homework, school is easier the next day, practice hard and the game goes well, eat well and feel better,work hard at a job enjoy a home etc. The earnest nature of the boy scout, the clothes that don't need to be purchased until they are worn are great examples of this concept. Students live in the now and sometimes need to be reminded that hip and cool is really not as cool as being earnest. We need to reinforce these ideas as they help students see what will allow for success.
Chapter 51 - No Job Is Beneath You I think this is important because of the entitlement that many young people feel today, but I have a story that goes along with it. When I first started going to college, I was a business admin. major with a strong concentration in math as both of my parents were accountants. I was a full time branch manager of a local retail outfit while going to school and decided why bother...I was making really good money, living on my own, and didn't have a care in the world. One June,during a busy time of year for my store I was asked to attend a wedding in California for a great friend from high school. I got permission to go, but while I was gone the district manager took care of my store. Keep in mind that this store brought in between 2.5-3.5 million a year in sales. When I arrived at the store upon my return, the district manager was there. He told me things did not go well while I was gone and that I was fired. Not only was I confused but I was angry. As it turned out, I was told that he needed a scapegoat because of something he did in my absence. As it turned out, I went to see an old boss from high school when I worked at Perkins. He told me that he would hire me, but that I would have to start as a dishwasher and a bus boy. I went from wearing a suit and tie to work everyday to scrape others' scraps off their plates. It was humbling but the experience is a big part of who I am today. While managing, I also coached hockey at the 14U level. So it didn't take long for me to enroll at Buffalo State to become a teacher. I didn't bus tables and wash dishes for long. I was soon waiting tables, and became the floor supervisor. While waiting on a table one night, I was offered a job at the Parklane Restaurant which led to many other jobs including a managerial position doing banquets at the Grand Island Holiday Inn. I continued my education and was always working, but eventually I became the teacher that I am today because I didn't think I was above anything and was willing to work toward a better life.
Echoing a bit of what Craig said above, number 51 really is important to me. My working career has always been built from the bottom up, proving myself at each step, and being recognized and promoted because of the job I had done, not because of what I told people I could do for them. I also worked as a dishwasher and busboy at Perkins! By the end of the first year, and only being 17 years old, I was the head cook on Friday nights, and Saturday and Sunday mornings. I served during the week, and made quite a bit more money than anyone within a decade of my age. It all came from principles instilled by my grandfather. He owned a pool installation and repair business, and even though I was his grandson, I did every crappy, hard job there was. If there was a trench to dig, I dug it. If I had to make concrete forms for weeks on end in the summer, that is what I did. I remember complaining once, and the dress down I received from my grandfather has walked beside me every workday since. I know the value of an education, and I respect the work I put in to get my degrees, but I feel that way too many of our kids today have missed out on character building that comes from good, hard manual labor. I emphasis in my classes all the time, that if someone hires you for a job, and you don't prove your work ethic while doing that job, why would those people ever believe you will then change your stripes and put forth a better effort when promoted. True work ethic means pride in your job, whatever job you have, no matter how menial.
Chapter 28 "Dream Big" Dreaming big inspires people to work harder to achieve goals such as graduation, going to college, obtaining employment. I would also share that small dreams are also important, maybe more important because you need to accomplish the small things before you can achieve the big things. Making, working through, and accomplishing goals is so important to my students. They come into the school not speaking English having to overcome their own cultural biases as well as American cultural biases. Setting goals and accomplishing them is something my students have complete control over.
I think that Chapter 51 is incredibly valuable. "No Job Is Beneath You" I agree with Randy and I definitely do think there seems to be an increasing amount of entitlement in today's youth. In any job that I have ever had, I have always been willing to do whatever my boss, or manager, or principal asks of me. I will clean the bathrooms, I will carry the backpack that's not mine, I will make the props for the school play, I will arrive early and I will leave late. I will basically do anything and everything to prove that I am worthy of this position that you have trusted me with and anything else in my path. It is always incredible to me when during clean up in the art room, I am on a loop: "There should be no pencils, erasers, markers, scraps of paper, or ANYTHING on the floor! It was not here when you got here!" *I am looking at an eraser on the ground* "Joey, could you grab that eraser please and put it in the eraser bucket?" "That's not mine." "Oh, well you are perfectly capable of picking it up, right?" Every day this happens. Every day. With different students, in different grade levels. I am determined to change their way of thinking!
I know that 36 is short- but it is a saying that I live by: “Look for the best in everybody.” There is good in everyone but sometimes we just need to let it shine. Especially in students who are developing and coming into their own, it is amazing to see their transition and development. Kids are always learning new lessons and sometimes it is one of these lessons that turns them into a new person.
ReplyDeleteI am also a firm believer in chapter 37- Watch what they do not what they say. People in general can say whatever they want to say. They can say they want to do something but until their actions are shown you can never know the true intention. Unfortunately, people lie and try to convince themselves or others of things by what they say. I try to teach my students that actions speak louder than words, as the old saying goes. I want them to show potential employers how motivated they are. I want them to take the extra initiative to go the extra mile. These are the conversations that we have!
It is important to look for the best in everybody. Sometimes students need to qualify what is the best and be able to find it in students who they are not friends with. Giving them opportunities to work with others in different ways, using technology, doing research or writing together gives them the opportunity to discuss various topics and see the good in each other that they might not have seen in their peers outside the classroom.
DeleteI really liked reading chapter 53, Never Give Up. I think I would choose this message to share with my students because it could carry over to any challenge they are facing in their school or personal life throughout their lifetime. I think it would be a topic that the kids could relate to, and share what strategies they tried to overcome an obstacle of their own. I think it is meaningful that Randy shared his challenges (brick walls) and how he overcame them in order to show his progress over time.
ReplyDeleteTrue- What is the wall? How will you get over it or knock it down? Never give up is a great message for any age.
DeleteIt's good for kids to know that we all will encounter walls one day...it's how you chose to get over them that matters. This defines who you are and the path your life will take.
DeleteI love this chapter and always reference it in my class!
DeleteChapter 36- "Look for the best in Everybody." I really try to do this- and Randy is right- when you wait long enough- people will usually show you their good side. Working in the same building community for 20 years, you find this about your colleagues. You get to know them really well. Everybody has good points, you just have to be willing to see them. That's even the same with this challenging group of students I have- they have all shown me their sparkle, but some take longer than others to do so. Then, once it shows, you find a way to help them show more of it!
ReplyDeleteYou're right. There is good in everyone and it is worth waiting for! Do you ever wonder why it takes some people so long to show it?!
DeleteThere were so many great chapters, this was one of my favorites for sure. It is true, all people make mistakes, but they will eventually surprise you.
DeleteI’m opting for chapter 32 - “Don’t Complain, Just Work Harder.” I enjoyed Randy’s message in this chapter as he pointed out his friend who had every reason to complain but didn’t. I won’t even begin to say that I don’t ever complain, but I try my best not to as it doesn’t solve anything. I’m constantly trying to show my students that, as Americans, no matter how hard we think we may have it, there’s always someone somewhere else who has it much, much worse. It goes back to our beginning of the year discussion on perspective. Haven’t we all complained at some point in our lives about getting a cold shower in the morning? I know I have! Honestly though, Let’s step back and think about the people who ONLY have cold water in their houses. Or those who have NO water in their houses. Or even those who don’t have access to clean water at all. We really do live a life of luxury without much to really complain about. Yet here we are, complaining. I think I’m even using this post to complain about those who complain too much. I guess my point is that we could all stand to complain and expect less, and to be a lot more appreciative and grateful for what we do have. I think this is a very important lesson to pass on to students, and just one more reason to travel and learn.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite chapter too Jessica!
DeleteYou are definitely right, we probably all find ourselves complaining more than we want to or should. I am always amazed by the people who do seem to always be positive about things.
DeleteI really like the idea in Chapter 54 of being a "Communitarian". "Rights have to come from somewhere, and they come from the community. In return, all of us have a responsibility to the community." So many student's today assume they have rights without bearing any responsibilities. It just doesn't work that way, or shouldn't! If we can teach kids to look out for each other and they will be looked upon in return, it would make for a much happier place in this world.
ReplyDeleteI liked this chapter too, Kristen. When Randy said, "Everyone has to contribute to the common good. To not do so can be described in one word: selfish". I think that describes a classroom environment pretty well. If a student isn't contributing to the whole, they are hindering it, and appear selfish.
DeleteI like chapter 32 " Don't complain, just work harder". I encounter a lot of whining and actual crying with my younger students when things get hard. Randy said "complaining does not work" . I think kids need to know that sometimes things are suppose to be hard and it's ok to feel anxious and uncomfortable. We just need to keep working, that's the only way it will ever become easier for you. This is a good lesson to learn when you are young.
ReplyDeleteOne of the concepts I already share with my students is covered in Chapter 51 "No Job is Beneath You". So many of them have big ideas (and sometimes egos to match) about what kind of job they will get right out of high school or college, without realizing that they will probably spend several years working their way up from the bottom. I always advise them to take on the jobs that no one else wants, and do them to the best of their ability. There are a lot of people who will have the same skills as they do, so they need to stand out in other ways, like work ethic, being easy to work with, etc.
ReplyDeleteWorking your way up from the bottom definitely provides one with perspective.
DeleteWhen I read chapter 39, I put a star next to the first sentence: Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. What a great way to look at things that might otherwise be viewed as a negative. In just thinking about this for 2 minutes in my own life...I tried out for cheerleading in high school and didn't make it (can you believe it?) but I gained experience auditioning in front of a group. I applied for a job in college at Rite Aid and didn't get it, but I got experience filling out job applications and interviewing.
ReplyDeleteI think even my 2nd graders could benefit from making a list like this!
I would share chapter 53 - Never Give up - with my students. As Randy says those brick walls are there for a reason and being able to overcome those obstacles is an amazing experience in life. I have experienced these brick walls throughout my life, and I think my ability to just keep pushing forward has made me the person I am today. No matter how hard something is, you just need to persevere. My students will face challenges through out their lives that I may never understand, but I feel it is important for them to know struggle happens and they can overcome any obstacle if they just keep trying.
ReplyDeleteI also chose #53. I like your opinion of it and that you mentioned perseverance. This is a great lesson to teach students, and that all the obstacles they go through makes them stronger.
DeleteTalk about brick walls! That is really a powerful lesson to learn. Sometimes when you think it cannot get any worse, it seems to get worse. But there is always Someone who will pick you you up when you need to be carried! He is so good!
DeleteAlthough short, the chapter that resonated most with me was number 43: "The Friday Night Solution." I am a firm believer in hard work. After a particularly hard day of practice my football coach said, "If there was an easy way to do this we would, but it just takes hard work." I have remembered and shared this many times. It is a temptation to look at someone's success and wish we could get lucky like they did, but their success is due more to their work and preparation than luck. Hard work also has the advantage of making you feel good especially when you accomplish a goal.
ReplyDeleteI hate when people attribute someones success to being lucky. It undercuts all the work that has likely gone into getting to the position they are in. Luck to me is the byproduct of hard work, and shortcuts for hard work almost never workout.
DeleteThere were a few chapters that I really felt would make an impact on the lives of students. They are great lessons for all, and could have a place in so many areas. The first was Chapter #28: Dream Big. This story of Randy being at camp when Men first walked on the Moon, and it was televised, is a great visual. And it proves a point of how inspiring that event was. I also liked #32: Don't complain, Just work harder. This story was inspirational about Randy's landlord having a very unfortunate accident, but it never made him give up. He went through a terrible time, and was still a "non-complainer." The lesson to be taught to students here is "any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won't make us happier."
ReplyDeleteMy third favorite was #53: Never give up. This chapter was interesting about his admissions into Carnegie Mellon; the point that he is making is a valuable lesson to teach in any classroom.
Chapter 29 Earnest is Better Than Hip reminds me of what my father has said since I was a kid, "Boring makes all things possible." We used to groan at this, but it is true. Do homework, school is easier the next day, practice hard and the game goes well, eat well and feel better,work hard at a job enjoy a home etc. The earnest nature of the boy scout, the clothes that don't need to be purchased until they are worn are great examples of this concept. Students live in the now and sometimes need to be reminded that hip and cool is really not as cool as being earnest. We need to reinforce these ideas as they help students see what will allow for success.
ReplyDeleteChapter 51 - No Job Is Beneath You
ReplyDeleteI think this is important because of the entitlement that many young people feel today, but I have a story that goes along with it. When I first started going to college, I was a business admin. major with a strong concentration in math as both of my parents were accountants. I was a full time branch manager of a local retail outfit while going to school and decided why bother...I was making really good money, living on my own, and didn't have a care in the world. One June,during a busy time of year for my store I was asked to attend a wedding in California for a great friend from high school. I got permission to go, but while I was gone the district manager took care of my store. Keep in mind that this store brought in between 2.5-3.5 million a year in sales. When I arrived at the store upon my return, the district manager was there. He told me things did not go well while I was gone and that I was fired. Not only was I confused but I was angry. As it turned out, I was told that he needed a scapegoat because of something he did in my absence. As it turned out, I went to see an old boss from high school when I worked at Perkins. He told me that he would hire me, but that I would have to start as a dishwasher and a bus boy. I went from wearing a suit and tie to work everyday to scrape others' scraps off their plates. It was humbling but the experience is a big part of who I am today. While managing, I also coached hockey at the 14U level. So it didn't take long for me to enroll at Buffalo State to become a teacher. I didn't bus tables and wash dishes for long. I was soon waiting tables, and became the floor supervisor. While waiting on a table one night, I was offered a job at the Parklane Restaurant which led to many other jobs including a managerial position doing banquets at the Grand Island Holiday Inn. I continued my education and was always working, but eventually I became the teacher that I am today because I didn't think I was above anything and was willing to work toward a better life.
Echoing a bit of what Craig said above, number 51 really is important to me. My working career has always been built from the bottom up, proving myself at each step, and being recognized and promoted because of the job I had done, not because of what I told people I could do for them. I also worked as a dishwasher and busboy at Perkins! By the end of the first year, and only being 17 years old, I was the head cook on Friday nights, and Saturday and Sunday mornings. I served during the week, and made quite a bit more money than anyone within a decade of my age. It all came from principles instilled by my grandfather. He owned a pool installation and repair business, and even though I was his grandson, I did every crappy, hard job there was. If there was a trench to dig, I dug it. If I had to make concrete forms for weeks on end in the summer, that is what I did. I remember complaining once, and the dress down I received from my grandfather has walked beside me every workday since. I know the value of an education, and I respect the work I put in to get my degrees, but I feel that way too many of our kids today have missed out on character building that comes from good, hard manual labor. I emphasis in my classes all the time, that if someone hires you for a job, and you don't prove your work ethic while doing that job, why would those people ever believe you will then change your stripes and put forth a better effort when promoted. True work ethic means pride in your job, whatever job you have, no matter how menial.
ReplyDeleteChapter 28 "Dream Big"
ReplyDeleteDreaming big inspires people to work harder to achieve goals such as graduation, going to college, obtaining employment. I would also share that small dreams are also important, maybe more important because you need to accomplish the small things before you can achieve the big things.
Making, working through, and accomplishing goals is so important to my students. They come into the school not speaking English having to overcome their own cultural biases as well as American cultural biases. Setting goals and accomplishing them is something my students have complete control over.
I think that Chapter 51 is incredibly valuable. "No Job Is Beneath You"
ReplyDeleteI agree with Randy and I definitely do think there seems to be an increasing amount of entitlement in today's youth. In any job that I have ever had, I have always been willing to do whatever my boss, or manager, or principal asks of me. I will clean the bathrooms, I will carry the backpack that's not mine, I will make the props for the school play, I will arrive early and I will leave late. I will basically do anything and everything to prove that I am worthy of this position that you have trusted me with and anything else in my path.
It is always incredible to me when during clean up in the art room, I am on a loop:
"There should be no pencils, erasers, markers, scraps of paper, or ANYTHING on the floor! It was not here when you got here!"
*I am looking at an eraser on the ground*
"Joey, could you grab that eraser please and put it in the eraser bucket?"
"That's not mine."
"Oh, well you are perfectly capable of picking it up, right?"
Every day this happens. Every day. With different students, in different grade levels. I am determined to change their way of thinking!