The upward spiral: igniting passion, intentionality and engagement
notes from a workshop today given by Susan MacDonald
Friday March 21, 2014
Rochester AEYC Spring Seminar
Reggio shows us what is possible/what can be
A deficit mindset leads to a negative spiral
Who benefits from the passion you have?
The scientific benefits of JOY â Barbara Fredrickson
3:1 ratio - need to have 3 pos interactions for every 1 neg one
 how do you enter your day standing in the doorway of hope
toxic stress
 making a conscious choice to be positive
 identify small shifts that allow you to show up positive
 the dust on the gold quote
 7% interaction = words
the rest is body language, 55% and tone/voice 38%
 if you are all on the bus heading in the right direction, how many does it take to stop the bus?
 One â or, more realistically, one and a friend.
 Canât afford energy vampires on your bus (book: the energy bus)
 What keeps you positive? Resilient?
 Itâs not the disequilibrium, itâs how we react/respond to it.
 It took me two hours to get here
Well I walked
Well I walked with a huge bag
 (We meet are trying to beat each other on the race to downward spiral)
 10 positive/amazing things but how fast wouldâve you been able to fill out 10 struggles
 you have to be present to positivity
 itâs a conscious shiftâŚÂ shining the light on the childâs strengths
 "don't ask what the word needs, ask what makes you come alive, then go do that because the world needs more people who have come alive." (quote on her screensaver)
  how do you move from languishing to flourishing?
 PositivityâŚ
Feels good
Changes how your mind works (broaden and build, expand)
Transforms your future
Puts breaks on negativity
Obeys a tipping point (small changes = big differences)
Can be increased under your own power!
 The ultimate payoff of that 47 cent stampâŚ
 Positive emotions open our hearts and minds making us more creative and receptive. Opening hearts and minds, positive emotions allow us to build new skills, new ties, new knowledge, new ways of being
 Ten forms of positivity:
Joy
Gratitude
Serenity
Interest
Hope
Pride
Amusement
Inspiration
Awe
Love
 How are you creating spaces/environments that move you forward?
 âJoy is not a constant â it comes in moments, often ordinary moments. Sometimes we miss them because we are too busy chasing down extraordinary moments.â  -BrenĂŠ Brown
  COVEY
Urgent and Important
Crisis
Pressing problems
Deadlines
 Not Urgent and Important
Relationship building
Values/vision work
Personal development
 Not Important and Urgent
Interruptions
Phone calls
Meetings
 Not Important and Not Urgent
TV
Internet
Time wasters
Busy work
  âurgency addictionâ Stephen Covey â first things first
 Where are you rushing off to? Donât be the dead body on the fast train.
  Better to be on a difficult path than a path that doesnât lead to where I want to go
-Steve Seidel
 deficit based
identify whatâs wrong
analysis of causes
possible solutions
plans of actions
 drains energy
negativity
discouragement
weakens teamwork and creativity
focuses on the past â not positive images for the future
 strength based
focus on whatâs right
what gives life?
what enhances life?
Honoring
 Increases engagement
Collaboration/teams
Improves student learning
Increases productivity
Restores hope
  Cultivate positive relationships
Trust
Confidence
Shift conversations
Reveal silver linings
Get people into flow
 Celebrate whatâs right
Dewitt Hones
 By celebrating whatâs right we find the energy to fix whatâs wrong. âDewitt Jones
 Underlying assumptions
Vitality is always there to be discovered
The first question is fateful
Our question influence those who answer
People increase confidence for change when they build on what they know
  The person centered approach rests on a basic trust in human beings to flow towards the constructive fulfillment of their own potential
-Carl Rogers
  listening
acknowledge and validate
ask empowering questions
inspire
raise consciousness
  when you act like you have all day it takes 10 minutes
when you act like you have 10 minutes it takes all dayâŚ.
  Avoid fix-it mode! Avoid savior mentality!
 Tell me about one of your best experiences in the classroom lately?
What is one of the most important lessons you have learned in your role as an ece?
What led you to go into their field?
What do you value most in your work?
Tell me about a challenging situation you handled well
Tell me about what assist you in being your best?
3 wishes to transform your work in the classroom â what would they be?
If they were granted â what would be the first thing I noticed?
If we had crystal ballâŚ
What else?
  Wait and See:
SEE â stop explaining everything
WAIT - why am I talking
 Appreciative inquiry â how are we tapping into what people know?
Positive attention in the present is the only thing that leads to positive change
 Back map??
 2000 days between birth and Kinder
 what would happen if we stopped juggling all the balls and instead aligned them?
 The VISION influences our goals
 Observe related to their goals⌠canât do this if we havenât identified goals!
 How are we using time and money to service our goals?
 Come talk to us â the teachers like you. What are your goals?
 Professional Development Goals:
IPDP with clear goals
Observation & feedback (based on goals)
Reflecting on and incorporating assessment data
Specific PD activities based
Check-inâs (2-3 times a year)
 VISION is grounding all of these together. All of the GOALS need to lead back to the VISION!
 Stay true to your vision and link everything back to it. Find a way to live it.
 Observe vitalitites.
  Learning is a result of our resourcefulness and their playfulness
 Vision Statements
Provide pictures of what could be
Are a catalyst for change
Unleash energy and facilitate goal setting
Give clear compelling picture of where an organization is headed
  Make sure your VISION is not a drone of negativity.
   And thatâs a wrap!
Lisa Murphy
March 2014
