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"The resilient find meaning in every moment, and exercise whatever power and agency are available -- including the power to choose their attitude." That quote speaks volumes to what this conclusion and book are all about. We have the power to choose our attitudes. We have the power to choose if we are going to let little situations effect our whole day or if we are going to show resilience and not allow that situation to effect our whole day. When Aguilar discussed the situation she had with the copier one morning and how she decided that she was not going to let that effect her through the rest of the day. She made the choice to take it with a grain of salt and make quick changes to her plans. I think it is important for all of us to be reminded that we have the power to choose our attitude each and every day that we go into our classrooms.

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My biggest take away from this chapter was to not only appreciate others, but to appreciate yourself. Often times I know I tend not to think about myself because I put all my effort and appreciation into everyone else, but I need to step back and appreciate myself as well. The four ideas that were given to appreciate yourself make sense and are easy to do and something that I want to start to implement starting in a few weeks. Another take away I had from this chapter is to not only appreciate others and yourself, but to also accept the appreciation when it is given. Yes it can be awkward and uncomfortable at times, but take the appreciation and do not underestimate yourself.

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“The power to choose their attitude.” This particular sentence sums up a lot of what this book was about to me. Throughout the book the author discussed situations and emotions that come about. In many, if not all of the cases, by taking a step back and evaluating what is going on we have the strength to change. We can alter our frustration by taking a deep calming breath and saying okay, that’s what it's going to be like, so I am going to do this instead. We can change our reactions by being mindful of who we are and what our biases are. We can turn our anger into proactive change once we have had a chance to reflect and come to terms with a situation. We have many choices throughout the day. We can choose to surround ourselves with people who lift us up or people who drag us down. We can choose to give until we have nothing left or we can step back and say I need to take care of myself first. We can choose to have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. We have the power to choose our attitude because we are resilient.

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What a powerful way to end a book. We all have a freedom to choose how our attitudes are and how we respond to things that may happen to us. In the beginning part of the conclusion, this was evident when she was talking about the man in the concentration camp. During one of the hardest times anyone could ever imagine being in, these people stay positive. It really put things into perspective for my own life and how my attitude can be controlled no matter the event that may happen. We also have to forge onward. Whatever life may throw at me, continue to build my resiliency, and move forward. What a great ending to a great book.

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My biggest take away from this chapter is appreciation for others and for yourself. I loved reading this part of the chapter because I didn't think of appreciation as something that could build your resilience; however, when you think about when someone appreciates something that you have done, it makes you feel good inside. It makes you to want to something like that again and you don't want to do it again just for them to show you that gratitude, rather, you do it because you are helping someone else. I did question to myself about being appreciated and if it would cause complacency so I am glad that the chapter stated that it actually motivates and energizes you. I also liked reading the section about appreciating yourself. I never have thought about doing that and feel like it will be awkward the first few times that I do it, but I can see why it would be beneficial for you to do it.

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One quote that struck a chord with me this last chapter was, "Let me remind you that as you cultivate your individual resilience, you'll have more physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual energy to challenge injustices and inequalities". (p. 313) I think about educators across the world that are dealing with unprecedented challenges from various fronts at this moment and how many probably feel defeated. This book has challenged me to reflect on my mindset towards issues I face, whether minuscule or major, and how I handle those situations. I've learned that having a growth mindset can lead to resiliency and provides power in times of trouble especially leading into this year of unknown. I hope to model the knowledge gained from this book study and provide opportunities in my class for my students to engage in activities and lessons that promote growth mindset and hopefully build resiliency in them to become independent learners who can succeed in anything they do.

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I really enjoyed this chapter of the book because I believe appreciation is so valuable, but I never thought of it as building resilience in ourselves and our students. We have all felt what it feels like to be appreciated; it can change a day around just like that! Now, focusing on giving appreciation to others is important in order to build a strong, caring community. It seems like such a simple thing, but we live in an individualistic society in which most people look at others success as competition which leads us to communicate our appreciation and gratitude less often. We need to flip that mindset to think of others positives as success for everyone. Creating a culture around showing each other what they bring to the table is key in building a positive community in your classroom or workplace.

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I have several takeaways from this week’s chapter. The first is on celebrations. We need to celebrate. We need to draw attention to and acknowledge the effort and work that is being done in our school and lives. We need to celebrate with students and staff. We need to celebrate for our students and staff. These don’t need to be big fancy celebrations. They don’t need to come at the end of something, although that is a great time to draw attention to things. We can celebrate in small ways and often. Along with the need to celebrate is the need to appreciate. They may seem like very similar ideas but they can have different intentions. Each person needs to both give and receive appreciation. This needs to be done without qualifications or explanations and accepted in the same manner. It is also important that we show appreciation for ourselves. A theme throughout the book was to not neglect yourself in the effort to give to others. Which brings me to my third take away, trust the process. We may not always see the end result or understand but if we trust and rely on the resilience we have developed it can get us through even the most difficult times.

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"You have a choice. Right now in this moment. You can choose how you respond to this event. This is your freedom."
That is what I took away from this chapter. No matter what situation we find ourselves in, we have the freedom to choose how we respond. That is what is empowering to me as an individual to move forward. That will be my reminder to myself whenever something doesn't go how I envisioned it or wanted it to go. I suspect I will be thinking about this many times in the next 3 week!

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My biggest take away from this chapter was the importance of expressing gratitude to others. I thought to when others have expressed to me gratitude for things that I have done and what that makes me feel like. The statement on p293 is accurate. Gratitude can fuel resilience and we are more energized to help others. Reading this also made me realize that I need to express my appreciation for others more often. I'm pretty decent at letting my wife know that I appreciate her and things she does, but I lack when it comes to letting others know I appreciate them. It got me thinking about incorporating this into my classroom and letting each student know what I appreciate about them. Hopefully expressing a lot of gratitude will open up students to more than just learning about playing an instrument in my class.

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“Resilience is the key to our own ability to thrive and, therefore, our ability to help others thrive.” (311)

We have the freedom to choose how we want to show up to a situation. This book has taught me many life lessons but most important it has taught me to be purposeful in everything I do. It has taught me strategies to find and bring my best self to situations I encounter. I could not be more grateful for having the opportunity to read this book right before we all forge on into a very different school year. The uncertainties and range of emotions are plentiful but I choose to bring a positive attitude to each day as well as practice/teach the habits from this book.

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This chapter was a great reminder of how important it is for us to practice appreciation for ourselves and others. I know that when I take time to write at least three things in my gratitude journal each night I feel much better about the day. I also know that when I am able to show appreciation for someone who has helped me I feel even better! One thing I realized I need to work on is accepting appreciation from others. I often brush it off like it is not a big deal and I did not understand how this could make the person giving the appreciation feel. Instead of brushing the appreciation off I need to be better at accepting it with a “thank you”.  I also like how the chapter connected faith/trust to appreciation. When we believe in something larger than ourselves and are able to have faith in the uncertain times we are better equip to take healthy risks or face challenges head on. This allows us to then celebrate and appreciate our growth.

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"You have a choice. Right now in this moment. You can choose how you respond to this event. This is your freedom” (Aguilar 312).

Wow! I am honestly speechless. I feel so thankful that this course was the first course in my journey at St. Mary’s Teaching + Learning Program! I have definitely learned about the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset, how to cultivate resilience in everyday moments, and lastly, knowing that choosing my thoughts will ultimately result in joy and freedom.

Here are my biggest takeaways from Aguilar’s conclusion:

Man’s Search for Meaning: In Aguilar’s conclusion, she discusses a quote from Viktor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning. As a Holocaust survivor, Frankl tells a story about a man who continued to give his bread away to others in their last moments of life. Frankl’s story about attitude, circumstances, and freedom reminds me that every situation, no matter where you are at, has the potential to change others. (Anyone else have goosebumps right now?)

Fighting the Good Fight: Lastly, Aguilar finishes her book by reminding us that we have choices in life’s everyday moments. When we choose how we respond to life’s challenges, we give power to our words and actions. Cultivating one’s resiliency is something you just can’t put a price tag on.

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" Yet, I have no choice but to forge onward"  (Agular, E. p. 314)
I found this quote to be so true, in all of our lives we have things that cause us stress, some seasons in our lives are easier then others, yet we use what we know to stay optimistic and we move forward, momement by moment. While many of things in this book were not knew concepts many of them were ones I thought, " oh If I'm not already teaching this, I should be"  I want my students to be prepared to face each day for the rest of their lives with the courage they need and the knowledge that they have the tools to climb any mountain and to know that they have someone who will be there each step of the way, not to make it easy for them but to love and support them and help them celebrate both mistakes and successes. I really enjoyed this book and feel like it is one I need to read more then once to keep things fresh in my mind.

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“Resilient people trust themselves, and they trust a process” (Aguilar 309).

The last chapter of the text! Here are my biggest takeaways from this week’s reading:

Appreciation + Gratitude: In Aguilar’s chapter on ‘Celebrate and Appreciate’ she discusses the many benefits of appreciation. “How you tell the story of your life matters” (290). Aguilar reminds us that we don’t need to wait until the end of a big event to celebrate; we can cultivate our successes in bite size pieces along the way (which also helps build our resilience!) Additionally, Aguilar discusses ways to integrate practices of gratitude into our lives. We can meditate, give public or private comments of appreciation, and take time to reflect about one’s accomplishments.

Sunshine Committee Leader: I am the ‘Sunshine Committee Leader’ at my school, which means I have the opportunity to celebrate and empathize with staff members who have experienced a recent birthday, an engagement, a loss, retirement, etc. In Aguilar’s chapter on ‘Celebrate and Appreciate,’ she tells a story about how Karina, a second year principal, wanted to boost feelings of appreciation at her school. Katrina sent out a survey at the beginning of the year that asked staff what love language best spoke to them. Such ideas included public affirmations, private affirmations, appreciation in writing, physical touch (hugs or high-fives), and even gifts (treats in the staff lounge, special coffee delivery, etc). In short, I plan to integrate Karina’s idea into my school as well!

Spirituality: Aguilar also touches on how spirituality and resilience are connected. “The quest to understand what it means to be human, to connect with a greater power, to find meaning beyond what we can see, hear, and touch is a hallmark of being a human being” (302). One of the biggest takeaways Aguilar discusses is to engage regularly with spiritual habits, which I am proud to say I do. (:

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Each day I write on facebook something I am thankful for that day. At first this started out in the month of October because I wanted to do something different then what others do for Thankgiving and it's been an almost daily activity. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's long and I don't know who really reads it and sometimes its a very open honest and not so fun day but I put it out there. I was only going to do this for a month but then went into November and each time I thought, I'm going to stop doing this someone would say to me " I really enjoy reading your post, I hope you keep it going" and now 10 months later I keep going. God provides all that I need and more each day, even the really tough days. I know my reliencey comes from my faith and even on days where my pride gets in the way and I think I know better then He does he still shows me unconditional love, grace and acceptance. This is something I want to show my students, even on their tough days, I want to show them love. One of the things I think Elena Agular does well is she works with the heart, not just the mind and in order to meet the needs of our students and peers I feel that we too also need to not just look at how the brain works but also include the heart.  Today my thankful thought was  "I'm thankful that God provided me safety when I fell while using the weed wacker and only I only ended up with a few aches and pains that advil and time will take care of, no trip to the ER today for me."

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This book was a great read, especially as a new teacher and it had a lot of great insight on resilience. I would love to read it again in the heart of our school year, or even in 5 years after I have more experience under my belt. This will be a great resource, especially when trying to build resilience within my special education students. The more I can develop my resilience, the more energy I will have to tackle challenges that cross my path as a teacher. My favorite quote from the conclusion was simple, yet powerful. On page 315, Aguilar states “Yet I have no choice but to forge onward.” This is a critical reminder that no matter what happens, we just have to keep going. If we practice compassion, appreciate others and know that feelings are temporary, we will continue to build our resilience. In the education system, there are going to be things we can’t control, but we can control how we react and how we move forward. 

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On page 297, Aguilar stated “Teachers: You have a right to be appreciated by others and you need to appreciate yourselves”. This quote was a great reminder to appreciate others in small ways and to be selfish and appreciate ourselves as teachers once in a while. There have been many times that I have put candy with a note in someone’s mailboxes when I know they are really stressed or are having a bad day. This is a great way to extend my appreciation for them, even if it is something small. I never expect anything in return and it just makes me feel good about myself. There are many times where I don’t appreciate myself (pretty much all the time). This chapter listed three simple ways you as a teacher can appreciate yourself. One of the strategies was to set an alarm and appreciate whatever you are doing at that moment. I use the “Breathe” application on my apple watch to take a moment each day and recollect my emotions. I plan to start appreciating myself at the same time I do my breathing every day. Appreciating others can help you build relationships with colleagues and bring more happiness to your life as a teacher. By appreciating ourselves, it will give me more energy and motivate me to be the best version of myself that I can be for my students and colleagues.

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I really enjoyed this book, and I learned a lot from each chapter. I recommended this book to my Instructional Coach because I think it would be a great book for our New Teach Mentorship Program. I wish I would have read this book years ago. It’s freeing to know that I have the freedom of choice. I can acknowledge my emotions, process them, and let them go. I won’t put my energy into a situation I can’t change; instead I’m focusing on areas I can influence or change. I’m not going to lose my day over something insignificant. I’m going to meditate and take time for myself each day. Aguilar is right that we need to become resilient so we have energy to address the numerous issues that are impacting schools. I didn’t know it, but I needed to read this book this summer because now I feel more prepared to teach during a global pandemic that will make this school year unlike any other.

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My biggest takeaway from this chapter is that we need to allow ourselves the chance to celebrate and express gratitude. Celebrations help us build resiliency because they allow us to focus on what is important to us. I like that Aguilar reminded us that we can celebrate small and large accomplishments and events. We celebrate growth to build resiliency in our students, so we need to make sure we celebrate things in our lives too. Expressing gratitude and appreciation is important to our well-being, and practicing these feelings makes us more likely to help someone else. I liked Aguilar’s silent appreciation practice. This is a perfect way for everyone to engage in the activity, and it helps us build this practice into our daily lives. It also makes sure that no one is uncomfortable with having to share, being recognized, or not being addressed. My school used to do a “Positive Post-It Note Day.” This was one of my favorite days because staff and students would write notes to each other and share why they were thankful for each other. I still have all the Post-It Notes I’ve received over the years. I taped a few special ones up by my desk, and I look at them almost every day. This chapter was a good reminder that I should take time and write notes of gratitude when I am grateful for someone instead of waiting.

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It all comes down to the fact that we have the freedom to choose how we handle adversity and challenges in our lives. When we choose to respond in a way that aligns with who we are or want to be, we are creating a positive life for ourselves, and also contributing to the well-being of others. When I am resilient, I have the energy to positively impact relationships and systems that seem broken or beyond repair. Aguilar reminds us of our collective power that can be harnessed for the common good. I greatly appreciate the ways in which she has brought the larger issues of our country’s brokenness to light, and the hope and inspiration that she offers. This book will definitely be something I revisit and one that I will recommend. Next time I read it, I would like to take a look at one chapter per month as recommended.

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This section tied together all the ideas of being resilient and acknowledging the long and strenuous battles ahead of people and teachers. Resilient teachers choose to fight these battles and avoid burnout from them. It was overwhelming reading about all the battles that are happening right now or need to happen. Teachers have the ability to shape the minds of their students and it is important to use that to our advantage. We need to show our resiliency so everyone can see, including our students. We have the ability to acknowledge our emotions and choose how to react to them appropriately. We can do amazing things with collaborating with those around us and building each other up.

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Reflecting back on this chapter read, I felt impacted by the strategies and ideas given to embrace gratitude in your life. This has been something I have been working on throughout my life. Though I have been focusing more on self-gratitude, this made me reflect on how I need to show more gratitude towards the people around me. There are such simple ways to do that, which can make a huge impact on their days or even lives. It just takes one little compliment. The quote included on page 293 gave a great insight on gratitude:

Gratitude is like a flashlight. It lights up what is already there.

You don't necessarily have anything more or different,

but suddenly you can actually see what it is.

And because you can see,

you no longer take it for granted.

It shows that when we show gratitude nothing has changed about our lives but you look at in a different way. There are many situations were we could have more gratitude to truly see the situation for what it is.

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Our power comes from our choices.  We can choose to be weighted down by what doesn't work, or to lift ourselves up with strength and resiliency.  The choice to be resilient is, in and of itself, the very freedom we seek.  By choosing mindsets that support our resiliency we are choosing happiness, we are choosing gratitude, and we become the change that we seek.  I believe the key moving forward is how do I help this manifest itself within my students?  How do I help empower them to these same aspirations?  We are on the same journey together, and we rise or fall together.  I cannot be a resilient teacher without resilient students, and reciprocal is just as true.  :)

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What a great chapter to wrap up on.  Gratitude is a powerful emotion, and one that surely fills our tank and builds resiliency within us.  As I read this chapter I was reminded of an excellent SoulPancake video (the same folks who brought us Kid President).  I've attached the video below, and it is well worth the seven and a half minutes to watch it.  In it, they cite some of the same research Aguilar talks about and the power that gratitude has on the person expressing it.  I also thought it was interesting how Aguilar paired the disposition of Trust with Gratitude.  Trusting in ourselves, trusting in the process, or indeed in the journey we are on all help to build resiliency.  But, I think I connected most with the section on Awe and Wonder.  As a science teacher, this is an emotion/concept that I try and tap into on a regular basis with my students - to be able to appreciate being part of something much grander in scale than ourselves.  The Japanese word for this concept is Yūgen 幽玄 - a deep awe for nature.  Zeami Motokiyo describes it as “To watch the sun sink behind a flower clad hill. To wander on in a huge forest without thought of return. To stand upon the shore and gaze after a boat that disappears behind distant islands. To contemplate the flight of wild geese seen and lost among the clouds…”  To me this sums up a lot of what awe and wonder, and thus gratitude can be.  Take that same appreciation and let it settle around you in your own classroom.  I think in these desperately uncertain times we live in, being able to ground ourselves in gratitude, wonderment and awe - and trusting in our own strengths - in immensely powerful.

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An Experiment in Gratitude | The Science of Happiness

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We have the power to choose. We are resilient and can choose how we react to a situation. That is an amazing freedom if we aware of it. There were so many parts of this conclusion that really spoke to me."You can choose how you respond to this event". This is powerful In life and work, we have a choice. This choice will have impact on the rest of our day and the day of those around us. Also,
" Our joy and freedom are bound with those of every other living creature on this planet.Our very survival is intertwined". This is impactful on so any levels, especially in this pandemic. We are bound and have the power to choose joy and freedom for ourselves and the people around us.

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I am compelled to create a manifesto after completing this book. In the conclusion Aguilar states “Movements have manifestos” and “efforts take energy”. I plan to take the information and the traits that were explored in this book and create a manifesto of what I intend to do moving forward. This will help me to focus my energy on what is important to me. How I will invest in my own joy. “You can choose how you respond to this event. This is your freedom.” Taking a minute to breath, regroup and focus after an upsetting event, celebrating not only my success but the success of others and my students. I will work on becoming a more growth mindset and resilient teacher and working to instill these same values in my students.

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I was very drawn to this chapter for many reasons but mostly for the topic of appreciations. This is something that I have personally been working on for the last couple of years. Something that at the time may seem so little, it’s also quick and free, but the impact is so great! I started to take notice of the way I felt when someone provided me with an appreciation or extended gratitude towards me. Like mentioned in the chapter, I was uplifted and motivated. I also felt like my efforts were validated. I began to be more aware of the times in which I could extend appreciations to people/coworkers. I can be an introvert at times so starting a conversation and declaring gratitude to someone randomly was hard at first. It became easier for me when I began to notice the joy in the faces of people after. Making more of an effort in my classroom and towards my students will be a new goal of mine. I never really took the time to think about how this would impact students, their self esteem and motivation. I am excited to begin!

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Aguilar includes an anecdote about truly resilient survivors of holocaust concentration camps who spent their time encouraging others and sharing what little food they had.  This very poignant example shows the one thing that no one can take away from you “the last of the human freedoms-- to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s only way” (p.312).  Aguilar reminds the reader that “cultivating resilience” takes daily efforts to consider our emotional and physical health.  This daily work is meant to create “resilience reserves” that can be drawn on during stressful times. Reading that, it almost seems like resilience is just a survival strategy, but Aguilar insists that the true purpose of resilience it both to preserve our well-being and to maintain the energy to survive while also “fighting the good fight.”

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Aguilar writes that gratitude shifts the focus off of ourselves and helps us to recognize that others contribute to our successes.  This is certainly true.  It’s so easy to get stuck in a feeling of dissatisfaction with whatever challenge is right in front of us.  Taking the time to be grateful helps refocus on the bigger picture.  This is helpful for us and for others who we show gratitude toward.  Aguilar makes a good point that we need to be mindful about how we express our gratitude.  Most of us say “thank you” dozens of times everyday.  By including concrete examples of what the other person did to impact our day and cause our gratitude, it becomes all the more meaningful. I love the poem she includes on page 293:

Gratitude is like a flashlight. It lights up what is already there.

You don't necessarily have anything more or different,

but suddenly you can actually see what it is.

And because you can see,

you no longer take it for granted.

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The part of this conclusion that impacted me the most was the story of people sharing the little they had while in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. This is the first time I have realized that the deepest freedom we have is the control of our attitude in no matter which situation we are in. I too have been frustrated with a copy machine, like the story Aguilar shared and not only is that such a miniscule problem compared to the horrific tragedies faced by the men, women and children at those concentration camps but it also serves as a reminder to how resilient we can be as humans. This fall is going to be difficult. We have never faced teaching during a pandemic in the modern era. But WE ARE RESILIENT. We will take care of each other, maintain and keep an eye on our own resilence tanks and the tanks of our colleagues and students. "Resilience is the key to thriving and making others thrive." We will get through this together and come out stronger together.

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"Appreciation is like a secret sauce." I loved this quote. I love to cook and it made a visual in my head of adding something to zest up a recipe, just like appreciation can zest up life. I could really relate to the story Aguilar shared about collaborating with a teaching partner and being so thankful for their relationship. I also share a room wtih a teacher and we both case manage and see the same students throughout our days. I teach reading/writing and she teaches math. We lean on each other when times are tough and make each other laugh constantly. When Aguilar asked to pause and think of someone or somehting you appreciate for 30 seconds, I reflected on my friendship with my teaching partner and so many others that I have at my school. And I hope to expand that in the future. I also really enjoyed the idea of creating the story of your life. We celebrate to look back at accomplishments and to write our story. Reflect on the positives and the growth that was made. I learned from this that you can acknowledge the role you play in the accomplishments and growth that was had and do it in a humble way. One thing that I am going to start doing is ending my day with 3 things that went well that day. It is omething I could even do with my teaching partner at the end of each school day.

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This was such a positive chapter. I love how we started with the idea of gratitude. Practicing gratitude makes me more aware of the positives in my life. It also makes aware of the role I played in some of the positive events in my life. I think having an awareness of my place in the good things around me will strengthen my resilience. This chapter was also a good reminder to me to express my gratitude to the people around me.I am aware and grateful of my people but don't always tell them. I am going to practice gratitude in a more transparent way. I am going to tell my family, friends and co workers when I am grateful for them. I appreciated the different ways Aguilar talked about to show gratitude. People like to be thanked in different ways and I hope I can honor those ways. Lastly, I appreciated the discussion about spirituality, awe, wonder , trust and faith. For me, these words all go together and I appreciate how Aguilar was able to express that. Ending the chapter with the message about trusting the journey was powerful to me. I think that often. Just have faith and trust!

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There were many parts of this book that connected with me. It also feels like a book that I would connect more with if I read it at different times in the school year as she suggested. I do feel like it is a strong resource to reference over several readings to connect to whatever season you happen to be in. I agree with Aguilar that working towards a more balanced and equitable system of education is long and daunting work that we have to make a concerted effort to protect our resilience and keep our cup full as we fight the good fight. I can commit to making a stronger effort to set positive intentions to start my day and refer to when I feel my resilience draining.

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My love language is appreciation. I love giving it and receiving it. Reading this chapter on the power of appreciation was affirming yet grounding for me. When you crave appreciation as a way of affirming what you are doing it can be exhausting because it doesn't always come in the form you need it in or the timeline you are hoping for. I read and reread the section on appreciating yourself. I am going to start a gratitude journal for my desk this year with the intent of writing down 3 things each day that have gone well. Learning to show appreciation to myself will help me improve my own reliance without relying on others to provide that appreciation that I crave. I also loved the part of the chapter about spirituality and its relationship to resilience. I know when I am more connected to my spirituality I am stronger mentally and emotionally to what might be thrown at me. This was a chapter that felt as if it should be read several times throughout the school year.

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Overall, I have really enjoyed working through Aguilar’s text. She concludes with encouragement that while going on the individual journey of attaining resilience, we can simultaneously work for the greater good. Aguilar states, “Let me remind you that as you cultivate your individual resilience, you’ll have more physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual energy to challenge injustices and inequities” (313). This is an amazing truth. Building ourselves up and learning to feel our emotions will allow us to show up for others. Fighting oppressive systems and inequities in education is difficult, lasting work. We need to be personally resilient in order to continue doing so. In light of the unknowns revolving around the upcoming school year, taking care of ourselves is even more important than ever before. I commit to setting positive intentions and acknowledging all of the emotions (happiness, fear, anger, sadness) that we ultimately face in this profession.

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The benefits of appreciation are clear. Taking a pause to recognize that positive feeling of appreciation can sometimes be difficult in our hectic lives. In particular, I connect to the power that appreciation has in solidifying relationships and bringing people together. Appreciation is special because it feels good to both give and receive. One of the strategies Aguilar presents for appreciating yourself is “Think of Three Things” (296). I like this strategy because it encourages us to see our own contributions to little accomplishments throughout the day. Seeing our value and impact on students will give us the energy we need to continue doing difficult work.

Aguilar’s upfront discussion of teacher burnout was also refreshing to read. In combating her own struggles, she states, “Paying attention to the bright spots, noticing when I felt that I was fulfilling my purpose, and cultivating gratitude helped me find a path through the burnout” (301). Those are messages I want to continually return to as I complete the initial stage of my teaching career. Seeking out positivity and defining my purpose as an educator will help me get through the hard days. Having a positive support system and colleagues to talk with is another really important aspect. Hopefully, that network of support will only grow bigger with more time and experience.

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The resilient are purposeful.  They find meaning in every moment and have the power to choose their attitude.  As I read the conclusion for our text, a lot of what was written reminds me of Willow Sweeney’s Top 20 presentation she gave to our school last year.  She is a fabulous public speaker.  But one thing that really stood out to me was when willow said “keep your day”.  One something bad happens, don’t let it ruin the rest of your day.  That’s what I thought of when Aguilar shared about her story with the copier.  Aguilar had the resilience to not let it affect the rest of her day.  That is what a resilient teacher does.  Resilient teachers can choose their attitudes.  This last part of the book reminded me that when I cultivate my own individual resilience, I will have more physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual energy to be the best teacher I can be for our students.

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This was another wonderful chapter to read, however, I think this is a chapter for me to read at the end of the school year rather than at the beginning.  Nonetheless, there were some great takeaways I gleaned from reading chapter 12.  On page 292, Aguilar says that science and research backup her thoughts about the value of practicing gratitude and appreciation.  She says that feeling grateful and showing gratitude towards others strengthens social bonds which fuels confidence for people to tackle big challenges.  Also, being grateful motivates us to do kind things for others and that has a ripple effect that affects many more.  When we remember that we owe our successes are due in part by the actions of others, this helps us want to help others, improve ourselves, and reciprocate support to those who have helped us.

I enjoyed reading how to use several simple options for appreciating others.  Public appreciations is one way to make some feel special in front of a group.  Written appreciations are also a great idea.  This is actually something that we do at our high school in Hutchinson.  At the end of a faculty meeting, our principal will hand out “positive perks” notes that we can fill out about complimenting anyone in our building.  It helps create a sense of community in our school.  I also see this from our students.  One of the classes in our school is called REACH.  This class is meant to support students that struggle with academic or behavior hardships.  At the end of the trimester, one of their assignments is to write letters to their students thanking them for the trimester.  I always look forward to seeing those notes in my mailbox from the REACH students.  They are always so encouraging and uplifting.

Appreciating yourself was another takeaway that was beneficial to read.  It is not selfish to celebrate yourself.  It can make a teacher more resilient and better equipped to continue working for students.  I feel like I do this throughout the school year.  I might reward myself with a nice meal or a special clothing item.  It motivates me to continue working hard knowing that I have something fun to look forward to.  I like how Aguilar closes out the chapter.  She says celebrations and appreciations open up underground rivers of resilience that fill our individual reservoirs and those of our community.  That is reason enough to be grateful!

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Wow! What a chapter to be reading right now. We are going through a crazy time that none of us could have ever predicted. The change we have all experienced in the past 6 months and will continue to experience is immediately what I thought of as I was reading through parts of this chapter. We can run away from the change or we can face it head on and make the most of what we have put in front of us. Change can be scary and hard, just like this change has been, but in the end we will have learned a lot about ourselves and learned new aspects of our profession. One piece that I found really important and helpful was when Aguilar discussed giving ourselves time to think and process what change is about to take place. If we immediately jump into retaliation we are not thinking clearly and may make some decisions that we regret at a later date, take time to step back and truly process the change.

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The biggest take away for me from this chapter is the importance of play. Play does not simply mean getting out and doing something that you have to do or feel obligated to do, but doing something that you enjoy. It is getting out and taking a break from the crazy life we all live and taking a few moments to just have fun. I know for me over the past few weeks I have really struggled with this. I tend to save all of my play time for the weekend, but by the time I get there I am so tired from the long week and have no energy to do the fun lake activities with my family. What I learned from this chapter is that it is okay to be goofy and have fun, even during times that we feel we do not have time for fun and games. It is just as important for us as adults to play as it is for our students and kids to play.

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This chapter was about change, wanted or unwanted, and how to deal with that change. First of all, I liked the section that talked about whether the change was within your control or out of your control because I could relate to it. In high school baseball, our team lived by the saying, "control what you can control". I mainly just thought about it when it came to playing the game but it is very applicable to life in general. The other part I found interesting were the 4 principles that will help you thrive in unwanted change: slow down, evaluate and analyze the situation, use your energy where it counts, and be open to outcomes. It was great to read about this because it reminds me that I need to slow down before I react to a situation. This is a model I will be using moving forward.

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The biggest take away in this chapter for me were the need for play! I have talked about wanting to have more time for my students to just have free time so I am glad there was a chapter on this. The benefits of play included feeling refreshed, more motivated, relieves stress and is good for our brains. I am glad she also talked about how it is important for adults to engage in play as well. It is so easy to get in the routine of working all day, go to bed, then wake up to do it again. I liked her quote that said, "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

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I really liked how Aguilar began with the concept of gratitude and then went deeper into how we can actually practice it in our classrooms and amongst our colleagues. All of the different ways she described are completely practical and easily embedded into daily routines and staff/student interactions. I also really connected with the idea she shared that said the “primary reason for practicing gratitude is for our own mental and emotional well-being.” When we express appreciation for someone else, it is easy to see it as just an acknowledgement of something good that someone else did, but it is vital to also understand that showing appreciation helps us connect to our own goals and energy that can be used to improve ourselves and our school community. It was cool to read how that practice actually increases our resilience and helps us be motivated to act in positive ways ourselves. The other big takeaway from this chapter is how a routine of gratitude can be intentionally built into our everyday lives. Something as easy as setting an alarm a couple of times a day to remember to appreciate myself and my situation can help reframe my day and habits of thought. There were a lot of great quotes in this chapter, but I really liked one from early on: “Celebration boosts our resilience, because, in looking back, we select the strands of story that we weave into a narrative of our strength.” It is powerful to know that when we create a narrative for ourselves that celebrates the good parts of our experiences, we shape who we become.

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You are in control of making the most of each day, finding the positive and finding the good in yourself, your students and your coworkers. You can learn how to deal with negative people and thought and learn how to not let them bog you down and get caught up in it. This is the basis of resilience and it is in our control to choose a mindset to work through things. THis should impact your students in building positive mindset and enjoy school because of the appreciation they can have of themselves, their classmates and their teacher and the beliefs we can build together about their abilities and what they can accomplish.

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Through a growth mindset we are looking for the good in people and opportunities, which gives you a sense of appreciation when you are in that state of mind. It is a key to keeping a positive mind frame at work and keeping positive relationships when you are focusing on the good, This affects your relationship with students and staff and how you view things that can be challenging like curriculum or testing. Success helps build motivation and in this chapter when the idea of taking ownership and celebrating success as a way to build resilience was talked about I found myself agreeing. This is something I want to remember to do more of this fall. Showing appreciation for students in an important piece to not only building relationships, but in building motivation and resiliency. It would give them a sense of pride and let them know they matter. All the positive feelings would foster their willingness to work hard.

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"We wouldn't need resilience if things never changed. Resilience is how we deal with obstacles, challenges, and setbacks-- and these wouldn't exist if we were in a static universe." (pg. 269) Change can be difficult at times, but it is needed for growth. If you refuse to change, you can't adapt. This ties in perfectly with the idea of growth mindset. If you maintain the same, negative mindset towards something, you will not see change or improvement. If you accept that you need to change your mindset or your actions, you will see that change in a positive way. Using sports as an example, if you are not great at catching a ball and a coach recommends you try it a different way, and you don't adjust, you will most likely not succeed. Changing the way you do that skill can lead to success. You should always be thinking about how you can change what you are doing to make it better!

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We all know that it is good for kids to play games with others, but often times we forget that play is important for us adults as well! As Aguilar told a story at the beginning of the chapter about taking a break from work to do a water fight with her son. She discusses how she felt great after taking a break to play a game and she felt more focused after. This is a major benefit from play. As Aguilar also said, "With all of these benefits, play is like an essential multivitamin that we should be taking daily. When we're playing, we're creating new imaginative cognitive combinations". (pg. 252) Finding time to take brain breaks to play games is beneficial to students focus and energy in the classroom. I like to take little breaks to play games, however, I wish I did it more often as I see the benefits of doing it. I also think it is important for the teacher to play as well. This break is great for adults as well like Aguilar explained after her water fight. We are never too old to play a game!

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Change is hard. I dislike change, unless it is change I am in control of. That is the key. When I am in control I can determine how much, how fast and when to stop or take a break. If I am not in control it all feels overwhelming. I have learned to let go of things that are not within my control. Being a competitive Figure skater and coach, we talk about what you can and can’t control just like the chapter suggested. The goal of the exercise is to menaly prepare for performance. When we acknowledge what we can control we can control our emotions and focus on what needs to be done. If we already know what we can’t control, then we are able to remove that from our focus. That can have a great impact on our ability to perform. This is not just a strategy for sports performance but can also be applied to teaching at school. If I know what I can control I can focus on that and be the best I can be. My energy is spent where it needs to be. I can always make the choice to apply my energy to something that is outside my control if its influence is great enough. By making that choice I am exerting some control over the situation. That control will make it easier for me to accept the change.

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“The Chinese word for change is made up of two symbols--one for danger and another for opportunity. Resilience comes from how you perceive and adapt to change” (p.269).  Change is hard.  In fact, I can generally say pretty clearly that I don’t like change.  There is a large amount of unknown as we face new changes and the worry is that the unknown will be bad.  Aguilar writes that we should “remain open to possibilities” (p.277).  Of course, this makes sense since many good things come from change, but it can be hard to do.  I find the idea of spheres of influence to be very helpful.  Change is going to happen whether we like it or not, so it’s important to recognize what we can control and what we can’t.  This sometimes helps me be more at ease with change in a way.  When I focus only on what I can control, I’m busy doing what I can and I don’t have time to worry about all the things I can’t change.

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Resilience is the key to thrive and to help others thrive. I think this is our job as educators. They key here is on order for us to help others thrive, we first have to practice the habits that help us to thrive. My biggest take away and the thing I want to share is that you can choose how you think about and respond to things. That your resilience is held in your assumptions and you determine those. That this is where FREEDOM lies. This is cultivated in a million moments, habits and decisions. In what we go through, how we go through it and how we thing about it once we come out the other side.This is how we move onward.

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I am very interested in the role that gratitude has in building resilience and I was happy to see that it was the topic of this final chapter. I truly believe that during the hardest of times those who have the ability to shift their mindset to appreciation and trust in the process and the individuals who will eventually look back and see growth. Not that they won't feel pain or struggle, but those things will not be for nothing and they will not get stuck in the pain or the struggle. I think a lot about teachers being isolated and often without a lot of outside affirmation in how they are doing. I read a book for a class called the Well Balanced Teacher that outline the importance of self affirmation. In this chapter Aguilar reminds us that at times we need to take ownership for out success and I think this is important for teacher to do. Is seems if kids to well they get the credit, but if they don't, teachers get the blame. In part I think we do this to ourselves and in part we need to change the culture around this. I found it interesting on how appreciation or gratitude can also create resilience through strengthening social connections, emotional intelligence, self confidence and positivity.

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“Just a little bit of ‘nonproductive play’ will make us more productive, invigorated, and resilient.” (p.250).  Aguilar began with this statement and immediately it got me thinking.  So many times, I feel guilty for the time I spend “playing.”  Giving yourself permission and actually encouraging yourself to take the time to play is really a shift in mindset.  Aguilar says that “Play stimulates the mind and boosts creativity” (p.252).  It’s definitely true for me that in times when I’m pushing myself to work without stopping, everything seems harder and my ideas just aren’t as good.This fits with what Aguilar says on page 262 -  “The most effective teachers, leaders, and coaches I’ve seen have used creativity to respond to challenges and make their work enjoyable.”  We need that creativity to make work enjoyable and creativity requires some time spent in play.  It’s really striking when you think about the fact that there must be an ageless desire in humans for play.  Aguilar uses the example of ancient humans who created art.  Considering the serious work it must have taken just to survive in ancient times, it says something that they still took time out to enjoy art.

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“Change is one thing we can count on, and when we encounter it, we can harness our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energies, and direct them where they will make the biggest difference.” (Aguilar 267)

I really liked how in this chapter there were a ton of connections made to the previous chapters habits and dispositions. When we encounter change we are given an opportunity. If we make the conscious decision to focus on what we can control we are able to free up our “emotional energy”.  Therefore, if we in turn deal with our emotions around the change we are also more apt to take action. However, sometimes even when we take action change does not just happen over night. It is important for us to practice patience with not only ourselves but with others as well. Throughout the process we can also count on setbacks along the way and just as we teach our students to persevere through their mistakes and setbacks we also need to put this into practice when in the midst of change. What a fitting message as we all gear up to embark on a very different school year ahead!

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“Our response to circumstances is the only thing truly within our control…the essential question to ask yourself is, where do I want to put my energy? (Aguilar 272).

I have a few chapters in Aguilar’s text that stand out to me, but Aguilar’s chapter on ‘Riding the Waves of Change’ resonates with me the most. Here are my biggest takeaways:

The Spheres of Influences: Aguilar starts the chapter by teaching us about opportunity, danger, adapting to change, and resiliency. When we analyze all of these factors that play a major role in our lives, we can realize how much influence we have. Specifically, when taking a look at The Spheres of Influence chart, I have come to the conclusion that we (as individuals) have SO much power that lays within each of us all. We can control our thoughts, feelings, and the way we respond to various situations. We can also influence our students, colleagues, and parents by our attitudes and dispositions. Everything else is outside of our control. The key to energy is asking ourselves where we want to place our energy so that we can make changes (271).

Fear: Aguilar points out that the biggest secret in change is dealing with our fear(s) (279). It is important to acknowledge that when we ask our students to change, or grow, we are asking our students to learn. We know that learning is a vulnerable act, so establishing a safe, inclusive, and positive environment is essential for students to learn (280).

Perspective: All throughout Aguilar’s text, she reminds us that resiliency is brought about by change. “Change doesn’t have to be terrifying. If we find a way to coast through tumultuous moments, if we cultivate trust in others and in uncertainty, and if we stay calm and focused, we might experience grace while we’re riding the waves of change” (287). Change is a part of our lives so we are able to grow, learn, and evolve as humans. The biggest question I need to ask myself is: How can I demonstrate my resiliency about change in the classroom, so students can become resilient too?

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This chapter was a great reminder that change will always happen. It was perfect reading this chapter today because tomorrow I have a SLT meeting to discuss COVID related changes for my school. I had this meeting in my mind while reading this chapter. I really enjoyed the section about the Spheres of Influence. This is an easy to remember model that I plan to use when unexpected or unwanted change occurs. It was a nice reminder to identify that most of what we will discuss tomorrow is out of my control. However, there will be some changes that I might be able to influence, so I need to slow down and think about where to focus my energy. I believe that having this mindset will help me stay more focused during the meeting tomorrow and help me not get overwhelmed by all the changes that will happen this year. I also enjoyed the section about how most of the time our dislike of change is due to fear. This is true for me when thinking about this upcoming year. I know what a fun year kindergarten is, and I’m fearful that all of the fun activities (playing with toys/other students, shared art supplies, field trips, partner games, and the dramatic play center) won’t be allowed. However, I don’t know any of the changes that will happen, so I’m going to take deep breaths and not focus my energy on these worries. I’m also going to try and use “maybe” more often. I think this is a great approach to change that will help me apply different perspectives and stay more optimistic.

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“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing” (Aguilar 252).

Aguilar’s chapter on Play and Create reminded me of all the wonderful benefit of being a child! Here are my biggest takeaways from the chapter:

Play is Powerful: Play has so many benefits for the mind and body. When we allow ourselves to fully dive into playing, we are able to make new connections. “Creativity and play unlock inner resources for dealing with stress, solving problems, and enjoying life” (247). We need to remember to integrate play into our lessons because play has many benefits that are often overlooked. Aguilar tells us that play relieves stress, improves relationships, improves brain function, stimulates the mind, and lastly, play helps us feel young and energetic (252). I plan to integrate more time for play in my third grade classroom by allowing students to demonstrate their learning in a variety of options for summative assessments.

Creativity: “Creative processes enable us to see the root of a problem or see a situation in a different light; we can make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena and gain new perspectives” (259). Aguilar tells us that when we take time for ourselves and dive into various creative ways of art such as painting, theater, poetry, singing, and playing an instrument, we are able open our minds to new ideas, perspectives, and consider ways in which we can help others.

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Play! Play can be deliberate or it can be spontaneous. We all need to engage in play. Children have more opportunities and motivation to do just that. Adults, with more demands on our time, simply forget or don’t think it’s important anymore. Play is important. I like the idea in the chapter about brainstorming play activities. The list should include activities of different sizes. Sometimes we need a quick burst of play to recenter ourselves. Sometimes we can devote more time to play and really recharge our batteries. I also liked how the author made the point of suggesting that we ask others about their play activities. Instead of relying on just ourselves, let's include others in our thinking. Different people have different experiences and we can learn from those. Participating in a different type of play is a way to build up and show our courage. Play and courage are both focal to having resilience. If we have the courage to stop working and go play we will find ourselves more able to focus and get the work done. I do believe it takes courage for us to do something that many think of as childish and unnecessary for adults. Let’s all plan on breaking that mold and go courageously forth and play!

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I found this section to be really powerful. As I read it, it seemed as if I was essentially making a pledge about my life moving forward. I loved how it mentioned that it is time to end suppressing emotions. Instead, we should discuss and embrace all emotions by people. How often do kids get told not to cry because it shows weakness, or to toughen up because life is hard? Like the conclusion said, I vow to stand up for a human right, that being the right for humans to have emotions.

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I find it so emotionally rewarding to acknowledge others as well as to receive thanks from people. When I first moved to Marshall once a month we would start our staff meetings with a pay-it-forward time. Staff would give a medal of appreciation to another staff member and share some quick words why. The staff who received the medal would then need to think of who to pay-it-forward to at the next staff meeting the following month. Last year we got rid of this tradition because some teachers felt bad they never received a medal. What a sad reason to end such a nice routine!

One strategy I've enjoyed implementing in my classroom to help students express gratitude and appreciation comes on test days. I like to set out thank you cards on test days so when students finish taking a test they are encouraged to write a thank you note to a friend, family member, or adult. We discuss how good it is to recognize others and as a result many students take advantage of this opportunity.

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This was the message last sunday that my pastor gave that the only thing consitent with change is that it's always happening. I really liked Augular's point about slow down , assess, reflect, use your engery where it counts and be open to the outcomes. I was moved from middle school to high school about 6 years ago and at first I wasn't very happen, but when I slowed down, talked to some people about it I was in a better state of mind to be opened minded. As I look back I can see it was a very good thing. I call those God things because my mind can't see the big picture but I trust that he wants the best for me and when things like that happen that I have never thought about making that change, I know he's working on my heart.  The parable of the "maybe" I went to the seminar for Paul Bernabei's Top 20 schools and this was something he also talked about when working with mindsets to use the word " maybe" when thinking about a situation.  Mine that day was " oh the traffic in downtown MN is going to be horrible, maybe (and it wasn't!). I come from a town with one four way stop so driving in the twin cities is always a challange. I do think we need to embrace change and to know when we need to slow down, reflect and also to name our emotions that we go through when dealing with change.

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This is my favorite chapter so far! As a kindergarten teacher, I know how important it is to let students play and be creative. I’m thankful that my students get free choice time every day, and I love watching them engage in creative play.  I love to observe all of the games they come up with; choice time is one of my favorite parts of the day. I try my best to incorporate play into all of our learning. Some of the play is free choice (toy and dramatic play center), while others are a little more structured (retell story kits and math/LA games). While I take time to plan creative activities for my students, I’m not the best at remembering to plan active play or creative time for myself. However, since I’ve been back in Idaho this summer, I’ve spent a majority of my time playing with our dog. Playing fetch, chasing him during a game of keep away, and going on hikes has provided me so much joy. This is a good reminder for me to make sure I set aside time to play or do creative activities during this upcoming school year. I know taking a small break to play, color, or create something will boost my resiliency and help me be more productive.

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Change seems to be something that we are all getting really familiar with lately. Every time I turn on the news, open district emails or turn to social media there is another change happening.  The question posed at the start of the chapter “Change is _____”.  I thought immediately of “inevitable”. Change is going to happen. It is ultimately my choice how I react and adapt to that change. I liked the story Aguilar shared about the veteran teacher and her reaction to the news of a huge district remodel/change. SLOW DOWN. Take the time to reflect on the information, don't be hasty, focus energy. Change takes energy, where will I choose to focus and use that energy? Will it be to complain and send nasty emails or is my energy better spent gathering information so that I can make informed decisions? I connected with the idea of Danger and Opportunity. Because change is inevitable knowing where to focus my energy and take it as an opportunity will help build resilience. I am open to taking on the changes in life with the outlook of that veteran teacher, slow and deliberate.

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I related this chapter to my practice quite a bit. Teaching kids to play music is all about playing and creating. However, how much time do I actually give my kids time to play and create? Yes we are playing and creating music as a group, but there isn't a lot of time devoted to the individual creating of their own art. I think to times in music where I "dive into flow". I can sit down at a piano with a song as framework and improvise solos a good while. It just seems to flow and I really enjoy the time spent doing that. I don't give my students that opportunity. That is where I learn most about how music works, so why don't I have them do it too?
My kids have really one instance of creating truly original work once a year towards the end. Reflecting on this chapter, I really am looking to give students more time to create and "dive into flow" throughout the year. It will be fun!

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What really stuck out to me in this chapter was using our energy wisely when by evaluating and analyzing the situation. We can make a huge expenditure of energy up front by unleashing our attack right when conflict starts. The other option is to sit back and look at the situation strategically in order to stay in the fight for the long haul. Sustaining energy is the key to winning in the long run. I liked that the reading stated, on page 274, that we have limited energy. That is something that is important for me to know so I can use it where it counts. My subject matter is usually one of those that is first on the chopping block when money is reallocated within the schools. When those situations come up, a lot of energy is spent. It's just important that I spend it in the right places.

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I really connected to the story shared at the beginning of this chapter. During my student teaching semester, I was in a "classroom" that used to be a gym. There were 4 special education teachers in this gym and the "rooms" were seperated by shelving and desks. I thought, "this should be interesting!" But luckily, the four teachers in the room were all understanding of this change, used it to their benefit by collaborating frequently, helping each other out with their students and keeping a positive attitude.
I also was thinking throughout this chapter, how relevant it is to our current situation. This year may have more change in it than any other year before. It will be vital for teachers, students, parents, and community members to be willing to ride the waves of change as we teach through this pandemic.

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I felt that I related to this chapter a lot. There have been a lot of things in this course that have shown me that I need to develop a more growth mindset in areas of my life, but this one I feel I do well with. I love to play. Growing up I was the neighborhood orginizer of play. I still try to play to this day! I was just playing wiffle ball and spike ball with some friends this past weekend. It provides such a boost of positivity. I look to increase my play with my students. I think this would allow our relationship to grow and their engagement in my groups to increase. "We dont stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." I love being an elementary school teacher because my students are always down to play! I get to engage with them during their play, and they think its cool when an adult plays with them.

Another thing I connected with during this chapter was "Flow." I know what it is like being in this state, but I have never named it. I think as teachers, it is important for us to find things our studnets are interested in, in order for them to find their flow.

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While reading this chapter I was reminded of the artist Paul Klee. Klee was inspired by the artwork of children. He was moved by the way children create art with little inhibitions and tried to achieve the same “untutored simplicity” in his work. It is easy to see that when children create and play they do so with little inhibitions. As adults we need to tap into this same sense of childlike play. Find a space where we feel safe to let go of insecurities and rigidness. Aguilar mentions that she is very “purpose driven” but when she plays she has to consciously let go of this. Play is invigorating and stimulates the brain it also fosters energy and creativity. We need to find time as adults to play and create even if we feel as though we aren’t creative. The comment “I am terrible at art” makes me cringe! When I hear adults say it I get even more frustrated. Play and creativity go hand in hand, there are so many times that I see adults creating art without even realizing it. “In order to embrace play, it helps to have an appreciation for art and the time to explore it.” Having a wider understanding of art and what it is and what it means to create it would allow people to realize that a lot of what they do is creative and is in fact art!

Senecio, Paul Klee 1922

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We need to embrace change, accept the challenge and be open minded which will then build our resilience. We can help students realize that change is continuous and that we often learn from going through it. I found the 4 strategies in this chapter to problem solve and take on change helpful in working through stressful times of change. You could relay this to students and break it down to help them through challenges or change. A growth mindset can help you to take on change and not feel the pressure or fear of failure or focusing on perfect result. It would be viewed as ok to fail and this is why people often resist change. With a growth mindset students would be more likely to embrace change.

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I see the power in letting kids be creative. I try to allow for freedom in many of my assignments for kids to be creative. If you show them an example my 2nd graders will want to do exactly what I did. I intentionally leave somethings vague to see what they will come up with. I think one thing I would like to do is have unstructured play when kids get to school in the morning so they can use their creativity.  My teaching style in general is playful and the chapter talks about how play is in part a state of mind. I make time for fun regularity in my classroom. A comfortable setting in the classroom would have kids not worry so much about grades, but focus on the learning which can be fun and playful and allow for curiosity which can lead to creativity.

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All change is stressful, even when it is positive change or good change. Aguilar explains how perseverance, patience and courage can help us maneuver all types of change. She reminds us that we would not need resilience if it weren't for change and we know that our students need this skill while in school and in their daily lives outside of school. The key seems to be in how we view and interpret change which has a direct effect on our emotional response to in. Our thoughts influence our emotions which influence our behavior and ultimately our results or reality. Out job as teachers is to help student understand and self regulate their response to change. I found Aguilar's 4 step process helpful. Slow down, evaluate and analyze, determine where to best use your energy and be open to what follows. I think this is a valuable tool to use to help students manage change. Another thing I found useful was using the Conscious Competence Ladder and Mind Gap when leading change.

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This chapter opens explaining that when we create we become resourceful and this feeling fuels our courage. I think this explains why some people thrive during a crisis while others do not. I am beginning to realize that resilient people, with a growth mindset, dig in with determination during a crisis. They get creative in the face of obstacles and find a new way to do things and have the courage to pivot and be flexible and nimble. There is opportunity in letting something unfold as you go and truly engage in the process without knowing how it will turn out. Aguilar states that being results driven reduces play and perhaps creativity in the process. I wonder how grades and test result might be doing this in schools? She mentions Legos when she talks about play. I was cleaning my basement the other day and found an ice cream pail of Legos. As a child I spent hours building houses from Legos. back then they can without direction to follow and everything I build was through creative play. I wonder what the impact is of todays Lego sets with explicit direction to follow to get the desired result? Aguilar also states that play is at the core of creativity and innovation and it made me think of the phrase, "let me play around with this', when someone wanted time to figure something out. Evidence that play is part of productivity, innovation and being resilient to work through something. I am also very interested in learning more about play, imagination and the brain and how when we are in a relaxed state of play, we are more likely to have those aha moments. Lastly, I am also interested in learning more about curiosity and its role in creativity. As teacher I think this may be our opening in to fostering creativity in our students by providing a environment that supports curiosity!

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Right away when it had the reader fill in the blank "change is ______." I placed the word "hard" and it went on to discuss how that is a common answer. I think that many of us agree that change is challenging. We like the comfort of the known. When things change, we have a bunch of unknowns coming our way. Hence why so many of us fear change. I liked how this chapter of the text approached why change is a challenging thing and how to work through our emotions when change is coming. With change brings new opportunities and I plan to have that mindset going into this new school year with the multitudes of changes coming our way. We are getting the opportunity to reshape what school looks like and how to be reach our students and support them through this time.

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Both of these concepts I knew were important. I did not truly understand the impact that they had. I also did not understand the importance for adults. When I reflected on my use of play, I could not think of an activity or the last time I participated in play. This made me recognize and realize how little adults are taking advantage of the benefits of play, but also how we are not allowing this to happen in our classrooms especially for the older students. We need to provide more opportunities to let the students play and explore their curiosities. The other takeaway I had was the section about art. I noticed that even students had the same approach to art in the classroom, even though this was art with restraints. It made me recognize art teachers and the challenge they have breaking down that barrier that many student have that they "can't do art" or "are not good at art."

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Change is hard. I really struggle with change and often try to avoid it at all costs. This was an interesting chapter for me to read and reflect on in my resilience journey. I found it very interesting to read on page 270 about the sphere of influence. I find for myself that when there are more things outside of my control I seek over control in other parts of my life to balance it. I realize that isn't the healthiest way to approach and deal with change but it is something I am becoming more aware of. This chapter and its discussion on our approach and handling of change seems so important heading into a year that will be full of unpredictable change and many things outside of our control. If I can choose to use my energy wisely and lean into the change and feelings that go with it instead of hiding from it I do believe it will allow me to be a more present teacher for my students this school year as they too ride the unpredictability journey.

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“The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change.” ~Heraclitus

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“The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change.” ~Heraclitus

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Change can be frightening. Change puts everyone back to zero. Change leads to uncertainty. But change is also necessary. And change is inevitable. Change cannot be stopped. However, change CAN be managed. And that's where this chapter comes in. I thought it was fitting that the Chinese symbol for change is "danger" and "opportunity"). Too often in life we see the danger in change, but miss the opportunity. Here Aguilar provides great examples of how change can become opportunity and what tools are needed to make that mind shift. For example, I really liked the idea of categorizing change into things that CAN and CANNOT be affected by you. Why waste you energy on things that are beyond your control to alter? This idea manifests itself in Aguilar's 4 Step Process for managing change. Step 1: Slow Down (Such great advice, don't respond in the moment. Take time to think before acting). Step 2: Evaluate the Situation (One cannot make an informed decision without information). Step 3: Use Your Energy Where It Counts (Don't waste your energy on something futile. Work smart). Step 4: Be Open to Outcomes (Accept what comes your way - just like the story of the farmer... "maybe".). If we want to be resilient educators we need to be able to live with change. We need to be able to embrace change and leverage change in order to squeeze the greatest benefits out of it. The other alternative - to rail against it, to wage a futile war against the inevitable is a waste of energy and the loss of an opportunity. Most importantly, we need to be able to model this kind of thinking for our students. They too will face changes in their lives. How do we prepare them for a future full of change? The pieces are all right here in this chapter!

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I always knew how important play is for young people but I guess I did not realize how important it was for older people as well. While reading this chapter I kept reminiscing about my own personal feelings and emotions when it comes to times I have experienced true joy in creating art or simply playing with my own child. I realized I often times get caught in “flow” as Aguilar mentions. This has allowed me to come back to work more energized and focused.

I also like how in this chapter Aguilar talks about how “creativity without risk reaps shallow rewards.”(262)  I felt as though this was a great phrase to share with my students as it goes hand in hand with taking risks in learning and making mistakes to learn from. I like to use this phrase with my students from Mrs. Frizzle in the Magic School Bus, “Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy”.

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Aguilar does a great job of describing the apprehensions that many people, including myself, feel about change.  Change often feels unexpected, unwanted, too fast, and too rough.  Human beings like control and in the face of change, we soon realize that we don't have control.  I love how the Chinese word for change is made up of two symbols, one for danger and one for opportunity.  I feel that pretty well sums up people's mindset on the issue of change.  If you have a fixed mindset, you are going to view change as dangerous.  But if you view change as an opportunity, that mindset will propel you in such growth that you will be far better as a person because of the change.

There is a big difference between a change that is brought on because of our own pursuit, and a change that happens "to" us that we do not desire. The latter is generally much harder to deal with. I think Aguilar has some good advice on how to deal with unwanted change. We are to slow down so that we can think clearly and assess the situation. Often, people attack or act on emotion without thinking. It is almost always a good thing to slow down and think. We also need to evaluate and analyze the situation through a variety of different lenses. When dealing with change, we should try to see other people's points of view, we should try to picture what the situation will look like in the short term and in the long term. And we need to look at the situation in the broad lens and through a narrow one. We also need to recognize that we only have so much time and energy to give. We need to expend our energy where it counts. So to have the wisdom as to where we should place our energy is something we should seek after. We also need to be open to a variety of different outcomes. Being open to outcomes allows us to be flexible and adaptable. I feel like that sums up my thoughts about this upcoming school year and dealing with the COVID 19 pandemic. So much is unknown and there will be so many changes that happen this years in contrast to my first 9 years of teaching. But if we are able to see these changes as opportunities and allow us to be open to possible outcomes, we will have the resilience to make it though this too.

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Aguilar suggests that if we strive to incorporate creativity and play into our work life as well as our personal life that we will become more resilient and appreciate and enjoy life more.  I agree with the author and I feel much the same way she felt when she had a water fight with her son when she took a break from her grading.  The running and laughing oxygenated her brain and she felt much happier and felt her mind was much clearer.  I notice the same things when I play with my own children.

Experts have done many studies on the importance of play and have found many benefits.  Play relieves stress as it releases endorphins.  Play improves relationships as it can foster empathy and compassion to others.  Play improves brain function by helping to stimulate the memory and problem-solving portions of the brain.  Play boosts creativity by relaxing the body and stimulating the imagination.  And play also helps people feel young by boosting our energy and makes us more resistance to disease.  That is a lot of benefits of play.

I was personally challenged in the chapter about how I can become more creative. I have always felt that was a weakness of mine. I guess you can say I have a fixed mindset about my creativity. On page 260, Aguilar gives us some advice on how we can increase our creativity. She says that asking lots of questions and being curious is where we start. She says the creativity is born from curiosity. Aguilar just encourages us to act on our creative ideas.

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This chapter resonates with me. My parents where really good at teaching us the importance of working hard but also having creative outlets and getting to play. We were not allowed to have full time jobs during the school year because school and extra curriculars was our focus. We were also encouraged to play in our down time and we didn't have a TV so our play time was hands on and creative. I have carried on that tradition and try to incorporate it in my classroom. I have games for students to use and I teach them different card games. When we have ten minutes left at the end of class we pull out those cards. The community building that goes on while we are playing is vital to the building relationships with my students. Being able to play has been difficult for myself while goign to grad school to get my masters and I can feel it in my soul. My play is often baking and quiliting and I can tell life is off balanced for me right now and it makes me kind of grumpy but I can also so the light at the end of the tunnel so that helps. I try and still take time to bake because it's a stress reliever for me, along with getting outside for walks. This summer my friends and family have benefited from needing to bake so they don't complain. I think it's important to model this for students so they can also work on having play in their lives.

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Ahh getting back to the basics of play and why it is important! As I have gotten older remembering to play and do things that I love just for the love of them has become more important! 10 years ago when I had my second child I got a strong desire to teach myself to crochet because I needed a new creative outlet. People thought I was crazy because I had two young kids and was teaching full time. The mental clarity it brought me and the level of needing to stick to learning something besides a double crochet and how to make a scarf is something that I am quite proud of. It is also my escape when I need a break from the mental and emotional strain from teaching. This chapter was great reinforcement for how important the arts and play are for us as adults and for our students. In my classroom I have a whole table that is set up with just coloring pages, markers, and crayons. Kids beg to get to use this space and it is amazing to watch their whole demeanor change when they are given the chance to just be there for awhile. In my calming and processing corner, I have a bin of putty, sensory sand, and fidgets that we use all the time when we are processing big emotions or problem solving difficult behaviors. Kids are so much more open when there is some element of play involved. Our principal includes a game at every staff meeting so I connected with Aguilar's mention of how you feel different leaving those types of meetings when play is involved. The rush of endorphins and emotional connection you are able to make with other staff is quite powerful leading into our school day. I think that this idea of creativity and play is a huge part of resilience for us and our students. We have to allow kids to be kids as often as possible in this world in which they are asked to grow up so quickly. It is important for us, as the adults in their lives to model this as normal and accepted behavior by getting down and playing with and along side them.

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What a great chapter! There is so much potential change coming this school year and I really appreciated this chapter. First, I love the idea of a continuum for change. One end is defensiveness and the other is leadership. What a powerful way to look at it. I also loved the spheres of influence. I think this would be a great tool when we are experiencing change. Knowing what we can control and influence during a change will help us be more productive and more resilient in the face of new things. When I think about how we will go back to school, I am now focusing on what I can control and what I can influence and that has helped ground me. I loved the 4 principles for managing unwanted change. Especially the first one, SLOW DOWN. It reminded me of of that moment in time, the space between when something happens and how we respond. Slow down, reflect, sleep and then respond. Lastly, the idea of being open to new outcomes was powerful to me. Uncertainty is unsettling (especially right now) and we need to find the flexibility to deal with that fear and be open to whatever outcomes this new change may bring. We can learn and grow and thrive in change if we know how to be resilient!

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"The Chinese word for change is made up of two symbols - danger and opportunity."

I found this to be extremely interesting and somewhat poetic. This chapter repeatedly mentions just how inevitable change is. Change is a constant. We know it will happen. People can respond to change by sensing danger and putting walls up or by embracing the change and seeing it as an opportunity. I feel like a majority of people choose the danger approach rather than the opportunity approach. Just this weekend I was talking to my family and we chuckled at just how defensive people can get to change. For example, our world is experiencing quite a big change because of Covid. One big change is the new normal of having to wear masks. Realistically, wearing a mask isn't a huge deal. It's different, but it doesn't alter out life much at all. However, one look at social media and it is evident that many people are responding to this change not as an opportunity but rather as a danger. It is ironic with how often teachers can respond to change with danger as well. I say this because we often preach to our students the importance of being adaptable. If there is a change to a student's schedule we expect them to understand why the change needed to happen and expect no attitude in return. However, the minute a staff meeting ends and the principal informs the staff that the building schedule needs to be altered, the grumblings in the hallway sound like a chorus of cicadas. I'm a strong believer that how you respond to change can really influence your emotional health. Respond with danger and the rest of your day/week/school year will probably be filled with a lot of bad days. See change as an opportunity and most of your days will be joyful, picking out the highlights rather than dwelling on items out of your control.

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This chapter was difficult for me because a lot of the main concepts are things that I have a very fixed mindset about. When I read about words like "art," "play" or "creativity" I often instinctively say to myself "Well I'm terrible at art" or "I have very little creativity." Reading about how beneficial incorporating these things in to my life can be made me reflect on what I could do to reshape my fixed mindset. The section on "How to Boost Your Creativity" seemed to be written for people like me. In this section it says that creativity starts with curiosity. I feel like if I take time each day to be curious about something, whether it be a new food I'd like to try or a new game I'd like to play, that curiosity can lead to me being more creative and incorporating more play in to my everyday life. I have no doubt that overcoming my fixed mindset on art, creativity, and play will lead to a healthier and happier life. I just need to take baby steps to get there.

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I really liked the way Aguilar describes our response to change as a continuum - defensiveness on one end and leadership on the other. It really brings to light the fact that we are in control of how we handle change. We need to accept that change is a part of life, and we can make choices that will lead us to opportunity and growth. The three concentric circles, or spheres of influence are also an amazing visual that allows me to see more clearly what I have control and influence over in my life. It is a way for me to conserve my energy for when it is best and most efficiently utilized. I can reframe the way I look at situations and then figure out how to deal with them. This is also a great visual for me to have up in my classroom to share with my students. By eighth grade, there are a lot of personal, social, and academic frustrations. I can see myself walking through scenarios with kids with this concept when they are upset. I also really connected with the four principles that will help me manage unwanted change: slow down, evaluate the situation, use my energy where it counts, and be open to outcomes. It is so important to stop, think about other perspectives, gather information and thoughts, and then determine a course of action that will be the best use of my energy. The section on dealing with fear is super important, especially right now when, because of the pandemic, we have no idea what school will be like when it starts in less than a month. Teachers, along with students and parents, are going to have to deal with change many times throughout the school year, which means we will all have to grow and learn together. It is our job to not only guide one another through the fear of this difficult time, but our students as well.

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Change is an essential aspect of life and can be found in every school community around the world. As educators, we need to constantly adapt to the needs of our students and collaborate with different colleagues. Aguilar makes a really good point, “When we are defensive about change, we are focused on mitigating its disturbance in our lives; when we are leading change, we are inviting the turbulence” (268). In this moment, we are currently experiencing very rapid changes in how we teach and interact with students. Embracing technology and the new opportunities we have been presented with will ultimately make this experience more successful. It is sometimes really challenging to see past the negative components that accompany change. However, if we expect change and move beyond complacency, we will be more prepared for those moments. I really like when Aguilar discusses the concept of how we use our personal energy. Asking ourselves the essential question, “Where do I want to put my energy?” (272), allows us to prioritize how our valuable time and effort should be spent. This is a question that I want to continually come back to throughout this upcoming school year.

As always, Aguilar expertly brings us back to the bigger picture in this chapter. Especially in this current moment in history, “we need to recognize our privilege and consider how we can use that privilege on behalf of those with less privilege. We must manage uncertainty and learn how to preserve relationships, because the costs of not acting may be too high” (284). Talking about difficult subjects such as racism with the people in our lives is essential for driving systemic change. I agree that preserving relationships is also at the heart of the work we must do, both with one another and with our students. Relationships and communication are foundational.

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Similar to setting aside specific time for self-care, this chapter reminds us of the importance of incorporating play into our daily lives. I enjoyed reading through the inherent benefits of play, both mental and physical, that Aguilar presents. Play can improve our mood, creativity, relationships and brain function. I love that Aguilar also included the following quote by George Bernard Shaw, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing” (252). For several years, I worked at the Children’s Museum in La Crosse, WI. We had this quote painted on the wall and it was a regular reminder that adults need play in their lives too. It was always fun to watch adults having just as much fun as their kids. In my own life, I sometimes fall into the trap of solely focusing and prioritizing seemingly productive tasks. We could all benefit from seeing the purpose behind play.

Engaging in the creative process with our students is valuable. Aguilar states, “because failures and mistakes are inevitable when creating, engaging in creative expression provides opportunities for strengthening resilience because setbacks and mini breakdowns offer us opportunities to get up and try again” (259). If it is understood that failure is inextricably linked to creativity and learning, students will embrace challenges when presented with them. I do not consider myself particularly creative, but that is a mindset I can begin to shift. Part of the reason I have trouble embracing creativity is because of my perfectionist tendencies. I can better demonstrate a growth mindset for my students if I am honest with my students and aware of my perfectionism.

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So many pieces of the puzzle come together in this chapter.  Play is an essential ingredient in resiliency.  In it's own way, I think play is the fuel for our spirits.  It refills our tank in unique ways.  I like how Aguilar describes it... play is "apparent purposelessness".  And the irony is that this apparent purposelessness serves a greater purpose.  Hand in hand with that is creativity.  I would agree with this text and say that creativity is a form of play.  Creativity - in the form of cave art - is one of the first things that set us apart as human.  Today we can engage in creative acts in so many widely various ways - but they all serve the same purpose - to fulfill us as human beings.  I was also appreciative to see Aguilar bring in the work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's "Flow". I think "Flow" is where creativity and play intersect and we lose our sense of time and events around us. Lastly, one cannot have creativity and play without courage - this chapter's disposition. The courage to let go, the courage to "look silly", the courage to simply be.

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I can identify with Aguilar as she describes the scenario with work stacked in front of her and her son begging to play. This is basically me this summer. While I’m enjoying all of the learning I’m doing, I feel as though I’m missing out on summer. This chapter gives me a new perspective on the importance and benefits of play in my life. I really connected with Aguilar’s definition of play: something we do because it’s fun and not because it helps us reach a goal. As I think about how much I actually play in my life, I have a hard time thinking of ways I meet the criteria for this definition. It seems like everything I do has a purpose. Even when I play with my kids it is because I want to spend time with them, not just to play. My key takeaways on play are 1) I need to play more and 2) there are tons of benefits to play, such as stress relief, energy boosts, and stimulation of the mind. When reading the Implications for Leaders section, I was relieved to see that play with a purpose was recommended as well. My first instinct, after reading that play shouldn’t have to do with reaching a goal, was to think about what I consider opportunities to play in my classroom, and wonder if it is truly play when I have an activity associated with a learning target?

I also know for a fact that I need to work on being creative and providing opportunities for my students to be creative. I was recently struck by something I read that talked about how teachers think they’re having their students create with projects and such, but really they’re just providing recipes (step by step directions) and the students aren’t creating anything on their own. By the time kids get to middle school, many just want to know what they have to do to pass the class. I was (and still am sometimes) the same way. I want to challenge this thinking in myself and my students and be intentional about fostering curiosity, which will hopefully inspire some creativity as well!

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Teaching is a road to life long learning. You realize that you never have all the answers you need. The moment you think you have everything organized in your mind and physical space, well then you get thrown a curve ball. You are handed new standards, new curriculum, a new grade to teach, a new subject, the list goes on and on. So what can you do. Well, the best way I have found to combat all the news is to have a good handle on your time management skills.  I very much liked the list of technical tips on managing time that Augilar included in this chapter.  All the tips seem pretty straightforward and basic, but they pack a powerful punch. Tips such as chunk it, make to-do lists, use focusing mechanisms, and to stop multitasking.  Big tasks can get overwhelming so break them up so you can focus on one piece at a time. It also helps to list them on the to-do list in the chunks. Then you can cross them off and see your accomplishments.  The list will also help when you prioritize it.  I like using a calendar as a to-do list, giving specific items dates to be done and with electronic calendars, I can set reminders and such.  I think the biggest thing I have found with going back to school myself is that piano music helps me concentrate. I tell my ‘Alexa’ to play something in the background and I am much better focused. The next idea I will need to incorporate is to set a timer and then take a break. No long marathon sessions without a break!

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This was an interesting chapter about how to become a better learner. There were multiple different topics that she covered in this chapter such as the conscious competence ladder, the mind the gap, and tips on how to manage your time and energy, all of which were interesting. I never really thought about being consciously/unconsciously competent or incompetent at something. I think that is so awesome that you can grow and climb this ladder yet scary that you can go back down the ladder. I thought the advice of managing your time and energy was perfect for me because I am a procrastinator so I am looking forward to looking back at that section when the school year starts. One quote that I loved was, "Practice with feedback, correction, and refinement helps you get BETTER- there's no such thing as perfect." What a great quote to help you continue to develop a growth mindset.

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Take away from this chapter was what compassion is and how to strengthen your own compassion for others and yourself. The part that really stuck out to me was the self-compassion section because I think that this is the area that I struggle with the most, which probably does affect my compassion for others. I like how she uses self-compassion to make changes. "With compassion, you can accept what you are not satisfied with many work to change that..." I found this chapter to be beneficial for me professionally but also personally, as I have found most of these chapters to be.

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I am a huge supporter of play in the classroom.I know young learners are more engaged and have better recall when we learn through play. Play is also the best way for us to work on social emotional skills. Learning how to be a friend is done through play. What i really took away was how important it is for adults to play. It made stop and ponder what play means to me. I am still working on exactly what it is.  The idea of creating is also exciting to me. I know I love the idea of art and creating something but I fear I am one of those people that thinks I am not good enough at anything. My big take away is I do not need to be good if it is something I enjoy. I feel motivated to pull my guitar back out and just enjoy it, not worry about how quickly I can master a new chord.  Lastly, I love the section on flow. It is such a great feeling to get so involved in something that you lose track of time.

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I feel I need to start with the definition of compassion given in the book. Compassion: “you are moved to take action to relieve someone else’s suffering.  I think that many people, myself included, think they are being compassionate but in reality we are really showing empathy or sympathy.  Taking that step of action is what sets compassion apart. The first step is to have self compassion. This idea was a big wake up call to me. For me to have compassion, I must recognize how that person impacts me and what actions I need to take to protect myself and my emotions. Then I will be better able to look through a different lens and understand how I struggled. That change in perspective will help me work through how others are reacting to situations I am involved in. It all starts with me.

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There were a lot of takeaways that I had from this chapter. I feel that this chapter is important for all educators to read no matter the time they have spent in the career. The first takeaway that I had was the Competence Ladder. I had never heard of something like this and it was eye opening to read about each step of the ladder. Another key takeaway was the Mind the Gap and identifying where the gap is. It was really interesting to read about the long term substitute and her feelings when entering the classroom. I feel that a lot of first year teacher feel the same way, but it is important to dig deeper and to identify where the gap is and why she was feeling that way. My last big takeaway was when Aguilar discussed Time and Energy Management Strategies. I tend to make a to-do list, but not follow through with it. I found these strategies very helpful and reading about each one helped me think more about how I manage my time and energy and what I can do better.

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This chapter really resonated with me because a few of the scenarios that she discussed are scenarios that I have gone through. What really resonated with me was when she discussed self-compassion and how we need to start with self-compassion to show true compassion for others. The tips for practicing self-compassion were important for me to read. I always thought that I had self-compassion, but after reading about self-compassion I see aspects of it that I need to work on. Compassion is an important piece to building a strong community within the school. Compassion provides a more positive work environment and happier teachers, but it is also important to take the compassion into the classroom with our students as well. I also felt that the 10 tips for dealing with difficult people was very beneficial for all of us as educators because we are going to have to deal with difficult parents, students, colleagues, throughout our careers and these tips are important to remember.

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This chapter was very eye opening to me. One idea that really impacted me was the The Conscious Competence Ladder (pg. 224-225). I've understood that there are steps in learning a skill and that it takes time to master it, but having it explained in this way by using a ladder makes it more applicable to use with my students. This is something I would love to introduce to my students in my class to use to help them understanding the steps it takes to master something and that we all take those steps at different speeds and at different times.

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Compassion is vital in a successful, positive community. Aguilar makes a great point about the importance of having compassion in relation to building a strong community. She says, "If our schools and districts established a strong foundation of cooperation and trust, and fostered compassionate communities, change could be much easier when budget cuts strike or when a beloved leader leaves." (pg. 203) Compassion doesn't need to just happen after a crisis, it can happen at any moment. Putting yourself in someone elses shoes helps us understand each other on a different level which would lead to more communication and collaboration. Having this same mindset in your classroom as well would lead to building a more positive learning environment for your students in which they are more eager to help each other and learn together.

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I feel that what Aguilar is saying about the importance of curiosity and inquiry are very related to the conscious competence ladder.  Constant curiosity about student learning and inquiry into how to improve it is an obvious goal and something that happens all the time, but there are also times when it’s so easy to getbusy and stuck in a rut without really examining what’s going on.  In those cases, we’re at the bottom of the conscious competence ladder.  We’re at unconscious incompetence because we aren’t seeing or exploring the little signs in our classrooms that could tell us how learning can improve.  The challenging part is that this level is pretty comfortable since we don’t know what we don’t know.  I find that I’m most uncomfortable at the next level.  For instance, I notice that a student isn’t making the gains I want.  At this point my teaching is at conscious incompetence because I see that it’s not what it should be.  The struggle then is to find a solution.  Thinking about this, the stage of the ladder that feels best is the one that comes next, conscious competence, where you fully realize the difference that you’ve made.  It’s good to consider these stages as a motivation to keep striving to move up and avoid staying at the comfortable level where many things may be going well but more can improve.