Google Summit inspired teachers

I'm at the Midwest Google Summit watch Chad Kafta present Big PHAT Blogger. You can feel the energy in the room. Teacher, administrators, IT are here soaking in new knowledge.... brainstorming...collaborating...ultimately to bring innovation back to their schools to create a more engaging experience students. The Midwest Google Summit is giving us momentum to go back and change and improve AND THAT IS INSPIRING.

Books to Improve Your Life

The chaotic school year ended and I rolled right into teaching summer school and took a graduate class last week.  It's been so much of a whirl wind that my mind is spinning from all the things I want to do with the five weeks I have left.  One of the big things is finally conquering my summer reading list.  Just like my blog name, I am all about being motivated and inspired.  So when I have the time to read, I tend to pick books that will help me improve my life.

Recently, I came across this blog, Taking the Lid Off the Sun and was truly inspired by Alexis Ahren's post called Loves Place in the Classroom. 

"When I say I love my students, I mean that I am seeing them for who they truly are, appreciating and accepting them right there in that space. My love for them isn’t dependent on their cooperation or compliance. It’s not affected by their academic performance. Some take longer to get to know than others, and so it follows that some take longer to love than others, but love comes … always. "

Seriously, click on the link above and read more because it's truly inspiring.  Last week I spent time in a special education class and having a lot of discussions with other teachers about students with all types of disabilities including learning disabilities, ADHD, Autism and social, emotional or behavior disorders.  I've always connected to these types of students and I think its because of what Alexis mentions.  I see them for who they truly are and love them no matter what.  From the athlete to the rocker, from the skateboarder to the hippie, to the kid that sat in the back of the room with his hoodie over his head, I try my best to get to know them all.  And you know what, I think my students know it because I'll get that email once in a blue moon from an alumni or a hug after a semester is over - there is nothing better.

Now let's fast forward a week after reading Alexis' blog and I'm sitting in my grad class.  I come across information about social emotional learning during my class research.  I've always felt like life skills should be taught in schools and just came across how this is a growing movement.  I teach in Illinois and didn't even realize that my own state has adopted learning standards for this area.  Check out Casel, Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning website that gives more information on this topic.  Also during my research I came across information about Daniel Goleman who has brought this topic to the forefront from his book Emotional Intelligence.  I'm hoping to read this and his book Primal Leadership with hopes its something I can integrate into the Management & Leadership class I teach.

Also on my summer book list is a recommendation Alexis mentioned - Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn.  This book is about what kids need and how we can meet those needs vs. how we can we get kids to do what they are told.  He feels that praise and rewards do more harm than good.  About 70 pages into it I can already see some parallels betten Kohn's book and Daniel Pink's Drive where Pink talks about how the carrot and stick doesn't work (rewards) for long term motivation.

Have you read these any of these books? I'm looking forward to having conversations on these books.  (

(Be on the look out for more posts relating to these topics and books)

Overcome Challenges: Living in the now

If you would of told me ten years ago that the future view from my road bike was going to be my furnace I would of told you that you were crazy. To think I road my bike 500 miles from Minneapolis to Chicago and now I ride in my basement.  All my life I've worked out religiously. It was my escape and my companion. 

Now I ride on my trainer when I sneak in 30-45 minutes of energy while my husband is entertaining my 2 year old as they play air guitar to the hairband music I play as I ride.  Not sure if this is still considered an escape!

I struggle mentally and physically to figure out how to be all things - mom, wife, homemaker, teacher, daughter, sister, friend and most of all I struggle to make time for myself. Many women have gone through the same stress, the same balance, the same journey.  I am constantly trying to work on this life challenge.

My mentor reminds me to stop blaming others, stop living in the past and stop worrying about the future.  Live in the now! Be grateful for what you have and look at the now as an unpaved path.

Now this life challenge is really not that big when you compare it to other challenges people face- disease, job loss, tragedy, and death. I've seen my family struggle through all of it and it breaks my heart. Why so much pain? Why is life so hard? But that's exactly the problem. We can't look at it as pain. We can't see it as a challenge or a fight. We have to see it as a journey and we are at a fork in the road. We choose the path. Do we see this as defeat? Or a lesson? A closed door? Or possibilities of a new opportunity? It's our choice if we let it defeat us or if it makes us stronger.

My best advice: Choose your life, don't let it choose you.

Someone inspired me to write this post who is going through a hard time right now. They connected to the lyrics of Eminen's song "Loose yourself" which I hope you'll find inspiring as well.. Music is a great way to get inspired and stay grounded in the now - what music have you been inspired by?

Comment on the blog and join in the conversation.

Get Out of Your Environment For Inspiration

If you're new to Motivate To Inspire you'll see my reflection on life experiences.  My hope is that these reflections help you live better, do better and be better to have a more fulfilling life.

This week I attended a workshop on collaborative group teaching strategies.  My brain was in hyperactivity mode.  Can I complain about having SO many ideas?  Of coarse not, but it's always overwhelming trying to digest everything you learn at a conference.  It's hard not to think, "how am I going to find the time to incorporate all these new strategies?" Or, if I didn't have four or five preps maybe I'd have more time? Or, if it wasn't for...X...Y...Z.  OK, STOP RIGHT THERE!  Sure, stress can create those crazy thoughts but let's think about the big picture here.  Getting out of your environment shouldn't be overwhelming it should be inspiring! 

Whether the four walls in which you work are called school, a place of business or a home office - getting out of your environment point blank makes you BETTER.  Before teaching, I sold advertising for eight years, ending my sales career at MTV Networks.  Each year MTV Networks would take its entire sales staff to Puerto Rico for the ultimate, multiple day, sales meeting.  Of coarse I have fond memories of the social aspect of the trip but I got a lot more out of trip than that.  The best way I can describe it - it's like you're pumped up on a six pack of Red Bull.  You leave the conference with passion for the brand and new ideas to grow your business.

But have you ever turned down an opportunity to go to a workshop, conference or training? Often times we feel we can't afford the time away from the office or we don't want to deal with playing catch up.  Now, think of all the times you have gotten out of the office for workshops - are you glad you went?  Sure, not every workshop has been as beneficial as the next but I ALWAYS feel that I grow as a business professional or as an educator.

Now you come back from a workshop with all these new ideas and you're on that imaginary Red Bull buzz, how do you deal with it?  A veteran teacher gave me a piece of advice at the workshop this week, "pick one new idea you really like and try to incorporate it."  And that's how we grow.  We crawl, we walk, we run.  One little moment at a time.

REFLECTION: Take every opportunity you are offered to learn and be open minded to who and when you can learn.  Leave the four walls where you work - get out and live and you'll find the inspiration to move you forward.

3 Life Lessons You Can Learn From A Dog

If we take the time to observe, simple life lessons are right in front of us.  Here's three things we can learn from a dog:

1st Lesson: Soak in the sun
My dog could sit outside for hours on a beautiful day and just bask in the sun.  I see her close her eyes and enjoy the moment of the sounds of the outdoors.  Now, I'm an outdoorsy person so I can totally relate to this.  On every vacation where I've taken a hike, I find a few moments to stop, sit and think.  Even if you aren't into the outdoors, there's a big take away here - we need to take moments out of life, not just on vacation but every day of our life.  Whether it's our good fortune or our health, our family or our friends or all of the above - Appreciate all that you have, even the little moments in life like a sunny day.



2nd Lesson: Rest
If there's one thing my dog does is sleep.  To often we are running around in this busy game called life.  We juggle all the things we need to do - family, friends, work, home.  It's easy to run yourself until your immune system literally exhausts itself. Let's learn from our pets: Play hard and then sleep it off.  If you don't have time to sleep in or take a nap then do what ever you need to do to rejuvenate.  The more you can carve out time for yourself, the more energy you will have to accomplish all your goals in life.


3rd Lesson: Love life
Every day when I get home, my dog comes running with toy in mouth and tail wagging.  I always tell my dog, Brandy, that she's my first love. I adopted her during a time in my life when I was ready to start taking care of someone - before I met my husband and before I had my son.  But more than all the love I have for her amazing spirit, she loves me and most of all she loves life! She loves her family, she loves the hunt and she loves the simple things in life.  Be joyful, see the spirit in all things, open your hearts AND your mind - and just LOVE LIFE because it's there to love.

(Photo: My dog Brandy in the backyard)

Stop Blaming Your Environment - Create it!

Purpose, Motivation, and Choice - three topics I'm really passionate about so when I read Ryan Bretag's recent post on Metanoia it really lit a fire in me.  I urge you to read his thoughts that were sparked from Seth Godin's post "Are you doing a good job." We've been discussing topics such as these in the high school Management & Leadership class I teach so I posed Ryan's question to my students and I did some personal reflection as well.

PURPOSE:
Godin's post connects with Daniel Pink's research and how he states "What's your question?" I agree with Godin that people need to think about their mission. Does it tie into what they are doing in their environment? If there isn't a connection, are we truly going to be happy? This is the exact reason I changed careers from advertising sales to teaching and again connects with one of Daniel Pink's big mentions in his book Drive, you have to have "Purpose."

MOTIVATION:
My Management & Leadership students discussed the questions Bretag posed on his blog and here’s a google doc from our classroom discussion. We read, discussed and every student participated in an engaging discussion.   It was very inspiring to see students connect their thoughts from previous discussions (including various management/leadership philosophies and 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey). The students' ideas could fit any organization including business and education. From a room of 22 high school students, three main ideas came from our discussion.

Focus on making things fun and challenging : Create an engaging environment

Focus on the people: Truly listen to the needs of your stakeholders

Focus on being happy: Connect to the purpose

CHOICE:
On Bretag’s post I commented, “When are we going to stop blaming the environment and start creating it? My motto is to live better, do better and just be better. It's all about choice and the perspective we take. I agree with you, as leaders, isn't it our job to motivate and inspire others to be better? I think as leaders we can help our colleagues or students see they have a choice in their perspective and providing them with opportunities to create and fulfill these ideas.”

After writing this comment on Bretag's blog and then having my classroom discussion, I was hoping to see my students make more of a connection with the idea that each person has the choice of the way they view their environment.  As Bretag mentions, “When I’m bored, I start doing the job” but I was hoping to hear more individuals turn this statement around and take ownership of their life. When I posed the question to my students “what motivates you?” (see google doc for all responses) one female student stated it best – “BEING BORED.”  And while that was a great beginning connection that was made, it wasn't followed through with the rest of our motivation and leadership discussion.  We need to take ownership for ourselves, be empowered and change our perspective.  We need to stop blaming others for our environment and know that we have the power to create it ourselves.





At the same time, as leaders we need to provide opportunities and a better environment to help people create!  I’m truly inspired by the leaders of the Glenbrook High School District in which I work.  Dr. Michael Riggle and Ryan Bretag show  how leaders build a foundation for their staff and their students to provide choice and growth in their organization.

What have leaders done in your organization to create a better environment? What motivates you? Do you have a take a ownership perspective or a blame others mentality?  Let's challenge ourselves and our environment - Let's play a part in our community and our organizations - And in the end, we will create amazing things.

(Image: ENVIRONMENT, a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial (2.0) image from Enokson's photostream)

What motivates students to learn?  It's inspiring to see my students take control of their own learning.  Over the last two days students stepped up and initiated learning in my classroom.

Student: "Can we go see this guest speaker?"
A student walked into my business law classroom and explained that a 92 year old Holocaust survivor was speaking to the Junior social studies classes.  He made a great point - there wasn't going to be many more opportunities to hear a man speak about these experiences.  So I thought about it - how amazing was it that students wanted to take on this rare opportunity to learn.

Me: "You have a choice"
If we go to the speaker, there will be less review of the material we've learned for the next test.  There won't be any time for activities so what's left will be lectures.  If we stay in class there are review activities, debates and lecture.  It's your vote.  They voted to go to the speaker and I was really proud of them.  Sure it crossed my mind if they were just wanting to get out of the classroom but when we sat in the theater it was silent and the students were just as engaged listen to this elder with many years of wisdom as they were with the motivational speaker last week with his comedic twist.  REFLECTION: spontaneous learning moment = inspiring

Me: "Who has a smart phone?"
I tried something new today in my business law class.  I was going over new vocabulary like merger, conglomerate, asset acquisition, and franchises.  The definitions were on the guided note sheet and below that I left a space for examples.  I asked, "Who has a smart phone?"  I had seven students raise their hands.  I asked them to take them out and I wish I had a picture of their reaction - it was of shock!  I asked if they would volunteer to look up the vocabulary they had in front of them and search examples to share in the class.  What happened next was very cool!  As they found their examples they shared it with the class.  Students without phones started asking more questions and so the search continued to find more answers and more examples.  Students that don't normally volunteer where speaking, students were sharing their prior knowledge and the classroom became a learning community.  REFLECTION:  Great example of technology in the classroom!

Me: "Who's Judy?"
I was inspired by a blog post I read by Clarence Fisher where his students and students at another school collaborated in a Google Doc about the recent news of the tsunami in Japan.  It was inspiring to me how these students took control of their own learning and collected web links, videos, and facts about the recent news.  In my management class we are finishing up the management unit and going to start talking about leadership.  I showed them a video The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink  (which they LOVED by the way).  (Make sure if you go to this link you find the right video.  I linked to this versus Youtube or TED talks so you can see all of Daniel Pink's videos.)  I pre-setup the google doc and set invitations to all my student.  Before going into the computer lab I showed them the google doc and explained the concept of this collaborative learning space.  The time spent in the lab was really fun to see.  Some students gravitated towards videos, others went to pictures, and a few others went to find facts.  Some of it was top surface level and I wish they read and thought more versus a copy and paste.  But at the same time they got really engaged in the subject matter.  I asked them afterwards what they thought and they all gave me thumbs up.  Some students were excited for what they found and many students got really excited to start learning more about leadership.  To top it off -  we had fun too.  So who's Judy?  That's exactly what I asked during the IM chat my class was having during the Google Doc session.  Judy was this random person they popped into the IM conversation - I played along and we all had fun with the joke - Who's Judy?

REFLECTION:  Teachable moments = student driven learning = why I became a teacher!

Follow Up: High School Business Management

My goal in this blog is to write about inspiring moments I experience and often that's seen in my classroom.  I teach business education at the high school level.  A few months ago I posted about revising my management curriculum from first semester to second semester.  In this class, we've partnered with Market Day to run a student business. 

Try, Try Again:
With its ups and downs, I changed the structure of our business and how the students would reflect on the experience.  I truly believe that the structure improved and so did the learning process.  But after running the business for one month, the students approached our student President about their desire to stop running Market Day.  I gave my pep talk.  I felt like I was a coach giving a pep talk before a big game.  I explained how team's watch tapes of their games, analyze what they could of done better and go into the next game to improve. That's why we are going to do Market Day for two months to see how we can improve. I met with the department managers and they expressed their concern.  They felt that they got everything out of the Market Day experience they could.  They were interested in learning other management and leadership content AND they had a lot of ideas on how to make that happen.  I gave them props for approaching me.  I gave them props for taking responsibility for their learning.  And after my students spent a month reading the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens I decided to put myself in their shoes.  Even with the changes I made it came down to purpose - the students didn't feel as connected to the cause (business model) despite all attempts at improving the structure of the activity.  We had a class meeting, I listened, I decided... it was time cease and desist.

REFLECTION: It's OK To Give Up:
Actually I don't really consider it giving up.  It's all the way you look at it.  I tried something new and took a risk - I'm a better teacher for it.  There are a lot of great parts to the concept of running the business in a management class.  And there's a lot of great things I learned along the way.  One being that I think it's a great experience for students to have an opportunity to reflect about what they learned.  I believe self-reflection is a life long skill that helps anyone become more successful.

Do you reflect on your experiences?  My motto is live better, do better and just be better!  Let me ask you this - how has reflection helped you "be better"?

A Teacher's Drive to Student Motivation

I'm still trying to uncover the secrets to motivation with my students.  My management & leadership class is a new prep for me this semester.  I've taken the old curriculum which includes units on personal management using the 7 Habits for Highly Effective Teens and units on management functions, leadership, communication, case studies and ethics.  This year I decided to launch a student-run business out of the class so we are using  Market Day for the business model because there's no inventory and customers can purchase product online which makes it a turn-key business for us.  I could provide anyone with more details and pro/cons of using Market Day but my focus here is the journey of discovering what motivates my students.

Last semester we had issues of lack of motivation primarily because students didn't feel connected to the cause.  For me, I thought the learning opportunity and the experience they gain to put on their resume was the big BLING for doing Market Day at all.  The students got to make decisions on marketing, customer service and gain real life experience - how much better can it get.  LEARNING BY DOING.  But there were a lot of other things that played into it.  Students wanted to make money themselves....I could go off on a tangent of the teen generation but that's really for another blog post.  So despite my talks with my students about the rewards of their hard work, they really didn't seem to care.  I've been reading Daniel Pink's book, Drive and I'm seeing now some problems that I did first semester - mainly the carrot and the stick.  I offered prizes and incentives but in the end it was just a short term band-aid for the problem. And by the end of the semester the hardworking motivated students where so discouraged by the other half of students, everyone gave up.

One month into second semester:  Here's my REFLECTION: 

• The start of the semester is to jam packed with the 7 Habits Sean Covey book and starting the student-run business
• I need to reevaluate using the Sean Covey book.  Some of the students feel that it is common sense and the stories are for a younger audience.  CONSIDER USING THE STEVEN COVEY BOOK OR LETTING STUDENTS PICK A SELF-MANAGEMENT BOOK OF THEIR CHOICE.
• Business organization charts includes a student President, and managers that run two marketing departments, an operations department and a finance department. 
• NEW: The student president has been a great addition to the org chart this semester.  David is helping provide valuable feedback and help the group stay organized.
• NEW: Rotating managers every 2-3 weeks versus every month. 
• Each month each student will do a reflection on the business - what worked, what didn't, how to improve, what did they learn.
• NEW: after the manager is done with their rotation they will do a reflection paper as well.
• NEW: When students are discouraged about lack of motivation I am explaining the Team goals and not emphasizing short term "carrot and stick" incentives and explaining why.
• NEW: We've spent a class preparing a one-month department plan including their goals.  The next class they work on executing the plan.  Students seemed to have more direction and motivation in completing their goals.
• NEW: Incorporated manager meetings to help with planning and to help provide managers with experience and opportunities to discuss concerns.  This gives me the opportunity to have those teachable moments and discuss concepts of motivation

To address one of my reflections above, do you have a book you would recommend relating to management, self-management, leadership or motivation that would be engaging for high school students?

Overcoming a Challenge

As a teacher I am always touched by amazing things that happen at schools that make a difference. In my blog I try to bring you inspiration and motivation from the classroom and from life. This story is of a motivational speaker that gave a speech recently at a Chicago Public School, Julian High School in the Roseland and Pullman communities, to speak of overcoming challenges and never giving up. According to the Chicago Tribune, 85-95% of the students at Julian H.S. live in poverty and many have one parent absent at home. Motivational speaker and Paralympian, Lloyd Bachrach, spoke of his story of being born with missing bones in his legs and how he over came adversity.

Lloyd is actually my cousin (2nd, 3rd or twice removed...I'm not sure how it goes) but I've known Lloyd's story all my life. Honestly, I'm not sure as a kid I really realized there was "a story" about Lloyd. I just knew that Lloyd was one of my really cool cousins (and he just so happened to walk with a cane - which I probably thought was a cool toy). As I got older I heard family members tell his story and I've heard Lloyd give his speech. But now it's different. As an educator, I am truly moved and inspired how a person overcoming life's challenge of a physical disability can inspire others to overcome life of poverty. Check out the Chicago Tribune's story. Pat Dunnigan did an amazing job telling the story. While Lloyd's challenges of a disability were different than Julian's students of poverty, life is the same - life gives you challenges but its what you do with it that makes a difference in your future.

In the article Dunnigan wrote: Bachrach also stressed perseverance. "When you quit is when you have failed," he told the students. "There is no one way to do things in life."

I have to give props to the Assistant Principal Ihechi Sadiki and Allie Whitehurst, coordinator of Julian's Culture of Calm program for the school for bringing Lloyd Bachrach to speak at their school and make the connection for students. They are trying to help students "fill the gap" to overcome adversity - that is truly inspiring.

REFLECTION:

• Life gives everyone challenges in one form or another. Don't feel sorry for yourself, don't feel sorry for others. Look around and get a reality check - accept and move on.
• Life's challenges can teach us something - what is your life challenge trying to tell you? Sometimes you can't always see it when you're standing right in the middle of the struggle. Take a step back, relax and give it time because eventually you can reflect to find the true lesson of your story. (Maybe it's trying to teach you that you are strong than you realize)
• Make your choice! Think of your life as a choose your own adventure book. Your future is unwritten. In the end of the story, where do you want to be? Overcoming challenges or being defeated by them?

To give you momentum for the New Year

If you've been reading my blog you've heard me talk about my career change from ad sales to teaching.  Ever been in a crossroads in your life?  When you are halted by fear of the unknown or scared of making that change?  The event in my life that finally tipped the scale to make a career change was attending a Tony Robbins' seminar over six years ago.  The weekend was such an amazing opportunity to reflect within myself on my life, what was really important to me and what I wanted to do with it. 

THE BIG TAKE AWAY: Tony Robbins talks about momentum - that thing that gives you energy to push forward.  I often crave momentum, especially when life gets you so run down.  The beautiful thing about December, more than all the gifts and holiday cheer, is how the holidays leads right into the new year.  It's a perfect time to reflect.  (and that's a big part of what this blog is all about - because without reflection how do we grow, motivate and inspire to do better and be better.)

Check out this video from Tony Robbins.  To give you the gift of momentum, I challenge you to join me on Friday.  Put yourself in a coffee shop, carve out an hour...half hour or even fifteen minutes.  Take a laptop, ipad,  pad of paper or a good old fashion journal.  Wear your headphones and just sit and write. 
Don't think - just write.  Here's three questions Tony suggests you ask yourself:

1) WHAT WERE YOUR MAGIC MOMENTS FROM THIS YEAR?
Write down all the big moments but the little moments too.  Make it happen by looking back in your calender to see what you did, take a look at pictures or talk with your partner to brainstorm.  Don't have time to sit at a coffee shop, sit down with your kids and brainstorm together - make a family art project out of it - frame it.

2) WHAT DIDN'T WORK THIS YEAR?
Make sure to answer question #1 first.  Build yourself up with the positive.  Don't beat yourself up but really reflect.  This didn't work...but I learned XYZ from this.  Tony says, "Get the lesson."  (Love this - from a teacher what a perfect way to say learn from life.)

3) WHAT ARE YOU COMMITTED TO FOR 2011?
Tony says to take out your tools in your toolbox and make it happen!  Make a decision and make a change.  This is my favorite part - you get so built up and the energy is flowing from questions #1 & #2 - so go ahead - set some goals! 

TAKE ACTION: Make a ritual. 
Tony says rituals make it real.  Get in a routine.  When you get so determined to set a goal, think about how you can get there.  Get into a great practice (I love the word practice because it reminds me of people that establish a practice in things like yoga or meditation - what great examples of a ritual that helps you reflect and grow as a person.) Tony gives a suggestion for connecting during the morning in what he calls the "hour of power." You can get a free download of it on his website.  Personally, I'm really going to try and put aside 20 minutes for myself everyday to reflect and to create my life.   What rituals are you going to do to make your life happen?

So join me on Friday or any other day from now until New Years and ask yourself three simple questions.  Let's reflect - grow - motivate - and inspire!  Comment on my blog and let me know how it goes.

Hallelujah

Our Choir Director at school passed along this very cool Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp_RHnQ-jgU.   This is the recent "Random Act of Culture" where members of the Philadelphia Opera Company sang the "Hallelujah Chorus" in a Macy's department store.  Check out the expression on people's faces when they see this surprising and beautiful moment.  It's inspirational and heart warming - perfect for this holiday season.  Enjoy.   

Recognition - it works!

I've always been motivated to work hard simply for someone to tell me I'm doing a good job.  It probably started when I was young, being the youngest of three girls.  I worked hard and did "good" to get positive responses from my parents all the in the quest for fighting for attention in a house of three kids.  I wanted them to be proud.  So something as simple as getting my report card posted on the refrigerator was very motivating for me.  Recognition.

It's funny how I forgot this simple secret to motivation - Recognition.  I actually was telling my students when I worked for the Daily Herald as an advertising sales executive.  I was motivated each month to reach my sales goal not just because I wanted to make money but especially because I wanted to get my name on a certificate which would be posted on the bulletin board in the office of all reps that reach their sales goal for that month - Recognition!  I even told my students how I even want recognition from my husband.  When I clean the house all I want is for my husband to come home, see it, appreciate it and say "wow, the house looks great." - Recognition.

So after last weeks blog post about how I was struggling with motivating a group of students, I thought more about it and discussed with with my Market Day rep.  We launched Market Day this year as a student-run business, which is a monthly grocery purchase program.  The Market Day district manager proposed a sales incentive to my high school students - increase sales and win a food party for our class. Where the kids motivated? NO.  I was disappointed.  They said they already work during class time and they don't think it would make them go "above and beyond."  I even asked - does it hurt to take the challenge?  Would you rather have a pizza party or no pizza party at all?  Its a no-lose situation.  One student even called it a "bribe." And of coarse I explained, especially from doing sales for eight years prior to teaching - its not a bribe.  It's called "incentives."  So anyway - food was not all that motivating to high school students.  The district manager pitched another idea to them - hit your sales goal (increase from 34 customers to 54 customers which is only 2 more customers per student in my class) and the district manager would place an ad in the student newspaper congratulating the class (and listing their names).  The light switched on!  The students loved it.  They wanted the recognition.  So I pitched another idea to them - I'd get them company t-shirts that said on the front Management Class / Market Day and on the back FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS.  Again - they liked it - recognition.

So how have you been recognized that lead to motivation?  Or how were you motivated to get recognized?  Share your experiences with us.

REFLECTION - People are motivated by recognition.  Here's some ideas to recognize people:

• I always try to thank people for their hard work - a little thank you goes along way.  So send a quick email or make a phone call - it works.
• Awards, honors, announcements  - try bulletin boards, announcing at the end of class who did the best project, awards ceremonies, announce at the holiday party all the employees that got promoted over the year
• Let workers leave work an hour early for their hard work
• Create a "Fun Friday" at work or in the classroom.
• Tell your spouse/partner what you love about them

RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU THINK IS GREAT and SHOW PEOPLE YOU APPRECIATE THEM

What's in it for me? Personal interest = more motivation

What's in it for me?  What do I get if I do this?  Why work hard?  Why should I care?



Photo by Jorbasa, from Flickr Creative Commons



Oh, I have heard things like this all the time or at least I've felt it from people.  I'm finding if people have a personal interest (positive reason) or something at stake (negative reason) motivation increases. Take bees for example!  They work so hard to just to get nectur from a flower and store it in their "honeystomachs." They have to visit anywhere from 100 to 1500 flowers to fill their tummys only to then have the worker bees get involved to turn it into honey.  Thats a lot of work!  But they have a goal, a personal interest and guess what - it produces results!

 

So let's take a look at a few more examples of positive and negative things that drive motivation:

• Money- commission for sales goals, allowances for children
• Grades- the harder you work, the better your grade
• Charity - a personal cause that has affected you or your family member
• Non-tenured teachers- fight for keep enrollment numbers so they don't loose their jobs
• Loss of privilege- Bad report from school leads to parents taking away rewards
• Rewards - you behave, you get XYZ (My nephews got to sleep at Papa's house)

The sad thing is that on the opposite side of this. What happens when they don't care about grades?  Or Charity?  Or have a passion for learning?  I'm struggling with this in my classroom lately.   I hear that the class is "to hard, to much work" or I hear "I'm not learning enough."  Then I have another class, Management, where I'm having them manage and run a business.  I've given them more opportunities than I can count to come up with ideas of motivational rewards we could incorporate into class and choices on how to run the business and projects they'd like to do in class. Yet, I feel like I'm putting in so much energy to motivate and nothing is sparking the fire in them.  So I've come to realize that they are not personally vested.  But how do you get all your staff personally vested? Everyone has their own inner-beliefs and opinions.  So while I am trying several different strategies to reach everyone, I guess I'm still thinking there needs to be a simpler way of motivating a group of people.  Anyone have ideas or suggestions?  How do you spark a fire in a group of people when everyone has different motivators?

REFLECTION

• If you have a personal interest or something at stake - it motivates!
• Then - How do you motivate a group of people with different motivators?

A motivational visit from an Alumni

For every day that is challenging as a teacher, the day I get a visit or email from an Alumin makes it all worth it.  To know that I made some impact in a students life that they want to keep in touch means that I did my job.  I try to stress to my students that I truely care, understand and respect them.  I'm not sure if that's what brought Michael Isreal back to GBN today but he wanted to share his story with me.  He wanted to share how he's changed - and he's changed for the better.  Here's my recap of his story:

HIGH SCHOOL:
Grew up in an affluent area.  His high school experience consisted of social life #1 and school acadamics coming in dead last of his priorities.  I remember Michael as being all about the girls and not so much about the school work. He shared with me how he would hide his report card and lie about his grades to his parents. 

COLLEGE:
The lights went on!!!  He joined a fraternity and got his first leadership role which showed him that he had some natural talent.  Then he had an upper classman mentor him - showed him how to study, learn and be committed.  This mentor showed him that you get respect from doing well versus when your bad.  Michael worked hard to get accepted into a Big 10 University after a year at community college.  In talking to Michael I could tell that the phone call he made to his dad to tell him that he got in to IU was one of his best monents in life.  He now spends hours each day studying not just for college but to fullfill his life long dream. 

THE FUTURE:
Michael wants to be an entreprenuer...or should I say he already is one.  He's already created a start-up online business and sold it.  He's onto his next few ventures already.  Michael's ultimate goal is to be a CEO of his own company that has a positive impact on our country.  He's currently out there networking with top executives to learn from the best of the best.  SMART.

MY COMMENTS
Often I see the potential in my students.  Michael was one of them...and he heard it all the time from people - "you aren't working up to your potential".  It wasn't until he had his "moment" that the light switch turned on.  And I'm so glad it did.  I shared with Michael that many parents don't get the joy to have the story turn out positive for their kids - they must be so proud.  And so am I.  Michael - this is only the beginning. And I truely mean that because I see qualities in you (drive, passion, determination, and committment) that many famous and successful people have. Thank you for sharing your story. 

REFLECTION:

• Change can be good.  Moving to a new environment can create new opportunities to grow.
• Mentors - learn from people that know
• Recognition - makes it all worth

A step forward

When I think there's a step forward there might be a step back in the process. Really if you think about it, all the steps backward in life really helps us learn how to move forward for success.

My management class launched a student-run business this semester. And since this is my first semester teaching the class I'm kindda learning as I go and trying to make improvements along the way. It's a really small class of only 10 students and when I told them of the class business they were very skeptical. In fact, I had two students drop the class. But 10 stuck with me - thank goodness. I've given a lot of opportunities in class discussions for the students to give input to what would motivate them. Unfortunately, we never got anywhere - I got the typical responses - no tests, no final exam, we want to earn money - we don't want to do anything or should I say - "we want to do as little as possible for the biggest rewards." So I could go on in more detail but the first month was a struggle getting the students motivated. We had a sales goal - they reached and they were proud of themselves - and I think they saw results! They felt success! AND THEN WE TOOK A STEP FORWARD.

So here we are at almost the end of month two and I met with my class today and for the first time saw great energy in the room - motivation! This month we set up a to-do list on a google doc. Its really helped to make the students accountable and make them see how everyone plays a part in accomplishing a goal.

Ok - so what's the step back you ask? Feedback is sometimes discouraging except feedback is so important to improve your practice - so I continue to do it. My management students just finished reading Sean Covey's Habits of Highly Effective Teens. On their test I asked for their thoughts on the book and the way in which it was taught. Many students liked it a lot and plan to incorporate things they learned into their lives - WIN! Two students felt that the book didn't teach them anything they didn't already know - and they are not fans of self-help books. And I think a little part of me was disappointed in this. Sure, the concepts in the book isn't rocket science or it isn't a new discovery of an invention but you know - its about improving ourselves, seeing our strengths and weaknesses and growing. To turn this into another WIN I plan on telling reflecting with them - while they don't think they learned anything new - it gave them time to think about themselves and sometimes we don't do that enough. I think that is a WIN for sure.

REFLECTION

• Seeing success once helps you reach for it again.
• Taking a step back only helps us move forward
• Instead of thinking of the ones you can't reach, think of the ones you did.

The Start of Motivation to Inspire

At a recent staff meeting all the teachers where asked, "What's your passion?" I couldn't write anything down. What's wrong with me - come on! I have passion! Or do I? I felt like what ever I wrote down would define who I was. I kept thinking - "I used to love working out", "I used to love cooking" but now I never find the time to do the things I love and help me define who I am. I find myself consumed with being a mom and wife. And then I started beating myself up...like most of us do sometimes. I kept thinking how I start something, get into it for awhile and then stop doing it. When I was in high school (many, many, many years ago), I remember my parents reminding me of this - I tried band, cross country, tennis, track, dance and I even tried out for basketball but didn't make the team. Now 20 years later, I still run a little and dance with my 16 month old in the house but that's about it. And heck, look at this blog, I haven't written in a very long time.

But the blessing in my wandering and worrying mind is coming back to write this blog. It's been sometime since I've written but I am feeling more inspired to write than ever before. Am I inspired lately? To be honest, not a all. It's a recession and I'm seeing a lot of family and friends go through hard times while business and government budgets are being cut left and right. And then there is my job - I teach business education in a suburban high school to mostly Juniors and Seniors. This is my second career (former life I was an Ad Sales Exec.). And its been a very long time since I felt so stressed out from a job. I'm teaching five totally different classes this semester plus being an advisor to a club and starting a student-run business. Oh, did I mention that I took on a tech mentor job as well at school. Any teachers out there know, this is a lot of work to take on. (IF YOU ARE THINKING - HOW IS THIS INSPIRATIONAL...HANG TIGHT, I'LL MAKE MY POINT IN A SECOND.) Sorry I'm venting my stress here but the final thing that is adding to my droopy mood (is that even a word?) is lack of motivation in my students - ITS DRAINING. And to be really honest, its scary. I am scared for their generation because in four more years they will be applying for jobs and in five more years their managers are going to be disappointed with their performance. But as a teacher, my job is not to give up on my students.

So despite my exhaustion, these reoccurring messages and thoughts keeps popping into my head:

Motivation and Inspiration.

How do I motivate people?

What motivates people?

Why do some people overcome challenges while others let it defeat them?

Because if we could find the answers to these questions, WOW, we would have a key to unlock the potential in everyone. If I could discover how to motivate and inspire - I can help people find their passion. I started telling you in this post about my lack of passion - if I can find the keys to motivation and inspiration - passion will come.

Stay tuned for stories as I document my research in motivation and inspiration. I'll look at what works, what doesn't work and I bet I'll learn something along the way and so will you.

I always try to find motivating songs for my Spinning class. I discovered this song in itunes on Lance Armstrongs playlist. I can see why Lance Armstrong likes this song. An inspiration himself, he has self-determination to defeat cancer and then ride in the Tour De France. Amazing!

The more I listen to this, the more I feel inspired. Just as I saw on TV Obama's appearance at the MTV's "Be the Change" Youth Inaugural Ball, there is such energy for getting involved in community and volunteering, this song reminds me that our gift is to fight and participate in life.

Fight for what you believe in and fight for a better way! As my first step I'm going to check out this website I found: http://www.bethechangeinc.org/servicenation

A Better Way

Written by: Ben Harper



One, two, one, two, three

I'm a living sunset
Lightning in my bones
Push me to the edge
But my will is stone
'Cause I believe in a better way!

Fools will be fools
And wise will be wise
But i will look this world
Straight in the eyes

I believe in a better way!
I believe in a better way!


What good is a man
Who won't take a stand
What good is a cynic
With no better plan


I believe in a better way!
I believe in a better way!


Reality is sharp
It cuts at me like a knife
Everyone i know
Is in the fight of their life
I believe in a better way!


Take your face out of your hands
And clear your eyes
You have a right to your dreams
And don't be denied

I believe in a better way!
I believe in a better way!
I believe in a better way!

The Special Place

Have you ever had that special place? The place where you go to get away and think? I think Adam Sandler called it the "happy place" in Happy Gilmore. For me, the first time I realized how special a place or should I say "a moment" in one particular place could be was in the middle of the Negev in Israel. After I graduated from college, I decided to spend my savings on a trip of a life time. I went on an outdoor adventure trip to Israel. I've always loved the outdoors so this trip was the adventure I was looking for including that one memorable hike in the desert. We had a long hike up a mountain side and literally we walked along the side of a mountain that was probably only two to three foot steps wide. While I love the outdoors, growing up in the suburbs of Chicago I had never really experiencing hiking like this. On this trip I realized that I was scared of heights. We got to the top of the mountain and there was a flat space where the Guide let us rest and enjoy the scenery. Since I was so scared of the height, I sat in the middle of the mountain top. Everyone else was standing on the edge and I was sitting in the middle. I sat, I breathed, and I took in the moment. I was 21 at the time and that moment, it was the most peaceful moment of my life.

Since then, every trip in the outdoors I've taken I've made it a point to store one picture in my head. I stop, breath and take in the moment and let my mind go silent. I remember a moment in the Arches Park in Utah looking over the red rock. But I try not to just leave this opportunity to vacations. I've lived in the city for nine years and I found my favorite spot. It start on my walks with my dog to Lake Michigan. We'd walk South of Waveland Golf Coarse where there's a bird nature preserve, a walking path under a canopy of trees, a view of the city and the Belmont Marina. I've often sat under those trees or watching the view of the city just to take a moment for myself.

Looking back I've always had that special place. My first place was a hidden creek in Buffalo Grove where my neighbors and I would ride my bike to and create a fantasy land. Back then it was a nature wonderland of running water and pebbles that I thought were the biggest rocks. What was probably "just a creek" was a "hidden find" to me. A special place doesn't have to be somewhere fancy, expensive or even impressive. A special place just has to be "special" to you. Like the picture I took in my mind at my wedding, it was just me, my husband, and the photographer outside taking picktures in the Fall leaves.

Have you found that special place that creates peace for you? If not, I challenge you to find those moments and lock them in your memory. You can pull up those memories anytime you need that moment of peace.

Why I'm Starting This Blog

There’s times in my life when I look around and need just to take a deep breath of fresh air and take a moment. The moment is for me and not anyone else. It is that moment when I thought to myself that there has to be something more! Life can be bigger, better, richer (and I don’t mean about money). Often I’ve felt that my life was meant for big meaning and my hope is that one day I’ll find out what that big thing, the reason for my life is all about. I’m not sure if that sounds weird but I just feel like I’m here for a purpose. And some might say, “But aren’t we all?” Well, yes, and I guess that’s just part of my belief system. But deep down in my gut I believe that my job is to inspire.

So a few years ago I sat at my favorite coffee shop in Chicago, Dallop, and I listened to music as I started to think about the new year by using a worksheet from Tony Robbins. This worksheet was to give me “momentum” for the upcoming year. Momentum is a huge word I learned from Tony Robbins, a Coach and Internationally known motivational speaker. Still to this day when I hear Momentum I feel the push to move forward.

So tonight, after a long frustrating day teaching, I thought in my head about Momentum. It’s January 2009 and I feel like I need that next thing, that next push, that goal in mind. Yes, I want to work on the Momentum worksheet which last time, it really helped me write out my goals. Actually, I wrote down and still reflect on those 1, 2-3, 5, 10, and 20 year goal. I have to say one of the most amazing things to me is that I wrote of my desire to marry my best friend/soul mate and to start a family with an amazing man that would become a father to my children.. I am so blessed to say that I did finally meet my best friend. And I feel even more blessed that we got pregnant so easily and are expecting in June. I know that my husband will be an amazing father. So then why am I in this place in my life where I desire inspiration? Momentum? Motivation?

Again, it comes down to wanting to do something more! To do better, to be better, to live better! When I made the decision change careers from Ad sales to teaching, I didn’t want the glory of standing in front of 28 students every 90 minutes telling stories and teaching vocab. I wanted to inspire. I wanted to touch lives and to make a difference. That might sound cliché. Tonight, I feel like I needed to go back and look at those momentum goals from a few years ago and the goal of inspiring others came to mind. For my 10 year goal I also wrote that I wanted to tell the story of people that inspire. After this past semester at school, I had the fortunate opportunity to be mentored by Ryan Bretag, our Technology Coordinator and a Blogger himself. He inspired me that I could bring blogging into my classroom. After I incorporated it into my Business Law class I saw given students choice on their topics empowered and engaged them to further think and reflect. And then tonight I got the “ping”…no blogging pun intended.

Blogging is going to be a great way for me to inspire others…for anyone that will be willing to read my blog on the Internet. And I admit it, I’m not a writer. In fact I still to this day turn to my best friend from high school, Tracey to proof my papers for grad school and such. So I apologize upfront for any errors and flaws in my writing skills but I do promise great stories, hope, joy, inspiration and maybe a few tears.

Because I feel like inspiration just doesn’t come from the things you see or hear,

it could be the most little thing that makes you feel grateful,

it could be that thing that makes you feel blessed,

or it is that one person that saw the “light” in you.

So I hope to share those things that inspire and the people behind it.

Enjoy and Live Bigger.
Mindy