Marissa McGee’s Post

My friend Corey Jahnke reminded me of a wonderful quote from comedy icon George Carlin who said…   “{Don’t just} teach your children to read…teach them to question what they read. Teach them to question everything.”   We’ve discussed previously the importance of questioning premises; both our own and that of others.    Whether we are receiving information from others through books, audios, videos, live teachings, school classes, coffee break areas, or wherever (and from whomever) else, I’m not sure if there’s anything more important than questioning.   Mr. Carlin’s advice is so profound because once children are old enough to be able to utilize logic they are in an enviable position to learn not *what* to think, but *how* to think.   Indeed, there are certain truths of life. (Many of those we might *believe* are truths are simply very strongly-held beliefs. That aside, there are universal laws that, to the degree that we can be sure of anything we can be sure of them.)   Even still, what’s wrong with questioning them? If they are indeed truths, we’ll hopefully arrive at that conclusion. If they are not – and instead are the above-mentioned strongly-held beliefs – then hopefully we won’t.   There are no guarantees either way, but to the degree we encourage children to question what they read, and question everything else, that’s the degree to which we raise highly-functional, thinking, and conscious human beings.   We adults are at a disadvantage in that not only do we need to question what we currently take in; we need to go through all the information we never before questioned and – little-by-little – question those premises in order to make sure we are acting out of conscious, proactive thought rather than spoon-fed information whose truth we never previously questioned.   Even doing that though is a wonderful journey. And it never ends. We just continue to improve our “think-ability” and our conclusions.   Something to Consider: What core beliefs changed for you over the years once you began questioning certain assumptions you may have unconsciously accepted from someone else? Feel welcome to share in the Comment section.   #GeorgeCarlin #CoreyJahnke #BobBurg #LinkedIn #TheGoGiver  

Molly Wright's TED Talk: How Every Child Can Thrive By Five, highlights the importance of interpersonal relationships in developing a child's brain as they grow from birth to age five. "What if I was to tell you that a game of peek-a-boo could change the world?" The serve-and-return interaction of peek-a-boo and games like this build positive relationships with adults, developing the trust and confidence children need to adventure into the world. https://lnkd.in/drkxDqau

You may know Virginia O'Hanlon as the child who wrote "The Sun" asking if Santa Claus was real. But did you know she went on to have an impressive career in education, retiring as a NYC Public School administrator with the title of Dr. Douglas? Reflecting on her story, two thoughts come to mind. First, research on play has been around since 1930 and has only expanded since then. Yet, we have removed play from children more than ever. It's time for everyone to get on board and change course. Second, Virginia's determination to learn and explore her natural ambitions empowered her to lead a successful life, all while being inquisitive and growing professionally. To sum it up, we should empower young people, encourage others to do the same, and be positive with children while allowing them to maintain their individuality. It's a recipe for success every time. Let's make it the norm. Thank you to Fordham University for the free download. Check out this dissertation to learn more about the power of play. #education #empowerment #play #success

Labels of a person's character are obviously going to sit uncomfortably within a theory that is against 'labelling' someone as some sort of FIXED entity. Once you have a label, it is hard to shake it off and if that label encourages expectations/judgements that hold you back in some way, that can be extremely damaging to the development of your future self. You may hold onto negative ideas about yourself simply due to a label that someone else has given you. The labelling depicted in the image is particularly damaging to learning children - if you are given this label in a particular area, wouldn't you do everything you could to hold onto that label? To lose it would be devastating. To read more, have a read of my blog post: https://lnkd.in/ek-m7Rtm #growthmindset #growthmindsetbykjwalton #mistakes #labels #vulnerability #challenge #parents #teachers

There are two things that every parent should make sure they give their children during their childhoods. 1. A childhood that they don't have to heal from as adults. 2. Help them develop unshakeable Self-Belief. The revolutionary invention below is the only physical tool in the world that helps develop unshakeable self-belief in children and adults alike. It comes with a 100% money back guarantee if you are not delighted, and over £2000 in bonuses! that you keep even if you return this incredible self-belief tool https://lnkd.in/eJPsqWR4 #parenting #parentingtips #business #confidence #resilience

"Ms. Icye, the work that you are doing is so needed, I wish I had this when I was younger." This is what I hear from many professionals around the country, from all backgrounds and beliefs. We teach many techniques to help teens and young adults confidently navigate their personal and professional world. However, we believe civility is being powerfully aware of yourself and powerfully aware of others. That's why the work we do is needed AND might I add we do it with loads of joy in the mix. https://lnkd.in/gvQs3N_v #civility #professionaldevelopment #positiveparenting #teen #youngprofessionals #etiquette #socialemotionallearning #selfwareness #confidence

I thought it was important to share this video with the LinkedIn community due to the topic and how we as educators should be approaching racism and cultural communication in our classrooms. I thought the article was important due to the Daniel Anjorin news articles that were published in the UK recently. If you’ve read my article about the appalling coverage and racialised the representation that Daniellle received from the The Sun and the Metro, you will see why this video is so crucial and why we as educators need to inform our students about the racialized portrayal of Black and Brown people in the Western media. David video shows a young black female netball player being featured along with language with connotations connotations of cheating: “Netball must name those responsible for cheating” suggesting that she cheated in a netball match, which could not be further from the truth. This deliberate obfuscation of the truth by presenting the only black player on the team center stage on the such headlines published across New Zealand, further perpetuate, the trope of Black people as corrupt and dishonest. Nothing could be morefurther from the truth. The Waite media portrayal of blacks as criminals is an old and ancient practice. This is why as educators we must challenge and confront such portrayal of black and brown people in the media. The irony of this that white people are always portrayed as saints, even after they have murdered and killed innocent people. The typical of mental health disorder for white people who commit crimes must be addressed. Whereas Black people who commit crimes are seen as thugs and degenerates. Please watch the video and let me know your thoughts. #education #danielanjorin #schools #culture #racism #media #westernmedia #representation

𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲𝘀 Helen Keller was born in 1880 in Alabama. At just 19 months old, she contracted an illness that left her blind and deaf. Trapped in a dark, silent world, Helen struggled to communicate and connect with those around her. Her family was at a loss, unsure of how to help this young girl. 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲 However, Helen's life changed when her family hired a young teacher named Anne Sullivan. Anne worked tirelessly with Helen, helping her to understand the world through touch. She taught Helen the manual alphabet, spelling words into her hand. Through this painstaking process, Helen slowly began to grasp the concepts of language and communication. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 After years of dedicated work, the breakthrough moment came when Helen finally understood that the motions Anne was spelling into her hand corresponded to physical objects. This realization unlocked a whole new world for Helen. She went on to learn to read, write, and speak, eventually graduating from college and becoming a renowned author, activist, and public speaker. Helen Keller's story demonstrates how, by grasping the full extent of her struggles, she was able to achieve what many thought impossible - overcoming her blindness and deafness to live an extraordinary life. Her perseverance and the support of her teacher Anne Sullivan made the "miracle" of her transformation a reality. #hardwork #motivation #fitness #success #workout #dedication #gym #nevergiveup #love #fitnessmotivation #goals #hardworkout #hardworkdedication #hardworkpays #hardworkers #hardworkanddedication #hardworkingwoman #hardworkingman #hardworkquotes #hardworkpayoff #persistence #motivation #success #determination #goals #mindset #dedication #discipline #inspiration #love #ambition #patience #courage #successmindset #discipline #think #consistency #philosophy #greatness #commitment

Often, we coaches love our work because we love to be the helpers, not the helpees. But mixed in with our good intentions can often be some very unappealing, unhelpful, and potentially harmful ones. Courtney Martin describes what she has learned about the complexity of her own intentions and assumptions when living and raising children in a racially diverse neighborhood and how she has challenged herself to learn to move beyond those that limit her. "One of the things I learned pretty quickly was that I could be assured that I was probably acting in solidarity, not saviorism, when I was really listening and hearing answers that surprised me. [...] "But even as I developed the hallmarks of racial stamina—listening rather than assuming, depersonalizing, hanging in for the long haul—I realized that there was still a hierarchy of human value buried deep in my psyche. I still expected to be the one to offer help, not ask for it. I might be offering more gracefully and contextually than before, but I was still the one with something on offer. I might be vulnerable to critique, but I wasn’t vulnerable to my own authentic neediness. [...] "We are most comfortable being in the position of supporting others, but tend to overextend ourselves, growing resentful. We like to show up in the world as selfless, which is only part of the story; we are also dependent on a subconscious arrogance about how effective and altruistic we are. We would rather not get into the messiness of acknowledging our own limits and needs. [..] "I don’t want to save others, I want to live and love alongside them. I don’t want to be a savior. I want to be fully human. It’s only in the slow, abundant, vulnerable context of relationship that any of us can escape the hierarchies—outside of us and inside of us—and find real mutuality and freedom from fear of our own inevitable frailty." #limitingbeliefs #immunitytochange #coachdevelopment #relationships #authenticity #hierarchy #humancentered https://lnkd.in/e-9Kg4hA

For today’s #DisabilityPride post let’s talk about getting it right. My colleagues put together a great lesson plan with all the info you need to tell the full story of Helen Keller. Check it out!