WEBVTT 00:00:00.050 --> 00:00:02.420 What would it look like if teaching was actually fun? 00:00:02.420 --> 00:00:07.940 Again, I've been listening to James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, 00:00:08.510 --> 00:00:12.635 and he asks this brilliant question when you're trying to build new habits. 00:00:13.430 --> 00:00:15.800 What would it look like if it was fun? 00:00:16.340 --> 00:00:20.660 Here's the thing, when things get difficult, you are way more likely to 00:00:20.660 --> 00:00:23.450 stick with something if you find it fun. 00:00:23.510 --> 00:00:27.139 And right now, as we are enjoying the holidays and none of us 00:00:27.139 --> 00:00:31.460 really want to think about going back to school, I wanna ask you. 00:00:31.849 --> 00:00:35.030 What if this new year could be different? 00:00:35.690 --> 00:00:40.700 Because here's what I know, the biggest hurdle to actually sticking with change 00:00:40.970 --> 00:00:45.769 is whether or not it means something to you and whether you are enjoying it. 00:00:46.430 --> 00:00:51.605 So today we're talking about small habits that can transform your teaching practice 00:00:51.770 --> 00:00:57.170 and more importantly, make it fun again, not just for the children you teach. 00:00:57.725 --> 00:00:58.685 For you too. 00:00:59.555 --> 00:01:04.205 When I think about starting my new teaching position with kindergartners, 00:01:04.205 --> 00:01:05.975 I get a flutter in my stomach. 00:01:06.395 --> 00:01:11.555 It's a mixture of excitement because I'll be teaching homeschool children, 00:01:11.555 --> 00:01:16.535 and I'm so excited that I can actually teach deeply and focus on building 00:01:16.595 --> 00:01:21.665 strong foundations and set them up with curiosity and a love of learning. 00:01:22.340 --> 00:01:24.230 But I'm also nervous. 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:28.310 I find myself thinking about the kinds of experiences I want 00:01:28.310 --> 00:01:29.900 to provide for these children. 00:01:30.410 --> 00:01:35.360 I've been shaping the space in my mind, planning and dreaming. 00:01:35.660 --> 00:01:43.790 And the best way to set yourself up for a really good start is to reflect on what 00:01:43.790 --> 00:01:47.180 went well last year and what was terrible. 00:01:47.720 --> 00:01:50.750 And I know that many of us hate going back to school. 00:01:51.410 --> 00:01:57.140 Maybe you don't have the support you need or deserve from your administration, or 00:01:57.140 --> 00:02:02.090 perhaps you're starting homeschooling and you don't have your family support, or 00:02:02.090 --> 00:02:07.280 maybe your students are just so disengaged and so disinterested in learning 00:02:07.639 --> 00:02:09.500 that it's soul destroying for you. 00:02:10.610 --> 00:02:16.450 Working in a job that's not fun and doesn't give you joy is exactly that. 00:02:17.365 --> 00:02:18.535 Soul destroying. 00:02:19.315 --> 00:02:20.875 You have two choices really. 00:02:21.175 --> 00:02:24.925 Leave and find a new job, or find a way to make your job 00:02:24.925 --> 00:02:27.565 better, more fun, more enjoyable. 00:02:28.285 --> 00:02:31.585 Now, here's where James Clear's wisdom comes in. 00:02:32.095 --> 00:02:35.665 He talks about the difference between a goal and a system. 00:02:36.265 --> 00:02:39.535 A goal is about the outcome you want to achieve. 00:02:40.045 --> 00:02:45.445 The system is the collection of small daily habits that you follow. 00:02:46.165 --> 00:02:50.095 Your current habits will always deliver the results you're getting. 00:02:50.665 --> 00:02:53.545 The only thing you can control are your habits. 00:02:54.095 --> 00:02:57.085 Winners and losers all have the same goals. 00:02:57.625 --> 00:03:02.305 The difference between people achieving their goals and those who don't is 00:03:02.305 --> 00:03:05.035 that they have good systems in place. 00:03:06.010 --> 00:03:07.720 So don't make your goal. 00:03:07.960 --> 00:03:13.510 I'm going to get fit this year, rather make it, I wanna work out consistently 00:03:13.630 --> 00:03:17.290 for 10 minutes, and make it fun. 00:03:17.530 --> 00:03:19.900 Do something you are actually going to enjoy. 00:03:20.845 --> 00:03:26.245 If it's in your teaching, you're going to do just one small thing every day. 00:03:26.605 --> 00:03:31.495 Maybe if it's to get children more curious and asking more questions, then 00:03:31.555 --> 00:03:36.535 put a system in place where questioning becomes a daily habit in your space 00:03:36.535 --> 00:03:38.454 and it makes questioning easier. 00:03:39.144 --> 00:03:42.700 The most important habit forming tip that James Clear shares is this. 00:03:43.890 --> 00:03:47.850 Prime your environment to make the first step easy. 00:03:48.480 --> 00:03:53.580 This could be having those curiosity sparking questions posted around the room 00:03:53.910 --> 00:03:56.370 so that you're reminded to ask questions. 00:03:56.670 --> 00:03:57.450 Not always. 00:03:57.450 --> 00:03:58.650 Just give answers. 00:03:59.370 --> 00:04:02.760 When you are setting up your space, ask yourself, what 00:04:02.760 --> 00:04:05.130 does my environment encourage? 00:04:05.964 --> 00:04:12.325 The single most important thing you can do is scale everything down and make it easy. 00:04:12.865 --> 00:04:18.385 Small steps, just one thing to help yourself remain consistent. 00:04:19.045 --> 00:04:23.845 We only discover what needs to change by taking time out to reflect. 00:04:24.415 --> 00:04:28.795 Really think about your methodology, your teaching, or your parenting system, 00:04:29.245 --> 00:04:31.315 and then put in a new system in place. 00:04:32.484 --> 00:04:37.674 Something doable small that you can repeat day after day, that will 00:04:37.674 --> 00:04:41.905 eventually build upon itself and become a habit that serves you well. 00:04:42.534 --> 00:04:46.945 So one small thing you do each day will eventually become a habit 00:04:46.945 --> 00:04:52.284 that sticks and that will have a big impact on the big picture. 00:04:52.585 --> 00:04:56.695 Be it your health or your teaching practice or even the way you parent. 00:04:57.534 --> 00:05:00.145 There are always outside factors that you can't control. 00:05:00.715 --> 00:05:03.655 The children's backgrounds, their attitudes, the way your 00:05:03.655 --> 00:05:06.325 administration operates, all of that. 00:05:07.435 --> 00:05:12.685 But you do have control over your habits, the things you do every day. 00:05:13.044 --> 00:05:15.414 Those habits eventually shape your life. 00:05:15.835 --> 00:05:18.984 They determine the trajectory of your life, your job, 00:05:18.984 --> 00:05:20.395 your health, whatever it is. 00:05:21.325 --> 00:05:22.914 It's like the Einstein quote. 00:05:23.395 --> 00:05:27.265 Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and 00:05:27.265 --> 00:05:28.765 expecting a different result. 00:05:29.410 --> 00:05:33.790 So stop the train, because unless you've actually become aware 00:05:33.820 --> 00:05:38.980 of your own habits and actions, you can't make positive changes. 00:05:39.700 --> 00:05:44.110 Then everything just continues how it's always been going up until now. 00:05:45.070 --> 00:05:51.880 So this new year, why not start by changing your thinking, and 00:05:51.880 --> 00:05:54.280 it all starts with reflection. 00:05:54.640 --> 00:05:56.860 Having an inner dialogue with yourself. 00:05:57.610 --> 00:06:01.240 To help you with this, I have created a goal setting planner, 00:06:01.390 --> 00:06:03.670 especially for educators. 00:06:04.150 --> 00:06:08.380 It guides you to reflect on your past practice and think about the 00:06:08.380 --> 00:06:13.390 small steps you can take to reach the goals you're setting for the 00:06:13.390 --> 00:06:15.670 new year or the new term ahead. 00:06:16.380 --> 00:06:20.470 I'll leave a link for you to download the planner in the show notes. 00:06:21.130 --> 00:06:25.645 So to recap if you want to actually achieve the goals you set for yourself. 00:06:26.320 --> 00:06:31.000 Remember, one, it's about the small habits you put in place. 00:06:31.480 --> 00:06:33.400 Two, make it fun. 00:06:33.580 --> 00:06:36.040 Do something you're actually going to enjoy. 00:06:36.280 --> 00:06:42.340 And three, put in a system where your desired behavior becomes 00:06:42.340 --> 00:06:44.350 the daily habit in your space. 00:06:45.094 --> 00:06:50.015 Start today by downloading the goal setting planner, and then start thinking 00:06:50.015 --> 00:06:55.325 about small habits you can put in place to reach your goals, to make teaching 00:06:55.325 --> 00:06:59.794 more fun, not just for the children that you teach, but for you too. 00:07:00.604 --> 00:07:01.534 Make it easy. 00:07:02.215 --> 00:07:07.585 Simple steps to change things so that things can be better for you, and as a 00:07:07.585 --> 00:07:12.385 knock on effect for your students, because whether you want to admit it or not, 00:07:12.895 --> 00:07:19.465 your attitude and how you show up does affect the way children respond to you. 00:07:20.215 --> 00:07:21.895 So let's make this year different. 00:07:22.285 --> 00:07:23.365 Let's make it better. 00:07:23.635 --> 00:07:25.225 Let's make it more fun. 00:07:25.985 --> 00:07:27.305 Thanks for listening today. 00:07:27.905 --> 00:07:29.645 Could I ask you a small favor? 00:07:30.065 --> 00:07:35.465 If you liked anything I said here, or something resonated with you, could 00:07:35.465 --> 00:07:39.725 you please take a moment and share this episode with a friend or colleague? 00:07:40.205 --> 00:07:44.225 That small act on your part will make a world of difference to how 00:07:44.225 --> 00:07:46.445 the podcast grows and is found. 00:07:47.315 --> 00:07:48.424 That's it for today. 00:07:48.724 --> 00:07:49.744 Until next time. 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:52.869 Stay blooming curious and take care of yourself.