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I Get my Energy from All of You

4/6/2012

9 Comments

 
I have had a fantastic week.  And it is because of all the fantastic people around me.  I have been thinking a lot about this lately; how the people that we surround ourselves with make a huge impact on us.  I know this isn't rocket science and it has been said countless times before...but it is really true!  I am surrounded by the most fantastic students, colleagues, classmates (in my ITDA program at SFU) and PLN (educators on twitter).  This past week I have felt your passion for learning and it has fueled me to be an even stronger teacher.  Collaborating with all of you makes me want to be the best teacher I can be.   Your enthusiasm and dedication make me excited to do even more and continue to share my learning with others! 

Let me back up for a moment and explain my week so you can see how I came to this lovely epiphany...

Last weekend I found myself spending some time with someone who was being really negative about everything...and it brought me down.  I thought about it a lot and I knew I didn't like it.  This person wasn't a teacher, just someone I know.  Anyway, no matter what we talked about, they had negative feelings toward it.  It was exhausting!  I thought about it and realized that being around negative people can be so tiring! 

So on Tuesday night when I was sitting with my class I realized that these people were all the opposite of that individual on the weekend.  Instead of being negative, my classmates were encouraging each other, celebrating each others discoveries within our field studies, and thanking each other for sharing our successes.  It was fantastic!  I left feeling wonderful...the opposite of how I felt on the weekend. 

This positivity continued on Wednesday when I co-moderated the #genisuhour chat (we have it at 6 pm the first Wednesday of each month).  Again, I was feeling pumped!  It was an hour of celebrating the success of #geniushour in our classrooms with fantastically positive teachers!  Teachers across North America who want to help each other help our students discover their passions!

Which made me think about how contagious being positive truly is.  I was feeling fantastic, like a super-teacher who could do anything!  And I know my positive energy was then impacting the energy of the people around me.  I had several different teachers approach me last week and thank me for encouraging/motivating them.  It was touching, but I honestly felt that it was the other way around and that THEY were making ME feel more excited about teaching.  And well, I suppose both are true.  Surrounding ourselves with positive people make all of us feel more energized and more passionate about teaching!

We need to surround ourselves with positive people.  People who love what they do and love to share that feeling.  People who blog about successes and tweet about the fantastic things going on it their classrooms.  People who love life and love teaching and energize us with their passion.  People who are willing to take risks and try new strategies with their teaching.  People who are committed to life long learning and encourage their students to be curious too.

I am so looking forward to this coming week...I almost can't wait for the long weekend to be over (okay, I know that sounds super nerdy)...Tuesday night I have class with 33 other fantastic teachers, Wednesday afternoon I am going to a workshop with Alec Couros (@courosa) whom I have heard great things about, and Friday morning I will spend collaborating & planning a workshop for the STA convention on May 4 with Hugh McDonald (@hughtheteacher).  And of course I will continue to be energized by my PLN on twitter. 

It is going to be a wonderful week! I know I will be surrounded by positive people who unknowingly always encourage me to be the best teacher that I can be!

Where do you get your energy from?
9 Comments
Denise Krebs link
4/6/2012 05:26:24 am

Gallit,
I can relate! I too get my energy and motivation from other positive people. Twitter has been a wonderful way to

Reply
Karen Lirenman link
4/6/2012 05:31:02 am

Gallit I couldn't agree with you more here. You are lucky to be involved with such a great group of learners. I am so grateful for the people I interact with on Twitter. I often get over whelmed and see time slip away as I have such motivating deep thinking conversations with so many people. Twitter, and a few very special people in our district have made a not ideal situation for me become a better one. If you've ever received an e-mail from me you'll see that my signature line says... "There is good all around you, you just have to see it". Embracing the good, and getting rid of the negative is what it's all about. I am thankful for so many wonderful people and opportunities that I've been presented with this year. Looking forward to spending some time at your school this week, and then if the cards fall as I think they will, joining you at Alec Couros' presentation. The district is lucky to have you and Hugh sharing (twice) on May 4th. Karen

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Gallit Zvi link
4/6/2012 06:17:40 am

Thank you, Karen! Right back at you ;)
Too bad we can't attend each others presentations since we will be presenting at the same time.

Keep looking for the good! There is positivity and inspiration everywhere...

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Denise Krebs link
4/6/2012 05:33:59 am

...connect with other educators. I have a few educators in my small building who are lifelong learners and passionate about education. I love collaborating with them, but I can appreciate what @sjunkins said in a recent tweet: "Twitter is my teachers lounge. Inspiring educators. Engaging ideas. #geniushour" It has been a blessing to connect with others in my same field or those interested in the same things as I--like genius hour, for instance.

Your post is inspiring and uplifting, and something you said is so true: "I had several different teachers approach me last week and thank me for encouraging/motivating them. It was touching, but I honestly felt that it was the other way around and that THEY were making ME feel more excited about teaching. And well, I suppose both are true."

Both ARE true, and I thank you, Gallit, for inspiring me and encouraging me on the journey of genius hour with my students.

It sounds like you have a great week ahead. Enjoy! I am looking forward to a 1 to 1 Conference next week, where we will explore possibilities of a 1 to 1 initiative for the junior highers at our school. I'm looking forward to it!

Thanks!
Denise

P.S. Sorry for the double comment. I accidentally submitted the first one before finishing.

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Gallit Zvi link
4/6/2012 05:40:32 am

Thank you, Denise

You are definitely one of the people I am talking about when I refer to the incredible people on twitter! (Follow her @mrsdkrebs).

Thank you for sharing all the wonderful things you do in your classroom with all of us, I love that we are able to collaborate whenever we want, even though you live in Iowa and I live in BC :)

Have a wonderful Easter weekend & enjoy your upcoming week!

Gallit

Reply
Gallit link
4/6/2012 07:39:10 am

Hi Gallit,

I couldn't agree more with your post! It's really easy to be brought down by people's negative attitude or can NOT do attitude where everything is an impossibility. Everything IS possible! It is! We just have to believe and work and network with people who can help us. Networks are so powerful - in person and online! I can't imagine my learning without the networks that I am involved with.

I have had a very good week, like you as well, and it is a result of exciting things happening and exciting opportunities. People's positivity and enthusiasm really can energize us and make us more positive ourselves!

We all just have to make the choice to be around those who empower us and not bring us down.

Great post, Gallit!

Tia

Reply
Hugh link
4/8/2012 01:51:18 pm

I believe in the power of a PLN. Believe the impossible is possible and make good ideas happen!

Reply
Gallit Zvi link
4/8/2012 12:54:41 pm

Hi Tia,

Thank you so much for responding to my blog :)

Your comment:
"Networks are so powerful - in person and online! I can't imagine my learning without the networks that I am involved with"

is EXACTLY what I am talking about...it is so wonderful to be able to surround myself with a network of uplifting, positive and intelligent people.

I am so thankful for people like you who are an integral part of our twitter community :D

Reply
Joy Kirr (@JoyKirr) link
5/19/2013 02:33:24 am

Gallit,
Thanks for re-tweeting this one - it was before I was reading blogs on a regular basis, so I never saw it!

I'm totally in agreement. I read a post this morning that got me angry, and then downtrodden... but then I had to write on my own and get over it. I realized it was a big waste of my time, and went back to looking at tweets from people I admire. So glad I saw yours!

Thanks for being a model of this optimism you desire, and I'm so VERY fortunate to be able to work with you from thousands of miles away!

Reply



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    My name is Gallit Zvi and I am an Elementary School Teacher and Vice Principal in Surrey, BC. I am also a blogger and co-author of The Genius Hour Guidebook.
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