Social Wisdom - Wow Notes, Educator Wellbeing, and Math Confidence

Here is the transcript for the audio podcast.

Welcome to the first installment of something I've coined "Social Wisdom." Social media often gets a bad rap for being predominantly negative. While it's true that negative elements exist, there's also plenty of good stuff out there. "Social Wisdom" is about sharing useful things I've found. I'll share my takeaways, and I hope some resonate with you.

This week, I'm sharing three topics I found particularly interesting: the power of "wow" post-it notes, the importance of educator well-being, and strategies for helping students build math confidence.

WOW Post-it Notes

The first piece of social wisdom comes from Tom Williams, known on Twitter as @TDWilliams90. He shared his experience running around campus with his "wow" post-it notes to celebrate student work and commend their efforts. I thought this was a fantastic idea. My takeaways are that it's a great way for administrators to be visible and show appreciation for student and teacher work. Students could also do this around the classroom and the school building to reflect on what high-quality work looks like. Another idea could be to place this on students' lockers to celebrate things like habits of scholarship and outstanding character.

Prioritizing Educator Well-being

The second piece of social wisdom comes from Mary Sebastian, via LinkedIn. She shares that educators often put their needs aside to care for everyone else. It's in our nature to nurture. Yet, self-care isn't a luxury; it's a necessity. Embrace moments of tranquility, prioritize your well-being, and remember that a replenished teacher can better inspire and uplift students. Prioritizing self-care, even in small doses, can make a significant difference in managing stress and maintaining balance.

Building Math Confidence in Students

Lastly, I found a post from Teacher to Teacher that shared a conversation starter from NCTM. It offered a roundup of insights to help students build math confidence. Students often think that math is too daunting and challenging. However, confidence is key. Always connect new learning to prior learning, allowing students to discover and uncover connections. Be consciously asset-based and focus on what students know instead of what they don't know.

In conclusion, embracing social wisdom can provide educators with knowledge and insights. From celebrating student achievements with "wow" post-it notes to practicing self-care, these small but significant strategies can make a big difference in our teaching practices.

As I navigate the world of social wisdom, I'm also figuring out how to use a program called Descript, which transcribes my podcasts. I hope to package all this together in an easily accessible format. Stay tuned!