mind in the making

Grab a pen. Hold it in your hand and raise your hand above your head, pointing the writing end of the implement at the ceiling. Imagine a clock face with the tip of the implement pointing at twelve o'clock. Look at twelve o'clock and begin to circle your pen past one o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock, and so forth. As you circle your pen, slowly lower your arm, all the while pointing your pen upwards at the ceiling. When your hand is at waist height, look at your pen circling. What direction is it going?

Counterclockwise.

When did you change direction? You didn't.

What changed? Your perspective.

Today's professional development is applicable to all my life, not just my job as a preschool teacher. Ellen Galinsky proposes 7 essential life skills we as early childhood educators should be intentionally teaching children:

1. focus and self control
2. perspective taking
3. communicating
4. making connections
5. critical thinking
6. taking on challenges
7. engaged, self-directed learning

Marry these 7 essential life skills with developmentally appropriate practice and systems thinking as propounded by Tracy Benson and Shari Marlin, and you got way more to think about than you're capable of on a Saturday afternoon.