• When we notice something in student’s lives that can change, how can we help them believe change is possible so they’ll risk the attempts?
• How can we better help children/teens accept what can’t change so it doesn’t ruin the rest of their lives?
• How can we increase students’ success as they work to improve?
• What can our attitudes and actions be when students decide they’re satisfied even when we believe they could improve?

I’ll post some thoughts soon and look forward to incorporating your comments.

We’ve decided here at Celebrate Kids, Inc., that there’s something more important than what methods teachers use and what skills they’re teaching. Yes, we’re excited about helping teachers and students understand, embrace, and use 21^st-Century skills. We’re fans of authentic tasks and see benefits of project-based learning, especially when it starts with young children and they come to expect some of their learning and practicing of content and skills to be embedded in projects. This means they gain character qualities and skills necessary for successful project-based learning early on.

But, what’s more important? Teachers, administrators, parents, and others who care about young people must understand who they’re teaching. When we understand WHY projects, authentic tasks, and applying knowledge vs. just learning it works for our students (not us), we’ll know what type of teaching methods and assignments to use.

This generation of students is unlike any we’ve educated before because they have been raised in a world drastically different from their parents and most teachers. They are who they are because of the influence of video and computer games, other technology, and instant everything (e.g., email, messaging, cell phones, i-Tunes). Consequently, they have unique characteristics and learning patterns. Their uniqueness requires updated approaches so educators can be successful.

For these and other reasons, projects and authentic tasks work well:

·          Having been raised with drop-down menus, students don’t just want choices, they need them.

·          They’re used to learning by playing. When’s the last time you saw a young person read a manual to figure out how to use a new phone or to play a video game?

·          They need help learning how to solve problems. They’ve been raised believing that you fix things by hitting “control-alt-delete.”

·          They’re non-linear and believe there’s always more than one way to do things. (As stated above, they don’t necessarily apply this belief to problem solving!)

Students tell us they often feel judged as if there’s something wrong with the way they are. As we interact with parents, grandparents, and educators, we have found many who are waiting for young people to mature and grow out of what seem to be problematic and immature behaviors.  But, they won’t grow out of them. This is who they’ve been raised to be. Educated well, they’ll be able to use their uniqueness in positive future-oriented ways.

Change is constant for Millennials. Many things in their world do not last. They often report feeling as if their opinions don’t matter and knowledge becomes irrelevant almost immediately after they’ve learned it. Their toys are broken and some things they’ve saved for and purchased became quickly outdated. They want and need things that last. That’s where experiences come in.

No one can take their experiences away from them. They’re real in the moment and they last and can be relived alone and with friends.

Another reason Millennials value experiences is that they don’t want to do the same thing over and over. Video games have taught them that each time they have the “same” experience, it can be different. This is why you may notice young people using different procedures each time they do the “same” task.

An older employee may go through his checklist in the same order every night, examining each thing in the same way. Younger employees will prefer to go through the checklist differently. They’ll be obedient and work the checklist, but they’ll want and need freedom to do it their way.

Think about students. Can we give them freedom within our boundaries so they can have experiences that are somewhat new? If we don’t help them create lasting experiences, they’ll create their own. This may be why some participate in unhealthy activities that give them a thrill.

Ask Millennials in your world about experiences. Which ones have they had that they’d love to have again? What do they hope to do that they’ve never done? How would they like to improve upon activities they think are boring?

Because of the culture, Millennials, those born after 1982, value relationships and experiences.

Think about what you value. Do these things influence your decisions, choices, and opinions? Sure, they do. So, think about your students, children, and grandchildren. They’re making decisions based on their need for experiences and the high value they place on relationships. That’s not wrong, just different.

Some twenty-year-olds will quit their jobs to help a friend if one needs help. Some will take long lunch hours, not realizing how long they’ve been talking with their friends. Others won’t take a job if they don’t know who might be working there. Do you know these people? What are some good responses?

High school students may prioritize friends over studying. Some will be distracted by texting and Facebook postings and what’s happening with their friends. Compromising to keep friends happy may occur. What are some good responses?

Think about your observations and what choices/behaviors might be connected to the relationship priority. How can we help young people prioritize their friends and social networks without it  negatively influencing anything else? What are your thoughts? And, what great illustrations do you have of young people and their relationships? How has the priority been a very good thing?

(I’ll post about experiences soon.)

I’ve heard from some parents of children with Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome that especially understanding qualities of self-smart and people-smart children has been encouraging. When these children increase their people-smart skills, their behavior and life can improve.

I also recommend that children like Sam’s grandson learn about successful adults with similar challenges. If Sam’s parents and grandfather read to him about successful men and women who can’t read or write well and/or who have symptoms indicating they may have had Autism or Aspreger’s Syndrome, they all can be encouraged to believe more in his present abilities and future success.

As with others who have commented, I greatly appreciate Helen’s trust. I’m excited she’s thinking in the way she is and I think that understanding how she is smart in 8 unique ways can be encouraging and enlightening.

Daniel Goleman wrote Emotional Intelligences: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ back in 1995. He believes that emotionally intelligent people know their emotions, manage their emotions, motivate themselves, recognize emotions in others, and handle relationships well. They exhibit self-control, zeal, and persistence. It may be that Helen could improve in these areas, and therefore, have healthier and longer-lasting relationships and jobs.

I personally believe that much of what Goleman calls emotional intelligence is embodied in the people and self smarts that Dr. Gardner, Dr. Armstrong, and I write about. I hope Helen will study components of those in my book and other resources. These intelligences allow us to read people well, respond well to them and different situations, and become comfortable with our own thoughts and feelings. Self-acceptance is a result of having a healthy self smart, in particular.

I’ve interacted with many, many people through the years who, like Helen, have many jobs and many relationships. Often, it’s due to having no super strong smarts. Those with definite strengths have passions and purposes that drive them and increase persistence. Those with many average smarts may have a harder time finding their niche. In reality, though, they may find resiliency easier because they can bounce back to any number of tasks and people.

Here at Celebrate Kids, Inc., we KNOW that understanding how we are smart in different ways relates to self-esteem. It’s a core component of our identity (Who am I?) and purpose (Why am I alive?). Our smarts inform our competence (What do I do well?) and can help us form healthy and long-lasting relationships (Belonging: Who wants me?). Our smarts also firm up the first self-esteem core need of security (Who can I trust?) because when we know ourselves better, and when we know our strengths, we’ll learn to trust ourselves and we’ll learn to discern and identify trustworthy people who can help us develop the skills we need. (You can read about this self-esteem Model in my first book, Finding Authentic Hope and Wholeness: Five Questions That Will Change Your Life and at its website: www.AuthenticHope.com.)

After I was a guest on the “Point of View” radio show with Kerby Anderson on January 21^st, Olga submitted an encouraging note. She wrote: “I have being praying for direction in my career and calling and this is what makes my heart beat deeply. How can I get involved and be able to learn and get into this field?”

I’ve asked similar questions through the years. I’m glad Olga is praying. That’s essential. I find that what we pray and ask for is key. Direction makes sense. Wisdom to know what’s best. That God would introduce us to people who can help us. That we’d take advantage of every opportunity to develop skills and talents. That we’d see and hear what He wants us to. In other words, we need to be careful that we don’t want something so badly that we’re unable to see or hear something different from God.

I think Olga and anyone else who’s fascinated by multiple intelligences would benefit from reading much. My book, How Am I Smart: A Parent’s Guide to Multiple Intelligences, is a great overview. Many people have said there are new insights included which people who already know something about the topic appreciate . Listening to our DVD and CD, attending live trainings, enrolling in our upcoming telecourse, and learning from others is also wise. (See the sidebar for the link to our telecourse. It begins on February 2^nd.)

Field trips. I’d love to know how you make them effective. Is it in the ways you prepare your students for what they’ll see? Is it what you do while you’re at the special place? Is it what you do when you’re back at school? Is it the integration of the disciplines? Let me know by submitting a comment.

Years ago, when I taught second graders, I think I judged a field trip to the Indianapolis Zoo as successful if we didn’t lose anyone and if no one got sick on the long bus trip. There’s got to be more to it!

I recently went on an amazing field trip. While I was in Niamey, Niger, to speak at a conference for missionary families and to teachers and students at a Christian school, we spent one day among the animals. It was a successful day because of what we were able to experience. We had freedom to enjoy what we saw and didn’t have to worry about passing a test the next day. (See Update #6 for the giraffe story and pictures.)

I’ll post two camel pictures here. Enjoy!

Last Sunday was an amazing day. We drove about an hour out of Niamey to an area where they’re working to preserve giraffes. It’s the only herd in West Africa. A few years ago, there were 80. Now there are 202. There were 201 at the start of the day and 202 a few hours later. We were so privileged to almost see the whole birth of the giraffe!

A guide joined us and found this giraffe about to give birth. Look hard for the baby’s legs coming out the birth canal. The mother was walking around like nothing unusual was happening!

She definitely wanted more privacy to give birth because she walked pretty far away. We waited awhile and then got back in our vans to go find her. The guide climbed up a tree to find her, which he did. We drove a bit and quietly walked a bit and turned a corner and were amazed to see the baby. In these pictures, she’s about an hour old. Amazing!

We were privileged!!!!!!!

The mother knew to nurture the baby. She was so gentle. It took about 30 minutes for the baby to be strong enough to hold its head up. The baby knew to try to stand up. It kicked its legs and eventually got them under its body. It rocked back and forth, trying to stand. We were told it would take 2-3 hours and after it stood, the guide would know if it was a male or female.

I also loved watching the protective nature of the mom. It’s only because she’s used to having people around, that we were able to get this close. Yet, if we moved or even gasped in excitement at something, she lifted her head and stared right at us. She definitely established herself as a protective, in-charge mom. I know some people who could learn a lesson from her.

(The next post will most likely be pictures of me on a camel!)

I prayed and then transitioned to my talk about multiple intelligences, finishing it after lunch. Parents were encouraged to discover how their children were specifically smart. They were also able to make many applications to their own lives. For example, can you imagine having to study an African language in order to share the Gospel with an unreached people group if you’re not terribly word smart? What about living in rural Africa if you’re not very nature smart? Being the only English speakers in a village, but being people smart? Challenging!

One of the things that’s great about our smarts is that they grow and can be strengthened. So, it’s not that these missionaries need to leave Africa. Maybe it just helps them understand why they’re challenged by some things that others easily embrace.

What about you? Do you know your smarts well enough to know if you’re well matched to your position? Would any changes be wise?