smh... student motivation hints

What does outrageous curiosity have to do with being squished? When your family instills strength and confidence, you become unstoppable in pursuing your dreams. 

Distractions are toxic. But can we train our brain to reject them?

When your parents teach you mindfulness and AVID teaches you growth mindset, you don't let failures hold you down. Listen to this student show some serious love to her mom and explain why she likes the pressure of difficult classes. 

This basketball player knows failure is temporary, something to fix. He also learned from his family that education is the key to a good. The friends around him are fun, but distracting sometimes and he has learned to not let his team down he needs to move to a different seat in class. Smart actions  

Perhaps one of my most important episodes ever. From a great conversation I had with AP biology today. Money is fake, but it is also useful. What basic needs do you need to buy in order to pursue true happiness in life?

5th period today was unbelievable. Listen in to my reflections as I try to understand why my students continued to distract themselves by overreacting as if defending from threats like anaphylactic allergic response to a perceived threat. But this is the world and the culture they are drowning in here in 2022. This allows me to marvel, and laugh at the absurdity of it all, but also to be compassionate for the diseases students suffer from. 

Story time, some raw honesty about how I approach challenges in life. 

Agreement and positivity are twins. Being happy comes from accepting what is in your life, what is good in your life. How are you saying no to the things you know are good for you? How can you say yes to more of the good stuff that makes you better, happier, more productive?

Addictions are not your fault, but you need to know how to control the most powerful drug destroying our lives today: cell phones. apps are designed to be addicting, they pull you away from relationships, success, and true long-term happiness. How can you get this drug out of your life every day at specific times to be a happier, better version of yourself?

Are you joining a team to work towards the same goal, or are you competing with your teachers, family, bosses, and classmates? Are you resisting the cooperation of good teamwork by rejecting responsibilities, or are you thankful to have teammates that have your best interest in mind?