we consider seven topics related to connection to something greater than self: (1) inspirational ideals, (2) altruism, (3) empathy, (4) forgiveness, (5) gratitude, (6) mindfulness, and (7) Rachel’s Challenge.
Inspirational Ideals
In order to inspire students in the classroom, educators must first address a very basic question: What is inspiration? Inspiration is fairly easy to identify when it is being experienced firsthand. For example, consider an individual reading a story about a woman who overcame poverty, started a multimillion-dollar company, and now donates much of her wealth to benefit underprivileged communities. It is likely that the individual reading this story would be moved or even experience a sense of awe or wonder—clearly, the individual would be inspired. The cause of inspiration, however, may not be so easily articulated. As Todd M. Thrash, Andrew J. Elliot, Laura A. Maruskin, and Scott E. Cassidy (2010) explained:
Many of the experiences that individuals find most fulfilling—peak experiences … creative insights … spiritual epiphanies … and emotions of awe and elevation …—cannot be controlled or directly acquired, because they involve the transcendence of one’s current desires, values, or expectations. Indeed, life would likely seem bland if one’s strivings were never interrupted and informed by such experiences. We propose that inspiration … is central to each of the above experiences. (p. 488)
Foundational to Thrash and colleagues’ (2010) description of inspiration is the concept of transcendence— going beyond our current circumstances. Experiencing transcendence, and therefore inspiration, is a function of gaining access to our ideals—the way we would like the world to be. Examples of commonly held ideals include the ability to overcome difficult circumstances, the power of hard work, and the intrinsic goodness of others. These ideals are not always at the forefront of our minds. Rather, they form a subtle network of hopes and dreams. Inspiration occurs when people see evidence that one or more of their ideals could actually be true. For example, the story of the philanthropic entrepreneur might provide evidence for the ideal that great wealth can be used to benefit others or that people can overcome negative circumstances outside their control. A person holding these beliefs would transcend his or her current circumstances by recognizing that one or more of his or her ideals are in operation in the larger world. This is the essence of inspiration. It is also important to note that while some experiences of transcendence or inspiration are momentary, moments of transcendence, however brief, can have long-lasting effects that drive individuals to act on their ideals and make them reality.
Fostering inspiration in the classroom begins by presenting students with examples of persistence, bravery, altruism, and so on. Teachers can then use these examples to help students become aware of and identify the underlying ideals they represent. Educators can provide examples in a variety of formats including movies, stories, and quotations.
Movies
Movies can be a source of inspiration for both students and teachers. Movies to inspire teachers might include Dead Poets Society, Lean on Me, Freedom Writers, Mr. Holland’s Opus, and Good Will Hunting. For students, inspirational movies might include Rudy, Remember the Titans, Up, The Blind Side, and The Help. Table 2.1 contains a short list of movies which might be appropriate for classroom use along with the ideals they exemplify. Visit MarzanoResources.com/reproducibles for a comprehensive list of inspirational movies.
Table 2.1: List of Movies and Ideals They Exemplify
| Movie | Example Ideal |
| Cool Runnings | Hard work and companionship can lead to success, even against the greatest of odds. |
| Remember the Titans | People can learn to overcome their differences to care for one another, even if at first it seems unlikely. |
| Seabiscuit | When people stop believing others’ negative expectations of them, they can go on to do great things. |
| Forrest Gump | Good things happen to people with a positive attitude. |
| Whale Rider | Even when others doubt your abilities, you can prove yourself through fearlessness and hard work. |
| Billy Elliot | People who follow their dreams are rewarded, even if their dreams run counter to the expectations of society. |
Before having students watch a film (or selections from one), teachers should provide a context and a purpose for viewing the video. To illustrate, consider a middle school teacher who wants to show excerpts of the movie Remember the Titans. The teacher might first address the context of the film by talking to students about segregation as well as the Supreme Court’s 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. The purpose, as articulated by the teacher, should always focus on ideals that are represented in the clip and be age- and subject-matter appropriate. As such, the teacher might preface the viewing by defining what an ideal is, describing how ideals relate to inspiration, and asking students to think about this concept. As students watch, the teacher might pause the film occasionally to get students’ reactions about how characters treat each other and how these relationships change. After watching Remember the Titans, the teacher could lead a discussion about the film’s depiction of the hostility toward African Americans during the reintegration of schools in the South. The teacher could then ask students to articulate ideals they felt were shown in the movie. For example, a student might generate the following list of ideals.
▸ People can learn to overcome their differences to care for one another, even if at first it seems unlikely.
▸ People can go on to do great things, even after they experience tragedy.
▸ Hard work does pay off, even if it is difficult and not rewarding initially.
▸ Setting an example by doing what is right can have a huge positive impact on a community.
After each student has generated a few ideals, the teacher can ask students to respond to the following questions.
▸ Can you describe an instance in your own life when you experienced this ideal in action? How did this make you feel?
▸ Can you describe an instance in your own life when this ideal was lacking?
Educators can reinforce students’ ideals throughout the year by referencing previously identified ideals when appropriate.
Stories
Like movies, teachers can incorporate stories into their classrooms as a way to foster inspiration. While there are many inspirational stories online and in print, one particularly well-known source of inspirational stories is the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Each book in the series compiles short stories and anecdotes about life written by dozens of different authors. The series also contains multiple volumes written specifically for adolescents, such as Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul (Canfield, Hansen, & Kirberger, 1997) and Chicken Soup for the Child’s Soul (Canfield, Hansen, Hansen, & Dunlap, 2007).
As an illustration of how these stories might be used in a classroom, a teacher could have groups of students choose stories from Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul (Canfield et al., 1997) and explain why they are inspirational. For example, consider the story “The Most Mature Thing I’ve Ever Seen” (Doenim, 1997), which is about a student defending a new classmate from being teased. In the story, a girl named Lisa is new to a school and feels unwelcome because she is not a member of any of the cliques that assemble around the quad during lunch. As such, she experiences “cruel, hateful stares” (p. 268) from her classmates while trying to find a place to eat. As she walks across the quad, a place other students avoid, she trips, and the other students laugh. A boy helps Lisa up and escorts her out of the quad, which silences the laughter
