when you can turn it into a learning opportunity for them to learn to solve real-world problems, which is often something you can connect directly to the learning topic you intend to cover in your lesson. After you present your story, give students a minute to brainstorm how they would approach it. Then, call on students to give their thoughts, and don’t judge their answers. Keep a modest, positive spirit, and say, “I hadn’t thought of that. Thank you, Marcus” or “I appreciate the brainstorming you did. Thank you! Now, let’s grab a few more ideas.” I always thank students for their participation but never criticize, judge, or evaluate their efforts. I realize they’re a fraction of my age and are unlikely to have the same coping skills.
After you call on many volunteers (thanking them for their effort), you should share the rest of the story. How did you decide what to do about the problem, and what did you learn from the results? If you need help organizing an activity for this lesson, use figure 1.5 to plan it out in advance.
Figure 1.5: Map an everyday problem.
Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction for a free reproducible version of this figure.
Even if you can’t connect this exercise directly to an ongoing lesson, it is not a waste of time; it is an investment in your students that will pay off later since you’re role modeling three things for your class. Yes, adults do have problems and how they deal with them can be useful. Just because a problem is tough, big, or stressful doesn’t mean it is unsolvable. Finally, it is a chance for you to share the process of problem solving. You share your values, your attitude, and the procedures it takes to be a success.
Share Progress on Goals
The last tool for creating a culture of personalization is sharing your personal goals. Many teachers struggle to find a separation between their personal and teacher lives. However, all students, especially those from poverty, love the idea of goals. Setting personal goals and sharing them with your students is an effective way to foster the relational mindset. Post your personal goal in the classroom (since you are asking students to do the same) and share your progress all year (or semester) long. In addition, you’ll also post your class goal. (You’ll learn more about setting gutsy class goals in chapter 4, page 41.) Figure 1.6 provides a worksheet you can post in your room for achieving a personal goal.
Figure 1.6: Goal and progress poster.
Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction for a free reproducible version of this figure.
Table 1.1 lists some sample goals you might consider, along with some milestones to associate with these goals.
Table 1.1: Examples of Personal Goals
| Goal: Participating in community projects | Goal: Starting healthier eating and exercise habits | Goal: Completing a teaching improvement list |
| Milestones: • Identify a project. • Sign up to help. • Complete the project. | Milestones: • Identify a healthy eating and exercise routine. • Maintain the routine for four weeks. • Maintain the routine for three months. | Milestones: • Identify three habits for improvement. • Maintain these habits for three weeks. • Maintain these habits for three months. |
| Goal: Running a 10k | Goal: Mentoring someone | Goal: Growing a garden |
| Milestones: • Identify and download apps to improve from 0 to 5k and from 5k to 10k. • Complete the 0 to 5k app. • Complete the 5k to 10k app. | Milestones: • Identify a person who wants and will benefit from mentoring. • Maintain mentorship for four weeks. • Maintain mentorship for three months. | Milestones: • Plan a garden space and the plants that will go in it. • Create the garden space and plant the plants. • Nurture the plants to full growth. |
| Goal: Learning a skill or sport | Goal: Helping change the culture at your school | Goal: Helping your parents with a goal |
| Milestones: • Identify a skill to learn and a pathway to attaining it. • Complete the learning pathway that attains the skill. • Demonstrate mastery of the new skill by completing a related project. | Milestones: • Identify an aspect of school culture that could improve and three ways to improve it. • Achieve buy-in from relevant stakeholders for three months for improvement. • Cite evidence of the improvement’s success or a new action plan to try again. | Milestones: • Talk to your parents and identify a goal they want to achieve and micro goals to achieve it. • Complete half the micro goals. • Complete all goals or reset and try again. |
After selecting, displaying, and making progress toward applicable goals, begin routinely sharing and celebrating all your key milestones and how you overcame them. When you share all the micro steps forward and the nearly predictable setbacks you experience, students will see that mistakes are OK and make way for improvement.
Quick Consolidation: Personalize the Learning
This chapter was about a powerful path in your classroom—personalizing learning. The tools I present in this chapter are no secret. I’m just inviting you to choose one or two of them and make it a habit, but all of them are important assets in your relational toolbox. As you share part of your life with students, you allow them to understand your journey. Plus, they learn about the process you used, your values, and your choices. Answer the following reflection questions as you consider your next steps on the journey to making learning more personal in your classroom.
1. What did you learn about the importance of making the learning in your classroom personal that you didn’t know when you started this chapter? How is your outlook changing?
2. What strategy from this chapter will you use to ensure you learn every student’s name? How will you deploy this strategy in your classroom?
3. To better connect with your students, what are some items you could put in your Me Bag? How will you explain them?
4. What are some everyday problems you’ve experienced that you could share with your students? How might these change how your students perceive you?
5. What are some goals you have in your personal life that might humanize you in the eyes of your students and help them connect
