Perspective...

Dear Educators,

Are things ever as they appear? As educators, we have a huge responsibility to teach our students how to interpret information. This is a huge task because it is human nature to look for things that validate what we already believe. We prefer people and concepts that are like us. Our mindset and existing perspective make a huge difference in how we view the world. Until we are ready to admit we were wrong in our perspective, that perspective, and thus our reality, remains the same. Learning to put our existing beliefs aside to see things in a new way is the only way we learn and grow. What we seek, we find. Learning to seek truth ought to be our motivating drive.

Goode

The influence of our perspective isn’t just limited to our behavior towards others, it is also highly prevalent in the history of maps. Historically, cartographers were inclined to take some artistic license to emphasize areas on a map that they deemed of superior importance. This week’s Map of the Week is a vision of the world with country sizes in correct proportions. Have your students compare this to other maps they’ve seen—what surprises them?

Recently, Supreme Court Justice John Roberts shocked the world several times by voting out of line with his conservative leanings. While his motives are not fully understood, it’s a good lesson to expect the unexpected! This article talks about Roberts and the implications of having a Supreme Court lifetime position.

Do you know that your expectations of your students have profound, measurable impacts on their performance? The Journal of Educational Psychology published findings in 1983 that demonstrated a 5- 10% impact on student performance when exposed to teachers who had pre-existing assumptions of their abilities. As mentors, coaches, educators, and teachers, it is so important that we are aware of and responsible for how our opinion of those in our care affects their ability to succeed. Read more in this article on the self-fulfilling prophecy of teacher expectations.