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Engaged mindsets for students

August 2, 2017Mike SisselBlog

IMG_8917Pencils sharpened.  Check!

Backpack organized.  Check!

Lunch made.  Check!

Mindset prepared.  Huh?

Over the next few weeks, kids of all ages will jump (or roll) out of bed, prepared (or not) for the first day of school.  With this annual event comes a wide range of emotions.  Whether it’s the fear of forgetting a locker combination or a general apprehension about the new curriculum, this time of year can be challenging for many. 

Thankfully, many of these back to school fears subside during the first few weeks as teachers work to develop a safe classroom culture (physical and emotional.)  The daily routine eventually becomes part of a new normal and before long the early fears and worries are nothing but a distant memory.

It’s during this new normal (or routine) that mindset becomes more important than ever.  While the early fears may be absent, they are often replaced with a brand new set of emotions, including boredom, frustration, or discontent.  These new emotions, left unmanaged, often lead to a lack of engagement or occasions of kids simply checking out.    

Here’s where the power of mindset comes in.  While students often point the finger of disengagement in the direction of someone or something else (i.e. teacher or homework), a shift in mindset ultimately places responsibility in the hands (or minds) of students.  This is the essence of personal responsibility.

Below are 3 of the most common student mindsets that lead to disengagement.  In addition, I’ve provided a new mindset that will likely lead to more engagement. 

Disengaging Mindset #1 – My teacher is so boring.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard a student utter these words, I’d be a rich man.  Whether it’s a monotone delivery or a lack of positive energy, kids will often find evidence to prove that the boredom is real. 

I truly believe that boredom is a function of the mind.  In other words, you can’t find boredom out there.  What may be boring to one may be interesting to another.  Having said this, I invite kids to shift their mindset away from what the teacher is saying or doing and focus more on what the learner is saying or doing. At a fundamental level, the teacher is simply teaching.  A student’s job is not to change the teacher, but to take responsibility for the learning. 

Engaging Mindset #1– I’m taking full responsibility for the learner (me).

Disengaging Mindset #2 – I’ll never be as smart as them, so why even try.

Unfortunately, the almighty letter grade continues to be the primary means of identifying smart students.  Although teachers don’t often advertise grades for other kids to see, kids have a way of finding out.  It’s a well-known belief, albeit distorted, that those who are scoring the highest are the smartest.  Therefore, if a student is consistently scoring B’s or C’s, it’s natural for them to throw in the towel mentally.  In their eyes, if they can’t achieve the grades the smart kids are receiving, why even try. 

Thankfully, there’s another kind of smart that is rarely talked about in classrooms.  Unlike school smarts, which is based solely on content knowledge, self-smarts has everything to do with self-knowledge.  In other words, it’s not just about how much core content I know, but more importantly, it’s about my knowledge of the way I think, the way I feel, and the choices I make.  Not surprisingly, when a student works on his/her self-smarts, school smarts naturally improves.

Engaging Mindset #2 – If I work on myself (self-smarts), I can identify what’s stopping me from achieving greater academic success.

Disengaging Mindset #3 – Homework is a joke.  Why do I have to do this?

Truth be told, I’m not a big fan of homework.  Having said this, I recognize that it’s still a reality in most schools throughout the country. 

Essentially, students have two choices with regard to homework – to fight it by complaining or to accept it as a reality.  When they fight it, it often leads to less than desirable work or even a refusal to do the work.  Sound familiar?

I mentioned earlier that teachers are simply teaching.  Well, homework is simply homeworking.  Simply put, the homework itself has absolutely no power to change the mood of a student.  It’s just a stack of papers to complete or a book to read.  The papers or book could care less about a student’s feelings.  Fighting homework only drains mental strength.

Engaging Mindset #3 – I choose to accept homework for what it is.  Instead of calling it homework, I’ll call it brain training.

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“Mike has an amazing ability to reach our children and to challenge their thinking. His positive outlook and desire to help every child be the best they can be is inspiring. My daughter comes home from her time with him with a smile on her face and new words of wisdom to share with me.  My 13 year old son watches his motivational videos and every time turns to me and says "He is so right. Everything he is saying is so true".  So thankful to have him in my children's lives.”  
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“Wow! What an amazing person! We are so fortunate to have Mike Sissel in our lives. Having two daughters that compete, I cannot thank him enough for all of valuable lessons learned. He empowers my girls with tools and strategies to become not only better athletes but better people. He helps them to build strong character traits that will benefit them long after their time in completion has come to an end. He's had a positive influence on the mindset of our entire family and for that we are truly blessed.”
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2017-09-14T15:02:28-07:00

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“The power of positivity is infectious and Mr. Sissel has a real gift of helping others believe that they have the mental strength within themselves to get past whatever they might be struggling with. We were introduced to Mike through Gold Medal Gymnastics and seeing the impact he has made on the lives of so many including our daughter is astounding. He helped her to overcome the feelings of insecurity, feeling bullied and showed her how to focus and 'change her lens' so that she could perform successfully.”  
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2017-09-14T14:39:25-07:00

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“Mr. Sissel has been an incredible positive influence for my kids! Every time he goes to their school they look forward to learning something new from him! I have a teen and preteen and they have had him for the last several years and have quoted his lessons to us at home. Mr. Sissel has a special gift of teaching ALL ages with passion and dedication and truly knows how to connect with his audience, which makes it fun. I have also recommended him as one on one coaching for my dear friend’s son after she went through a divorce and her son was acting out and his insight truly helped her.”
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2018-05-23T09:48:39-07:00

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“Mike Sissel is an amazing man. With a positive force driving his ultimate vision to help the world be a better place, he reminds young and old what it means to be and do good by finding it in within. His practical steps are accessible to children and admired by adults. Whether he facilitates a retreat, in-service, assembly, or consults, positive and tangible results will be the outcome. I highly recommend him!”
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“Our school mission has always been to educate the 'whole child', including their social and emotional development. Mike’s contribution to this mission, through the delivery of his meaningful, engaging lessons, has made a lasting impact on our school culture. In addition to the rich content he shares with our students, the energy he brings to each classroom is contagious. He has been an inspiration to our staff and students and truly lives the leadership principles he teaches.”
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“Mr Sissel has been such an unbelievably positive presence both at Gold Medal Gymnastics and at our daughter's school, CEE. There is always enthusiasm and excitement when she knows that they will be having a session with him. The topics that he addresses are so important and he helps the kids see not only life's big picture, but also how individually they can make a real difference for themselves and those around them with their choices. We are thankful and look forward to more work with him in the future.”

 

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“Mr Sissel has been such an unbelievably positive presence both at Gold Medal Gymnastics and at our daughter's school, CEE. There is always enthusiasm and excitement when she knows that they will be having a session with him. The topics that he addresses are so important and he helps the kids see not only life's big picture, but also how individually they can make a real difference for themselves and those around them with their choices. We are thankful and look forward to more work with him in the future.”  
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“Having been in the coaching profession for many years, I’ve gained the most satisfaction by having the opportunity to help shape the character of my players, ultimately preparing them for life beyond baseball. Mike Sissel is a masterful coach who shares a similar passion for the 'game of life'. His ability to connect with athletes is unmatched. If you have an opportunity for Mike to work with your team, it will truly be the 'gift' that will keep on giving. He has been a blessing to my family.”

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2018-05-23T09:46:00-07:00

Pat Murphy

“Having been in the coaching profession for many years, I’ve gained the most satisfaction by having the opportunity to help shape the character of my players, ultimately preparing them for life beyond baseball. Mike Sissel is a masterful coach who shares a similar passion for the 'game of life'. His ability to connect with athletes is unmatched. If you have an opportunity for Mike to work with your team, it will truly be the 'gift' that will keep on giving. He has been a blessing to my family.”
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