"Each time I walk into a classroom, I can choose the place within myself from which my teaching will come, just as I can choose the place within my students toward which my teaching will be aimed." - Parker Palmer, The Courage to Teach.
In our actions, inactions, complaints, desires, struggles, thoughts, fears, expectations, and hopes - in all of it - there’s intention. A powerful access to freedom is to discover and then be honest with ourselves about our invisible intentions.
By uncovering our default invisible intentions, we give ourselves room to create new intentions. Created intentions are an access to effectiveness and enjoyment in the classroom and in life.
Teachers can be creatively intentional. Lesson planning with objectives is creative intentionality, but we also should be creatively intentional about who we’re being with our students.
Parents can be creatively intentional with our kids too.
In fact, we can all be creatively intentional in anything we do.
When we’re not creatively intentional, we’re living from default intentions. Default intentions are fine - they’ve gotten us this far - they’re just not likely to get us any farther.
Going into classes today, I’m going to be generous, patient, and engaged. I’ll honor the lesson plan and the kids will learn, and they’re also going to know that they can relax, enjoy, and express themselves with me.
Where have you been living from default intentions?
What intentions could you create instead?
Thanks so much for reading. ❤️