Hope you’re enjoying July!

I just finished an online math course called Mathematical Mindsets. It’s taught by a Jo Boaler, a Stanford professor who really believes in encouraging and valuing mistakes, being curious, posing your own questions and finding the answers, exploring the different visual ways students see a particular problem, and just generally creating a classroom culture of intellectual freedom. For me, valuing each student’s perspective, the way he or she sees a problem and solves it, is crucial for the English Learner’s sense of empowerment. The idea that our brain grows the most during times of struggle and actually grows from our mistakes is amazing and freeing. This class normalized making mistakes and fixing them, learning from them, and actually enjoying the process. I really liked the idea of asking how students see a particular problem and then asking them to explain and prove their answer.

How does this relate to you? Unless you’re a math teacher, you may be thinking, so what? The thing is, I make mistakes as a mom (thunderclap). A lot. Sometimes intentionally and sometimes not. But to think that mistakes are actually valuable is the key part. I get to learn from them.
Case in point—

Last Friday was the Spectrum extravaganza. My kids loved this camp something fierce. They were really looking forward to showcasing their work. Things started off really well. Sasha did a wonderfully job during African drumming and really excelled in Irish dance. Andy put on a funny puppet show. And then we went to pick up the art projects.

It started off innocently enough. Sasha has created an absolutely amazing diorama for her book. Andy made an intense ocean scene. And then we went toward the catapult.

Sasha has apparently worked really hard to make this catapult. I did not see that, however. You know what I did see? The projectile hitting my unsuspecting body. Which prompted me to say, a la the scary director of Monster’s University, “I forbid you to bring that home!” I am totally serious. Those words came out of my mouth and I have literally never said that in my entire life.

The problem was not so much that she shot the catapult at me (although of course that was unkind). The problem was that I was tired. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I had neglected prioritizing rest, not even the sabbath as much as actual rest, and now I was getting my reward—vitriol.

So, I got to learn from my mistake. I actually took a nap today. Which was important because Mitya had a complete meltdown at Target because I would not buy him the toy he wanted. I mean complete and total meltdown like he was auditioning for a movie. It was that good. Or that bad, if you know what I mean. Complete strangers started putting things in my cart trying to help me load all the stuff in as fast as possible. Did I lose my cool and start forbidding him to have a public meltdown? Nope. Because I had actually rested, I kept my cool and did not buy our millionth beyblade. My other kids stepped up and not only put all the purchases in the car, but they also put away the cart and when we got home, brought in all the bags. I think if I hadn’t listened to my body and napped, I probably couldn’t see this silver lining either—one kid’s loss of control actually helped the other kids want to help. Probably because I responded with love born out of rest.

So, instead of reaching for coffee or pushing through, if I have the chance to nap this week, I will take it. I know that once school starts, it’s going to be harder to find rest. I need to take this time, enjoying this Sabbath season.

Wishing you glorious rest,

Elena