What's your story?

Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind, writes, We are our stories."  He says that our need to be heard is more prevalent and urgent in today's world than ever before because it allows us to express how we fit in this world and why it matters.

Spend an hour in any Kindergarten classroom, and you will undoubtedly hear 60 different stories about 60 different things, and that may just be from one kid!  We are our stories.  We take vacations and we tell people about them.  We get a flat tire and we tell people about it.  We hear a story from a friend and respond with our own similar circumstance.

For years now, my response to folks who fall victim to Murphy's Law has been the same, "Look at the great story you will be able to share for the rest of your life!"  Indeed, we love to tell the stories of our best adventures...and misadventures.  My friends and I have quite a few college stories that we continue to tell 25 years later.  There were many misadventures to be sure!

Wouldn't it be incredible if we created a culture in our schools where we shared our misadventures in learning?  As we encourage kids and teachers to take risks in their learning, let's also encourage them to brag on their misadventures.  Everyone loves to say, "I got it right on my first try!"  Let's create a culture where even more pride comes from, "I got it right on my 20th try!"