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The Struggle is Real

/ Dave Eberwein / Leave a comment

A typical moment in my professional life:

I’m at my desk deep in thought — maybe it’s a budget issue, perhaps a community concern, or maybe an organizational dilemma that needs a creative solution. I’m stuck.

It can feel like my brain’s gears are seized or conversely like my wheels are spinning in mud — it’s an immovable tension of struggling to find a solution.

Neuroscientists have learned that the act of struggling is actually an important part of the learning process. Struggling with a problem results in increased neural connections being formed in your brain. The act of struggling forces your brain to develop new networks — bridging the old to the new.

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Every Child Has a Gift

/ Dave Eberwein / Leave a comment

Every child has a gift. But, being able to receive it means FIRST being able to recognize it. Schools are in a unique position to do that.

Mission Possible: To recognize, celebrate and nurture every child’s gift.

When we celebrate the gift that each child provides we enable that child to reach new heights of achievement. In public education, our doors are open to every child — every need, every complexity. Finding a child’s strengths can sometimes be the most difficult and frustrating part of our job. You see, for some children, their outward selves can mask their inner beauty through such things as learning or behavioral challenges, lack of attendance or other life complexities.

Finding the magic inside each child can be difficult — but it’s there — in every last one of them.

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Year-end Reflections – Lessons from Yoda (Star Wars – v.2)

/ Dave Eberwein / Leave a comment

As this school year draws to a close I have begun to reflect on the year that has been — and its importance to my personal and professional growth. And because I love Star Wars — I have now connected some of this learning to the wise and articulate Yoda — master of the Jedi Knights.

Jedi Master Yoda

So, without further ado … here are some of my 2018-19 reflections as Superintendent. May the Force Be With You:

YOU WILL ONLY FIND WHAT YOU BRING IN

Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Yoda and Luke

Yoda told his young apprentice (Luke Skywalker) to not take his anger, fear and weapons into the dark cave as bringing these would only result in conflict. His words proved to be prophetic.

In life we bring both our negative and positive experiences to a current situation. I reminded myself this year to leave my negative reactions at the door and remain open to new ideas, thoughts and opinions. Fear and anger do not open doors, but close them.

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