Teach Different

"You've got to learn to leave the table when love's no longer being served."    Nina Simone Everybody deals with negative people differently.  Some people tolerate negativity.  Some people avoid negative people.  Nina Simone says that it is a lesson that everyone must learn:  when we must let people go and move on.  But what about loyalty and always being there for someone?  You can't be there if you leave the table. This podcast explores the nature of loyalty and the struggle that everyone has in knowing when and if they should let go of the people who bringing them down.

Does a confident mindset guarantee success?  If you ask Marcus Garvey, all you need is confidence and you'll realize quickly that you already won.  But there are always those who ask a deeper question.  Is confidence a condition of success or is it a derivative of it?  That's just a fancy way of deciding whether or not "fake it till you make it" is something we all should be doing. Join us for a conversation with Marcus Garvey around the quote "With confidence, you have won before you have started."  We will break down the claim, counterclaim and essential  question for the quote using Teach Different's 3-Step Conversation Method and you'll have a model to work with to introduce the  conversation to your students immediately.   Here is the google form you can send to your students in advance of the conversation. Enjoy!

Do you have to have critics to succeed?  Join us for a conversation with educators from around the world about a provocative quote about success from Malcolm X - "If you have no critics, you'll likely have no success."  We will break down the claim, counterclaim and essential question for the quote using Teach Different's 3-Step Conversation Method and you'll have a model to work with to introduce the conversation to your students immediately.   Here is the google form you can send to your students in advance of the conversation. Enjoy!

"It's easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."  So  says American abolitionist, Frederick Douglass.  We should invest in the  children and not waste or time with misguided adults.  Can people learn  no matter how old they are?

Do you need loyalty to fight injustice?  If you ask Dr. Martin Luther  King Jr., loyalty is essential, but you can't always rely on it.   Sometimes our friends are the ones who are silent, and that's what hurts the most.

Do we have control over our own success?  If you ask Henry David Thoreau,  the answer is 'no', but that doesn't mean we aren't going to be successful.  To Thoreau, we are born to be successful.  It is in our  DNA.  Failure is a figment of our imagination.

Do we have the power to make ourselves happy?  Wouldn't it be nice if we  did?  According to Aristotle, we do.  Happiness depends on our decision  to have it - and nothing else.  But what do we say to someone who is down on  their luck and has spent most of their life struggling?  Do we have the power to make ourselves happy?

How do you know when to put other people's needs above your own?  Some  people give all the time.  And some people are selfish.  To Toni  Morrison, the value of anything is in what it can do for others.   Everything good should be a gift that is given.   This begs the question:  How do you know when to put other people’s needs above your own?

Does diversity makes us stronger?  Look around and you'll notice the  differences in people.  And this is what makes us stronger according to  Stephen Covey.  But let's not forget the sameness we have and celebrate  what we have in common as well.

Should we question what we are sure of?  Everyone thinks they know  something.  And everyone questions some things.  But very few people  question what they think they know - except for Socrates, who knows he  knows nothing.  If this is tying your mind in pretzels, just think about  what you value more -- confidence or humility.

Is  a friend to all a friend to none?   Lots of people believe that the   more friends you have, the better off you are.  Not according to   Aristotle.  In fact, we should be wary of those who have a lot of  friends.  We should pick our friends wisely.

Do we have control of our future?  The future is hard to predict, even  though some people try to do it.  To Lincoln, we shouldn't worry about  predicting the future.  Our job is to make it and we all control our own  destinies.  Tell that to someone who has lost hope and only has the NOW  to worry about.

How do you know when giving to others will make you happy?  Happiness is  elusive at times.  Life can be hard; we all know it.  According to  Booker T. Washington, there is a simple remedy for a bad day:  give to  others.  Happiness is what you get from the gifts that you give.

If you ask Lord Chesterfield, the only goals that matter are the small ones.  Be mindful of the present, and the future will take care of  itself.  But let's not forget the championship teams that won because  they had a vision for their own success.  What's the best way to plan  your life?

Do you have the responsibility to be a role model for others?  You may not think that you matter sometimes.  To Dr. Seuss, you do matter and you matter most to people who look to you as a role model.  And if you want to just be you, you can do that too.  But remember.  You can't control who is looking up to you.

Patience is one of the hardest things to have at times.  We all want  what we want.  When?  Now.  To Maya Angelou, all great accomplishments  take time.  The key is to have patience and keep the faith.  Tell that to great Civil Rights leaders and revolutionaries who are fighting injustice.  Is patience  a virtue?

Do you have control over your own success?  Life is harder for some than  others.   And it isn't always our fault.  Circumstances make happiness  elusive.  According to Booker T. Washington, that may be true but  circumstances don't make a man - character does.  Sounds easier said than done.

Should great leaders follow?  There are all kinds of leadership styles.   Some leaders are authoritarian.  Some are motivational.  Some are  barely visible.  According to Lao Tzu, the best leaders follow.  Tell  that to someone who wants guidance and is looking for a role model

How do we know when forgiveness is the right thing to do?  Forgiving is  difficult, especially when the hurt comes from someone you know.   According to Gandhi, only the strong can forgive.  Because love is a  power that moves mountains.  Tell that to someone getting bullied; where  the only way out is to stand up for yourself.  Enjoy a conversation with Gandhi about something that really matters.

Do you need to work with other people to be successful?  Ask Michael  Jordan, and the answer is yes.  As individuals, we can win games.  But  only teams win championships.  Tell that to someone who always has to  carry the team and doesn't have anyone to rely on.  

Should we always tell the truth?  This is a question we want to say  "yes" to but we know that life makes it hard to tell the truth  sometimes.  According to Elizabeth Cady Stanton, truth is the only safe  ground to stand on.  The truth protects us, even in the times when we  think we are protecting someone else by lying.

What does respect look like in the classroom?  According to Emerson the  key to learning is respecting the student.  The learner has the keys to  learning and teachers can teach anything by acknowledging the wisdom of  students.

Should our feelings be the guide for our actions?  Ask some people and  they'll tell you to listen to your gut when you make decisions.  Ask  others, and they'll say the mind.  But no one really knows who the best  teacher is.

Can you be happy without freedom?  Happiness is about the most personal  thing there is; and it comes in many shapes and sizes.  If you ask Susan  B. Anthony, it always involves freedom.  It's independence that gives  us the greatest joy.

What's the best way to earn respect?  We all want respect.  It's how we  know we matter.  You might think there a lot of ways to earn respect but  if you ask Confucius, there is only one true way -- respect yourself,  and others will respect you.  Tell that to an enemy who doesn't care  what you think of yourself.   They want you to show them you deserve  respect.

How do we know when someone is telling the truth?  The truth is, we  never really know.  But to Chief Joseph, you can get a pretty good idea  by how many words they use.  The more we keep talking, the less we can  be trusted.

How do we know when to be silent?  There are times when words are  helpful and there are times when we talk too much.  According to civil  rights activist Audre Lorde, you have to speak up, especially when you  see an injustice.  Your silence will never protect you

Should we question what we are sure of?  Everyone thinks they know  something.  And everyone questions some things.  But very few people  question what they think they know - except for Socrates, who knows he  knows nothing.  If this is tying your mind in pretzels, just think about  what you value more -- confidence or humility.

Is goal-setting necessary for success?  Success doesn't come easy.   Everyone knows that.  But not everybody would agree with Lao Tzu -- that  goals themselves are the problem.  To Lao Tzu, in order to be good at  something you have to give up your goals and appreciate the moments you  have along the way.

How do we know when to have hope?  Watch the conversation unfold with  American poet Theodore Roethke who argues that "dark times" help us see  clearly.

How do we know when we should intervene to solve problems?  For most of  us, when we see a problem, we try to fix it.  But the father of medicine  Hippocrates suggests we hesitate.  Some problems fix themselves and the  best remedy is to leave them alone.  Listen to Dan and Steve Fouts break down Hippocrates' quote "To do nothing is also a good remedy."

How do we know when we should put others ahead of ourselves?  Everybody  wants to get ahead.  No one wants to be left behind.  Dr. Seuss reminds  us that there is so much to find when we don't fall behind.  Let's just  hope that we don't get too ambitious and forget about our responsibility  to others.

Should we have the freedom to disobey rules?  Some people think that  freedom gets in the way -- that we should all conform because that's  what rules are for.  Ask Henry David Thoreau and you'll get a very  different angle on the question.  Disobeying is exactly what we should  be doing.  That's what freedom is.  Which argument wins out when it comes to wearing masks in a pandemic?

Should we avoid bad people?  When bad actors are around, everyone has a  choice:  stay off to ourselves or "run with the crowd."  The answer is  simple to George Washington.  You are better off alone.  Listen to the Fouts brothers break down the quote - "It's better to be alone than in bad company."

Is doing the right thing the best way to influence others?  There are  people in power.  And there are people who want to do right.  And these  two people are not always the same.  Lincoln claims that doing what's  right is what gives us power.  But what happens when there is a rule or a  law we have to follow that we think is unfair?  listen in to the conversation about the best way to influence others with Steve and Dan Fouts.

What does it take to succeed?  If anyone knows the answer to this  question, you should package it and offer it to the entire world at a  bulk discount.  Sophocles insists that whatever your definition of  success, you will never be able to attain it until you have gone through  hardship first.  We have to lose in order to win.

What is the best way to find happiness?  Most people think happiness is a  place, an achievement or a goal.  It's something you strive for and  when you reach it, you'll become happy.  Sydney Harris disagrees and  argues that happiness is a direction, not a destination.  We'll look into the best way to find happiness and argue a few different sides.

Do we have control of our future?  The future is hard to predict, even  though some people try to do it.  To Lincoln, we shouldn't worry about  predicting the future.  Our job is to make it and we all control our own  destinies.  Tell that to someone who has lost hope and only has the NOW  to worry about.  Listen in on a great conversation about self-determination with the Fouts brothers.

When is the right time to put your own needs above others?   Life is full of split-second decisions about what we should do for others and what we should do for ourselves.   To Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the choice is simple - we have to think of our own self-development first.  Tell that to the nurses, doctors and first-responders in the middle of a pandemic. Listen in on the conversation.

Should you always follow the rules? Well... Benjamin Franklin claims  that we should always question them first.  It is our responsibility to challenge authority.  I wonder what Franklin would think of social distancing guidelines in our current pandemic.  Questioning authority is important but what about when it directly impacts the safety of other citizens.  Listen in on the conversation...  

Do you have to go through suffering to be a good person?  The shortest road to empathy for the suffering of others is to have suffered yourself.  According to Victor Hugo, suffering makes us good.  But what about the other angels around us who never suffered at all?

Is dreaming good for us?  Depends on who you ask.  We all dream.  But  not all of us have our dreams turn into reality.  Always being  disappointed is no way to live.  Show this video to the students and get a conversation going about dreams.

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."  Frank Delano Roosevelt We think that events cause fear.  But do they?  How do we know when we should be afraid?   Have a  conversation about fear with American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt and see if fear is more conquerable than you think.

"Isolation is a way to know ourselves."  Franz Kafka Social distancing is creating a new normal for everyone.  There are less outward distractions but our inner world is activated.  The question becomes:  Is social distancing healthy for us?  Have a conversation about isolation with Franz Kafka and explore whether being alone actually makes us wiser.

"Wherever there is a human being there is an opportunity for kindness."  Seneca Some people view kindness as a weakness, not a moral virtue.  The only real reason, they say, people are kind is because they don't have the power to do otherwise.  But Roman philosopher Seneca makes the claim that kindness is a choice that we decide to make.  We always retain the power to be kind, even when others mistreat and mistrust us.

"Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend."  Martin Luther King jr. Have you ever become best friends with your worst enemy?  Hey, it happens - and Martin Luther King Jr. would argue the reason it happens is because somebody stepped out of their comfort zone and decided to love instead of hate.  This is a great quote to start a conversation about conflict, and how best to convert your enemy to a friend. 

"You can only become truly accomplished at something you love."  Maya Angelou We often her that it is important to do what you love.  Maya Angelou takes this mantra to a new level and argues that you really can't accomplish anything unless you love doing it.  Tell that to anybody who gets up in the morning and embraces the hard -- and not so fun -- work necessary to accomplish a hard earned prize.  Put this quote on the board and start a conversation about success.  You'll find out in a hurry what your students are really passionate about.

"The person with dreams is more powerful than the one with all the facts."  Albert Einstein Would you want your doctor to have a big imagination?  Or would you want her to know all the facts about your disease and follow best practice to help you get better?   Facts are reliable, but imagination is more powerful - according to Albert Einstein.  Put this quote on the board and start a conversation about the power of imagination and decide for yourself whether imagination or facts will ultimately win the day.

"The best fighter is never angry."  Lao Tzu Now here is an idea that breaks conventional wisdom.  Don't we have to be angry in order to want to fight in the first place?  Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu says "no."  Anger is self-defeating.  Put this quote on the board and start a conversation about how anger management shouldn't be seen as just a coping mechanism.  It's the key to our success. 

"He has the most who is content with the least."  Diogenes What does it take to be happy?  To Greek Cynic Diogenes, happiness and contentment are mental states that can only be achieved by acknowledging that we don't need much.  Put this quote on the board and start a conversation about money and friends and how it's an open question whether less is more.

"Alone we can do little.  Together we can do so much." - Helen Keller Cooperation is not always what it's cracked up to be.  But don't tell Helen Keller that.  Put this quote by Helen Keller on the board and start a conversation about whether cooperation is worth it if you get stuck in the wrong student work group.  Sometimes doing things alone is the only way to go.

"You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say." - Martin Luther Responsibility is something all people have to learn at some point in their life.  One of the challenges is knowing how to act in each situation so that your individual decisions take others into consideration.   Put this quote by Martin Luther on the  board and start a conversation in class about bullying and whether we are really responsible if we remain silent.

"Power must never be trusted without a check." - John Adams If there is one thing students can relate to, its power dynamics between students and teachers.  Put this quote by John Adams on the board and start a conversation in class about what would happen if teachers decided to give grades based on the students they liked and disliked.

There’s only one thing that can capture student attention in an age of social media and an education system focused on data-driven instruction - and that’s unforgettable classroom conversations.  Listen to Teach Different co-founders Steve and Dan Fouts describe a way of teaching that can recapture the human connection that’s being lost in the noise.

Listen to Teach Different's founder, Dr. Steven Fouts, share the story of Jarvis and how Teach Different's 3-step process was born in a real life classroom in the fall of 2017.