The Formative Five MENA Teacher Summit Dubai United

The Formative Five: MENA Teacher Summit Dubai, United Arab Emirates October 7, 2017, 9: 00 -9: 45 Dr. Thomas R. Hoerr www. thomasrhoerr. com trhoerr@newcityschool. org @Tom. Hoerr

Think back to when you were 18… Who was the smartest person in your high school graduation class?

In other words, are there differences between success in school and success in life? Live to learn!

Yes! • Ken Jennings wins 74 consecutive games $2, 520, 700 - and then is defeated by IBM’s Watson computer • > 1 B websites and 3. 5 B daily Google searches Daniel Goleman: “… At best, IQ contributes about 20 percent of the factors that determine life success, which leaves 80 percent to other forces. ” Paul Tough: “What matters most in success is a list that includes persistence, self-control, curiosity, conscientiousness, grit, and self-confidence. ”

Scholastics should be the floor, not the ceiling Who you are is more important than what you know.

Success Skills • Empathy • Self-control • Integrity • Embracing Diversity • Grit

How did you get to the Formative Five?

1. Empathy “The art of stepping imaginatively into the shoes of others, understanding their feelings and perspectives, and using that information to guide your actions” (Roman Krznaric).

“We have to teach empathy as we do literacy” (Bill Drayton) “Empathy is the most important back to school supply for teachers” (Homar Tavangar, Edutopia) Walt Bettinger CEO, Charles Schwab

Empathy is also needed at home, in the work place, and in the teachers’ lounge. “Who’s the Bully On Your Staff? ” (“Principal Connection, ” Educational Leadership, February 2013)

2. Self-control “The ability to delay gratification and resist temptation is an acquirable cognitive skill” (Walter Mischel). Self-control is an aspect of success in every domain. Musial & Banks: 22, 19, & 0.

• "Technology of interruption has outpaced the technology of concentration" (David Coleman, President of the College Board). • Willpower is a learnable skill, something that can be taught the same way that kids learn to do math and say ‘thank you’” (Charles Duhigg in The Power of Habit)

3. Integrity is firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values; incorruptibility. It stems from honesty, and is a higher, more public form of action.

• Brene’ Brown in Rising Strong: “Integrity is choosing courage over comfort; choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy; and choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them” • Jim Thomas: "The major difference between honesty and integrity is that one may be entirely honest without engaging in the thought and reflection integrity demands. "

Brittany, Mimi, and the birthday party

4. Embracing diversity is understanding that the differences among us should be recognized, appreciated, and embraced.

“Diversity is not just about the differences you like” Eboo Patel, founder and president of the Interfaith Youth Core A diversity of diversities: race, religion, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, physical handicap, ability.

Context • “Evolutionary theory holds that our ability to sense when we should be suspicious has been every bit as essential for human survival as our capacity for trust and cooperation” (Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence) • “We need to reach that happy stage of our development when differences and diversity are not seen as sources of division and distrust, but of strength and inspiration” (Josefa Iloilo)

5. Grit is tenacity, perseverance, hanging in, and not ever giving up.

November 18, 2011 NYT by Paul Tough “The Character Test Why our kids’ success – and happiness – may depend less on perfect performance than on learning how to deal with failure” What if the secret to success is failure?

• "The biggest reason for success in entrepreneurship is not brilliance. It's not creative genius. It's the simple ability to not quit when things are really bad" (Leila Janah, NYT, “Corner Office, ” 4/23/17) • “Failure is a bruise, not a tattoo” (Jon Sinclair).

Grit is: Passion + persistence overcoming boredom overcoming frustration overcoming failure making new mistakes.

Teach the attitude of grit Kinds of mistakes What do they mean for us? Live to learn! They are

Kinds of mistakes What do they mean for us? They are OLD mistakes We repeat our errors and do not learn from our experiences. Dumb Live to learn!

Kinds of mistakes What do they mean for us? They are OLD mistakes We repeat our errors and do not learn from our experiences. Dumb NO mistakes We continue to use the same approach. We are error-free but little learning takes place. Not smart Live to learn!

Kinds of mistakes What do they mean for us? They are OLD mistakes We repeat our errors and do not learn from our experiences. Dumb NO mistakes We continue to use the same approach. We are error-free but little learning takes place. We try new ideas and strategies and learn from our experiences. Not smart NEW mistakes Live to learn! Brave and wise

Make NEW mistakes

Formative Five General Strategies • Highlight the Formative Five at the start of school year • Begin by teaching vocabulary • Focus on 1 Formative Five skill every week or month • Take a cultural approach to the Formative Five. • Use the halls and walls to educate and reinforce • Inform and engage students’ parents

The take-away… Who you are is more important than what you know.

Comments or questions? Tom Hoerr trhoerr@newcityschool. org www. thomasrhoerr. com @Tom. Hoerr Live to learn!