We found 20 results that contain "gratitude"
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Gratitude in Times of Healing
An article in Harvard Health Publishing, a digital publication from Harvard Medical School, states “With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. In the process, people usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves. As a result, being grateful also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals — whether to other people, nature, or a higher power” (2021, para. 2). According to positive psychology research, gratitude is associated with:
greater happiness and increased positive emotions
improved health
reduced stress
better sleep
coping with adversity
emotional resilience
strong relationship building
harder working employees
Julie Welch, MD, and Kari Lemme, MD 's shared, in Indiana University's School of Medicine blog Emergency Medicine LeadER, "Taking time to acknowledge the goodness in life is important during times of crisis as it allows a person to shift their perspective, calm fear and anxiety, and maintain a positive outlook in an uncertain situation". Combined with Chester Elton's- co-author of Leading with Gratitude- interview with Forbes, where he states, "When there is so much disruption it is easy to focus constantly on the negative...The issue can be that with the focus always on the negative you wear people out. There is a need to continue to focus on a lot of good things going on as well, to give your people hope and encouragement. Nothing does that better than simple acts of gratitude" make a compelling case for practicing gratitude during times of crisis. All this isn't to say, we should buck-up and move on. Toxic positivity is real, and that's not what we want to promote. Robert Emmons, PhD, psychology professor at UC Davis and author of Gratitude Works!- shared with Berkeley's Greater Good Magazine, "In the face of demoralization, gratitude has the power to energize. In the face of brokenness, gratitude has the power to heal. In the face of despair, gratitude has the power to bring hope. In other words, gratitude can help us cope with hard times." Emmons points out that there is a critical difference between feeling grateful and being grateful... that we cannot force ourselves to feel any specific way, but that being grateful as a practice is a choice. "When disaster strikes, gratitude provides a perspective from which we can view life in its entirety and not be overwhelmed by temporary circumstances." The research Emmons conducted for his book, shows the effort that is required to achieve a perspective of gratitude (especially in the face of crisis or tragedy) is worth it. "Trials and suffering can actually refine and deepen gratefulness if we allow them to show us not to take things for granted... Consciously cultivating an attitude of gratitude builds up a sort of psychological immune system that can cushion us when we fall." says Emmons. Two key considerations for working towards a perspective of gratitude during and in the aftermath of difficult times that Emmons highlights are "Remember the bad" and "Reframing disaster".MSU and our global Spartan community, have been faced with shocking and unsettling challenges over the past handful of years. Throughout these moments in our collective history, there have been Spartans who stepped up, showed great care, and contributed to our ecosystem in ways that allowed MSU to continue meeting it's mission "to advance knowledge and transform lives by providing outstanding undergraduate, graduate and professional education; conducting research of the highest caliber; and advancing outreach, engagement and economic activities." Join us in the simple act of saying thank you to individuals in MSU's wide educator community (anyone who contributes to the teaching and learning, student success, and/or outreach components of MSU's mission) for the impacts they've had durring these difficult times. Sharing gratitude through #iteachmsu's Thank an Educator initiative only takes a few minutes, but can make a huge impact. Research also shows that a recipient of gratitude and thankfulness will be more generous and helpful to others. By sharing gratitude with your colleagues and peers, you create a ripple of acknowledgement and appreciation that permeates Michigan State University.Cover image adaped from a photo from Jessica Lewis on Unsplash.
greater happiness and increased positive emotions
improved health
reduced stress
better sleep
coping with adversity
emotional resilience
strong relationship building
harder working employees
Julie Welch, MD, and Kari Lemme, MD 's shared, in Indiana University's School of Medicine blog Emergency Medicine LeadER, "Taking time to acknowledge the goodness in life is important during times of crisis as it allows a person to shift their perspective, calm fear and anxiety, and maintain a positive outlook in an uncertain situation". Combined with Chester Elton's- co-author of Leading with Gratitude- interview with Forbes, where he states, "When there is so much disruption it is easy to focus constantly on the negative...The issue can be that with the focus always on the negative you wear people out. There is a need to continue to focus on a lot of good things going on as well, to give your people hope and encouragement. Nothing does that better than simple acts of gratitude" make a compelling case for practicing gratitude during times of crisis. All this isn't to say, we should buck-up and move on. Toxic positivity is real, and that's not what we want to promote. Robert Emmons, PhD, psychology professor at UC Davis and author of Gratitude Works!- shared with Berkeley's Greater Good Magazine, "In the face of demoralization, gratitude has the power to energize. In the face of brokenness, gratitude has the power to heal. In the face of despair, gratitude has the power to bring hope. In other words, gratitude can help us cope with hard times." Emmons points out that there is a critical difference between feeling grateful and being grateful... that we cannot force ourselves to feel any specific way, but that being grateful as a practice is a choice. "When disaster strikes, gratitude provides a perspective from which we can view life in its entirety and not be overwhelmed by temporary circumstances." The research Emmons conducted for his book, shows the effort that is required to achieve a perspective of gratitude (especially in the face of crisis or tragedy) is worth it. "Trials and suffering can actually refine and deepen gratefulness if we allow them to show us not to take things for granted... Consciously cultivating an attitude of gratitude builds up a sort of psychological immune system that can cushion us when we fall." says Emmons. Two key considerations for working towards a perspective of gratitude during and in the aftermath of difficult times that Emmons highlights are "Remember the bad" and "Reframing disaster".MSU and our global Spartan community, have been faced with shocking and unsettling challenges over the past handful of years. Throughout these moments in our collective history, there have been Spartans who stepped up, showed great care, and contributed to our ecosystem in ways that allowed MSU to continue meeting it's mission "to advance knowledge and transform lives by providing outstanding undergraduate, graduate and professional education; conducting research of the highest caliber; and advancing outreach, engagement and economic activities." Join us in the simple act of saying thank you to individuals in MSU's wide educator community (anyone who contributes to the teaching and learning, student success, and/or outreach components of MSU's mission) for the impacts they've had durring these difficult times. Sharing gratitude through #iteachmsu's Thank an Educator initiative only takes a few minutes, but can make a huge impact. Research also shows that a recipient of gratitude and thankfulness will be more generous and helpful to others. By sharing gratitude with your colleagues and peers, you create a ripple of acknowledgement and appreciation that permeates Michigan State University.Cover image adaped from a photo from Jessica Lewis on Unsplash.
Authored by: Makena Neal
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
If you were waiting for the time, it's here: Thank an Educator
November is here and with this time of year, we often see an increase in messaging around gratitude, appreciation, and giving thanks. Gratitude is something I’ve always found great value in, and touted anecdotal benefits of. In 2015, I wrote ‘Tis the season of giving thanks: Why gratitude is important in leadership for MSU Extension. Then later, in 2018, I founded MSU’s Thank an Educator Initiative. I saw the invaluable work that people across roles were doing to support students and MSU’s teaching and learning goals. Not only did I see important work, I saw educators making huge impacts on learners' lives and experiences. Simultaneously, I noticed the sheer size (and let’s face it- siloing) at MSU as huge barriers to a) educators being celebrated for their work, and b) educators being about to learn with and from one another. So I started the “Thank an Educator” initiative.
Thanking an educator is super simple. Any Spartan can visit the Thank an Educator page on the #iteachmsu Commons. At the page, folx will see a brief form where they enter the information on the educator they’d like the thank, and then a short story/sentiment of thanks. That’s it! #iteachmsu does the rest. Every person who is recognized will receive a personalized message via email thanking them for their important work (the submitted story is included here). Then at the end of the academic year, all of the educators submitted for Thank an Educator are also recognized by the Provost with a #iteachmsu Educator Award. Since its initial conception, the Thank an Educator initiative has recognized educators over 550 times! We care about and are committed to celebrating and elevating the work of educators, and know that these efforts make an impact.
In January of 2020, when my son was born, I stopped working in person as a Graduate Assistant on the #iteachmsu Commons. During this parental leave I also moved to the west side of Michigan. The plan was to be remote for the remainder of my GA contract after returning from leave in March. Little did I know, I wouldn’t be alone. I returned to work (and continued as a Postdoc and now Academic Specialist) to meet all my colleagues online! Then reality hits (and continues to keep throwing punches). I couldn't access daycares for my infant because they were shut down. My partner’s business- the one we moved for- also shut down. My family unit’s makeup and health history made us high risk for infection; so ultimately we were first time parents, in a new place, in a vacuum. The isolation was terrible and both my partner and I struggled with the impacts of anxiety and depression. During this same time, I watched as colleagues and fellow educators at Michigan State (while dealing with many, if not all and more, of the same challenges as myself) rose to the occasion. Instructors switched to teaching online. Advisors innovated the ways they held appointments. Graduate students began co-working virtually via zoom. Administrators made extra efforts to transparently share the goings on of the university in personal ways that built community. New programs and training were created to support educators. Events were hosted completely online. In the 13+ years I’ve been at Michigan State, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more glaring example of “Who will? Spartans Will.”
We're still "in it". The circumstances have continued to change, but educators are still constantly being kept on their toes, challenged to dodge, dive, and duck around barriers; all the while still supporting student success, still serving the teaching and learning mission of the university, still prioritizing health and safety… I’ve observed the toll this constantly changing, uncertain, and sometimes downright scary time has taken on myself and my colleagues. People seem to be yearning for personal connection, time to really see one another, but packed schedules and increasing demands on capacity make it feel challenging to take that time.
Now, maybe even more than ever, you all - MSU’s educators- deserve to be recognized for the phenomenal work you continue to do, despite extremely challenging circumstances. I know time is in short supply. I know people are burnt out. But please… submit someone to Thank an Educator. The process takes only a handful of minutes (I timed myself and it literally took me 5 minutes) but makes a huge impact. Every single day, I interact with individuals who are doing high impact work to support MSU’s teaching and learning, student success, and outreach mission. I’d guess you do too. Thank them.
If you need even more convincing, consider the research on practicing gratitude:
Emmons and McCullough (2003) showed that counting your blessings seems to be a much more effective way of enhancing your quality of life than counting your burdens.
Bartlett and DeSteno (2006) found that small acts of gratitude can cause ripple effects that reach farther than you would imagine.
Sheldon and Lyubomirsky (2007), found the regular practice of gratitude and/or positive visualization can lead to a higher quality of life, measured by affect.
Looking for even more? Check out the Greater Good Science Center (UC-Berkley) and all their tools, resources, research, and more!
Sources:
Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 84, 377-389.
Bartlett, M. & Desteno, D. (2006). Gratitude and prosocial behavior helping when it costs you. Psychological Science. 17. 319-25.
Sheldon, K.M. & Lyubomirsky, S. (2006) How to increase and sustain positive emotion: The effects of expressing gratitude and visualizing best possible selves, The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1:2, 73-82
Thanking an educator is super simple. Any Spartan can visit the Thank an Educator page on the #iteachmsu Commons. At the page, folx will see a brief form where they enter the information on the educator they’d like the thank, and then a short story/sentiment of thanks. That’s it! #iteachmsu does the rest. Every person who is recognized will receive a personalized message via email thanking them for their important work (the submitted story is included here). Then at the end of the academic year, all of the educators submitted for Thank an Educator are also recognized by the Provost with a #iteachmsu Educator Award. Since its initial conception, the Thank an Educator initiative has recognized educators over 550 times! We care about and are committed to celebrating and elevating the work of educators, and know that these efforts make an impact.
In January of 2020, when my son was born, I stopped working in person as a Graduate Assistant on the #iteachmsu Commons. During this parental leave I also moved to the west side of Michigan. The plan was to be remote for the remainder of my GA contract after returning from leave in March. Little did I know, I wouldn’t be alone. I returned to work (and continued as a Postdoc and now Academic Specialist) to meet all my colleagues online! Then reality hits (and continues to keep throwing punches). I couldn't access daycares for my infant because they were shut down. My partner’s business- the one we moved for- also shut down. My family unit’s makeup and health history made us high risk for infection; so ultimately we were first time parents, in a new place, in a vacuum. The isolation was terrible and both my partner and I struggled with the impacts of anxiety and depression. During this same time, I watched as colleagues and fellow educators at Michigan State (while dealing with many, if not all and more, of the same challenges as myself) rose to the occasion. Instructors switched to teaching online. Advisors innovated the ways they held appointments. Graduate students began co-working virtually via zoom. Administrators made extra efforts to transparently share the goings on of the university in personal ways that built community. New programs and training were created to support educators. Events were hosted completely online. In the 13+ years I’ve been at Michigan State, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more glaring example of “Who will? Spartans Will.”
We're still "in it". The circumstances have continued to change, but educators are still constantly being kept on their toes, challenged to dodge, dive, and duck around barriers; all the while still supporting student success, still serving the teaching and learning mission of the university, still prioritizing health and safety… I’ve observed the toll this constantly changing, uncertain, and sometimes downright scary time has taken on myself and my colleagues. People seem to be yearning for personal connection, time to really see one another, but packed schedules and increasing demands on capacity make it feel challenging to take that time.
Now, maybe even more than ever, you all - MSU’s educators- deserve to be recognized for the phenomenal work you continue to do, despite extremely challenging circumstances. I know time is in short supply. I know people are burnt out. But please… submit someone to Thank an Educator. The process takes only a handful of minutes (I timed myself and it literally took me 5 minutes) but makes a huge impact. Every single day, I interact with individuals who are doing high impact work to support MSU’s teaching and learning, student success, and outreach mission. I’d guess you do too. Thank them.
If you need even more convincing, consider the research on practicing gratitude:
Emmons and McCullough (2003) showed that counting your blessings seems to be a much more effective way of enhancing your quality of life than counting your burdens.
Bartlett and DeSteno (2006) found that small acts of gratitude can cause ripple effects that reach farther than you would imagine.
Sheldon and Lyubomirsky (2007), found the regular practice of gratitude and/or positive visualization can lead to a higher quality of life, measured by affect.
Looking for even more? Check out the Greater Good Science Center (UC-Berkley) and all their tools, resources, research, and more!
Sources:
Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 84, 377-389.
Bartlett, M. & Desteno, D. (2006). Gratitude and prosocial behavior helping when it costs you. Psychological Science. 17. 319-25.
Sheldon, K.M. & Lyubomirsky, S. (2006) How to increase and sustain positive emotion: The effects of expressing gratitude and visualizing best possible selves, The Journal of Positive Psychology, 1:2, 73-82
Authored by: Makena Neal
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Reflecting on the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit
On January 14, 2022, the new MSU Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation (CT&LI) held its Kick-off Summit. In recognition of the diverse efforts already underway to support educators at different levels across the university, this event was the first of many where "we" (at the CT&LI) looked to build on those efforts through listening, collaboration, and relationship building. Dr. Joseph A. Salem, Jr. (Dean of Libraries and Interim Associate Provost for Teaching and Learning Innovation) with the help of the Kick-off Summit Planning Team: Makena Neal (convener | CT&LI), Stefanie Baier (The Graduate School), Dave Goodrich (CT&LI), Brendan Guenther (CT&LI), Jessica Sender (MSU Libraries), and Jeremy Van Hof (EDLI & Broad College of Business) lead this first Center initative. If you’re interested, you can learn more about our charge for these listening efforts and see a glossary of how we defining some of the core language we utilized throughout the day.
Those who were asked to participate in this initial Kick-off Summit were identified in our initial efforts to document existing educator development and support at MSU. If you’re interested in viewing who attended the Kick-off Summit, you can check out the Kick-off Summit Attendee List. The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit wouldn't have been possible without participation from these fantastic educators. Even amidst ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home their willingess to share their time with us demonstrates their commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole.
In an attempt to recreate the experience of hands-on activities we would traditionally use during in-person sessions like this, we utilized MURAL as a virtual whiteboard to facilitate the event. The 37 folx who joined us for the day participated in three core activites related to: establishing a shared vision (Wouldn't it be fantastic if...); engagement norming and principles of collaboration (What I need from you...); and intial Center service portfolio ideation (Minimum Viable Product Reviews). You can read more about the data discovered as a result of this event in "Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Summit Detailed Engagements Report (01/14/22". The insights provided at the Kick-off Summit and following three asynchronous feedback opportunities have proven invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the CT&LI plays for Spartans. Since the CT&LI Kick-off Summit, findings from the aforementioned Detailed Engagements Report were shared with a subsequent taskforce dedicated to listening to MSU faculty. That group, convened by Ellie Louson, is working on both a survey and a series of focus groups aimed at this particular audience. Additional listening efforts will continue in the next academic year with other CT&LI stakeholders represented within our broader definition of educator such as Graduate Teaching Assistants. Additionally, a process of benchmarking with the our fellow Big Ten institutions' centers for teaching and learning (CTLs) -- resulting in an informative peek at CTLs and the key takeaway of "meeting institutional needs" (i.e. no two CTLs are the same, they are unique based on their instution and its needs). This is an empowering realization, and we're looking forward to combining the benchmarking data, along with that of the Kick-off Summit, to begin shaping what the CT&LI will be in the fall (followed by iterating as we continue to gather feedback).
As the Provost so aptly stated in her Spring Welcome Note, “Values, capabilities, and aspirations join grace and empathy on our list of ways of thinking, working, and transitioning through time and tasks.” Needless to say, witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning exhibited at the CT&LI Kick-off Summit makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward.
Those who were asked to participate in this initial Kick-off Summit were identified in our initial efforts to document existing educator development and support at MSU. If you’re interested in viewing who attended the Kick-off Summit, you can check out the Kick-off Summit Attendee List. The Center for Teaching & Learning Innovation Kick-off Summit wouldn't have been possible without participation from these fantastic educators. Even amidst ongoing uncertainty and stress at work and at home their willingess to share their time with us demonstrates their commitment to not only educator development at MSU, but the university's teaching and learning mission as a whole.
In an attempt to recreate the experience of hands-on activities we would traditionally use during in-person sessions like this, we utilized MURAL as a virtual whiteboard to facilitate the event. The 37 folx who joined us for the day participated in three core activites related to: establishing a shared vision (Wouldn't it be fantastic if...); engagement norming and principles of collaboration (What I need from you...); and intial Center service portfolio ideation (Minimum Viable Product Reviews). You can read more about the data discovered as a result of this event in "Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation Summit Detailed Engagements Report (01/14/22". The insights provided at the Kick-off Summit and following three asynchronous feedback opportunities have proven invaluable as we continue to listen, learn, and ultimately shape what role the CT&LI plays for Spartans. Since the CT&LI Kick-off Summit, findings from the aforementioned Detailed Engagements Report were shared with a subsequent taskforce dedicated to listening to MSU faculty. That group, convened by Ellie Louson, is working on both a survey and a series of focus groups aimed at this particular audience. Additional listening efforts will continue in the next academic year with other CT&LI stakeholders represented within our broader definition of educator such as Graduate Teaching Assistants. Additionally, a process of benchmarking with the our fellow Big Ten institutions' centers for teaching and learning (CTLs) -- resulting in an informative peek at CTLs and the key takeaway of "meeting institutional needs" (i.e. no two CTLs are the same, they are unique based on their instution and its needs). This is an empowering realization, and we're looking forward to combining the benchmarking data, along with that of the Kick-off Summit, to begin shaping what the CT&LI will be in the fall (followed by iterating as we continue to gather feedback).
As the Provost so aptly stated in her Spring Welcome Note, “Values, capabilities, and aspirations join grace and empathy on our list of ways of thinking, working, and transitioning through time and tasks.” Needless to say, witnessing the level of engagement, passion, and constructively critical questioning exhibited at the CT&LI Kick-off Summit makes me all the more excited to be a part of the Center staff moving forward.
Authored by: Makena Neal
Navigating Context
Posted on: #iteachmsu
Reflection and Regeneration
Finishing up the academic year isn’t the same flavor as past years. We’ve had a taste of a much different year and there’s no better time than the moment to reflect on what was accomplished, set aside, or re-imagined. With the spring sun comes a deep breath out, then pause, and inhale hope for the opportunities ahead.
Start with a 3 Breath Reset
At the start of each session of the Living in a Daring Way course, Lisa Laughman helps participants pause for a three breath reset. This practice is common in mindfulness-based stress reduction courses. Try this short technique to help you refocus and recenter yourself.
First breath: focus on your breath coming in and leaving your body.
Second breath: notice your tension in your body on the inhale. On the exhale take a more relaxed position.
Third breath: on the inhale try to connect to your deepest wisest self. On the exhale stay with your deepest wisest self and acknowledge that part of yourself.
Learn from Lisa Laughman, LMSW & ACSW in Health4U and the Employee Assistance Program.
Season with Gratitude
“Throughout my career, I have found myself committed to appreciating the contributions of my colleagues, and the communities we served. Whether it was uplifting the stories of others or building structures to support gratitude sharing, giving thanks and holding space to appreciate others has been a constant,” said learning designer Makena Neal in a recent piece, Gratitude and the Culture of Care.
There’s evidence to support the importance of gratitude in the workplace. Practicing gratitude has significant impacts on positive affective well-being, can also promote kindness and generosity, and highlights our connection to one another. Moreover, triggers that inspire state gratitude, such as letters of appreciation, as well as institutionalized gratitude have been found to be predictors of job satisfaction.
At MSU, you can formally Thank an Educator. You can also nominate your supervisor/administrator for this year’s Outstanding Supervisor Award by July 31, 2022. Anywhere you are you can send an email, verbally share your gratitude or send a token of appreciation. A small amount of gratitude can make a huge impact. So… who will you thank today?
Reflect on Accomplishments
Take a look at your personal accomplishments - not just the big hurray moments, but the moments of holding peace, wrapping up a long-tail project, and even finishing a very hard academic year. Sometimes survival is a success. Life isn’t just about reaching higher and higher peaks, sometimes it's about moving through the valleys, and just reaching a resting place is an endeavor worth honoring.
You can choose to track your professional success
Jaimie Hutchison of the WorkLife Office provided this insight:
Often, after speaking with people, I learn how much more they actually have to offer than what shows up on their resume or LinkedIn profile. Here in the WorkLife Office, I do career consultations for faculty and staff. I have worked with faculty, executives, and staff members of all levels. In the end, the same advice and encouragement comes out:
By thinking through your impact and accomplishments, you can have a better sense of your contribution to your workplace.
You can have a better sense of yourself.
You can reflect on things you have done where you used your skills to the best of your ability.
You can reflect on projects or positions where you felt “meh” and it wasn’t the best fit for you.
You can also reflect on what skills, experience, and abilities you have that are not getting utilized.
The Three Levels of Praxis: A Model for Reflection on Teaching
Written by E. Cuevas, educator in WRAC, the article draws on what Paulo Freire called praxis, or reflection and action. “A belief in praxis accepts that we are both instructors and learners; we have much to learn from our students. Engaging in reflection is an important part of figuring out how to align your goals, with your teaching, with your research, and your place in your institution. In this post, I will continue to reflect on my personal positioning to offer a model for reflection and I will do this by meditating on my positionality on three levels: the personal, the classroom, and the institutional,” wrote E. Cuevas
Give it Time
The Well-being at Work Guide sheds insights on taking time away from work, in the forms of breaks, vacation time, or strengthening boundaries around employees’ workdays, is important. Taking breaks throughout the workday has benefits for both the employee and the organization, but many employees often neglect to take them. Skipping breaks can lead to faster burnout and higher stress levels. Employees stepping away from work for a few minutes increases their productivity, job satisfaction, mental health and wellbeing, in addition to restoring their motivation (Kohll, 2018; Selig, 2017).
Taking a break from work increases focus when employees return to work, thus improving their productivity. Additionally, taking breaks relieves some stress, which helps employees’ mental health and wellbeing. These factors contribute to increased job satisfaction (Kohll, 2018).
Learn from Nature
Nature can positively affect employees. There is evidence that time spent outdoors boosts people's wellbeing, and even five minutes of time in nature can improve mental health. Spending time outside benefits people because breathing fresh air increases oxygen intake and allows the lungs to work at their full capacity (Sandborn, 2018). Exposure to vitamin D from the sun boosts people's moods, too. Time outside also can reduce employees’ chronic stress, physical and social stressors. These benefits are at their strongest when experiencing 21 to 30 minutes of nature time (Hunter, Gillespie, & Chen, 2019).
Beronda Montgomery talks "Lessons from Plants"
Watch the Replay
Beronda L. Montgomery explores the vigorous, creative lives of organisms often treated as static and predictable. In fact, plants are masters of adaptation. They “know” what and who they are, and they use this knowledge to make a way in the world. Plants experience a kind of sensation that does not require eyes or ears. They distinguish kin, friend, and foe, and they are able to respond to ecological competition despite lacking the capacity of fight-or-flight. Plants are even capable of transformative behaviors that allow them to maximize their chances of survival in a dynamic and sometimes unfriendly environment.
Grow in Your Own Way
However you reflect, disconnect, recharge and rejuvenate this summer; do it in the way that works best for you. Try new things or shut out the world for a few hours at a time. Explore new skills, areas, and ideas, or retreat to your own quiet place to let your mind wander. Plot your next year or reflect solidly on the past. Remember all the challenges you’ve overcome, the people you met, and the opportunities you’ve discovered.
Start with a 3 Breath Reset
At the start of each session of the Living in a Daring Way course, Lisa Laughman helps participants pause for a three breath reset. This practice is common in mindfulness-based stress reduction courses. Try this short technique to help you refocus and recenter yourself.
First breath: focus on your breath coming in and leaving your body.
Second breath: notice your tension in your body on the inhale. On the exhale take a more relaxed position.
Third breath: on the inhale try to connect to your deepest wisest self. On the exhale stay with your deepest wisest self and acknowledge that part of yourself.
Learn from Lisa Laughman, LMSW & ACSW in Health4U and the Employee Assistance Program.
Season with Gratitude
“Throughout my career, I have found myself committed to appreciating the contributions of my colleagues, and the communities we served. Whether it was uplifting the stories of others or building structures to support gratitude sharing, giving thanks and holding space to appreciate others has been a constant,” said learning designer Makena Neal in a recent piece, Gratitude and the Culture of Care.
There’s evidence to support the importance of gratitude in the workplace. Practicing gratitude has significant impacts on positive affective well-being, can also promote kindness and generosity, and highlights our connection to one another. Moreover, triggers that inspire state gratitude, such as letters of appreciation, as well as institutionalized gratitude have been found to be predictors of job satisfaction.
At MSU, you can formally Thank an Educator. You can also nominate your supervisor/administrator for this year’s Outstanding Supervisor Award by July 31, 2022. Anywhere you are you can send an email, verbally share your gratitude or send a token of appreciation. A small amount of gratitude can make a huge impact. So… who will you thank today?
Reflect on Accomplishments
Take a look at your personal accomplishments - not just the big hurray moments, but the moments of holding peace, wrapping up a long-tail project, and even finishing a very hard academic year. Sometimes survival is a success. Life isn’t just about reaching higher and higher peaks, sometimes it's about moving through the valleys, and just reaching a resting place is an endeavor worth honoring.
You can choose to track your professional success
Jaimie Hutchison of the WorkLife Office provided this insight:
Often, after speaking with people, I learn how much more they actually have to offer than what shows up on their resume or LinkedIn profile. Here in the WorkLife Office, I do career consultations for faculty and staff. I have worked with faculty, executives, and staff members of all levels. In the end, the same advice and encouragement comes out:
By thinking through your impact and accomplishments, you can have a better sense of your contribution to your workplace.
You can have a better sense of yourself.
You can reflect on things you have done where you used your skills to the best of your ability.
You can reflect on projects or positions where you felt “meh” and it wasn’t the best fit for you.
You can also reflect on what skills, experience, and abilities you have that are not getting utilized.
The Three Levels of Praxis: A Model for Reflection on Teaching
Written by E. Cuevas, educator in WRAC, the article draws on what Paulo Freire called praxis, or reflection and action. “A belief in praxis accepts that we are both instructors and learners; we have much to learn from our students. Engaging in reflection is an important part of figuring out how to align your goals, with your teaching, with your research, and your place in your institution. In this post, I will continue to reflect on my personal positioning to offer a model for reflection and I will do this by meditating on my positionality on three levels: the personal, the classroom, and the institutional,” wrote E. Cuevas
Give it Time
The Well-being at Work Guide sheds insights on taking time away from work, in the forms of breaks, vacation time, or strengthening boundaries around employees’ workdays, is important. Taking breaks throughout the workday has benefits for both the employee and the organization, but many employees often neglect to take them. Skipping breaks can lead to faster burnout and higher stress levels. Employees stepping away from work for a few minutes increases their productivity, job satisfaction, mental health and wellbeing, in addition to restoring their motivation (Kohll, 2018; Selig, 2017).
Taking a break from work increases focus when employees return to work, thus improving their productivity. Additionally, taking breaks relieves some stress, which helps employees’ mental health and wellbeing. These factors contribute to increased job satisfaction (Kohll, 2018).
Learn from Nature
Nature can positively affect employees. There is evidence that time spent outdoors boosts people's wellbeing, and even five minutes of time in nature can improve mental health. Spending time outside benefits people because breathing fresh air increases oxygen intake and allows the lungs to work at their full capacity (Sandborn, 2018). Exposure to vitamin D from the sun boosts people's moods, too. Time outside also can reduce employees’ chronic stress, physical and social stressors. These benefits are at their strongest when experiencing 21 to 30 minutes of nature time (Hunter, Gillespie, & Chen, 2019).
Beronda Montgomery talks "Lessons from Plants"
Watch the Replay
Beronda L. Montgomery explores the vigorous, creative lives of organisms often treated as static and predictable. In fact, plants are masters of adaptation. They “know” what and who they are, and they use this knowledge to make a way in the world. Plants experience a kind of sensation that does not require eyes or ears. They distinguish kin, friend, and foe, and they are able to respond to ecological competition despite lacking the capacity of fight-or-flight. Plants are even capable of transformative behaviors that allow them to maximize their chances of survival in a dynamic and sometimes unfriendly environment.
Grow in Your Own Way
However you reflect, disconnect, recharge and rejuvenate this summer; do it in the way that works best for you. Try new things or shut out the world for a few hours at a time. Explore new skills, areas, and ideas, or retreat to your own quiet place to let your mind wander. Plot your next year or reflect solidly on the past. Remember all the challenges you’ve overcome, the people you met, and the opportunities you’ve discovered.
Posted by: Erica Venton
Assessing Learning
Posted on: #iteachmsu Ambassadors
Storytelling for Learning 3: Changing Beliefs and Actions
Changing Beliefs
Stories have the power to persuade. Let's look at advertisements, which sometimes follow a story-like narrative structure. Researchers Quesenberry and Coolsen (2014) asked the public to rate 108 Superbowl commercials from the 2010 and 2011 Superbowls. They then coded the commercials to designate if they followed a dramatic structure or not. I think you already guessed that overall, commercials that were stories were favored over those that were not.
Advertisers want to persuade you. Stories help them to achieve this.
And what is more powerful than changing someone's mind?
How about letting someone believe the conclusion you want them to come to is their own?
Stories allow us to communicate and give advice indirectly. They allow the listener to come to their own conclusions- conclusions that the storyteller has the power to guide them to. We can sell our ideas through stories. They also tap into emotions, which even for the most logical person, play a big part in our decision-making.
You can read about how gratitude is important as a motivator at work. But numbers and statistics won't have the same impact as a story about the impact of gratitude, such as the story below.
For more information on this idea of stories for persuasion and real-life examples of how stories can change behavior, see the Harvard Business Review's article, "How to Tell a Great Story."
Changing Behaviors
What scares you more? Be honest.
Jaws?
Highway accidents?
Created with PollMaker
In 1975, a movie changed the way an entire generation viewed swimming in the ocean. Do you ever think about sharks when you are swimming in the ocean? I do. Most people do. Yet in 2018 there was only one fatal shark attack in the United States (University of Florida, 2019). In contrast, about 40,000 died in car crashes (National Safety Council, 2019). Would so many people be scared of swimming in the ocean without the legendary Jaws series? Probably not.
Dr. Joanne Cantor of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, has studied fear reactions from media. She asked students to write about media-produced fright reaction. Movies like Poltergeist and Jaws were at the top of the list for what created a fright reaction. Fiction. Stories that are not very believable.
Jaws was #1 for kids who saw it before age 13. Remember, she was looking at the impact of more than just movies; she was looking at mass media in general. But for 91% of her subjects, fictional sources were the source of their most terrifying memories. Stories have power. They stick with us. They can change our behavior.
Sources:
Cantor, J. (2004). "I'll never have a clown in my house"--why movie horror lives on. Poetics Today, 25(2), 283-304.
Quesenberry, K. A., & Coolsen, M. K. (2014). WHAT MAKES A SUPER BOWL AD SUPER? FIVE-ACT DRAMATIC FORM AFFECTS CONSUMER SUPER BOWL ADVERTISING RATINGS. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 22(4), 437-454. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu.proxy2.cl.msu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.proxy2.cl.msu.edu/docview/1566309050?accountid=12598
Stories have the power to persuade. Let's look at advertisements, which sometimes follow a story-like narrative structure. Researchers Quesenberry and Coolsen (2014) asked the public to rate 108 Superbowl commercials from the 2010 and 2011 Superbowls. They then coded the commercials to designate if they followed a dramatic structure or not. I think you already guessed that overall, commercials that were stories were favored over those that were not.
Advertisers want to persuade you. Stories help them to achieve this.
And what is more powerful than changing someone's mind?
How about letting someone believe the conclusion you want them to come to is their own?
Stories allow us to communicate and give advice indirectly. They allow the listener to come to their own conclusions- conclusions that the storyteller has the power to guide them to. We can sell our ideas through stories. They also tap into emotions, which even for the most logical person, play a big part in our decision-making.
You can read about how gratitude is important as a motivator at work. But numbers and statistics won't have the same impact as a story about the impact of gratitude, such as the story below.
For more information on this idea of stories for persuasion and real-life examples of how stories can change behavior, see the Harvard Business Review's article, "How to Tell a Great Story."
Changing Behaviors
What scares you more? Be honest.
Jaws?
Highway accidents?
Created with PollMaker
In 1975, a movie changed the way an entire generation viewed swimming in the ocean. Do you ever think about sharks when you are swimming in the ocean? I do. Most people do. Yet in 2018 there was only one fatal shark attack in the United States (University of Florida, 2019). In contrast, about 40,000 died in car crashes (National Safety Council, 2019). Would so many people be scared of swimming in the ocean without the legendary Jaws series? Probably not.
Dr. Joanne Cantor of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, has studied fear reactions from media. She asked students to write about media-produced fright reaction. Movies like Poltergeist and Jaws were at the top of the list for what created a fright reaction. Fiction. Stories that are not very believable.
Jaws was #1 for kids who saw it before age 13. Remember, she was looking at the impact of more than just movies; she was looking at mass media in general. But for 91% of her subjects, fictional sources were the source of their most terrifying memories. Stories have power. They stick with us. They can change our behavior.
Sources:
Cantor, J. (2004). "I'll never have a clown in my house"--why movie horror lives on. Poetics Today, 25(2), 283-304.
Quesenberry, K. A., & Coolsen, M. K. (2014). WHAT MAKES A SUPER BOWL AD SUPER? FIVE-ACT DRAMATIC FORM AFFECTS CONSUMER SUPER BOWL ADVERTISING RATINGS. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 22(4), 437-454. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu.proxy2.cl.msu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.proxy2.cl.msu.edu/docview/1566309050?accountid=12598
Authored by: Anne Baker
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: PREP Matrix
Resilience
This short video from Mayo Clinic discusses resilience and brain science, and emphasizes how cultivating gratitude and compassion helps you to feel happier, more creative, and more stable.
Posted by: Admin
Navigating Context
Posted on: Spring Conference o...
Compassionate Teaching Practices: Cultivating Appreciation, Care, and Kindness
Title: Compassionate Teaching Practices: Cultivating Appreciation, Care, and KindnessPresenters: Stefanie T. Baier; Samara Chamoun (Department of Mathematics); Hima Rawal (Second Language Studies)Format: WorkshopDate: May 10th, 2023Time: 10:00 am - 11:15 am Room: 2201Description:As Parker Palmer says, “The connections made by good teachers are held not in their methods, but in their hearts – meaning hearts in its ancient sense, as the place where intellect and emotion and sprit will converge in the human self,” this workshop focuses on compassionate teaching practices. These practices, which encourage positive interactions and create a learning environment reducing stress and anxiety, are generally not taught in any pedagogy seminar but are cultivated by the instructor. These practices can be embedded in our day-to-day teaching irrespective of any subject or content we teach, can take on various forms, including check-ins about feeling states and stress-levels, contemplative practices, and small acts of appreciation, care and kindness. Reinhard Haller (2019) established the “Seven Steps of Appreciation”, recognizing that humans need to be attended to first and then treated with mindfulness, respect, and acknowledgement in order to feel valued. Only when all these steps are in place, trust can be built which fosters mutual appreciation and creates a space of connection and belonging, both of which are important for student learning and engagement. In the spirit of many holistic educators like Parker Palmer, bell hooks, Nell Noddings, Peter Kaufman and Janine Schipper, participants are invited to share in a space that looks at the whole learner who can be present in the body, mind and spirit (hooks, 1994). The participants of this workshop will have the opportunity to practice care, kindness, gratitude, and take a number of compassionate practices back to their instructional spaces for immediate implementation.
Authored by: Stefanie T. Baier
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
What to Say: Strategies for Supporting Our Students (when returning to class)
As we contemplate re-entering the classroom, we are likely still grappling with our own reactions to this tragic event. At the same time, many of us are wondering how best to support students experiencing grief, trauma, and fear in the aftermath of violence. There is no perfect way to teach during a crisis, but it is important to explicitly acknowledge what has happened and adjust your teaching accordingly. How you adjust will depend on your relationships to students, the size and nature of your class, and the types of interventions you feel equipped to make. These might range from a simple moment of silence and a reduced workload to a more structured debrief and discussion. Specific pointers for such debriefs are offered by trauma therapist Carolyn Schuyler (LCSW, UVA Visiting Scholar) below, along with general strategies for signalizing compassion and care that are relevant for all of us.
While it is necessary to acknowledge the tragic gun violence and the devastating loss of classmates and to create space for connecting with the emotions and needs of students, we recognize not everyone feels equipped for this work or is inclined to go there for a variety of reasons. We hope this information provides enough suggestions to help you arrive at an approach that works for you.
To guide your decisions, consider asking for quick feedback from your students. Being prepared to meet students where they are is worth the time and thought. Points to consider:
In times of turmoil, predictability and structure are vitally important. Students will benefit from the structure and predictability you provide.
Sharing feelings and discussing the tragic events may be too overwhelming for some students, so it is important to make clear students have choice in how they participate. Opting out is perfectly acceptable. Welcome and invite direct feedback.
It may be wise to send an email to your students to let them know what to expect when they return to class. This Google Folder contains a "Post-crisis student feedback form" is one way to get a read on your students’ needs before sending a proposed class agenda. You may make clear that the plan is subject to change based on the evolving input and needs of the class.
This document outlines how you can make a copy of the form and customize for your setting.
please make sure you are logged into your MSU google drive to access.
You may be concerned students will be overwhelmed if every class includes processing, but it is better to err on the side of providing support than to overlook student needs. This is such a significant event. It is important to acknowledge the event at minimum even if others will do the same.
Below you will find a suggestion for the first class back and a list of alternative approaches for acknowledging the tragic event. All suggestions may be adapted for office hour meetings or for classes.
First Class Back: Normalize Feelings
It is natural to experience a wide range of fluctuating emotions in response to the events of the last few days. Some students may present as highly emotional and distressed, while others may appear shut down and numb. Many will question why they are not feeling strong emotion at all. Normalizing all reactions paves the way for open sharing and the healing power of community.
In greeting students when they come back to class, you might begin by naming and honoring those students lost by stating their names slowly with reverence.
"In honor of the beloved students we lost on Monday, I would like to take a moment to say their names. Please join me in honoring them and their loved ones. Brian Fraser, Alexandria Verner, Arielle Anderson" (Read the names slowly or invite a student to do so.)
After allowing for a moment of silence, briefly share how you have been processing the news. This gives permission for the students to reflect on their own experiences and shows that you have their needs in mind.
"I have been holding all of you in my thoughts in the last few days. I notice that I have deep concern about the rise of gun violence and its cost for your generation, and I find myself reflecting on how it may be impacting your worldview."
Secondly, take a moment to validate and normalize feelings. Make explicit your understanding of the wide range of reactions students may be experiencing.
"Whatever you are feeling, you can be sure you are not alone in that experience. There are others who are traveling this path right along with you. We can expect a range of reactions from outrage to anxiety to numbness. You may feel a wide range of feelings at different points and in different contexts. To process this experience, it is vital to connect with others and seek support as needed."
After this introduction, you may give the students the option for a 1) quiet moment of reflection or 2) time to journal for five minutes. Suggest a clear prompt such as: "I am _____." This sentence stem gives permission to go in any direction while centering the writing on the self.
Following the reflection time or journal writing, ask a few volunteers to read excerpts of their work or to share their thoughts. In large classes, you may invite students to share with a partner. Ask that comments not be made after reading or listening to each other, but rather suggest that gratitude be expressed for the opportunity to connect.
"Thank you for the gift of your words."
To wrap up the experience, speak to the power of sharing our stories to build strong networks of social support. Mention your hope that students will continue to share deeply with each other.
"Our ability to speak to our experience connects us in meaningful ways. Knowing and caring for each other is what makes healing possible."
Our job is simple but profound. It is to be present with what students are experiencing with genuine openness, concern, and curiosity. To do this, we may take a moment to ground ourselves and set an intention to be relaxed and open in our demeanor. There is deep cultural conditioning to try to move away from distress, but it is the ability to stay with feelings without judgment or agenda that offers the strongest emotional support.
To do this work, it is vital to have had the space and time to honor and attend to your own needs. Have you had the time to have your own voice heard? Have you given yourself the rest, nourishment, and space for the internal reflection you need in order to be present for others?
Additional Ways to Support Students
The shared purpose of all the strategies below is to honor the students’ emotional experience, provide a holding space for connecting on a deep level, and invite hope for moving forward. Gestures of connection and care restore a sense of safety and allow for a renewed sense of community to emerge.
Offer nurturance. Often the first step in assisting people in crisis is to offer a blanket, some water, and food to eat. While this is not the response called for in our circumstance, the ability to offer gestures of support and care for one another is essential. You might bring tea or coffee to class, flowers to share with each student, or an invitation for a meal at your home. Once the basic need for nurturance is met, healing truly begins. If none of these concrete suggestions fit, consider taking a moment to directly express you care for the students.
"I want to take a moment to say to you directly that I care deeply about what you have experienced since Monday evening. I have found myself imagining what your days have been like with a hope that you are finding the kindness, gentleness, and care we all need right now. I am hoping that you can feel this from me even though we don’t have adequate space and time to do all that is truly called for in this circumstance."
Name the feelings. Ask students to call out the feeling words and phrases that match their experience of the last few days.
“I want to honor each one of you and the experiences you have had in the last few days. To do that, I am going to ask you to share words or short phrases (popcorn style) that capture your feelings. Likely, you have had a wide range of emotional reactions, and I invite you to name them in all their complexity. I will be recording the words without comment on the white board*. I ask that we speak and listen to the words with a spirit of reverence for our shared humanity, recognizing the broad range of histories and experiences that inform our reactions. Once the words and phrases are up, we will take a moment of silence to acknowledge our variety of experience.”*In virtual spaces, a similar outcome can be acheived by using a chat water fall (prompting participants to share their words in the chat at the same time [countt down]) and pulling responses into a word cloud to visualize.
When the brainstorm is complete, validate the full range of human emotions that arise in times of tragedy. If the words and phrases shared do not capture a full range of emotion, you may mention to students some of the internal experiences that are expected in times of distress.
"I’d like to share with you some of the additional experiences you may notice in yourself and your friends. It is expected that you may have difficulty concentrating. You may experience waves of anger, sadness, fear, and anxiety. Some of you may notice a strong sense of compassion and tenderness and a desire to connect with others to honor the deceased or make your voice heard by lawmakers. At times, you may also notice a sense of disorientation and unease given the violent disruption of life on our campus. You may also notice painful associations from earlier in your life. Some of you may feel a need to 'move on' or a sense of unease with the feeling that violence has become expected and, in some ways, normalized."
To transition the conversation, take a moment to acknowledge their willingness to share.
"I want to thank you for your willingness to share the truth of your experience. I am now inviting all of us to take two minutes in silence to honor one another, the larger community, and those most impacted by the tragic loss on Monday. If you would like to reflect in writing, drawing, or movement, please feel free to do that."
If it feels right, you may move towards brainstorming ways of coping that promote mental wellness.
"There is wisdom in this room. This is not the first hardship you have faced, although it may feel very different. Many of you have found ways of coping and even thriving through challenging times. I want to invite a period of sharing concrete mindsets and strategies that are in your toolboxes or that you feel the need to create now. I will record the ideas on the white board. You’ll be invited to take a picture of the white board for further reflection. Sometimes we need a chance to reflect on unhelpful approaches that we want to discontinue and space to consider new strategies. I hope this time will give you that opportunity."
Again, thank the students.
Affirm community. Ask students how they want to affirm community at MSU in the days ahead.
"At some point in our processing of the events of the last few days, we may start to wonder what we can actually do that will be meaningful and genuinely helpful. Without a doubt, cultivating a strong sense of community is powerfully important. We are social beings and healing happens together, never alone. I want to invite you to reflect on what you believe builds community in your own life and on campus. Please find two other classmates to spend five minutes discussing what builds connectedness in this time and beyond. For example, you might point to the importance of slowing down to greet people when walking or having longer, leisurely meals with friends to intentionally check in with each other. You may have larger ideas having to do, for example, with how spaces are configured or how information is communicated. Once we have had time to talk in small groups, we will reconvene for idea sharing."
Please note: You may broaden this discussion to suggest reflection on actions on a societal level. This will open discourse on our political climate, on race, and other critical issues that students may have a pressing need to discuss. If you go this direction, it is critical to set ground rules (Agreements for Multicultural Interactions) or review already established expectations for difficult conversations.
Seek connection. Ask students to interview each other about works of art and literature (books, paintings, poems, music, and films) that have helped them in hard times before.
"Artists, musicians, writers, and poets have always been guides and supports in deepening our understanding of what it means to be human, particularly in times of suffering. As a means of coming together as a class today, I would like to invite you to gather in groups of three to discuss the art and literature that has been most nourishing to you. Please reflect on what it may mean to you now. To set the stage, I would like to briefly share with you (a piece of music, a painting, a short reading) that has been meaningful to me. I hope it will be of support to you as well."
Encourage students to plan times outside of class to share these sources of meaning and inspiration with each other. Remind them of the power of nature on campus to offer solace.
"Thank you for taking the time to share with each other the power of your experiences with art and literature. I encourage you to continue having these discussions and invite you to seek out new sources of beauty, wisdom, and understanding. The natural world on our campus, like a piece of art, may serve as a source of solace and strength as well. I hope you will have time to linger in spaces you enjoy."
Thank you again for your thoughtful work preparing to meet with students. As is often the case, your presence and genuine concern will be what the students remember, rather than the actual words spoken. Gratitude to our colleagues at UVA Center for Teaching Excellence for sharing the foundations of this resource.
While it is necessary to acknowledge the tragic gun violence and the devastating loss of classmates and to create space for connecting with the emotions and needs of students, we recognize not everyone feels equipped for this work or is inclined to go there for a variety of reasons. We hope this information provides enough suggestions to help you arrive at an approach that works for you.
To guide your decisions, consider asking for quick feedback from your students. Being prepared to meet students where they are is worth the time and thought. Points to consider:
In times of turmoil, predictability and structure are vitally important. Students will benefit from the structure and predictability you provide.
Sharing feelings and discussing the tragic events may be too overwhelming for some students, so it is important to make clear students have choice in how they participate. Opting out is perfectly acceptable. Welcome and invite direct feedback.
It may be wise to send an email to your students to let them know what to expect when they return to class. This Google Folder contains a "Post-crisis student feedback form" is one way to get a read on your students’ needs before sending a proposed class agenda. You may make clear that the plan is subject to change based on the evolving input and needs of the class.
This document outlines how you can make a copy of the form and customize for your setting.
please make sure you are logged into your MSU google drive to access.
You may be concerned students will be overwhelmed if every class includes processing, but it is better to err on the side of providing support than to overlook student needs. This is such a significant event. It is important to acknowledge the event at minimum even if others will do the same.
Below you will find a suggestion for the first class back and a list of alternative approaches for acknowledging the tragic event. All suggestions may be adapted for office hour meetings or for classes.
First Class Back: Normalize Feelings
It is natural to experience a wide range of fluctuating emotions in response to the events of the last few days. Some students may present as highly emotional and distressed, while others may appear shut down and numb. Many will question why they are not feeling strong emotion at all. Normalizing all reactions paves the way for open sharing and the healing power of community.
In greeting students when they come back to class, you might begin by naming and honoring those students lost by stating their names slowly with reverence.
"In honor of the beloved students we lost on Monday, I would like to take a moment to say their names. Please join me in honoring them and their loved ones. Brian Fraser, Alexandria Verner, Arielle Anderson" (Read the names slowly or invite a student to do so.)
After allowing for a moment of silence, briefly share how you have been processing the news. This gives permission for the students to reflect on their own experiences and shows that you have their needs in mind.
"I have been holding all of you in my thoughts in the last few days. I notice that I have deep concern about the rise of gun violence and its cost for your generation, and I find myself reflecting on how it may be impacting your worldview."
Secondly, take a moment to validate and normalize feelings. Make explicit your understanding of the wide range of reactions students may be experiencing.
"Whatever you are feeling, you can be sure you are not alone in that experience. There are others who are traveling this path right along with you. We can expect a range of reactions from outrage to anxiety to numbness. You may feel a wide range of feelings at different points and in different contexts. To process this experience, it is vital to connect with others and seek support as needed."
After this introduction, you may give the students the option for a 1) quiet moment of reflection or 2) time to journal for five minutes. Suggest a clear prompt such as: "I am _____." This sentence stem gives permission to go in any direction while centering the writing on the self.
Following the reflection time or journal writing, ask a few volunteers to read excerpts of their work or to share their thoughts. In large classes, you may invite students to share with a partner. Ask that comments not be made after reading or listening to each other, but rather suggest that gratitude be expressed for the opportunity to connect.
"Thank you for the gift of your words."
To wrap up the experience, speak to the power of sharing our stories to build strong networks of social support. Mention your hope that students will continue to share deeply with each other.
"Our ability to speak to our experience connects us in meaningful ways. Knowing and caring for each other is what makes healing possible."
Our job is simple but profound. It is to be present with what students are experiencing with genuine openness, concern, and curiosity. To do this, we may take a moment to ground ourselves and set an intention to be relaxed and open in our demeanor. There is deep cultural conditioning to try to move away from distress, but it is the ability to stay with feelings without judgment or agenda that offers the strongest emotional support.
To do this work, it is vital to have had the space and time to honor and attend to your own needs. Have you had the time to have your own voice heard? Have you given yourself the rest, nourishment, and space for the internal reflection you need in order to be present for others?
Additional Ways to Support Students
The shared purpose of all the strategies below is to honor the students’ emotional experience, provide a holding space for connecting on a deep level, and invite hope for moving forward. Gestures of connection and care restore a sense of safety and allow for a renewed sense of community to emerge.
Offer nurturance. Often the first step in assisting people in crisis is to offer a blanket, some water, and food to eat. While this is not the response called for in our circumstance, the ability to offer gestures of support and care for one another is essential. You might bring tea or coffee to class, flowers to share with each student, or an invitation for a meal at your home. Once the basic need for nurturance is met, healing truly begins. If none of these concrete suggestions fit, consider taking a moment to directly express you care for the students.
"I want to take a moment to say to you directly that I care deeply about what you have experienced since Monday evening. I have found myself imagining what your days have been like with a hope that you are finding the kindness, gentleness, and care we all need right now. I am hoping that you can feel this from me even though we don’t have adequate space and time to do all that is truly called for in this circumstance."
Name the feelings. Ask students to call out the feeling words and phrases that match their experience of the last few days.
“I want to honor each one of you and the experiences you have had in the last few days. To do that, I am going to ask you to share words or short phrases (popcorn style) that capture your feelings. Likely, you have had a wide range of emotional reactions, and I invite you to name them in all their complexity. I will be recording the words without comment on the white board*. I ask that we speak and listen to the words with a spirit of reverence for our shared humanity, recognizing the broad range of histories and experiences that inform our reactions. Once the words and phrases are up, we will take a moment of silence to acknowledge our variety of experience.”*In virtual spaces, a similar outcome can be acheived by using a chat water fall (prompting participants to share their words in the chat at the same time [countt down]) and pulling responses into a word cloud to visualize.
When the brainstorm is complete, validate the full range of human emotions that arise in times of tragedy. If the words and phrases shared do not capture a full range of emotion, you may mention to students some of the internal experiences that are expected in times of distress.
"I’d like to share with you some of the additional experiences you may notice in yourself and your friends. It is expected that you may have difficulty concentrating. You may experience waves of anger, sadness, fear, and anxiety. Some of you may notice a strong sense of compassion and tenderness and a desire to connect with others to honor the deceased or make your voice heard by lawmakers. At times, you may also notice a sense of disorientation and unease given the violent disruption of life on our campus. You may also notice painful associations from earlier in your life. Some of you may feel a need to 'move on' or a sense of unease with the feeling that violence has become expected and, in some ways, normalized."
To transition the conversation, take a moment to acknowledge their willingness to share.
"I want to thank you for your willingness to share the truth of your experience. I am now inviting all of us to take two minutes in silence to honor one another, the larger community, and those most impacted by the tragic loss on Monday. If you would like to reflect in writing, drawing, or movement, please feel free to do that."
If it feels right, you may move towards brainstorming ways of coping that promote mental wellness.
"There is wisdom in this room. This is not the first hardship you have faced, although it may feel very different. Many of you have found ways of coping and even thriving through challenging times. I want to invite a period of sharing concrete mindsets and strategies that are in your toolboxes or that you feel the need to create now. I will record the ideas on the white board. You’ll be invited to take a picture of the white board for further reflection. Sometimes we need a chance to reflect on unhelpful approaches that we want to discontinue and space to consider new strategies. I hope this time will give you that opportunity."
Again, thank the students.
Affirm community. Ask students how they want to affirm community at MSU in the days ahead.
"At some point in our processing of the events of the last few days, we may start to wonder what we can actually do that will be meaningful and genuinely helpful. Without a doubt, cultivating a strong sense of community is powerfully important. We are social beings and healing happens together, never alone. I want to invite you to reflect on what you believe builds community in your own life and on campus. Please find two other classmates to spend five minutes discussing what builds connectedness in this time and beyond. For example, you might point to the importance of slowing down to greet people when walking or having longer, leisurely meals with friends to intentionally check in with each other. You may have larger ideas having to do, for example, with how spaces are configured or how information is communicated. Once we have had time to talk in small groups, we will reconvene for idea sharing."
Please note: You may broaden this discussion to suggest reflection on actions on a societal level. This will open discourse on our political climate, on race, and other critical issues that students may have a pressing need to discuss. If you go this direction, it is critical to set ground rules (Agreements for Multicultural Interactions) or review already established expectations for difficult conversations.
Seek connection. Ask students to interview each other about works of art and literature (books, paintings, poems, music, and films) that have helped them in hard times before.
"Artists, musicians, writers, and poets have always been guides and supports in deepening our understanding of what it means to be human, particularly in times of suffering. As a means of coming together as a class today, I would like to invite you to gather in groups of three to discuss the art and literature that has been most nourishing to you. Please reflect on what it may mean to you now. To set the stage, I would like to briefly share with you (a piece of music, a painting, a short reading) that has been meaningful to me. I hope it will be of support to you as well."
Encourage students to plan times outside of class to share these sources of meaning and inspiration with each other. Remind them of the power of nature on campus to offer solace.
"Thank you for taking the time to share with each other the power of your experiences with art and literature. I encourage you to continue having these discussions and invite you to seek out new sources of beauty, wisdom, and understanding. The natural world on our campus, like a piece of art, may serve as a source of solace and strength as well. I hope you will have time to linger in spaces you enjoy."
Thank you again for your thoughtful work preparing to meet with students. As is often the case, your presence and genuine concern will be what the students remember, rather than the actual words spoken. Gratitude to our colleagues at UVA Center for Teaching Excellence for sharing the foundations of this resource.
Posted by: Makena Neal
Navigating Context
Posted on: Center for Teaching...
Our Spring Conference on teaching and learning was focused on the guiding philosophy of our Teaching Center: Engaging and Equitable Education for All. This philosophy not only guides our center's educational development and pedagogical strategies but also reflects our commitment to creating learning environments where every student feels valued and empowered. Indeed, it's at the core of MSU’s mission to ensure that all students can succeed, and the work educators do is central in the pursuit of that mission.
The conference was a day not just to celebrate successes in the classroom, but also to offer sincere thanks for the work Spartan educators do to make MSU a place of deep and meaningful learning. Educators are well aware of the powerful role gratitude plays in higher ed. Gratitude is not just about saying 'thank you.' It is about acknowledging the hard work and passion of everyone involved in the educational endeavor—recognizing that each contribution, no matter how small it might seem, enriches our students’ collective experience and understanding.
I’ve seen that enrichment play out in my own family over the past four years. Just last weekend my son graduated from James Madison College. His growth as a writer, a thinker, a critic, and a leader has been remarkable to watch. His college experience was defined by all the things that make MSU so great – football games, RSOs, dorm food, parking tickets, an unforgettable study abroad experience, wicked winter walks between Wells Hall and Case. But ask him today what stood out the most and he’d without question say it was in the classroom where he changed the most. His experience is typical of so many of the 6,200 students that walked across stages all last weekend. They leave here more prepared to thrive and lead because of what MSU’s educators gave them day in and day out in class. And it’s because of those thousands of changed lives that it’s so important to pause on occasion to thank educators.
CTLI’s “Thank an Educator” initiative, which launched 2018, exemplifies the ethos of gratitude that I hope to elevate in the Teaching Center. Since it's inception over 900 educators have received notes of gratitude for the excellent work they do. They all are testaments to the varied ways in which education can impact the lives of the members of the Spartan community. I encourage you to click the Thank and Educator link to the left or visit https://iteach.msu.edu/home/thank_an_educator so you can thank an educator yourself!
At the Teaching Center we celebrate and recognize the diverse array of educators across roles on our campus; each one plays a crucial role in shaping the vibrant educational ecosystem at MSU. At CTLI, our definition of educator is broad and inclusive. We believe that everyone here contributes to our teaching and learning mission. From the lab supervisor engaging with students in hands-on research to the campus tour guide sharing the Spartan spirit with prospective students to the veteran professor delivering that inspiring lecture, you are all educators in the fullest sense. The interactions educators foster and the knowledge they share underscore our “Spartans Will” ethos—demonstrating determination, resilience, and a commitment to excellence.
The conference was a day not just to celebrate successes in the classroom, but also to offer sincere thanks for the work Spartan educators do to make MSU a place of deep and meaningful learning. Educators are well aware of the powerful role gratitude plays in higher ed. Gratitude is not just about saying 'thank you.' It is about acknowledging the hard work and passion of everyone involved in the educational endeavor—recognizing that each contribution, no matter how small it might seem, enriches our students’ collective experience and understanding.
I’ve seen that enrichment play out in my own family over the past four years. Just last weekend my son graduated from James Madison College. His growth as a writer, a thinker, a critic, and a leader has been remarkable to watch. His college experience was defined by all the things that make MSU so great – football games, RSOs, dorm food, parking tickets, an unforgettable study abroad experience, wicked winter walks between Wells Hall and Case. But ask him today what stood out the most and he’d without question say it was in the classroom where he changed the most. His experience is typical of so many of the 6,200 students that walked across stages all last weekend. They leave here more prepared to thrive and lead because of what MSU’s educators gave them day in and day out in class. And it’s because of those thousands of changed lives that it’s so important to pause on occasion to thank educators.
CTLI’s “Thank an Educator” initiative, which launched 2018, exemplifies the ethos of gratitude that I hope to elevate in the Teaching Center. Since it's inception over 900 educators have received notes of gratitude for the excellent work they do. They all are testaments to the varied ways in which education can impact the lives of the members of the Spartan community. I encourage you to click the Thank and Educator link to the left or visit https://iteach.msu.edu/home/thank_an_educator so you can thank an educator yourself!
At the Teaching Center we celebrate and recognize the diverse array of educators across roles on our campus; each one plays a crucial role in shaping the vibrant educational ecosystem at MSU. At CTLI, our definition of educator is broad and inclusive. We believe that everyone here contributes to our teaching and learning mission. From the lab supervisor engaging with students in hands-on research to the campus tour guide sharing the Spartan spirit with prospective students to the veteran professor delivering that inspiring lecture, you are all educators in the fullest sense. The interactions educators foster and the knowledge they share underscore our “Spartans Will” ethos—demonstrating determination, resilience, and a commitment to excellence.
Posted by: Jeremy Van Hof
Pedagogical Design
Posted on: #iteachmsu
"This study investigated the role of resilience and gratitude in the relationship between trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress (PTS), and posttraumatic growth (PTG) following the campus shooting at Seattle Pacific University. The prevalence of community traumatic events such as school shootings has increased dramatically in the last decade. However, a significant number of individuals report positive changes such as enhanced appreciation for life, suggesting that some people are able to convert adverse experiences into personal growth. The purpose of this study was to understand characteristics about trauma and protective characteristics that contribute to PTG."
Vieselmeyer, J., Holguin, J. & Mezulis, A (2017). The role of resilience and gratitude in posttraumatic stress and growth following a campus shooting, Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 9(1), 62-69.
This artifact is one of a collection of evidence-based resources for educators coming back to class after collective tragedy was compiled by Spartans:
Jason Moser (Professor of Clinical Science, Cognition, and Cognitive Neuroscience in MSU's Department of Psychology & PhD Psychology | Clinical Science)
Jon Novello (Director of MSU Employee Assistant Program & Licensed Clinical Social Worker)
Mark Patishnock (Director of MSU Counseling and Psychiatric Services [CAPS] & Licensed Psychologist)
Joshua Turchan (Assistant Director of Training, Assessment and Planning at MSU CAPS & Licensed Psychologist)
Karen Stanley-Kime (Assistant Director of Intensive Clinical Services at MSU CAPS & Licensed Psychologist)
and more throughout University Health and Wellness departments.
Vieselmeyer, J., Holguin, J. & Mezulis, A (2017). The role of resilience and gratitude in posttraumatic stress and growth following a campus shooting, Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 9(1), 62-69.
This artifact is one of a collection of evidence-based resources for educators coming back to class after collective tragedy was compiled by Spartans:
Jason Moser (Professor of Clinical Science, Cognition, and Cognitive Neuroscience in MSU's Department of Psychology & PhD Psychology | Clinical Science)
Jon Novello (Director of MSU Employee Assistant Program & Licensed Clinical Social Worker)
Mark Patishnock (Director of MSU Counseling and Psychiatric Services [CAPS] & Licensed Psychologist)
Joshua Turchan (Assistant Director of Training, Assessment and Planning at MSU CAPS & Licensed Psychologist)
Karen Stanley-Kime (Assistant Director of Intensive Clinical Services at MSU CAPS & Licensed Psychologist)
and more throughout University Health and Wellness departments.
Posted by: Makena Neal
Navigating Context