2017 Summer Kansas Child

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WHY SPARKS AND MINDSET MATTER Have you thought lately about your spark? The word spark refers to that thing that makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning. If you’ve never considered it before, you might take some time and self-examination to determine your spark. It’s a worthwhile exercise. Research has found that when youth know their spark and have people who support their spark, they are more likely to succeed at just about every measure of achievement (Benson, 2008). Whether its soccer or reading or Pokémon cards, youth are motivated in all aspects of their life when they get to connect to something that they love. We suggest that the same is true for adults. As adults, we often don’t spend time thinking about our sparks. We get into our daily routine and focus on the things we have to do. Stepping back and thinking about what really gets you excited can help you to succeed. Let’s say that you discover your spark is gardening. Ask yourself what you like about gardening. Is it the time spent outside? Is the act of weeding meditative? Perhaps you like the process of planting and tending to a seed, and helping something grow to its full potential. There is no right or wrong answer. The trick is finding a way to connect that spark to your work. Why is this important? Because it will provide a sense of personal buy-in to your work. Making that connection helps you feel personal satisfaction when you run across those inevitable bumps in your workday, or when you encounter those mundane tasks that are a part of every job. Your mindset also plays a critical role in helping you thrive in your work and life. In Carol Dweck’s (2007) research on what contributes to a person’s success, she found that there are two basic mindsets: fixed mindset and growth mindset. People with a fixed mindset believe that their intelligence, ability, talent, etc., are static; you are born with a certain amount and there’s not much you can do to change that. People with a growth mindset believe that through attitude and effort, you can always improve. Dogs are a great example of having a fixed mindset. They like having routines, they have their favorite person, and they might have their favorite toy or bone — and they don’t like to or want to deviate from these familiar things. It is important to remember that we all have those times when we can act the same way. Young children are a great example of growth mindset. Learning to crawl or walk, they try new pathways and never give up. They are always learning new things. Young children try and fail and then try again. There are instances when we are better at growth v. fixed mindset, and it often can change from day to day. The most important thing is that you notice these times or instances, and take time to reflect on the “why” of the fixed mindset moments and instead “how” having a growth mindset might look. Think about lifting weights at the gym, and how fixed v. growth mindset affects success. When lifting weights at the gym, I never add up the total number of pounds. I just keeping adding weights to the bar until I fail at the lift, keeping in mind that 14 Kansas Child A Publication of Child Care Aware ® of Kansas
BRIDGET PATTI Research Project Specialist at the Center for Public Partnerships and Research, University of Kansas REBECCA GILLAM Associate Director at the Center for Public Partnerships and Research, University of Kansas the last weight I was able to pick up was a successful lift. This is because as soon as I know how much weight is on the bar, I get a fixed mindset about the numbers. In my head, I hear, “Wow that is really heavy,” or, “There is no way you can pick that up.” If I focus on those thoughts, I might fail before I even touch the bar, even if the reality is that I have successfully lifted that weight many times before. By purposefully not knowing how much weight is on the bar, I force myself to have a growth mindset. Some days, I might lift 10 pounds more than I did the day before, and sometimes it is 10 pounds less, and that is OK. At some point I will always fail, but at least I picked up the bar. Whether we think about them or not, sparks and mindset play an important role in our daily lives. Embracing your spark and recognizing your mindset can lead to greater happiness, satisfaction, and success in work and life. For more information on sparks, visit www.search-institute.org. For more information on mindset, visit www. mindsetonline.com. n Kansas Association for the Education of Young Children Professional Organization Grows Leadership Skills By Michelle Gilbert, KSAEYC President-Elect Early Care & Education Specialist, Child Care Aware of Eastern Kansas, Topeka Professional organizations bring people with diverse backgrounds together for a common purpose. The Kansas Association for the Education of Young Children (KSAEYC) strives to link early childhood professionals from around the state to network, share resources and to promote high-quality early learning experiences for children and families. By engaging with other members, early childhood professionals have opportunities to develop and strengthen their individual philosophy about how children learn. They also are able to grow their communication skills and learn to advocate for issues that affect the children and families in their care. These are all characteristics needed to be an effective leader in our field. This leadership is important, according to Dr. Jennifer Francois, Assistant Professor at Kansas State University and KSAEYC Board Member. Dr. Francois states, “As professionals in the field of Early Childhood Education, it is essential that we possess effective leadership skills. One way that that we, as professionals, can learn how to be leaders is through membership and active participation in professional organizations. They are a great tool for building a person’s capacity to serve as a leader in their community or field of study. “Professional organizations not only allow us to become better advocates for children and families, but they provide us a way to connect with others who hold those same beliefs and values. By having opportunities to engage in these types of conversations, we strengthen our own ability to be effective communicators around issues that are important to children and families.” As a professional organization, KSAEYC supports annual Week of the Young Child efforts in local communities. When early childhood professionals work together to plan and implement a variety of activities to celebrate young children and families, they are displaying leadership in action. They are learning to negotiate and solve problems in a group setting, articulate the importance of their work to those outside the field, and think on their feet when plans change without notice. In many cases, the Week of the Young Child events are also an opportunity to recognize professionals for all they do throughout the year on behalf of our youngest learners. Celebrating and highlighting excellence in the field helps other early childhood professionals envision what high quality can look like and strive to do the best in their own classroom or home. According to Beka Meitler, Early Childhood Instructor and KSAEYC Board Member, “Engaging in professional organizations has supported my growth as a professional in the field, and allowed me the opportunity to assist other developing, young professionals in understanding the commitment we have to serving children and families with best practices in mind.” For more information about the Kansas Association for the Education of Young Children and how you can get involved, please visit www.kaeyc.net. n www.ks.childcareaware.org Kansas Child 15
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2017 Summer Kansas Child

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