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May 2018 - Posts
Loyalty is one of the character traits we emphasize under The Lee-Davis Way umbrella. For our purposes, we define loyalty as demonstrating pride and allegiance to our country, community, school, family, and peers. But how does one become loyal?

For the next three weeks, I will touch on three ways to build loyalty. 

Week 1: Be honest and trustworthy.
  • Always be open and straightforward with your friends and family. Avoid being judgmental in your approach. Try putting yourself in their shoes, "it's your decision, but if it were me..."
  • Avoid gossip and encourage others around you that engage in that type of behavior to stop. Let them know you prefer to speak directly with your friend or family member.
  • Follow through on your commitments. Show up to meet your friends or family if you tell them that you be there. If you tell a friend that you're always there for them, then make sure you are there when they need you.
  • Stand up for others when needed. Be your family member's or friend's biggest cheerleader. When someone else attempts to speak poorly of them or bring them down, respectfully stand up for them.

"Respect is earned. Honesty is appreciated. Trust is gained. Loyalty is returned." - unknown


Posted by [email protected]  On May 27, 2018 at 6:02 PM
  
Each month I meet with the same group of students for lunch and conversation. These past two months we've been reading a book, The Positive Dog, by Jon Gordon. There was a short chapter in the book we discussed this past Wednesday about the differences between "Get to and Have to."
When we develop a habit of saying "we get to" instead of "we have to," we begin seeing more of the positives in our lives. A student example might be to say "I get to go to school today" versus "I have to go to school today."
This simple change in wording helps our minds to focus more on what we're grateful for in our lives. As I mentioned to my students during our conversation, there are kids in other parts of the world that are not able to go to school and would love the opportunity to go and learn. 
I encourage you this week, as I did my students, to start saying "I get to..." and see if that changes your perspective on your life. 
When you make this type of thinking a habit, you begin to live a life of gratitude.
Share this except from Gordon's book.
A man goes to the village to visit the wise man and he says to the wise man, "I feel like there are two dogs inside of me. One dog is this positive, loving, kind, and gentle dog and then I have this angry, mean-spirited, and negative dog and they fight all the time. I don't know which is going to win." The wise man thinks for a moment and he says, "I know which dog is going to win. The one you feed the most, so feed the positive dog."
Posted by [email protected]  On May 20, 2018 at 4:04 PM
  
Self-motivation is the ability to what needs to be done, without influence from other people or situations. People with self-motivation can find a reason and strength to complete a task, even when challenging, without giving up or needing encouragement from outside sources.

Motivation is tied to goals So often our kids need that extra push from others in their world or from other external factors to motivate them. Why is that? Typically it is because they have lost faith in achieving their goals or they haven't any goals at all. 

To help our kids develop self-motivation, we must first help them define their purpose and their goals. But we mustn't stop there. We must also model and show them how to make a plan to achieve those goals and how to monitor their progress along the way. Once they have that in place, their self-motivation can only grow.
Posted by [email protected]  On May 13, 2018 at 4:27 PM
  
Effort 
"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential." - Winston Churchill

When encouraging our students, focus on their efforts more than the outcomes of the efforts. They need to know that it is their continuous efforts toward achieving their goals that will ultimately enable them to reach their potential.
Posted by [email protected]  On May 06, 2018 at 9:46 AM
  
 
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