Goal 19: What Do You Believe?
Part of the 30 Goals Challenge Series
One of my favorite NPR shows is This I Believe where people from all walks of life share their personal
beliefs. This is in the form of an essay, which if selected is read on the radio and sometmes shared in a
book. Refecton is important for our growth and to solidify our personal beliefs. Sometmes, I will
browse through my writngs and journals I completed years ago. I like to see what I thought then and
evaluate how much these beliefs have been refned. I like to see what I steadily hold on to and which
beliefs I have discarded.
We all have frst-hand experiences about the learning process. We understand how we learn best. We
have spent four years or more learning and testng several learning theories. We have observed the
way our students with various learning needs think, evaluate, problem solve, and inquire. We have
evaluated how our own children learn. As educators we sometmes forget to refect on the
educatonal philosophies we wrote when we frst started teaching. Are your beliefs about how
students learn stll the same? Do you stll believe the same instructonal methods you frst used are
efectve? Do you believe the way you were taught is stll relevant for students today?
I know my educatonal beliefs have changed and today refecton is my short-term goal. However, by
the end of the year I want to develop a new educatonal philosophy. I am a diferent teacher than
when I frst started and perhaps you are a bit diferent, too?
Our Students
We can also inspire our students to refect on their beliefs. One way is by having them submit This I
Believe essays. This statement should focus on one core belief and be 350 to 500 words. Visit the This I
Believe website for more tps and to submit your students’ essays. You can take this one step further
and have students make a video essay they can share with their peers. Below is a video of Michelle
Gardner-Quinn’s This I Believe essay. Many famous actresses are reading this essay, because two days
afer Michelle wrote this essay she was murdered. Her essay has been shared at the Live Earth
concerts and published. You can read the transcript of her essay here.
Please visit Michelle Gardner-Quinn’s foundaton, Michelle’s Earth Foundaton, which contnues to
improve the environment.
You can check out this post where I state some of my philosophies about teaching with technology.
Challenge:
Refect on what you believe and inspire your students to refect on what they believe.
Don’t forget to leave a comment that you accomplished this goal using the hashtag #30Goals!
If you are inspired, tell us what you believe in this e-book! You can also share links to your
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