Gratitude is the Path to Happiness - HoET165

Feedback, Shoutouts, and Links

• Mike Brilla (@Mr_Brilla) [from Pennsylvania] had some great humor for me as I was quite nervous about the episode’s launch. 
• Dr. Dan Kreiness (@Dr_Kreiness), [from Connecticut] host of the Leader of Learning Podcast, part of the Educational Podcast Network shared some very kind words.
• Bryon Carpenter (@BryonCar) [from Canada] had some great comments about the show as part of his @FreshAirAtFive morning walk. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts about the episode and I love how you’re taking time for yourself each day. 
• Cameron Ross (@CameronRoss3) [from Australia] shared the show and gratitude. 
• Susan Vincentz (@sv314dws) [from Kentucky] shared a link to Two Screens for Teachers.
• Thanks for all your awesome feedback and please keep it coming as I have a LONG way to go in order to improve my skills behind the mic.

Coming soon… the 2020 House of #EdTech Smackdown will be here before we know it and we want to hear your #EdTech recommendations! The goal each year is to have you and other listeners share their favorite #edtech tips, tools, apps, programs, and more! Chris prefers audio clips, as this is a podcast, and you can submit audio by going to ChrisNesi.com/feedback. You can also send Chris an email with the attached audio – please put Smackdown 2020 in the subject and no matter how you share with Chris, get your submission in by Tuesday, December 1, 2020, for episode 170’s December 20, 2020 release. Be sure to include who you are, where you’re from, what your role in education is, and then talk about your favorite #edtech item and also let us know how we can connect with you. I know Chris always looks forward to the end of the year because he loves what the community shares! And I also love this episode because I learn so much from the amazing community as well. Remember … if you just send in the text you take your chances with the quality of the impression Chris does of you. So you’re better off sending him some audio.

There is still a few more limited edition HOET 3D printed coins available for a one-time donation of $25. You can get yours by going to ChrisNesi.com/Coin.

#EdTech Thought

What’s the most you could have done?

• Are there apps I am only doing the minimum with that I could be using more fully?
• How often do you learn something new about an app you use and then find out it’s always been part of that app?
• Maybe I should take a little more time and see what else my apps can do besides what I am doing with them.
• What else can we do more within our lives and do the most instead of the least?
• Look around your home screens and application folders and pick one or two apps that you’d like to dive into a bit more and see what else is that app capable of that we’re not using it for.
  And then, even more importantly, look into your life and see if there’s something or someone else where you can give a little more of yourself (in a healthy manner) and see if it changes anything.

#EdTech Recommendation

• Signing Savvy – https://www.SigningSavvy.com
  • A visual American Sign Language (ASL) Dictionary and so much more!
  • Articles, helpful hints, great videos, and more
  • Freemium model
    • Free for basics and paid for full-features
      • $9.95 / month
      • $24.95 / 4 months
      • $49.95 / 12 months
      • $129.95 / 36 months
  • If you teach or are learning ASL this could be a great help for you and your students.

Featured Content

• Recently attended my first meeting of The School of Life (TheSchoolOfLifeFoundation.org) at my MS. 
• From their website:
  • The School of Life Foundation™ is committed to the social, moral, and character development of youth. We provide our workbook, Learn To “School” Your Toughest Opponent™, and accompanying training program to high schools and junior high schools. The book offers life-guiding principles and values to help youth achieve straight A’s in the school of life™. Many of our partner schools are implementing the School of Life program as Tier 2 of their Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS) system to enhance their school culture.
• An 8-hour program spread across four 2-hour meetings
• Helps students find the leadership qualities and abilities hidden within in order to help them stay in school and graduate better people than when they began.
• One student was a bit of a punk last year
• Participated in The School of Life 
• This year is a totally different kind, takes time with helping others in his classes, in the halls, individually spends time with the severe SPED kids, overall stud
• Is taking the course again because he felt it was so powerful for himself and others
• An Experiment in Gratitude – part of The Science of Happiness video series on YouTube by SoulPancake
  • Brought people in to take a happiness quiz
  • Asked to talk about someone they were grateful for
  • Asked to write a note/letter to that person
  • Asked to call the person and READ them the note/letter
  • Take another happiness quiz
  • Just thinking about and writing the note/letter increased their happiness score 2-4%
  • Calling the person increased their happiness score 4-19%
• We were asked to do this same experiment as Home Work and I’m pretty excited to write the note/letter/email
• How do we apply this to our classrooms/schools? 
• Why couldn’t we take 10-15 mins each week and send home a thoughtful email or better yet, a letter or postcard to a student(s) and thank them for something they did that day/week?
• What will that do for you and more importantly, what will that do for your student?
• What if we wrote a gratitude letter to one of our colleagues? How could that start to change the culture of your school/district?
• Like Dr. Dan Kreiness of the Leader of Learning Podcast always says, “No matter who you are or where you are, you too can be a leader of learning.”
• Gratitude can go a long way into changing you for the better and helping to change your surroundings.

House of #EdTech VIP

Dave Horan – Dave is a former 4th-grade teacher and current Innovative Coach at Alpine School District in Utah County, Utah – the largest school district in Utah. Dave is the inspiration behind #DaveWeek (@TheDaveWeek), a week-long event all about reconnecting with those you care about and lifting those around you. Dave was the 2018 UCET Outstanding Young Educator award winner and later spent time serving on the @UCET Board.

He is an avid Utah Jazz fan and loved attending as many home games as possible pre-COVID. Dave is also a staple attendee and moderator of #UTedChat every Wednesday night from 9-10 pm Mountain Time (11-12 pm Eastern OR 8-9 pm Pacific Time).

Known Dave for many years and he’s an incredible educator, a willing technology coach, and a thoughtful friend. We were roomies at #ISTE17 and we had a blast learning and playing in San Antonio!

Connect with Dave Horan:

• Twitter: @DownrightDave