An empowering journey that keeps great teachers in the classroom
The Onward Workbook is a collection of tools and strategies that help teachers banish the burnout and cultivate true resilience. Keyed to the framework presented in Onward, this companion piece augments the text with practical exercises, coaching, and step-by-step walkthroughs of beneficial practices. Deep introspection allows you to verbalize your feelings, name your challenges, and identify the tools you have and the tools you need--from there, you'll explore each of the 12 Key Habits and learn how to put them into practice every day.
In cultivating resilience within yourself and your teaching practice, you improve your health, your outlook, and your relationships while building an environment in which every child succeeds. This workbook takes you on a journey of specific self-discovery that changes your perspective, renews your confidence, and empowers you to make the much-needed changes that allow you to continue inspiring young minds.
- Dig deeper within to discover what you're truly made of
- Decode complex emotions, body language, and nonverbal communications
- Challenge your beliefs, build community, and navigate difficult interactions
- Learn more, feel more, play more, and practice effective self-care
Resiliency is an underrated skill--one that can make all the difference in our schools. Challenges will always arise, but it is your response that dictates the outcome. Can you think of a more important lesson for your students? When some 70 percent of teachers quit within their first five years, it is clear that changes must be made. The Onward Workbook equips you to make the changes that you can, and flourish into the future.
While this book can be used by individuals, it is also designed so that groups, teams, departments, or an entire staff can take up the learning together. There are specific suggestions in the workbook for using this with a group, and educators will reap even more reward from discussing the practices and experiences with colleagues.
Table of Contents:
Preface xvii
Introduction 1
Put On Your Hiking Boots 1
Hopes and Goals 2
Current Challenges 3
What's in Your Toolbox? 4
Create a Treasure Chest, or Just a Pocket 5
1 Know Yourself 7
Know Yourself: Resilience Self-Assessment 8
How Well Do I Know Myself? 10
The Wise Words of Martha Graham 13
Whom Do You Know Who Knows Who They Are? 14
I Am 15
Purpose: Why I'm Doing This 16
Myers-Briggs Personality Types: Part 1 17
Myers-Briggs Personality Types: Part 2 21
Pablo Neruda and Purpose 23
What Motivates Me When I Speak? 24
Core Values 25
Purpose: My Legacy 28
Crafting a Mission Statement 30
I Am a Leopard, or a 33
Aptitudes and Interests 34
Aptitudes: An Inquiry Experience 40
Spiritual and Mental Ancestors 45
The Paths We've Taken 46
Values: At School 48
Sociopolitical Identities 50
Signature Strengths 52
Make a Values Jar 53
Astrology, Enneagrams, and More! 54
Behavioral Change: In the Past 55
Who Am I? Who Do I Want to Be? 57
Behavioral Change: Reflections on Past Experiences 59
Behavioral Change: Identifying Grain Size 62
Making Plans for Behavioral Change 64
Aligning Values to Actions 67
A Letter to Vulnerability 69
Artistic Depictions of Vulnerability 70
Destination Postcard: Self-Knowledge 71
Chapter Reflection 72
2 Understand Emotions 75
Understand Emotions: Resilience Self-Assessment 76
KWL: Emotions 78
Beliefs About Feelings 79
Examining Coping Mechanisms 81
Movie Time! 82
The Cultural Construction of Emotions 84
The Core Emotions 86
Naming Emotions 88
Exploring the Intensity of Emotions 89
Anger: Meditations and Reflections 92
Get to Know an Emotion Cycle 94
A Day of Observing Your Emotions 97
Relaxing Your Body: The Body Scan 98
Where Emotions Live in Your Body 99
Muscle Relaxation 100
Nonverbal Communication: The Interviews 101
The Biography of My Emotions 102
Reflecting on Regrets 103
Invite Your Emotions to Tea 104
Lessons About Strong Emotions 105
Thanking Your Emotions 107
Thanks, but No Thanks 109
Exploring Moments of Emotional Intensity 112
How to Breathe 114
RAIN: Dealing with Uncomfortable Emotions 116
Noticing Physical Cues 118
Assessing Your Stress 119
Quick Calm: Grounding 120
Recognizing Cognitive Distortions 121
A Letter to Anger 124
Artistic Depictions of Anger 125
Destination Postcard: Understand Emotions 126
Chapter Reflection 127
3 Tell Empowering Stories 129
Tell Empowering Stories: Resilience Self-Assessment 130
Three Good Things 132
Intention Setting 136
Start a New Habit 140
Reflect on Thoughts 141
What Einstein Says About Stories 149
Exploring the Impact of Cognitive Distortions 150
Catch That Distorted Thought 154
Visually Depicting a Life Story 156
Affirmations 158
Authoring Your Life 159
Take Apart That Thought 160
Try This Thought 164
Optimism: Choices 165
Challenge That Thought 166
Interrupting Distorted Thoughts 172
Problematic Core Beliefs 174
Rilke on Love 178
Challenge That Core Belief 179
"The Optimism of Uncertainty" 181
River and Rut Stories 182
The Life-Defining Moments 184
"Want To" and "Get To" 187
The Untold Story 188
Memory, Mood, and Story-Crafting 189
"The Danger of a Single Story" 190
Using Empathy to Expand Stories 191
Examining Organizational Stories 193
Love 194
The Pessimism-Optimism Scale 197
Think Like an Optimist 199
A Letter to Love 200
Artistic Depictions of Love 201
Destination Postcard: Tell Empowering Stories 202
Chapter Reflection 203
4 Build Community 205
Build Community: Resilience Self-Assessment 206
Community Mapping 208
Planning for Professional Community Building 209
Develop Cultural Competence: A Plan 211
Trust: Reflecting on Experience and Assumptions 213
Relational Trust: Among Staff 216
How to Build Trust 220
Body Language: Reflecting on Myself 224
Body Language: Reflecting on Others 227
Body Language: Fake It Till You Become It 229
Body Language: Rewiring Your Brain 230
What Does Community Mean to You? 232
Sixty Ways to Build Community at School 235
How to Address Conflict 239
Neighborhood Exploration 240
An Anthropologist in the Lunchroom 241
Research Community Outside of School 242
A Corsage of Community 244
Building Your Social Network 245
Storytelling 247
Listening to Your Own Listening 248
Expansive Listening 250
Listening: The Interviews 252
Am I in a Toxic Culture? 253
What to Say When People Don't Talk Nicely About Kids or Their Families 257
How to Ask Questions 260
A Letter to Fear 262
Artistic Depictions of Fear 263
Destination Postcard: Community 264
Chapter Reflection 265
5 Be Here Now 267
Be Here Now: Resilience Self-Assessment 268
The Raisin Meditation 270
The Joy Collage 272
Right Here, Right Now 273
Blowing Bubbles 274
Morning Messages 275
Mindfulness on Yard Duty 276
Mindful Eating 277
The Myth of Multitasking 278
Mindful Walking 280
Tagore on Joy 281
Ice Cube Meditation 282
A Tree in a Storm 283
Project Silliness 284
Identify a Choice Point 285
Treasure Chest of the Ordinary 286
Mindful Breathing 287
The "Not-Right-Now" Shelf 289
Sixty Seconds 291
Meet Your Telomeres 292
The Zen of Coloring 293
Do Something Already 294
Walk a Labyrinth 295
Soaking In the Satisfaction 296
Project Humor 297
Drawing Your Breath 300
Kale Is Not Required 302
A Letter to Joy 303
Artistic Depictions of Joy 304
Destination Postcard: Be Here Now 305
Chapter Reflection 306
6 Take Care of Yourself 309
Take Care of Yourself: Resilience Self-Assessment 310
Listening to Your Body 312
What's My Gap? 313
Dream 315
Self-Care Origin Stories 316
When You Are in Self-Care Crisis 317
Tracking Exhaustion 318
Keep a Food Diary 319
Reflecting on Martyrdom 321
If Your Body Could Talk 322
Inside World and Outside World 324
Try Something New 326
Charting Your Self-Care Story 329
Reduce Your Sugar Intake 330
Planning for Better Sleep 333
How to Get More Exercise 337
Movie Time! 338
Self-Esteem Reflection 339
How Do I Perceive Myself? 341
The Best Homemade Chai 343
How Do Others Experience Me? 344
Exploring Self-Confidence 345
Fake It Until You Make It 348
Healthy Eating Reminders 350
Loving Your Adrenals 352
Who Needs to Yell at You? 355
Reflecting on Perfectionism 357
A Week of Self-Care 358
Sixty-Five Ways to Care for Yourself 361
A Letter to Perfectionism 364
Artistic Depictions of Perfectionism 365
Destination Postcard: Self-Care 366
Chapter Reflection 367
7 Focus on the Bright Spots 369
Focus on the Bright Spots: Resilience Self-Assessment 370
Find the Bright Spots 372
Savor the Little Moments 374
Share What You Savor 378
Feel the Feelings 379
Energy Check-In 380
Stop and Smell the Roses 383
Tuning in to the Positive 384
Create a Remember-lutions Jar 385
The Words of Others 386
Joyful Anticipation 388
Repurpose Your Pain 389
Joyful Recollection 390
THINK Before You Speak 391
Don't Worry, Be Happy 392
The Joy of Making Lists 393
Reflecting on Sadness 395
Five Years in the Future 396
Learning to Settle Your Mind 397
Light a Candle 398
Gaining Perspective on Difficult Events 399
Uncovering Silver Linings 401
Watch Your Thoughts, Again 403
Photographing What Matters 405
In Search of Ordinary Good 406
Reflecting on the Search for Ordinary Good 407
A Letter to Sadness 408
Artistic Depictions of Sadness 409
Destination Postcard: Focusing on Bright Spots 410
Chapter Reflection 411
8 Cultivate Compassion 413
Cultivate Compassion: Resilience Self-Assessment 414
New Year's Activities 416
Make Those Resolutions Stick 417
Lovingkindness Meditation 418
An Intention for Today 420
Acknowledging Your Teachers 421
Six Ways to Forgive Someone 422
Bridging Differences 426
It's Not Personal 428
How to Apologize 429
The Self-Compassion Break 431
How Would You Treat a Friend? 432
Self-Compassion Letter 434
Exploring Cynicism 435
The Quest for Good 436
Just Like Me 437
The Fly on the Wall 438
Your Future Self Speaks to You 440
Learning from Envy 442
Recognizing Bids for Attention 443
The Self-Compassion Journal 445
Cultivating Compassion for Difficult People 448
"The Awesome Anthem" 449
Nonviolent Communication 450
Nonverbal Communication of Compassion 453
The People Who Support Me 454
Four Minutes of Eye Contact 455
Thirty-Six Questions to Fall in Love with Someone 456
Eat Together 459
A Meditation to Boost Equanimity 460
Preventing Empathic Fatigue 461
A Letter to Envy 462
Artistic Depictions of Envy 463
Destination Postcard: Compassion 464
Chapter Reflection 465
9 Be a Learner 467
Be a Learner: Resilience Self-Assessment 468
How Writing Helps You Learn 470
Ask a Question 471
Super-You 472
The Million-Dollar Question: What Can I Learn? 473
Action Research: What and Why 474
Mini Inquiry Cycle 476
Lessons on Learning from Merlin 477
Get Rid of Uncomfortable Clothes 478
Get Rid of Some More Things 479
Piggyback Behaviors 480
Parker Palmer's Words on Learning 481
Whom Do I Want as a Mentor? 482
How to Find a Mentor 483
How to Receive Feedback 484
How to Give Feedback 485
The One-Sentence Journal 487
Indicators of a Learning Organization 488
The Power of Yet: A Musical Interlude 491
Expanding Your Learning Community 492
Cultivating Curiosity: The Art of Noticing 493
Growing Brains 494
Cultivating Curiosity by Knowing More 495
Three Kinds of Curiosity 496
Cultivating Curiosity: Backwards 498
Beliefs and Assumptions About Time 499
Tracking My Time 500
What Else Could This Mean? 501
A Letter to Shame 502
Artistic Depictions of Shame 503
Destination Postcard: Being a Learner 504
Chapter Reflection 505
10 Play and Create 507
Play and Create: Resilience Self-Assessment 508
Your Play Personality 510
Six Ways to Water Your Creativity 511
The Closet in My Classroom 513
Create a Logo 514
Thank You, Courage 516
Sisu, Ikigai, and Gigil 517
How to Be Courageous 520
Street Interviews 521
Create Your Alter Ego 522
Play Hide-and-Seek 523
Create a Monster 524
Nondominant Hand Monsters 526
The Four-Minute Diary 528
Making the Familiar Strange 529
Discovering Creativity in Your Community 530
A Play List 531
Elevate the Ordinary 532
Map Your Day 533
Create a Community Sketchbook 534
Ai Weiwei's Shoes 535
Create Your Cheerleading Squad 536
Ice Cube Street Art 538
A Collage of Student Voices 539
Banksyfy Yourself 540
Transforming the Ordinary 541
A Family Tree of Courage 542
On Creative Resilience and Resistance 543
A Letter to Courage 544
Artistic Depictions of Flow 545
Destination Postcard: Play and Create 546
Chapter Reflection 547
11 Ride the Waves of Change 549
Ride the Waves of Change: Resilience Self-Assessment 550
Make a Vision Board 552
The Roots of Our Attitude Toward Change 553
Face Your Fears 554
Reflecting on Hope and Change 555
Which Changes Do You Desire? 556
Reflecting on Perseverance 557
"Maybe," Said the Farmer 558
The Monster in the Closet 560
Honoring What You've Lost 561
Keep a Promise to Yourself 563
Detachment Meditation 564
Reflecting on Energy 565
Transformation and Decay 566
Metaphors for Patience 567
How the Light Gets In 568
Silence 569
Scream and Yell 570
Patience 571
Accepting Fragility 572
It's All Right to Cry 573
Strengthening Your Intuition 574
Inspiration to Fight the Good Fight 576
Tackle Your Complaints 577
How to Worry Less 580
Plan for Change: Observe Others 581
Crisis and Opportunity 582
Dragonflies 583
Your Own Change Management Model 584
A Letter to Patience 585
Artistic Depictions of Patience 586
Destination Postcard: Riding the Waves of Change 587
Chapter Reflection 588
12 Celebrate and Appreciate 591
Celebrate and Appreciate: Resilience Self-Assessment 592
Gratitude Journals 594
A Visual Gratitude Journal 595
Everyone I'm Grateful For 596
A Flurry of Appreciations 597
Honoring the Ancestors 599
Deep Gratitude 600
The Power of the Positive Phone Call Home 601
Exploring Attitudes Around Celebration 603
Talk About People Behind Their Backs 604
One Little Thought: My Life Is Very Blessed 605
The Heartbreak of Teaching 606
A Gratitude Letter 607
What Sets Your Soul on Fire? 608
Enlisting an Accountability Buddy 610
Time Traveling to Deliver Appreciations 611
Today, I Am Grateful For 612
What's at Risk? 613
Awe Boosts Your Immune System 614
Strengthen a Friendship 615
The Awe Narrative 616
Movie Time! 617
Live as If You Liked Yourself 618
Thank You, Elbows 619
Capture Awe in Nature 620
My Yearbook Page 621
I Would Like to Be More Grateful For 622
An Awe Walk 623
Look Around You 624
A Letter to Awe and Wonder 625
Artistic Depictions of Awe 626
Destination Postcard: Trust 627
Chapter Reflection 628
Conclusion 629
Reflecting on a Year of Cultivating Resilience 630
Symbols and Metaphors for Dispositions 631
Choosing Dispositions 637
Create a Poster 638
Now What? 639
Appendix: Resources for Further Learning 641
About the Author 650
Jacket Description/Back:
PRACTICAL EXERCISES AND ACTIVITIES FOR BECOMING A RESILIENT EDUCATOR
This hands-on workbook is the companion to Elena Aguilar's extraordinary book Onward. It explores in-depth the 12 habits that are essential for building and developing resilience in educators. The Onward Workbook is the must-have resource for cultivating resilience, filled with over 365 exercises that draw on the author's extensive research in emotional resilience, psychology, systems thinking, change management, and on her 12 years of coaching educators.
The Onward Workbook is your personal resource for cultivating resilience and becoming the educator of your dreams. The workbook has a variety of empowering stories and activities that introduce each of the 12 habits as well as activities that offer a guide to reflect on the habits explored. The exercises offer a better understanding of Onward's four-part conceptual framework that rests on the key components of resilience and how it is developed.
The exercises described are tried and tested and have proven to boost educator abilities to build community, become more mindful, take better care of themselves, focus on the positive, cultivate compassion, become ongoing learners, develop creativity, accept change, celebrate gratitude, and much more.
ELENA AGUILAR is the founder and president of Bright Morning Consulting, an educational consulting group that works around the world supporting educators to meet the needs of children. She is the author of The Art of Coaching and The Art of Coaching Teams and has also been a longtime contributor to Edutopia and EdWeek.
Jossey-Bass
Pub Date: May 08, 2018
1.4" H x 10.7" L x 8.4" W
672 pages
paperback