I recently watched the new movie, MOXIE, on Netflix and was incredibly impressed with the themes in the plot and how they addressed so many present-day issues our youth are enduring.
I highly recommend it to high schoolers and their parents, but the purpose of this post revolves around a minor, easily overlooked detail that caught my eye while watching the flick.
See that bright yellow saying? ^^^
How did you read it at first?
Well, I for one had to rewind the movie when I watched it just to be sure I read what I thought I read.
I, then, printed it and hung it up in our homeschool classroom without saying a word. One of my girls comes into the kitchen saying, "oh whew! I just read that poster and at first I was like 'no, mom wouldn't hang that!"
Then, my other kiddo read it and came traipsing into the kitchen calling me out in horror, "why did you hang that?!"
I told her to go back and re-read it and consider changing the way she saw it.
Eventually, she got it and kept saying, "That's a mind trick!"
Indeed. Our mind often plays tricks on us and makes us see and think about things in certain ways.
By now, I imagine you've noticed that if you read it in one direction it says:
"you don't matter give up"
If you read it the other direction, it says: "you matter don't give up"
It was a thinker and one I could see sparking some anger if an individual didn't take time to see it from a different point of view.
It offers a great teachable moment and makes kids pause to consider all avenues of the challenges in their lives.
When I considered what I wanted to share for this Teacher's Appreciation Week, this phrase immediately came to mind. This is for all the teachers who allow students to look past the surface of things and who encourage critical thinking, which in my opinion, seems to be a lost art.
I can name a few of my deep-thinking, big-hearted English and History teachers from high school that would definitely have had this posted up in their classroom and encouraged thoughtful discussion surrounding it.
They would have reminded student's that sometimes the small details play the biggest part in how we view life. They would use it as a tool to help with a student's growth mindset and really encourage conversation about what they might be overlooking and missing.
It's a powerful message and one I hope you find valuable, as well.
Please feel free to download and print it via this link
Happy Teacher's Appreciation Week to those who serves our children well
© Denecia Lee Lagundo 2021