A Measure of Success

Since I was a child, I’ve measured my success by all the small moments I’ve had connecting to people through personal interactions and poetry.  Connection to me equaled success. Oh sure, I had thoughts of fame and money but that all fell away as I matured.  It’s not that I lost my ambition, it’s just that my ambition has taken another form.  I measure my success in the experiences I have with nature, people, and poetry.  I measure my success in the quality of teachable moments I’ve had with children.

This past week, a long-time friend and book publisher representative invited me to a free workshop on social-emotional learning and literature.  What could be better – a free lunch and a discussion about current books that promote social-emotional learning? 

The way we navigate our inner world – our everyday thoughts, emotions, and self-stories – is the single most important determinant of our life success.

– Susan David

This quote from Dr. Susan David, a renowned psychologist and author of Emotional Agility, was the way in which our presenter, Patty McGee, began the workshop.  Patty is an experienced staff developer.   She has been a fourth-grade teacher, a library media specialist, and a literacy coach.  In 2002, she received the prestigious Milken Educator Award. Patty spoke about the need as teachers to build resilience in ourselves and our students.  She explained the CASEL framework for social emotional learning: self-management, responsible decision making, relationship skills, social awareness, and self-awareness. We then explored each of these components by reading and evaluating various books.  Many of the books were new to me, and I found the workshop very beneficial. There were piles of books at each table, and we were encouraged to read several of them.  One book that stood out to me was For Everyone by Jason Reynolds.  It is a book in verse written as a compassionate letter to his readers.  It grabbed me right away.  I read it from the middle to the end, and then started at the beginning.  Everything came into focus.  I was taken by these words on page 96-97 of the book:

“Yes,” I thought.  What great advice for a successful life.  It’s what I believe: the ordinary, the small moments, the unique gifts in all of us and all around us, are what marks success. As with most moments of delight, Reynold’s book prompted me to write my own poem.

An important part of creating a successful life is to foster gratitude.  I was always grateful for big things in my life: friends, caring family members, good food, and beautiful places.  As I grew older, I cultivated gratitude for small things: a child’s look of delight when learning something new, the open periwinkle wings of a moth on a spring day,  a cup of tea in a steaming mug. So in this season for rush and do and rush some more, I invite you to pause and pay attention to the small things and be grateful. 

SEL BOOK LIST

• A Friend for Henry by Jen Bailey (picture book about autistic boy)
• Emma Every Day by C.L. Reid  (picture book about hearing impaired girl)
• Fantastic Failures by Luke Reynolds (stories about people who failed before succeeding including: J.K. Rowling, Albert Einstein, Rosa Parks, Sonia Sotomayor, and, Julia Child.
• For Everyone (novel in verse)
• How to Help a Friend (picture book about friendship)
• Letters to Live By (alphabet book about kindness)
• Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga (a Newbery Honor Award book in verse about a Syrian girl who immigrates to the United States).
• Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival (picture book about being unique)
• When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jameison (A National Book Award finalist and graphic novel about refugee boys in Kenya)
• You can Persevere – Quit or Keep Going?  by Connie Colwell Miller (picture book about making good choices)