12: Talking to your brain – with Clarissa Johnson and Veronica Colley Part B

This episode features Clarissa Johnson and Veronica Colley, both practicing teachers, who run a business to teach language of mindset and self-talk to teachers and students. They want to share this with others to make a difference to the future of children. 

Highlights

1:20 How Clarissa and Veronica were able to implement the first program

3:15 What results are they seeing thus far?

5:40 About Clarissa’s two books, ‘Hello Brain’ and ‘Talk to your brain’.

10:06 The power of the word ‘yet’

13:00 Tips for parents on devices and social media

16:35 Examples of results of growth mindset in kids

20:35 tips on getting kids to open up about their challenges

25:00 Veronica’s tips for her 10-year-old self

27:50 What Clarissa & Veronica offer in their services, and recommended materials

What results are you seeing thus far?

I think this year I’ve seen a lot of changes in the language and the effort. I have a class that would really like to do well. Their effort in the classroom at the start of the year, to now is huge. Im halfway through parent teacher interviews, and 8/10 have commented on a change coming home with the kids. One of my little girls is leaving at the end of the year for her senior years, and she said at the start of the year she hated the idea, she was not positive at all and did not want to go. Now she’s really looking forward to it, and she’s shifting her focus to look at the positives and her outlook has changed completely. As far as I’m concerned that is a major success. 

Talk to us about the power of the word ‘Yet’

Language is so powerful, and we teach our kids this. Whether it goes to themselves or other people around them, the words they use and the language they throw around leaves a mark and they have the power to build us up or break us down. ‘yet’ really is powerful, we have kids as young as prep saying ‘I can’t do it’ the more they say it the more they are going to believe it, and unfortunately í cant’ is a word and a phrase that is thrown around so flippantly, and I as an adult am trying to break it too. Its like a baby learning to walk, if they kept falling down and couldn’t get up then just gave up and said they couldn’t do it, the world would be a pretty funny place. The kids love that example, but it really rings true, and they see the power in it. So, whenever they see something that is challenging initially, they follow up with the word ‘yet’ which empowers them to know that they will be able to get there eventually. 

Are there any tips for parents as to how they can use devices as a tool for good and not for bad?

For those kids around 10 years old, they are right about on the cusp of a vital age. I think that if kids are not equipped with the tools to cope or problems solve effectively in the real world then they are not equipped to problem solve or manage in an online world. Before they even get to social media, they need to know who they are as a person and have that self-worth and self-love, its difficult in this day and age as it is everywhere for kids. I think they need the skills first to deal with cyber bullying and everything else that comes with it. I think its easy to disregard the level of danger regarding social media, but my opinion is parents need to be more vigilant of what they are doing online. Kids are very savvy with it, and its our responsibility to help them develop the skills before they get online.