3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV

Issue #210, 16th July 2024

Here are 5 useful questions you can ask yourself when facing an obstacle in the context of learning or for that matter various aspects of learning, teaching, parenting:

1. What specifically is challenging me right now?
2. How have I overcome similar obstacles in the past?
3. What resources or support can I utilize to help me through this?
4. Is there a different approach I could take to understand or tackle this issue?
5. What small step can I take right now to make progress, even if I can’t fully overcome the obstacle yet?

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Three images of the week

Two Thoughts of the Week

“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” Michael Jordan

“When there’s a setback, someone with a fixed mindset will start thinking, ‘Maybe I don’t have what it takes?’ They may get defensive and give up. A hallmark of a successful person is that they persist in the face of obstacle, and often, these obstacles are blessings in disguise.” Carol S. Dweck

One Video of the Week

Jessie Adams believes that obstacles are inevitable and are not meant to be avoided but overcome. She shares her personal stories of overcoming obstacles and her perspective on why we’re meant to challenge ourselves in life. Jessie Adams is a Quad City local native. She is a nationally recognized fitness coach, a former firefighter, and the founder of BelieveinU Fitness. She has evolved her passion for leading others to achieve their personal goals, bucket list adventures, and epic fitness challenges, through Peak Performance Coaching. Jessie has taken on her own challenges and competed on television shows such as NBC’s American Gladiators, American Ninja Warrior, and CMT’s Broken Skull Challenge. She believes nothing is impossible, and it’s never too late to go after your greatest life adventures.

Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week

Encourage Students to keep their eyes on the words while reading:

One of the most common behaviors of struggling readers is neglecting to keep their eyes on the words. They will look to us for approval or help, look at the ceiling, look at the picture for a clue, or at almost anything else to avoid the words themselves. We want those students to develop the habit of keeping their eyes on the words the entire time they are reading. After all, how can they map those phonemes to graphemes if they don’t look at the word? Always use positive reinforcement with students who struggle to keep their eyes on the words. Often award or start a point system to see the progress and this will motivate students to read! If any students look up for help, draw their attention back down, using a pencil. Then encourage them to sound out the word. We want to help students become less dependent on us and more confident.

Happy Reading!

Meenu Gera

Consulting home and school librarian and reading guide.

Student career counseling: Opportunities and approaches

University Readiness: College Essays, Batch of 2028

Student X, known for her hard work and determination, sought our assistance after facing rejections from UK universities. With a renewed focus, we aimed to apply to universities in Canada and India, providing her with the necessary guidance to tackle college application questions effectively.

Before starting the application process, we investigated the reasons behind Student X’s rejections. It became clear that her Statement of Purpose (SOP) lacked structure and essential elements that highlighted her strengths and achievements.

Our guidance was pivotal in helping Student X restructure her essays and application answers, ensuring they comprehensively covered all vital aspects of her profile. As a result of our collaboration, she received offers from the University of Toronto (UoT) with a $100,000 scholarship and Ashoka University in India. Ultimately, she chose to pursue a major in Economics at Ashoka University, where she continues to excel academically.

Case study provided by: Fermata Career Solutions,  www.fermataco.com

Dear reader,
I have been a research scientist, a journalist, and an educator for over 3 decades. I read and, I write. With this weekly newsletter, I share what I read, learn, and, experience. At the same time, I engage with students, parents, and teams of teachers across K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and ed-tech organizations.

3-2-1 Tuesdays with Ms. Niv is a newsletter you can subscribe to and enjoy your learning journey with me.

And Finally…