3-2-1 TUESDAYS WITH MS NIV

Issue #216, 27th August 2024

Get bored to focus better. Experience mindlessness to be more mindful. Calm to be more productive.

How can we focus when we want to focus? Helping ourselves, our students, and our children to be more connected to ‘being’ than to be constantly distracted by what we have to see, hear, and feel.

How can we plan to daydream to be better at making our dreams come true?

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Three images of the week

Two Thoughts of the Week

“Your true traveler finds boredom rather agreeable than painful. It is the symbol of his liberty – his excessive freedom. He accepts his boredom, when it comes, not merely philosophically, but almost with pleasure.” Aldous Huxley

“Boredom is… a vital problem for the moralist, since half the sins of mankind are caused by the fear of it.” Bertrand Russel

One Video of the Week

The modern world constantly fragments our attention. In this funny, insightful talk, Dr. Hamdani, a psychiatrist and ADHD expert, shows us how to hack the brain’s Default Mode Network and reclaim our focus. Dr. Sasha Hamdani is a board-certified psychiatrist and ADHD clinical expert. She is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and mental health advocate. Sasha has worked closely with the White House and surgeon general’s team to speak out about mental health awareness, and she was recognized by Harvard as a public health leader in 2023. She also has a robust social media following on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube (@thepsychdoctormd), where she provides evidence-backed information and dispels stigma around all facets of wellness.

Reading with Ms. Meenu: Tip of the week

Reading with Ms. Meenu

Literacy Trails: Trails take us somewhere new

Trails motive us to see what’s just up ahead, or around the corner. Even in literature, from the trail of crumbs that Hansel and Gretel create, to the classic yellow brick road and Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends, trails hint at adventure and reward us with new sensory experiences, surprises and a chance to explore our surroundings as we go. A project called #chalkyourwalk, initiated during the pandemic, led to communities chalking temporary but powerful messages and art along trails in urban and suburban areas.

The New York City Public Library has inspirational quotations about reading, writing and literature embedded in the sidewalk along East Forty-First street, aka Library Way. A trail may invite you to go in a new direction, although even traveling a familiar path or a loop means that you may come back to the start a little bit changed. Using your senses to observe your surroundings, completing challenges and experiencing the enjoyment of being outside can enable us to come back a little different, to view the world differently. And literacy can play a role in this transformation. Let’s keep this conversation to be continued for next week on which path to take with Literacy Trails.

Keep Reading!

Meenu Gera

Consulting home and school librarian and reading guide.

Leveraging a Career Assessment Tool for Career Clarity

Rayyan’s father approached us with a dilemma: he strongly believed that Rayyan should pursue a degree in computer science engineering at the undergraduate level. At the same time, Rayyan himself was more inclined towards electronics engineering. Rayyan’s interest lay in electronics, whereas his father was more concerned with the employability prospects associated with computer science.

To address this, Fermata’s career expert engaged in a detailed discussion with both Rayyan and his father, outlining the potential benefits and career paths associated with electronics engineering. The expert also recommended that Rayyan take a comprehensive career assessment that included an advanced report comparing his competencies in both computer science and electronics engineering.

The assessment revealed that Rayyan possessed nearly equal competencies in both fields, suggesting that he was well-suited for either path. With this data in hand, the career expert emphasized that the final decision should be guided by Rayyan’s interests, as he would be dedicating four years to studying the chosen subject. This approach ensured that Rayyan’s passion and enthusiasm for his studies would be sustained throughout his academic journey, ultimately leading to greater long-term success.

Case study provided by:Team Fermata, 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…