High Five Time: Noticing the Successes
This episode of the Mindful Turtle Podcast originally aired September 29, 2024. To receive podcast updates and other nature-based early childhood education news, subscribe to Samara Early Learning’s weekly newsletter written by Dr. Rachel A. Larimore.
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This week’s episode introduces a tradition within Mindful Turtle called "high five time," which occurs on the fifth Sunday of the month.
High Five Time is when we pause to reflect and celebrate on recent successes. The idea is to shift focus away from the often overwhelming to-do list, the items we haven’t checked off, and the resulting feelings of inadequacy. We instead want to recognize and celebrate what has gone well.
Rachel invites listeners to:
Grab a piece of paper or your favorite journal.
Set a timer for 3 minutes.
List everything that went well over the past month—no success is too small!
After making your list, take a moment to reflect. How do you feel? What insights did you gain? Recognizing the patterns in your accomplishments can boost your awareness of the positive impact you’re having in the lives of your students.
The concept of "high five time" is designed to counteract the tendency to stay bogged down by negative experiences and allows educators to celebrate successes. This could include smoother transitions for children, strengthened team dynamics, or personal victories like arriving on time to work.
Recognizing patterns in accomplishments can help build awareness of the positive impact educators are having in young children’s lives and strengthens their resolve to continue this important work.
