CUE Moments make Momentum

Did you know that you have a superpower that you are probably not even using? It's called "Curiosity" and is fueled by asking questions. Being vulnerable and asking questions draws in the collective knowledge of others and can be incredibly powerful. We are all naturally wired to support each other and the single act of vulnerability of asking questions can unleash extraordinary results.

During the recent Spring CUE conference, I was walking with a middle school math teacher who was struggling with some questions:

What data could students collect that is relevant to them individually? How could we use this data in his data science unit? 

I really didn’t have an answer for him, but I loved the questions. The teacher agreed to share these questions during our team lunch. (sidenote: did you know CUE supports District teams by giving them a meeting space during CUE? They do - and it’s awesome!) We also invited some CUE legends to eat with us; Jon Corripo, Glen Warren, Kim Voge, Chris Walsh, and Mike Lawrence. 

The magic happened when we asked the questions to our team. The energy shifted to real teaching and learning ideas because we weren’t talking about a theory, we were in the thick of it, helping to build remarkable learning experiences for our students. As we took advantage of a learning moment for the teacher, we all learned in the process and the teacher came away with a page of ideas and a huge smile. Moreover, the team felt successful in helping a colleague.

There are two types of moments we can harness that build momentum and they are both challenging in our click-and-get world. Authentic momentum will happen if we can stop emailing, texting, and using social media long enough to do two things:

First, have a clear and uncluttered mind that is aware that a moment is in your midst. You must stop all the busyness in your mind so you are ready. Like a puma, pounce and seize that opportunity to ask a question, be grateful or encourage. This is a mindset we should practice and turn into a habit.

Second, be ultra-intentional about building memorable learning moments. Plan them out with precision and let people know what you are doing and why. Then have the guts to execute your plan. 

After experiencing either of these types of moments, be sure to reflect and celebrate success as there is always success in any plan. And if the entire thing flops, at least you know what not to do next time

All of this reminds me that some of the best “sessions” at CUE are not in a formal session. We should take advantage of those impromptu conversations we have with our colleagues that allow us to ask questions and listen. And through this, we get to use our superpowers! In fact, this entire thought process of using moments to create momentum was initiated by an impromptu conversation I had with Glen Warren at Spring CUE. 

Now it’s your turn. I invite you to slow down and be ready for one of these moments today. Watch for an opportunity to encourage, show gratitude, or ask a question with someone face to face. I invite you to start planning a memorable learning experience for your staff or your students. We have no time to waste. Use your superpowers!