{"id":152,"date":"2023-11-20T19:16:50","date_gmt":"2023-11-20T19:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/?p=152"},"modified":"2024-10-28T20:01:22","modified_gmt":"2024-10-28T20:01:22","slug":"evidence-based-optimism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/2023\/11\/20\/evidence-based-optimism\/","title":{"rendered":"Evidence-Based Optimism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>November is usually all about gratitude, but to be honest I&#8217;m not sure educators are collectively finding a lot to be grateful for right now. We&#8217;ve been dealing with what&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/matteicheldinger\/\">@matteicheldinger<\/a>&nbsp;called &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/Cytl5tHMSNk\/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Change<\/a>&#8221;&nbsp;and we&#8217;re finding that what used to take us six weeks at the start of the year is now taking up exponentially more time. Even if you know that&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/negative-bias-4589618\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">o<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.verywellmind.com\/negative-bias-4589618\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ur brains are hardwired to assume the negative,<\/a>&nbsp;it doesn&#8217;t feel like a moment to be optimistic, does it?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.antioch.edu\/faculty\/mary-pat-champeau\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mary Pat Champeau<\/a>,&nbsp;one of my colleagues in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.antioch.edu\/academics\/education\/humane-education-med\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Humane Education<\/a>&nbsp;program here at Antioch, introduced me to the idea of Evidence-Based Optimism recently and I&#8217;m low-key obsessed with it. She suggested I read&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Future-We-Choose-Surviving-Climate\/dp\/0525658351\">The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis<\/a>&nbsp;<\/strong>by&nbsp;Christiana Figueres &amp; Tom Rivett-Carnac and I&#8217;m finding Chapter 5 to be&nbsp;<strong>mindblowingly<\/strong>&nbsp;affirming! She also recommended<a href=\"https:\/\/marklooi.medium.com\/summary-and-commentary-on-roslings-factfulness-8aa52621d96f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&nbsp;this great piece about Rosling\u2019s &#8220;Ten Instincts&#8221;<\/a>&nbsp;that block our ability to think freely and critically about our world and she even recorded the short video explanation included below!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"What is Evidence-Based Optimism?\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2CVYBPqwu38?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>So this month, I&#8217;m sharing some resources to help you not only see what you have to be optimistic about but also some reasons why optimism is actually good for you.&nbsp;Sure, we have challenges, but the data say we&#8217;re also making strides in the right direction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.middleweb.com\/48992\/4-reasons-for-optimism-about-public-education\/\">in the 54th Annual PDK Poll of the public\u2019s attitudes toward public education, support for public schools reached a \u201cnew high\u201d dating back 48 years. 54% gave their local schools a grade of \u201cA\u201d or \u201cB\u201d<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thinkimpact.com\/high-school-statistics\/#:~:text=As%20of%202021%2C%20the%20national,Caucasian%20students%20graduated%20on%20time.\">As of 2021, the national graduation rate is currently 85.3%, an all-time high. 52% of states&#8217; graduation rates increased. 79% of Black students, 81% of Hispanic students, and 89.7% of Caucasian students graduated on time.&nbsp;<\/a><\/strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.middleweb.com\/48992\/4-reasons-for-optimism-about-public-education\/\">Technology has the potential to improve education in many ways, such as providing access to online resources and enabling personalized learning<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2023\/public-school-spending.html#:~:text=MAY%2018%2C%202023%20%E2%80%94%20Nationally%2C,from%20%2413%2C501%20in%20FY%202020.\">Nationally, public school spending per student experienced the largest fiscal year-to-year increase since 2008<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/casel.org\/research\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">interest in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is on the rise.&nbsp;Research by CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) demonstrates the positive impact of SEL programs on students&#8217; emotional well-being and academic performance&nbsp;<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sometimes, hope (and evidence-based optimism) can be the most radical act we can undertake, you know?<\/strong>&nbsp;I&#8217;d love to hear from you about the good things happening in your world- just reply to this message or&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/calendar.app.google\/K1Sroor1DfH5uZEWA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">m<\/a><\/strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/calendar.app.google\/K1Sroor1DfH5uZEWA\">ake an appointment<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;to talk in person (or by Zoom)!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What are the small (and not-so-small) wins in your school, classroom, or community?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Where do you see&nbsp;things getting just a bit better?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why should we believe that better days are ahead?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Yours in radical, unapologetic, unflinching (evidence-based!) optimism-<br><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"51\" src=\"https:\/\/mcusercontent.com\/54a75c032424f9199b4694465\/images\/ab528f78-a7e0-203c-7918-e34edb8cec45.png\" width=\"100\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ideas and tools you&#8217;ll want to CONNECT with this month:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/positivepsychology.com\/pollyanna-principle\/\">Pollyanna Principle: The Psychology of Positivity Bias<\/a>&nbsp;| Positive Psychology<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/la-oe-salk-scientific-case-for-opimism-20181106-story.html\">Op-Ed: There&#8217;s a rational, evidence-based argument for optimism for humankind. Really<\/a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>Jonathan Salk<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/files.eric.ed.gov\/fulltext\/EJ750603.pdf\">Taking Time to Tend to the Good<\/a>&nbsp;| Betty Bisplinghoff Educational Horizons<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/pulse\/reasons-optimism-even-complex-moment-education-jeff-wetzler\/\">Reasons for Optimism, Even at a Complex Moment in Education<\/a>&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>|&nbsp;<\/strong>Jeff Wexler<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.middleweb.com\/48992\/4-reasons-for-optimism-about-public-education\/\">4 Reasons for Optimism About Public Education<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><strong>|\u00a0<\/strong>Middleweb<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Video:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=eGInot4IGl0\">Positive Leadership: Strategies for Extraordinary Performance<\/a>&nbsp;| Kim Cameron<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.schoolreforminitiative.org\/tag\/success-analysis\/\">Success Analysis Protocols<\/a>&nbsp;| CLEE\/School Reform Initiative<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.schoolreforminitiative.org\/download\/appreciative-inquiry-a-protocol-to-support-professional-visitation\/\">Appreciative Inquiry<\/a>&nbsp;| CLEE\/School Reform Initiative<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/emindful.com\/2022\/09\/19\/how-to-overcome-negativity-bias-in-the-workplace\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Overcome Negativity Bias in the&nbsp; Workplace<\/a>&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>| Emindful.com<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/greatergood.berkeley.edu\/article\/item\/how_to_overcome_your_brains_fixation_on_bad_things\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Overcome Your Brain\u2019s Fixation on Bad Things<\/a>\u00a0| Greater Good<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes, hope (and evidence-based optimism) can be the most radical act we can undertake, you know?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[22],"class_list":{"0":"post-152","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-blog","7":"tag-little-letters-from-laura","8":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"lthomas","author_link":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/author\/lthomas\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/center.antioch.edu\/csc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}