Confessions of a PYP Teacher

C79 (Challenge): Let's Empathize with the Four Agreements

Lu Gerlach Season 2 Episode 79

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Welcome to the design thinking challenge!

I am excited to explore the design thinking challenge through different lenses that you may have not considered before.  This is how my brain works.  I make connections between unrelated texts and somehow it works.  Let’s do this!

The Four Agreements
Recently, I stumbled on a video on LinkedIn about Cognitive Behavioral Theory by Joe Amabile, a seasoned IB educator. This video highlighted the idea that everyone responds to things that happen in the world based on their beliefs and identity. This demonstrated the connection between our reactions during a typical school day to our deep rooted beliefs and identity that has been developed over a lifetime.

After watching Joe’s video, my friend Mondrea Mitchell recommended The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz,. In reading this book, I found practical ways to implement cognitive behavioral theory into my life. These agreements are simple to understand, but they require intentional thought and reflection. You will soon find yourself stopping your thought process and stating to yourself, "Stop taking that personally" and "Don't make assumptions about this situation." I am doing it throughout the day, which means I'm on the way to creating a new set of beliefs about my identity.

This challenge will examine the Four Agreements and how they help us to build empathy, which is the first phase of the design thinking process.

For a written blog post and other resources, visit:   https://thinkchat2020.weebly.com

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