Although Jiminy Cricket may not be visible on your shoulder, there is likely an inner voice that can be heard when you quiet yourself enough to listen.
This voice is the important and knowledgeable built-in device we all have that helps us recognize danger or aids in making quick decisions.
You may not want to respond "it was my gut" when people ask how you knew about something (as that may not sound as concrete or precise as something like data or other warning signs), but when we pay attention to our intuition there is a higher likelihood that we will find ourselves in better situations.
Reading the Zen Teacher, I have been reminded of my finely tuned intuitive voice.
Since I was a child, I've always been able to read people extremely well and see things about them that weren't always so clear to others. Back then, I took it for granted that it was special and often denied it or didn't share my insight in fear of being looked down upon.
In my adult life, being intuitive has made it easier for me to develop close relationships with the "right" people for my life, and the students who sit before me. Perhaps it is my sensitivity to change or an ability to read a person that has helped me catch potentially scary situations before they become tragic.
Being the teacher that students seek out for help has been an honor and privilege. My door is open to those who need assistance and when it is outside of my skill set, I've developed excellent relationships with other professionals in my building who can help young people in the ways they need.
Tricarico reminds the reader that our gut is to be trusted and that we must open ourselves up to hearing and seeing the messages that are before us. The quote that leads the chapter offers the reader important insight into the power of our personal intuition "It is by logic that we prove, but by intuition that we discover, " by Henri Poincare.
It is important that we allow our intuition to help us discover that which can't be proven by logic and in turn teach students to do the same. As we develop our self-confidence and self-concept, we can empower ourselves by learning to trust the voice that drives us until we build a track record that shows this inner guide always has our backs.
Today, try to find the one student who needs encouragement and ask them how his/her day is going? Is everything okay? And then really listen to what he or she says after. Make eye contact and ask them to elaborate when you talk to them. That conversation may save them and you'll feel better about trusting your own gut.
What does your intuition tell you and how do you allow it to guide your life or why do you deny it in your life? Please share
*This post originally ran on my Education Week Teacher blog in December 2015
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