INDIANAPOLIS — The new year is a time to reflect and refresh our outlook.
That is why we are asking community members for advice. One of them is Brandon Denning, an Indianapolis Public Schools Teacher of the Year.
For him, a successful day starts before sunrise.
"I get here over two hours early every day," Denning said.
The middle school teacher spends his time prepping lesson plans he thinks will make pre-teens and teens care about math.
"Bringing about real-world opportunities and real-world connections to the math is something that instantly creates more investment than, hey, here's some numbers and letters, go solve this equation," Denning said.
One example is letting them plan their own Indy Eleven Park project.
"They were able to take some of our scale factor units that we're talking about right now," Denning explained, "create their own map of what they would make Eleven Park like if they could design it."
And since kids can be tough critics, we thought Denning would be a good person to answer our three advice questions:
What's the best way to win someone over?
"I think just really investing in who they are as a person and getting to know them. I think being a really good listener is a great starting point as well. Because once someone knows that you value what they think and what they feel, then they're going to be much more receptive to hearing what you think and what you feel."
How do you motivate yourself when things get tough?
"I think a huge thing that can contribute to teacher burnout is when you're surrounded by people that are getting burnt out themselves. Making sure that you have a really good group. I have an awesome group of colleagues here. So, when I'm feeling down, I can kind of talk with them, and they can help lift me back up to a right mental space."
What's advice you've received and live by?
"My dad shared this with me when I was young, and I grew up playing sports. Very short phrase and nothing necessarily unique. But he would always just tell me to 'Let it rip,' which means just like give your best effort at whatever you do."
It's a message that's helping us go into the new year as better listeners, surrounded by support, who encourage us to "let it rip."