Laurie Bodine, MBA and Ron Duska, EdD have created an invaluable resource for students of all ages that provides the steps they need to design and navigate their own path with purpose. These tools, once available only to schools enrolled in START's Student Leadership Training Program, are now available to individual students and classes as well as schools and districts.
The processes and tools included in the WIN Map Journal equip students with the mindset and skill set they need to address the prevalent challenges they face in today's high pressure, high stakes world.
The Challenge: Everyone is born with a natural curiosity about the world, the courage to explore, and the desire to connect and contribute to people, pastimes, and projects we care about. But in our fast paced, success driven culture, this natural curiosity, courage, and desire to connect and contribute gets pushed aside and then lost, often by the third grade. As a result, well-being and preparedness fall.
The Opportunity: When we have the time, space, and guidance to explore, tune into, and then take note of who we are (our Wiring), what we care about (our Interests), and where we can apply our Wiring in an area of Interest to address a Need in the world (W.I.N.), we position ourselves to take the lead in our own lives and work and to navigate our path with purpose and joy.
Developing a connection to a sense of purpose—our why—is the secret to living a satisfying, meaningful, and productive life.
The advice to “find your purpose” is well meaning but lacks the details to figure it out.
The Solution: The WIN Mapping Process described in this journal provides the guidance needed to connect to a sense of purpose. In each chapter, students will find a set of reflections, exercises, and activities designed to help them answer the question of
• who you are at your best
• what you care about most
• how to take the lead in making a difference
• in ways that are meaningful to you and
• that have value in the world
Ideal for teachers, advisors, counselors, coaches, and parents to support their students in how best to connect to who they are, to connect to one another, and to connect to a sense of meaning in the projects and work they elect to do. Building responsibility, resilience, and resourcefulness, students learn how to make decisions and navigate their path with purpose.
The START WIN Map Journal can be used alone to connect students to a sense of purpose or with the START Student Workbook to identify and discover the steps needed to take the lead.
About the Authors
Laurie Bodine, MBA is the Founder of START Leadership, an education and training company in San Francisco. Laurie applies her 25 years of experience working with and for Fortune 500 companies in marketing, technology development, strategy, and leadership to support parents and teachers in developing the leadership skills kids/students need to thrive and propser.
Ron Duska, EdD has 25 years of experience as a teacher and principal, working at the college, high school, middle school, and elementary school level in the Philadelphia area, including Villanova University and The Haverford School. Ron’s first hand experience with START prompted him to join the START team to extend the reach of this important work.