This is Mr. Funky Teacher with BeAFunkyTeacher.com. I'm coming to you with another Be a Funky Teacher podcast. Welcome back, everyone. Today's episode is called Saturday Stories, Leadership Kit, Excitement in Everything – Aaliyah Tries Again. Before we jump into today's story, I want to ground myself in gratitude. First, I'm thankful for moments when students don't feel excited, but they show up anyway. Second, I'm thankful for small mindset shifts that change how a task feels. And the third thing that I'm thankful for is for students who remind us that excitement doesn't always come first. Sometimes it comes after we begin. Well, it's Saturday, which means it's time for another Saturday story from the Leadership Kit. Saturday Stories are short, student-friendly leadership stories you can use with students to build shared language around leadership through real classroom moments and conversation. You don't have to teach these perfectly. You just have to let the story start the conversation. Let's get into this week's focus. This episode is part of the Leadership Kit. The value that we are focusing on this week is enthusiasm. Now the skill students are practicing is excitement in everything. And the story you're about to hear is called Aaliyah Tries Again. The characters in this story are Aaliyah, Jaden, and Sophia. I'm going to read the story all the way through, no interruptions, and I'm just going to have you listen. All right, let's get started with the story. Aaliyah Tries Again. Aaliyah didn't feel excited. The paper on her desk was plain. The directions were short. The assignment felt boring. She stared at the page. Jaden leaned over. “This looks easy.” “That’s the problem,” Aaliyah said. “Easy doesn’t mean interesting.” Sophia smiled. “Maybe it's not exciting yet.” Aaliyah raised an eyebrow. “Yet?” Sophia shrugged. “Sometimes you have to start before it gets fun.” Aaliyah picked up her pencil, still unconvinced. She wrote one sentence, then another. She tried adding color, then a small detail. Jaden glanced over. “Oh, that’s actually cool.” Aaliyah paused. She looked at her work again. It wasn't amazing, but it wasn't boring anymore. She sat up straight. By the time the teacher called time, Aaliyah smiled. “Okay,” she said quietly. “That turned out better than I thought.” Sophia grinned. “See?” Aaliyah nodded. “Sometimes excitement doesn't show up at the beginning. Sometimes it shows up when you decide to try.” Well, that was the story, and the skill focus there was excitement in everything. See, enthusiasm isn't about pretending something is fun. It's about choosing to bring energy, effort, and curiosity, even when a task doesn't excite you at first. Sometimes excitement grows after you begin. This story, as with all of these stories, works really well when you use questions that are spread out over time. I like to start with a reflection question like, “Have you ever started something you didn't feel excited about and felt differently about later?” Then use noticing questions like, “What made Aaliyah feel unexcited at first?” or “What small choice helped her reengage?” You could also ask, “How did Jaden and Sophia influence Aaliyah’s mindset?” Later in the week, you can ask an application question like, “What kind of tasks feel boring at first?” or “What helps you get started anyway?” You can also ask, “How can excitement grow once you begin?” This week isn't about forcing excitement. Think about how you can use this story with students. It isn't about forcing excitement. It's about reframing effort. As the week goes on, notice moments and name the skill. Take those opportunities like, “Hey, that was an excitement in everything moment,” or “I noticed you tried even though you didn't feel excited,” or “That effort changed how it felt.” Students don't need to love every task. They need to know that they can engage in a task anyway. If you want the printable version of this story with teacher questions and a student handout you can use with students, you can find it at BeAFunkyTeacher.com. It's free for classroom use. So as you head into the week, here's the leadership focus. Excitement doesn't always come first. Effort does. This week, help students notice what happens after they begin, because learning to bring enthusiasm, even quietly, is a leadership skill that carries far beyond the classroom. Now head on over to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast and hit me up with a five star review and let me know what you think. It helps more teachers find this space. And I want you to remember to inspire greatness in young people. And don't forget to be a funky teacher. Bye now.