Limiting beliefs are unconscious beliefs that sabotage our steps toward success. Up until recently, I carried around with me the belief that “I am bad at math”. I know exactly when I formed this limiting belief and I can very clearly picture it. It was grade 4 and we just started learning our multiplication tables. We had made it to our 4 times tables and our teacher wanted to quiz us to see if we had practiced them the night before. At this point, I still didn’t understand the concept/purpose of studying outside of school or why anyone would want to spend their home time doing school work. She had us all stand up at our desks and recite the 4 times tables. Everyone did it very easily by memory and my turn came and I just mumbled some random numbers. Everyone laughed and the teacher was not happy with me. I remember feeling embarrassed, ashamed and not good or smart enough and I instantly linked those feelings to math from that point going forward. Needless to say this belief did not serve me very well and I held it with me for way too many years…up until recently! I have been working very hard to identify any more underlying patterns and stories that have been holding me back and I work hard to make sure that Les Petites Pommes is a place that creates confidence for our students and inspires them to always believe in themselves…especially when they are faced with something challenging.
When our teacher Sihem, who has a Phd in Organic Chemistry started working with us, I felt so happy because I knew she would be able to inspire our students (and also me!) to the possibilities of math and science. I feel very proud that we have such a strong, intelligent, and compassionate female role model for all of our students.
Last week I got to start re-writing my limiting beliefs as we had our first ever STEM camp program…en français! Our petites pommes did experiments everyday and learnt about, newton’s law, DNA, measuring PH levels, calculating circumferences, biology, molecules and how to build a circuit! Sihem even took us on a trip to the Biointerfaces Institute, her former lab at McMaster University where we had a very special tour of the facility, got to see scientists at work and a lot of very interesting science tools and equipment! I did my undergrad at McMaster and since I studied French and music, I never had the opportunity to visit anything science/technology/engineering or math related!
Check out this video of our trip to the Biointerfaces Insitute at McMaster University! We also have lots of other videos on our Youtube from this summer as well 🙂
Thank you Laura for sharing this amazing picture with us! Our Palmerston student Ryder took us up on our challenge last week to share a picture of yourself rocking your LPP tee while doing something outside of camp! Here is Ryder visiting QUÉBEC (woo woo!) at a very cool toy store called Benjo! I also found out that while on this family vacation with 7 other adults and 2 kids, Ryder was the only one who could speak French so he was the leader of the group in charge of ordering dinners and all the French communication! Ryder, we’re so proud of you! Bon travail! 🙂
@LPPcamp Insta-Post of the week: Last week I had the opportunity to share Les Petites Pommes’ orgin story to this year’s Summer Company Students! Summer Company is an amazing program that helps high school and post-secondary students start their own businesses and provides them with education and mentorship along the way. I shared with them how 10 years ago, I was sitting in the same position as them and how participating in the program changed the course of my life since before that, I really wasn’t sure what I was going to do. I told them all I was very proud of their courage to put themselves out there and that I understood all the hard work it had taken them! Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone but I could tell that many of those students had caught a glimpse of a new possibility for themselves. I wish you all continued success and I’m so glad I got to connect with you 🙂