Encouraging teachers and parents to focus on honor as an entryway to academics, Nika outlines the tenants of good character. “Strong character and a sense of self uplift the human spirit. We must emphasize integrity. Integrity will take kids where they need to go. By upholding lives of virtue ourselves, by maintaining personal and professional standards, we illustrate the manner in which success is achieved. Not through the back door, but through the front.”
Through a workshop format that is ideal for professional development, Nika opens the door of her classroom via photographs and videos of her students at work and play. Participants engage in small groups and walk away with new ideas to add excitement and interest to their lessons. “Students come to us with all kinds of wounds, some potentially fatal to their success. Our classrooms are intensive care units, and we are the academic physicians. We must never remove educational life support. We must never give up or stop caring. Without the component of caring, a classroom is just a room. Without the component of caring, a teacher is just a bystander. For a few students, one dedicated teacher can mean the difference between a lifetime of paralysis or truly moving forward.”
Nothing invigorates productivity like a trustworthy and enjoyable environment. Through the humorous stories of some “freaky neighbors” she has had over the years, Nika illustrates the reality that everyone has a a different story, and it is that variety that makes our working community beautiful. “Some friction is good! Learn to disagree well. Courteous conflict makes you better practitioners, but only if you question yourself as much as you question your colleagues.”
The classroom and the marketplace are not as different as one might think. Both teachers and business people are “selling” something of value to, at times, skeptical consumers. With humor and emotion, Nika offers insight into ways that we can shift our perspective to selflessly serve others and reach our own goals at the same time. “When it comes to goal-setting, success simply aims for a target, while excellence waits for the ricochet of positivity. Step back and and take a look at the terrain. It may never be this treacherous again, but these are the adventures you will tell the new guys someday.”
In her most popular keynote, Nika shares some of her embarrassing moments as Texas Teacher of the Year and reminds us of the importance of laughter through the touching account of her lifelong struggle with chronic illness. “Joy is a treasure, and like any treasure, it must be hunted and excavated. There is work involved. Joyful people make it look easy, don’t they? We are so captivated by their smile and energy that we overlook the dirt underneath their fingernails. They have been digging—sometimes in the dark mine of a situation they didn’t want—in order to strike the thin, gold vein of contentment.”
Nika Maples is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as STUDENT UNDER CONSTRUCTION: BUILDING ACADEMICS UPON A FOUNDATION OF CHARACTER, MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU: ENGAGING THE MYSTERY OF STUDENT MOTIVATION, A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE WORK BETTER, THE RICOCHET: WAITING FOR A GOOD RETURN and LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE: LEARNING TO USE LIFE’S MOST POWERFUL TOOL. The estimated speaking fee range to book Nika Maples for your event is available upon request. Nika Maples generally travels from Dallas, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jon Bergmann, Holly Lane, Katie Kinder, Weston Kieschnick and Wiley Blevins. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Nika Maples for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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