Back to reality...

...and the issue of memorizing 600 names! I'm doing pretty well with this huge task, as long as I run the roster at least two times at the beginning of the lesson (once calling out their names, and another time after I get them started on an activity). I've noticed the kids are really noticing the effort I make in the middle of the lesson at working on learning their names, and it seems to make them happy if they notice in particular that it is THEIR name I'm working on!

Also, I have one gifted and talented class that is getting wackier and wackier with their nicknames they want me to use (let's see, I have Pancake, Polka Dot, Chocolate Chip Cookie, to name a few...). I asked them this morning if they are this wacky with their classroom teacher, and they all responded together with a resounding, "NO!" I said, "well, then, why ME???" One very quiet boy looked me straight in the eye and said, "because YOU'RE COOL!"

That made my day.

I told them that I was the Nerd in school, and not very cool at all. One girl (probably a future NLP coach) replied, "well, people can change, can't they?"

Out of the mouths of babes.

Be well, and at peace,

Phil

pcadams wrote:

Adam,

My understanding is that music utilizes BOTH hemispheres!
Phil

Music is one place where science and art meet.

John La Valle

pureconnections wrote:

Music is one place where science and art meet.

John La Valle

AMEN!!!

Thank you, John.

Every day I am proud of my mission in life.

Phil

pcadams wrote:

I asked them this morning if they are this wacky with their classroom teacher, and they all responded together with a resounding, "NO!" I said, "well, then, why ME???" One very quiet boy looked me straight in the eye and said, "because YOU'RE COOL!"

That made my day.

I told them that I was the Nerd in school, and not very cool at all. One girl (probably a future NLP coach) replied, "well, people can change, can't they?"

Out of the mouths of babes.

Be well, and at peace,

Phil

Well..... You are cool Phil

Cheers

Adam

Well, I feel very cool this morning! I just had one of those moments that teachers dream of...

I had written a pair of eighth notes on the board, and we had just done an excercise with the class where they use their "magic drawing boards" to write down information. One boy was not recalling the name of the notes. He had "written out" the rhythmic value and the name already. I simply looked at him, and said, "close your eyes right now, and find those notes on your magic board. Now, what do you call those notes?" His face screwed up, and then his eyes suddenly opened and he said "eighth notes." A collective gasp rose from the class, and one student said, "thats FREAKY!" With perfect congruence, I said, "no it's not, he just went to where that information was stored in his brain and accessed it. And you can too..."

Isn't life good? YES!

Be well and at peace,

Phil

HI Phil,

I hope you don't mind me using some of your ideas in class...

Yesterday I was teaching a class of 26 8-year-olds and just as I was about to begin presenting the new material I told them about this "magic tape-recorder" that we all have "here" (pointing to my head). I asked them to turn it on by clicking the "button". They all did and I went on to present what I had. And....what did I get??
SILENCE....Yeahhhhhhh!!!! They were all so concentrated, I couldn't believe my eyes (and my ears!) Towards the end of my presentation a little girl said: "Miss, you're such a wonderful teacher!"
I said "thanks" but I thought "Who, me??"

Keep writing all those lovely things, it's such a pleasure for me to read them...

Christine,

It's great when we can all share our ideas, so use away! After all, that is my primary intent in posting them.

I'm happy that you have achieved some positive results with the "tape recorder." And maybe, now, you can spin it a different way than I do, and share back what you've learned...

Be well, and at peace,

Phil

It's great to have tape recorder (or maybe that should be an MP3) in your head and you can have all sorts of other cool stuff too! DVD players that record sequences for learning things, Special rooms with the answers on the walls for numeracy, magic wands that just get you inspiration when you need it! The possibilities are endless and the more we share ideas the better the classrooms get

The key is to make everything big bright bold fast, fun and easy!
Whatever subject you are teaching install strategies that they can use with other things. So help your students to make BIG pictures, LOUD sounds and have WONDERFUL feelings.
I apologise for not coming in on this fantastic thread earlier - I have been writing stuff about how to do learning
Design Human Engineering has so much to teach us about learning. As teachers maybe we should Design Human Learning!
Kate

Kate,

Thank you for jumping in!

More to come...on Monday!

Be well, and at peace,

Phil

When are you planning your next course with Richard Bandler in Edinborough, Kate?

Hi
November 8th This is the link to the NHR thread - I think!!!Adventures in Neuro Hypnotic Repatterning

I've just started a group for NLP in Education on facebook. Anyone interested?

Phil

I just had the most fabulous experience with a class of seven year-olds (first grade).

I went to their room for their music lesson, and noticed that one boy was rolling around on the carpet. "What's this?" I immediately asked his teacher (a veteran teacher, I might add). "He's been doing that all morning," she said. Immediately I developed a plan to turn that around. First order of business--put him in the front row on the carpet (no problem--complete compliance--how'd I do it? Pacing and leading..). Once I got him there, with a twinkle in my eye, I said, "now [name], look at me...you can wonder about what might happen if you super-glued your hands together and put a bubble in your mouth now! Now, keep it there and see what happens (of course, I said this with magic written all over my face)." For the whole lesson, he was the best behaved child in the room. I'm not kidding!

At the end of the lesson, his classroom teacher arrived, and immediately I said to her, "Mrs. [name], I want you to look at [name]!" Her reply was, "what did you do to him, give him a magic potion?" With complete congruence, I looked at her and said, "yes I did," then looked at the student and said, "didn't I?" Of course he nodded yes. When I asked him what happened when he folded his hands and put a bubble in his mouth, he simply replied, "I did it."

Nothing more needs to be said.

Sometimes we make problems much bigger than they need to be!

Phil

Taken from Six behaviour management mistakes | Career | TES

There are classic errors that teachers make when it comes to instilling order in the classroom but happily they can be remedied.
It is seen as fundamental to effective teaching and without it, teachers flee the workforce. After all, calm classrooms are pre-requisite to children’s learning. However it eludes many a teacher, and nearly a quarter of all resigning teachers cite poor pupil behaviour as the main reason for leaving, according to a DfES 2003 study.
Yet there are key principles of managing behaviour that, if mastered, can really help teachers perform in the classroom. According to Andy Vass, co-author of several behaviour management books and former consultant to the DfES, teacher attitude is crucial. “This is because the way teachers manage behaviour is based on the attitudes and beliefs they hold.”
“If teachers get it right, children pick up on this, often unconsciously, and this tells them that this teacher is authentic and interested in their success,” he adds. From this, a sense of trust and rapport begins to become established, and the teacher’s influence is significant, says Vass. He outlines the most common mistakes:
Attempting to control a class
You cannot control anybody else’s behaviour but your own. Highly effective teachers seek to influence and manage children’s behaviour. If teachers are determined to control a class they often find that classroom interactions become more hostile and they, in turn, become increasingly demanding with a heavy reliance on punishment.
The other end of the attitude spectrum is the teacher who needs to be a ‘best friend’ to children, which can lead to blurred boundaries and some children will feel socially excluded.
Taking poor behaviour personally
All behaviour is purposeful in the sense that it attempts to either gain something, usually peer kudos or attention, or not lose something, usually saving face in front of their friends. You can avoid this by:

• Modelling the behaviour you want rather than react to the behaviour you’re getting.
• Looking to find solutions to behavioural issues in a professional and measured way as part of the challenge of the job.
• Managing your emotions and being optimistic that a way forward will be found in time.
• Keeping things in perspective; remember the things you do well and avoid focussing on things that have gone badly.

Criticising the person rather than the behaviour
Really effective relationships are built on distinguishing what someone does - their behaviour -from the actual person. For example, if a teacher says: ‘Don’t be so spiteful!’ the child will feel personally attacked. Criticising the specific behaviour is a more effective strategy as it gives pupils an opportunity to learn and modify their behaviour. The same teacher could say instead, ‘Calling Rebecca names is hurtful behaviour.’
Not giving children a second chance
If a child behaves poorly give them a chance to start afresh. If you don’t allow children to make amends it can limit their relationship with youand damage their self-esteem. It’s also unlikely that there will be any positive change.
“I learned this the hard way,” says Rana Siddique, secondary school teacher. “I had a ‘I’ll say it once” type approach, followed by an appropriate punishment, such as missed playtime. But I know it was too harsh, as there were some children who really would have modified their behaviour had I given them a second chance,” she says.
Making threats
If you make threats of any kind or personal, derogatory remarks, this can only lead to a hostile relationship, damaged self-esteem, and worsening behaviour. Threats tend to have an intimidating and bullying tone and are often said in an emotional way. For example, if a teacher says: ‘Nathan if you talk ONE more time that’s your playtime gone!’ it sets up both a threat and a challenge whereas ‘Nathan if you continue to interrupt you’ll be choosing to lose three minutes of playtime’, makes the request and consequent action fair and clear.
Inconsistent approach
Often this presents as giving warnings or sanctions but not carrying them through or applying sanctions and then letting children off. Children of all ages need to know where they stand and that the adult is consistent and cares enough to say no, mean no, and follow through when necessary. “I tried to improve the behaviour of my class by constantly giving warnings,” says Maria Taylor, primary school teacher. “But I failed to follow them through. Needless to say, they ran amok,” she says.

Matt,

Thank you for posting this great information!

I would like to add simply to this information by saying that the expectation of the teacher goes a LONG way in setting the tone for the educational environment.

Enough said!

Phil

HI Matt
Thanks for posting this - sanity from TES at last!
I am going to quote this on my next managing reluctant learners course. What was that about the quotes pattern! Maybe it will go in with the reluctant teachers if they read it in the TES - it must be true
I thought you all might like this snippet
16 year old says at the beginning of the class I got ADHD miss
I said 'where is it'?
He said 'what do you mean ( holds his hands out in front of him)
I say There it is and point - grab it and say give it to me - You can have it back at the end of the class!
He smiled and said - you're mad miss ( a compliment I decided)
He behaved perfectly
Next session
He came in and said - I left it outside miss
Be MAD Make A Difference

Kate,

I like your style!

Thank you for sharing.

Phil

Kate,

I have often used "ADHD doesn't work in Art/PE/ICT" or even stating "you don't have that in my class" which offers them a choice. I believe there is a large element for kids/students to have and hold on to role or an identity. These can quite easily be challenged and overcome by casually offering them an alternate and more fun option.

Student "I can't spell"
Teacher "That's fine because we are drawing words today and not writing them"

Kate, is this the right time to ask you about what lies ahead for the future of NLP and its role in progressing classroom practices? I understand you have a new and official title, what's in the pipeline?

Thanks,

Matt

Hi Matt
A great question, can I take a rain check please? Whats in the pipeline for me right now is a trip to London, 5 days working away and 3 courses to prep for next week with no time at home in between and didn't know this until 7pm tonight1 This moment of sanity is well worth it but back to the packing and prep and I will get back to THE BIG PICTURE next week.
thanks for asking
Kate

Matt
Forgot to say love the reframing!