The Response-Able Educator Newsletter

December 10, 2004

Welcome! This is a free newsletter about becoming a Response-Able educator who develops Response-Able students.
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MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to inspire, encourage, and uplift the spirits of educators so they can in turn inspire, encourage, and uplift the spirits of their students.

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1.   Quote
2.   Humor  
3.   Spirit Whisperer Contemplation
4.   Teacher Talk Tip
5.   Sign Language
6.   Walls Talk
7.   New Year's Contest
8.  The Teaching for Respect and Responsibility Seminar         
9.  Celebrating Holidays
10. Did You Know?

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1. Quote
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"In a time when teachers feel unbearable pressure to standardize what we do, it is important to begin with the conviction that we are no longer teaching if what we teach is more important than who we teach or how we teach."

---Carol Tomlinson

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2. Humor
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Teacher: You missed school yesterday, didn't you?

Student: Not at all!

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3. Spirit Whisperer Contemplation
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What if you forgot for today what teaching is supposed to look like? Could you invent it anew in this moment? Wouldn't it reflect who and what you are choosing to be at this time?

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4. Teacher Talk Tip
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"OK, who did it?"
"Who is responsible for this?"
"Who started it? "
"How did you contribute to it?"
"What happened next?"

Do you use Teacher Talk that sounds like this? Do you invest time playing the policeperson role, trying to find out who is right and who is wrong? Do you find yourself figuring out what happened so you can step in and settle it? Perhaps there is a more effective way.

Why not involve the students in finding a solution to the situation? Refuse to be the judge and inform students of that decision. Take on the role of mediator instead. Choose to see your job as that of conciliator rather than as the person who comes up with the final solution.

Put the responsibility for a solution back on the shoulders of the perpetrators. Tell them, "I don't have a fair solution to this situation, but I trust that you can come up with one jointly." Challenge them to find a solution that they can both live with.

When the same students argue frequently, when you are not sure what happened, when both students have made a mistake, when their behavior does not fit your existing discipline plan, step out of the authority role. Use Teacher Talk that transfers responsibility from you to them. Tell them, "When you agree on a solution that meets the needs of both of you, come back and see me. I know you can handle it."

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The Teacher Talk Seminar is one of our most requested seminars. Skill-based and practical, this verbal skills training offers strategies to teachers that they can put to use immediately. Chick Moorman and Thomas Haller are currently booking spring and summer programs.

To reserve your date, contact Chick at ipp57@aol.com and Thomas at Thomas@thomashaller.com.

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5. Sign Language
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Sign spotted in a counselor's office in Midland, MI:

YOU HAVE FREEDOM OF CHOICE.
YOU DO NOT HAVE FREEDOM OF CONSEQUENCE.

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6. Walls Talk
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Your walls talk. Did you know that?

Take a stroll around your classroom, looking closely at the walls. What do you find there? What messages do your walls communicate about who you are and how you see your professional practice?

Vision: Is your personal mission statement on display? Is there visible evidence of your educational philosophy? Is there a professional or personal goal posted somewhere in the room for you to glance at from time to time?

Models: Do your walls reveal your heroes? Do you display photos or quotes of people you admire?

Affirmation: Do you display photos or articles that reveal past successes? Is there an award, trophy, or letter of gratitude visible?

Procedures: Do you post classroom rules that must be strictly followed or classroom norms that leave room for interpretation and discussion? Are they positively phrased in a way that encourages students to create mental models of what is expected, or are they full of "don'ts" that create pictures in students' heads of what is not expected?

Attention: Do your walls draw attention to quality work? Do they showcase the efforts of many students or only a few?

Manipulation: Do you display public records that show how many papers have been completed by each student so that everyone in the class can tell who is on the bottom of the list? Do students' names appear on the board in an effort to control behavior through embarrassment and ridicule?

Who else enters your classroom? Have you used your walls effectively to communicate to them what you believe in? Would they be pleased with what they see? Are you? Remember, your walls talk. Are they really saying what you want them to say?

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7. New Year's Contest
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Do you have a professional New Year's Resolution? Is there something unique, special, or important you want to accomplish with your students in the New Year? Is there a way of presenting yourself, an attitude you want to hold, a Spirit Whisperer concept you want to implement?

If so, send it to us. You may win one of several prizes in our New Year's Resolution contest. The first place winner will be awarded a $100 gift certificate to be used on any Personal Power Press products. The second place winner will receive a $50 gift certificate. Places three through five will be awarded $25 gift certificates.

Winners' resolutions will be printed in the first Response-Able Educator Newsletter published in 2005.

Rules: 

1. All entries must reach us by January 1, 2005. Send entries to ipp57@aol.com.
2. Decisions of the judges, Chick Moorman and Thomas Haller, will be final.
3. Factors taken into consideration will be originality, attention to the human spirit, teaching from the heart, and Teacher Talk that uplifts, inspires, and encourages.
4. Family members or employees of Personal Power Press are ineligible.
5. No hard feelings are permitted by those not selected.

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8. The Teaching for Respect and Responsibility Seminar
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Announcing public seminars in "Teaching For Respect and Responsibility":

PHOENIX, AZ…………..…..February, 22, 2005

LANSING, MI……………..…March 2, 2005

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK….….March 7, 2005

Email today to receive your detailed brochure of this powerful and practical seminar presented by Chick Moorman. Include your mailing address. Send email to ipp57@aol.com.

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Thomas Haller and Chick Moorman are available to keynote your conference or present one of their highly acclaimed full-day seminars for your building or district staff.

Their most popular seminars are:

Celebrate the Spirit Whisperers
Transforming Aggression in Children
Teaching for Respect and Responsibility
Brain Functioning Behavior in Children
Achievement Motivation and Behavior Management

Contact them at ipp57@aol.com or call (toll-free) 877-360-1477 to discuss possible dates and topics.

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9. Celebrating Holidays
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During this holiday season let's all commit to holding a wider view of what the holidays are about. Our schools contain an increasing variety of cultures. Diversity of beliefs and celebrations abound.

To avoid offending people from different cultures, some schools have stopped celebrating the holidays entirely. Wouldn't including holiday traditions from around the world foster more goodwill and increase educational opportunities? Doesn't tolerance grow as we broaden our understanding of other traditions and cultures? Isn't that in line with the spirit of the holiday season?

Why not invite people from your community who celebrate the holidays differently to come to school and share their holiday traditions? Ask students to use the Internet to research different cultural traditions. Music and food from other cultures could broaden their understanding and appreciation of diversity.

Your holiday celebrations mixed with those from other traditions could well contribute to peace on earth and goodwill towards men and women.

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10. Did you know?
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A. Did you know we have a new book out? "The 10 Commitments: Parenting with Purpose" is now available from Personal Power Press, 877-360-1477, amazon .com, and book stores everywhere.

B. Did you know we are looking for people who are committed to helping parents raise responsible, caring, confident children? We are offering two Parent Talk System trainings to teach people to facilitate this exciting and helpful model. Grand Rapids, MI, February 3-5 and Santa Barbara, CA, April 4-6. Send for details at ipp57@aol.com.

C. Did you know this is the 37th issue of The Response-Able Educator Newsletter? All back issues are available at www.chickmoorman.com.

D. Did you know we have a new website to showcase our new book, "The 10 Commitments"? Check out www.10commitments.net.

E. Did you know we never sell, trade, or distribute your email address for any reason, ever?

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To find out more about books, tapes, and materials by Chick Moorman and Thomas Haller, contact them at (toll-free) 877-360-1477 or on the Web at www.chickmoorman.com or www.thomashaller.com.

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Copyright 2004 Chick Moorman Seminars and Thomas Haller Seminars, all rights reserved. Share this with your circle.