The Response-Able Educator Newsletter
November 8, 2004
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Welcome! This is a free newsletter on becoming a Response-Able
teacher and developing Response-Able students.
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MISSION STATEMENT
My 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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- Quote
- Bumper Sticker
- Spirit Whisperer Contemplation
- Talk Sense Tip
- Sign Language
- Lessons from the Geese
- Facts
- Article: Bringing it All Back Home
- Back Issues
- Managing Your Subscription
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1. Quote
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"We prepare the pupil for employment, for holding a
job. We do not teach him how to be a person, how to resist
conformity, how to grow inwardly. We teach him how to adjust
to the public; we do not teach him how to cultivate privacy.
How to save the inner man from oblivion--this is the major
challenge we face. We train the outward man; we must not neglect
the inner man. We impart information: we must also foster
a sense of appreciation. We teach skills, we must also stimulate
insight."
--Abraham Heschel
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2. Bumper Sticker
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Spotted on a blue Ford truck in Columbus, Ohio:
My Quarter Horse Is Smarter Than Your Honor Roll Student.
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3. Spirit Whisperer Contemplation
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Are you as comfortable sharing what you don't know with students
as you are with sharing what you do know? What is it that
you don't know that you would be willing to share with them
today?
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4. Talk Sense Tip
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HOW ARE YOU TALKING TO YOURSELF?
Do you talk to yourself? Of course you do. Eighty percent
of your talk is self-talk. The remaining twenty percent is
directed at others. Since everyone talks to themselves, an
important question to ask is "How am I talking to myself?"
Many people are surprised at how many negative messages they
give themselves during the course of a day. Do you begin your
day with "I'm going to have a great day today" or
"Oh, no, I have to face that third-hour class again today"?
When you leave lesson plans for the substitute teacher, do
you think to yourself, "I pity whoever gets called to
deal with this group"?
This week pay attention to your inner dialogue. Notice that
you talk to yourself much of the time. Tune in to what you
say to yourself as you proceed through your teaching day.
Are your thoughts positive or negative?
Self-talk is programming that affects your mind. It helps
create beliefs that influence your actions. When you tell
yourself, "They probably won't like this new activity,"
you are programming yourself for failure. If your inner dialogue
is "No one is going to like the assignment I'm giving
today," you are setting yourself up to lose.
When you notice negative self-talk, stop. Listen to it, and
then change it. Reprogram "This is a terrible time to
be giving a test on westward expansion" to "Offering
a test at this time will help students learn to make choices
and set priorities." Change "There's never enough
time" to "I always accomplish the most important
tasks."
The words you use to talk to yourself are like seeds you
plant in your mind. They sprout quickly, take root, and grow
strong. Be careful what you plant in your mind. It will affect
what you harvest in the future.
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5. Sign Language
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Sign spotted in a high-school English class:
"Steer clear of incorrect forms of verbs that have snuck
in the language."
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6. Lessons from the Geese
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LESSONS FROM THE GEESE
As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift"
for the bird following. By flying in a "V" formation,
the whole flock adds 71% more flying range than if each bird
flew alone.
LESSON:
People who share a common direction and sense of community
can get where they are going quicker and easier because
they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the
drag and resistance of trying to fly alone and quickly gets
back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power
of the birds immediately in front.
LESSON:
If we have as much sense as a goose, we will join in formations
with those who are headed where we want to go.
When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the
formation and another goose flies at the point position.
LESSON:
It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing
leadership - with people, as with geese - interdependent
with one another.
The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those
up front to keep up their speed.
LESSON:
We need to make sure our honking from behind is encouraging
- not something less helpful.
When a goose gets sick or wounded or shot down, two geese
drop out of formation and follow their fellow member down
to help provide protection. They stay with this member of
the flock until he or she is able to fly again or dies. Then
they launch out on their own, with another formation, or to
catch up with their own flock.
LESSON:
If we have as much sense as the geese, we'll stand by one
another like they do.
(Agricultural Notes, Issue 97, Merle W. Boos, Editor, ELCA)
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7. Facts
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The reading of books is on the decline in America. Between
1992 and 2002, the number of non-reading adults increased
by more than 17 million.
Only 47% of American adults read literature.
Those reading any books at all in 2002 fell to 57%, down
from 61% a decade earlier.
The "Johnny can't read" theme appears to be changing
to "Johnny won't read."
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8. Bringing It All Back Home
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BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME
By Chick Moorman
Participants from all over the country attend my public seminars.
Whether attending the Teacher Talk Seminar: Achievement Motivation
and Behavior Management, Teaching for Respect and Responsibility,
or one of my other offerings, most attendees invest some of
their own time, effort, and energy. My belief is they do that
because they want to grow professionally and personally and
bring it all back home.
With any seminar, the degree of back-home implementation
is one measure of success. If participants don't learn, retain,
and apply much of the relevant information presented, the
seminar has not maximized its value.
To make sure you bring it all back home from the next conference
or seminar you attend, consider the following:
First, spend some time thinking about why you are attending.
Is there one student who requires that you learn new skills?
Is there a problem with your third-hour class that you're
having difficulty solving? Having a purpose will help guide
your behavior throughout the seminar or weekend conference.
Next, set your priorities in advance. Most national conferences
send a preview of the program ahead of time. Study it in depth
and make your selections based on your previously stated purpose.
Another strategy that will help you bring it all back home
is to take someone with you. A spouse, friend, or colleague
can help you process the experience and make personal or professional
meaning of the events. Sharing ideas, strategies, visions,
and commitments with one another is fun and rewarding. Having
two or more professionals from one staff attend a conference
increases the odds that good intentions become back-home implementation.
Commit to meeting new people. Some of the best learning at
a conference comes from the other participants. Sign up for
the dinners and network with other participants to help you
achieve your goals.
Journals are a great conference strategy to aid reflective
thinking, note-taking, and goal-setting. I find that my journal
serves as a useful review days, weeks, and even months later.
Purchase books. Buying tapes or books is an excellent way
to bring part of the conference home. It keeps the learning
going and allows you to go further in depth in areas of particular
interest.
Create an implementation plan on the flight or car trip home.
The plan needs to include something you can do right away.
The longer you wait until you implement something, the greater
the chance that you will implement nothing.
One final strategy to use after you get home is to talk about
the conference to others. Explaining what you learned and
sharing personal experiences with colleagues, friends, and
relatives helps deepen your understanding and lengthens the
retention of your learning.
Whether you're attending one of my seminars or someone else's,
the ideas above can help you maximize your training experience.
Fit the ideas to you. Adapt and adopt until you create your
own unique plan for bringing it all back home.
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Chick Moorman and Thomas Haller 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. Back Issues
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Back issues of the Response-Able Educator Newsletter can
be found at www.chickmoorman.com. Click on "Newsletter
Archives."
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10. Manage Your Subscription
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To find out more about books, tapes, and materials by Chick
Moorman, contact him at (toll-free) 877-360-1477 or on the
web at www.chickmoorman.com.
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Subscriber comments, ideas, and concerns are valued. Email
your
comment to IPP57@aol.com
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Privacy Statement: Under no circumstances do we sell,
trade, or exchange your email address, ever. It is safe with
us. Always!
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To find out more about workshops, seminars, and keynote
addresses presented by Chick Moorman contact him at toll free,
877/360-1477 or on the web at www.chickmoorman.com.
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