Reflecting a little over the past week as it winds down. Thought I’d share some words that hit me.
Read The Boy Who Was Raised as A Dog by @BDPerry and @maiasz. Some of the words included:
“A picture, not a label.”
“Research has repeatedly found that surrounding a child with other troubled peers only tends to escalate bad behavior.”
“Without love, children literally don’t grow.”
“To calm a frightened child, you must first calm yourself.”
“Spend some time getting to know her–not her symptoms. Find out about her life.”
Read Brain Rules for Baby (Updated and Expanded): How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five by John Medina.
Loved these words:
“Finally, I realized my mistake. I was giving parents Ivory Tower when they needed Ivory Soap.”
“Myth: To boost their brain power, children need French lessons by age 3 and a room piled with “brain-friendly” toys and a library of educational DVDs. Truth: The greatest pediatric brain-boosting technology in the world is probably a plain cardboard box, a fresh box of crayons, and two hours. The worst is probably your new flat-screen TV.”
“But what you do in your child’s first five years of life—not just the first year—profoundly influences how he or she will behave as an adult.”
“Sadly, myths rush in when facts are few, and they have a way of snaring people.”
“Kids praised for effort complete 50 percent more hard math problems than kids praised for intelligence.”
“‘I have friends on both sides of the issue, and I like to stand with my friends.’”
“The fact is, the amount of TV a child should watch before the age of 2 is zero.”
And finally, this amazing blog post by Kris Felicello. Impact words included:
“I saw Twitter as another app that would be a drain on my time. Now I see it as a means to improve education by opening classroom doors and allowing educators to share the incredible things that are happening in our schools.”
Relationships are the single most important factor in determining your success as an educator and the success of students. Take the time to speak to each student in your class, individually. Impossible to make the time? How about when students finish a test or quiz early, or when students are working individually? How about staggering independent and group work to give you time to conference with students? What about having lunch or breakfast with your students? Think about asking different questions as your relationships with students build such as:
- A time you felt smart
- A time you were scared
- A time you were happy
- If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
- If you could change one thing about your life what would it be?
- Who would you trade places with?
- Who is the nicest person you know? What makes them nice?
- Who is the meanest person you know?Why? How can you help them?
- A time I made you happy in class
- A time I disappointed you
- What is unfair?
- What is an area you wish you could improve upon? How can I help you with that improvement?
I have learned that there is so much learning available if one makes the time to be available to learn. I didn’t know this as a principal. I wish I had. I hope others realize it as they’re doing principal work in buildings. It’s worth it. You never know when or from where the next great idea might come.
The Lighting of a Fire 