Thursday, October 4, 2018

2 Questions to Equip Students to Find Their Own Way

When I was a student, the expectation of when you were sent to the office to see the principal was there was going to be significant trouble.  It was the place you would get scolded and maybe even, yelled at, which was seen as a deterrent to doing anything wrong. Unfortunately, the obstacle did not do much for me, and I spent a lot more time in the principal’s office than I would like to admit.

When I became a principal, I hoped to create a space where students felt welcomed in my office. I did not want it to be a place of fear, and so I spent a lot of time outside of my office, connecting with students in the hallways or during recess, to build relationships. I did my best to know the name of every student because inevitably, students may be sent to see me. I believe that the worst way that you can start a conversation with a student who has made a mistake is, “What is your name again?”  That connection before a visit to the office was necessary for myself to help any student move forward.

My focus on when students were sent to the office was to ask two questions:

  1. Why are you here?
  2. What would do if you were me?

On the first question, sometimes students would not share with you why they were sent to the office immediately, so I would patiently wait. But no matter what, I would not leave that student until they answered. It was vital for me to show the student that even though they made a mistake, I was not leaving.

The importance of having the students share why they were there was for them focus on their actions than on what you are saying. Yes, I had a pretty good idea why they were sent, but I wanted them to work through it so they can focus on their action, not my reaction.

Once that was shared, I would ask, “What would you do if you were me?”

Students were ALWAYS harder with how they saw the consequences of their actions than I ever would be.  Once they shared their thoughts, I would work through it with them.

Now, for some reading this, they might see this as a “soft” way to deal with students, but in fact, I felt that students often felt more accountable for their actions through this process. I wasn’t merely delivering a punishment, but I was preparing the student to take accountability and solve their problems. I love this quote from Ross W. Greene:

 

 

This method didn’t always work immediately, but I saw tremendous improvements in overall demeanour and problem-solving skills from students through this process.  Ultimately, we want to give our students the tools to solve their own problems not wait for someone to come in and do it for them.

Source: George Couros



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2 Questions to Equip Students to Find Their Own Way

When I was a student, the expectation of when you were sent to the office to see the principal was there was going to be significant trouble.  It was the place you would get scolded and maybe even, yelled at, which was seen as a deterrent to doing anything wrong. Unfortunately, the obstacle did not do much for me, and I spent a lot more time in the principal’s office than I would like to admit.

When I became a principal, I hoped to create a space where students felt welcomed in my office. I did not want it to be a place of fear, and so I spent a lot of time outside of my office, connecting with students in the hallways or during recess, to build relationships. I did my best to know the name of every student because inevitably, students may be sent to see me. I believe that the worst way that you can start a conversation with a student who has made a mistake is, “What is your name again?”  That connection before a visit to the office was necessary for myself to help any student move forward.

My focus on when students were sent to the office was to ask two questions:

  1. Why are you here?
  2. What would do if you were me?

On the first question, sometimes students would not share with you why they were sent to the office immediately, so I would patiently wait. But no matter what, I would not leave that student until they answered. It was vital for me to show the student that even though they made a mistake, I was not leaving.

The importance of having the students share why they were there was for them focus on their actions than on what you are saying. Yes, I had a pretty good idea why they were sent, but I wanted them to work through it so they can focus on their action, not my reaction.

Once that was shared, I would ask, “What would you do if you were me?”

Students were ALWAYS harder with how they saw the consequences of their actions than I ever would be.  Once they shared their thoughts, I would work through it with them.

Now, for some reading this, they might see this as a “soft” way to deal with students, but in fact, I felt that students often felt more accountable for their actions through this process. I wasn’t merely delivering a punishment, but I was preparing the student to take accountability and solve their problems. I love this quote from Ross W. Greene:

 

 

This method didn’t always work immediately, but I saw tremendous improvements in overall demeanour and problem-solving skills from students through this process.  Ultimately, we want to give our students the tools to solve their own problems not wait for someone to come in and do it for them.



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PMP:Encore053 How Do You Respond Under Pressure?

When I was in high school and college, my brothers and I worked part-time diving for mussel shells in the Kentucky Lake area. We would sell them by the pound at local markets, and those shells would in turn be sold to Japanese markets. Apparently, the pearly-white cuts from those shells are unique implants for […]

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Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

I had not heard of Rachel Hollis before this book was published, and I began to see other women reading it and connecting to Rachel's message. I decided to buy it, and I'm glad I did because I underlined and starred passages that particularly resonated with me. 

Rachel talks about the many lies we tell ourselves, and how they can damage our self-worth. We spend so much time comparing ourselves to other women, and think everyone has it all together in a perfect life. Rachel is here to tell us what we already know: it's just not so. We know this, she knows we know this, but sometimes we have to be reminded over and over again until it sticks. Rachel is pretty brave in telling her story; from a young girl who finds her brother after he commits suicide, to a woman struggling through her early relationship with her now husband; to her missteps and feelings of being a walking disaster. She frames each chapter with her own experience, and every "aha" moment that lead her farther down the path of self-acceptance and ultimate badass. 

Rachel believes we all need to be our own heroes. We have lived through difficult times, and yes, some really great times. All of those create who we are, but how we use those building blocks matters. Don't let anyone else determine your journey: you determine your journey, and your story. You determine how to rise above the setbacks, the tragedies. You write your own story--you are your own hero. No, this isn't easy, and yes, it can take months or sometimes years--but start now. Set goals, create a vision board that you see every day to remind yourself of your dreams. Keep that focus. Learn from mistakes. Believe deep in your soul that you are strong enough, smart enough, capable enough. And dammit, if you don't feel that, take the steps to get to it. Have your moments of crying into your coffee cup, but then get your ass in motion and make the changes. 

I usually don't read many books that would be labeled as self-improvement. Rachel's book is more of a confessional and a "this is what I've learned" approach. It wouldn't have felt as genuine if she hadn't revealed some pretty private parts of herself and her experiences. In making herself vulnerable, she turned what could have been an ordinary "you can do it!" book into something that spoke to me. Parts of it, of course, don't apply to me: I'm not a mom, and I'm not a wife, so I don't have those joys and struggles. But I do have the struggle of being a single woman, building a career, and feeling at times that I am not smart enough, not strong enough, and not knowing what I want-or knowing and struggling to find my way to it. But I will continue to savor every small victory I achieve, knowing I did that-I dreamed it, I worked hard, and I achieved it. Whatever it may be, big or small, it matters. 

I think every woman, no matter what age, should read this. You may recognize yourself in some of Rachel's chapters, and realize you've been rocking your best life for years. Or you may realize the heaviness on your shoulders isn't necessary, and you have the power to change it. Instead of looking at what keeps you down, look at how to get up and dump that crap. 

Rating:  5/6 for an empowering read that will have you reflecting on choices you've made, goals and dreams, and how you feel about yourself. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.




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Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Innovation in Pursuit of Developing the Learner

Here is a snippet from “The Innovator’s Mindset” that sets the stage for the book:

Speaking of success, if you are looking for answers to create higher test scores, you might want to stop reading this book. Although I understand that we still work within a system, that’s not what I choose to focus on. I believe it’s possible to have kids who are deep thinkers, creators, and innovators, and still do well on their exams, but I do not want to forsake those critical elements for the latter. Twenty-first century education is not about the test; it’s about something bigger. My focus is not on whether kids can knock it out of the park on some science test in grade three. What I care about is that kids are inspired to be better people because of their experiences in my school.

I do not believe that innovation in education and teaching the curriculum have to be contradicting ideas to one another. I believe how we teach the curriculum is the innovation.

For example, a student in your class wants to be a YouTuber, but you have to focus on teaching certain concepts within the curriculum.  So why not have the student create a YouTube video sharing their understanding of the idea? They not only can develop a deep knowledge of the concept, but we are also helping them tap into their interests.  Could you see the following video (linked below)  created within the context of the classroom?  Could this also lead to student success in the traditional measures of education as well?

You might be thinking, “But then I have to learn how to create and edit videos?” to which I would respond, “Have the student figure it out.” School is a place for learning, and that means educators do not have to teach everything. In a world where information is everywhere, it is sometimes best to step aside and have the student figure out their own path than you create it for them. Finding your way is necessary for developing lifelong learners.

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak on the “Vrainwaves” podcast and I had the opportunity to share the importance of understanding learning from the viewpoint of a learner first:

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

The notion of being a “learner” first has shifted my thinking on education. It has helped me focus on the importance of being empathetic and thinking of the viewpoint of others, learning how to think instead of what to think, and how we create our own path in our growth and development.  We can easily lose sight of developing the person in pursuit of the score but it is not an “either/or” scenario. The innovation in education is in the process of teaching and learning, not necessarily the product.

Source: George Couros



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Park Village in Richmond

Park Village is a new condo development by Grand Long Holdings and Park Village Investments located in Richmond. Designed by W.T. Leung Architects, two of the towers will contain 318 market condominiums and 21 affordable rental apartments. The third tower will provide 58,600 sq ft of office space and, in the podium, 43,800 sq ft of restaurant and retail space.

The post Park Village in Richmond appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.



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Innovation in Pursuit of Developing the Learner

Here is a snippet from “The Innovator’s Mindset” that sets the stage for the book:

Speaking of success, if you are looking for answers to create higher test scores, you might want to stop reading this book. Although I understand that we still work within a system, that’s not what I choose to focus on. I believe it’s possible to have kids who are deep thinkers, creators, and innovators, and still do well on their exams, but I do not want to forsake those critical elements for the latter. Twenty-first century education is not about the test; it’s about something bigger. My focus is not on whether kids can knock it out of the park on some science test in grade three. What I care about is that kids are inspired to be better people because of their experiences in my school.

I do not believe that innovation in education and teaching the curriculum have to be contradicting ideas to one another. I believe how we teach the curriculum is the innovation.

For example, a student in your class wants to be a YouTuber, but you have to focus on teaching certain concepts within the curriculum.  So why not have the student create a YouTube video sharing their understanding of the idea? They not only can develop a deep knowledge of the concept, but we are also helping them tap into their interests.  Could you see the following video (linked below)  created within the context of the classroom?  Could this also lead to student success in the traditional measures of education as well?

You might be thinking, “But then I have to learn how to create and edit videos?” to which I would respond, “Have the student figure it out.” School is a place for learning, and that means educators do not have to teach everything. In a world where information is everywhere, it is sometimes best to step aside and have the student figure out their own path than you create it for them. Finding your way is necessary for developing lifelong learners.

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak on the “Vrainwaves” podcast and I had the opportunity to share the importance of understanding learning from the viewpoint of a learner first:

The notion of being a “learner” first has shifted my thinking on education. It has helped me focus on the importance of being empathetic and thinking of the viewpoint of others, learning how to think instead of what to think, and how we create our own path in our growth and development.  We can easily lose sight of developing the person in pursuit of the score but it is not an “either/or” scenario. The innovation in education is in the process of teaching and learning, not necessarily the product.



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