How to Increase Learning and Cooperation in the Classroom Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. August 8, 2012.
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Transcript of How to Increase Learning and Cooperation in the Classroom Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. August 8, 2012.
How to Increase Learning and Cooperation in the
ClassroomIlene Val-Essen, Ph.D.
August 8, 2012
Brief Overview
What we believe about our students powerfully affects our relationships with them.
Attitudes of respect encourage cooperation and increase learning.
As we bring out the best in our students, we discover the best within ourselves.
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Brief History
Learned about the importance of attitudes many years ago.
I saw positive changes in relationships, but couldn’t identify the source.
Years later I understood that the source of change was a shift in attitude.
That led me to study attitudes in depth and earn my Ph.D. in education.
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
ATTITUDES
1.What are attitudes?
2.How do we express them?
3.Two sets of attitudes model respect. © 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
What Are Attitudes?
The beliefs and feelings we bring to a situation.
The filter or lens through which we interpret our experiences.
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
How Do We Express Them?
Verbally
Nonverbally
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Two Attitudes of Respect
The Quality Teaching principles
The attitudes of equality
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Quality Teaching Principles
1.Students have an innate drive to express their best selves--to develop their highest potential.
2.Students depend on us to help them. © 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
QT Principles Provide Comfort
Students want to be cooperative.
They don’t like their difficult, resistant behavior anymore than we do.
Their challenging behavior is actually a cry for help: “Help me find the inner safety to be a responsive, open student.”
Teachers and students are on the same side!
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
How Can We Increase Learning and Cooperation?
Focus on principle one
Focus on principle two
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Focus on Principle One
Catch students doing something right.
Express your appreciation.
Embrace their excitement.
Turn a no into a yes.
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Catch Students Doing Something Right
Water the flowers, not the weeds.
Exercise: Write 5 behaviors you want to continue to encourage.
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Express Your Appreciation
Behavior Feelings Effects
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Describe:
Embrace Their Excitement
Use the skill of conscious listening
Reflect their feelingsThis encourages students to share further
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Turn a No into a Yes • Turn students’ resistance into responsiveness by engaging them
mentally.
• Plan lessons around things students can easily relate to emotionally, such as their countries of origin (games, foods, and holidays) and common immigrant or cultural experiences.
• Encourage students to physically bring in personal items: photos, books, something they care about.
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Focus on Principle Two
By remaining calm and centered in the face of stress. We know this isn’t always easy to do. Too often when students “lose it,” we lose it too!
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
We help students best:
What Do We Look Like When We Lose It?
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
FRENZIED FRANNY
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Teacher’s Drawings
Monster Man Donna-Do-It-All
Looney Linda Preacher Paul
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
MIGHTY TEACHER
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
mini teacher
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Attitudes of Inequality
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Aggressive Characters
Know-It-All
V.I.P.
Guru
Dictator
Royal Highness
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Nonassertive Characters
Know Nothing
Martyr
Mute
Sheep
People Pleaser
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
How Do Students Respond?
• Inauthentic cooperation - Behave out of fear - Comply because they feel sorry for us
• No cooperation - Resist - Rebel
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Three-Step Process
1.Recognize when we lose it.
2.Learn to get back to center.
3.Model mutual respect.
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Step One
Recognize when we lose it
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Recognize When We Lose It
EXERCISE: Draw a picture that answers the question,
Who is that part of me that feels frustrated with some of my students?
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS:
GIVE THE CHARACTER A NAME.
•How does it look and act?•How does it think? •What does it feel?
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Step Two
Learn to get back to center
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Learn to Get Back to Center
Relaxation exercise
Bridge exercise
Nurture yourself!
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Step Three
Model mutual respect
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Centered Self
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Attitudes of Respect
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
LISTENER
We respect each other’s knowledge.
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
HUMANIST
We respect each other’s needs.
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
OBSERVER
We respect each other’s thoughts, feelings, and perceptions.© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
PRAGMATIST
We respect each other’s desire for autonomy.© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
REALIST
We respect each other’s expectations and create classroom agreements.
ClassroomAgreements
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Review
1.Students want to be cooperative; we can actively encourage this behavior.
2.Their challenging behavior is a cry for help; we help them best by remaining calm.
3.When we reduce our stress and nurture ourselves, we can more easily model the attitudes of respect.
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved
Ilene Val-Essen’s Contact Information
Web sitesQualityParenting.com BringOutTheBest.com
Phone (310) 839-1571(866) LUV KIDS, (866) 588-5437
© 2012 by Ilene Val-Essen, Ph.D. All rights reserved