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.


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.


How Do We Express Them?

Verbally

Nonverbally


Two Attitudes of Respect

The Quality Teaching principles

The attitudes of equality


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!


How Can We Increase Learning and Cooperation?

Focus on principle one

Focus on principle two


Focus on Principle One

Catch students doing something right.

Express your appreciation.

Embrace their excitement.

Turn a no into a yes.


Catch Students Doing Something Right

Water the flowers, not the weeds.

Exercise: Write 5 behaviors you want to continue to encourage.


Express Your Appreciation

Behavior Feelings Effects


Describe:

Embrace Their Excitement

Use the skill of conscious listening

Reflect their feelingsThis encourages students to share further


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.


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!


We help students best:

What Do We Look Like When We Lose It?


FRENZIED FRANNY


Teacher’s Drawings

Monster Man Donna-Do-It-All

Looney Linda Preacher Paul


MIGHTY TEACHER


mini teacher


Attitudes of Inequality


Aggressive Characters

Know-It-All

V.I.P.

Guru

Dictator

Royal Highness


Nonassertive Characters

Know Nothing

Martyr

Mute

Sheep

People Pleaser


How Do Students Respond?

• Inauthentic cooperation - Behave out of fear - Comply because they feel sorry for us

• No cooperation - Resist - Rebel


Three-Step Process

1.Recognize when we lose it.

2.Learn to get back to center.

3.Model mutual respect.


Step One

Recognize when we lose it


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?


Step Two

Learn to get back to center


Learn to Get Back to Center

Relaxation exercise

Bridge exercise

Nurture yourself!


Step Three

Model mutual respect


Centered Self


Attitudes of Respect


LISTENER

We respect each other’s knowledge.


HUMANIST

We respect each other’s needs.


REALIST

We respect each other’s expectations and create classroom agreements.

ClassroomAgreements


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.


Ilene Val-Essen’s Contact Information

Web sitesQualityParenting.com BringOutTheBest.com

[email protected]

Phone (310) 839-1571(866) LUV KIDS, (866) 588-5437


how to increase learning and cooperation in the classroom ilene val-essen, ph.d. august 8, 2012

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