The world has entered an era of the most profound and challenging change in human history. Most of our children are not prepared, and we know it. Parents around the world see the change and know that the traditional three R's -- reading, writing, and arithmetic -- are necessary, but not enough. Their children need to become far more responsible, creative, and tolerant of differences. They need to increase their ability to think for themselves, take initiative, get along with others, and solve problems. Business leaders are not finding people whose skills and character match the demands of today's global economy, including strong communication, teamwork, analytical, technology, and organizational skills. They need young people who are self-motivated, creative, and have a strong work ethic.
How will we bridge this ever-widening gap? The Leader in Me is the story of the extraordinary schools, parents, and business leaders around the world who are preparing the next generation to meet the great challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century.
How will we bridge this ever-widening gap? The Leader in Me is the story of the extraordinary schools, parents, and business leaders around the world who are preparing the next generation to meet the great challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century.
So far this book is pretty interesting. The concept of primary greatness is awesome.
ReplyDeleteAs educators I believe is it part of our job to instill the attributes of primary greatness (personal integrity, work ethic, motivation and initiative) into all of our student. If each student showed these traits, it would make a noticeable difference on our campus.
Bishop
I beg to defer in your contention. The home is sometimes described as the first school/church. You acquire all your morals, attitudes, dispositions, etc, there. We only build on what they bring from home. If they respect their parents at home, I am 99% positive they'll do the same at school. Many of them do not consider teachers as role-models. When we do try to instill those traits, they resist it. It's not 'cool' to be 'good'.
DeleteThe key is we still have to try to teach kiddos. The problem is a lot of students do not get that type of teaching at home. If we don't try, who will? If we get one, it's better than none. There are grateful children out there that need our help.
Deleteit seems to me that we, as teachers, are sometimes the only positive influence in kids' lives and the only ones to instill these attributes of primary greatness. We are also the ones to provide opportunities to exemplify these attributes. The kids may not display them right away but if all teachers encouraged these fundamentals then we would see more success.
DeleteC. Aguirre
I agree that we have to teach them how to be good citizens and people. I like the idea in chapter 3 about bringing these habits into the curriculum and not seeing them as a seperate entity.
DeleteIt doesn't help that we take any student with a desire to better themself and put them into Pre-AP. That leaves a lack of leadership in all the level classes. The kids don't have enough role models to emulate. Often they follow the wrong element because that is what they see most.
It would be great to be able to show them a better way. We need to empower the possible leaders in all the classes.
I agree with Brenda. When we encourage students to do their best, we are trying to influence their work ethic. When we don't allow them to cheat, we are trying to influence their personal integrity. So although these attributes are first instilled in them at home, we can make a difference. As individual teachers we can't reach them all, but if each of us reaches a few each year (or even one), we've made a difference. Pg 22 says "Today's young people...crossroads of 2 great paths...to mediocrity of mind and character, and to social decline. The other is a narrower path...leading to limitless possibilities". Unfortunately, I think many of our students chose mediocrity because it's the easy path and they aren't taught anything different at home. The thought of reaching 95% of our students instead of 5% of our students is incredible. If it can be done, the 7 Habits is it.
DeleteIt is imperative that all stakeholders have a say in new programs that are implemented on a campus. Student input is very valuable. It ensures that each group feels connected to their campus.
ReplyDeleteThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People are AWESOME characteristics that should be instilled in our children. As educators, our goal should be to teach these concepts in conjunction with our curriculum.
These concepts have a direct correlation with the Emotional Intelligence (EQ). On page 30 in Chapter 2, Covey states that, " Emotional Intelligence(EQ) is a better predictor of both academic and life success than is IQ." I agree that idea whole-heartedly.
Bishop
That stuck out to me as well. I feel certain that emotional intelligence in our feeder zone is particularly low. The conundrum is in how to address this "EQ" while doing our best to prepare them for the immediate demands of curriculum. Is it possible to undo, in the worst-case scenario, the past 7 years of academic issues or 13-14 years of emotional issues? What does that look like?
DeleteI too thought the characteristics were awesome tools that would prove effective if everyone utelized them. Kids need and want to feel apart of something. They want to connect, especially in JH. I think part of instilling these habits is that we all have to be consistent in implementing them as educators and parents. Parents do play a significant role and parent buy-in lends to the sucess of the program. This I think is key.
DeleteC. Aguirre
I agree. Consistency is key when implementing a campus theme of "Leadership" and primary greatness. Students need to learn character and basic life skills, primarily from home, but also from the professional staff in their school. With this in mind, the professional staff should be “professional leaders” on campus.
DeleteIf the campus vision is “To live, to Love, to Learn, to Leave a Legacy. Then, in order for kids to understand it and in turn live it, they first need to see it modeled.
Professionalism is key when implementing this type of change on a campus. Students need to SEE the leadership and habits exhibited on a daily basis.
~A. Mlcak
Yes kids do want to connect especially in Junior High. Many are concerned with connections to their peers, not adults. The ones that one to connect to adults are frowned upon and dubbed "teacher's pet".
DeleteAgain, this should not deter us from being a positive role model in their lives. Many of them will not realize now, but in a few years they will come to see the life lessons that we have been preaching.
As adults, we should continue to imprint in their young minds skills that they will need to become productive citizens. Many of them do not say "thank you" after a good deed. We should continue to model those behaviors that we want to see in them.
So many of our students come from homes in which their parents are as immature as their kids. It's basically kids raising kids. To be able to teach our students how to grow up and to mature would be an incredible experience. To Josh's question, can we undo the past, I once read something about undoing the past (not sure how accurate though), that you need 1 month of consistent, positive interaction to counter each year of their bad experiences to make a lasting difference. But based on the experiences of the schools in this book, I think you can make a difference in less time if the whole school is on board. We have 9 months. Maybe we can't completely change their 13 years experiences, but we can definitely impact their 6/7 previous school years.
DeleteIt is imperative that when creating a mission and vision all stakeholders are involved and that implementation of ideas such as the 7 Habits of Mind are incorporated into all aspects of the educational process. These concepts should be highly visible and revisited continuously within the academic curriculum. Some of Baldridge's tool include some of the educational best practices. So we already use bubble maps, Venn diagrams, etc. So we are implementing the 7 Habits to some degree. The Ubiquitous Strategy. meaning it is built into everyday activities is imperative the success of creating visionary leaders such as those at AB Combs. These characteristics should be taught in everything and every area of the school. Ch3
ReplyDeleteBishop
I think the seven habits give meaning to the tools that we as teachers are already utelizing. It isn't just about teaching them information but helping them to impliment them and make them apart of their daily lives. Not just to learn how to approach life with the 7 habits but to actually live life that way. I loved the idea of elevating their mindsets with motivational quotes and or inspiring displays. It helps them to know they can become whoever or whatever they aspire to be. It merges core academics with character and life skills. I think this is what is beneficial.
DeleteC. Aguirre
I just started reading this book, now that the yearbook is officially published. I'll post by the end of the week about what I've read.
ReplyDeleteCh 4 - I strongly believe that for new concept to be successful and alignment is necessary. All aspects of the school must reflect the common theme that we are trying to enforce. All parties must be on board with the concept or the unity will be destroyed. Unfortunately those people do exist that want to buck the system, or teach the way they have always taught. Change can be a scary thing, and many people do not adapt well to change.
ReplyDeleteIntensive training is necessary and will help 'get people on board'. The more leadership roles given out makes people feel they are empowered. Lastly, it is imperative to celebrate successes. At MJH we do that on a weekly basis, not only with faculty/staff of the week, but by recognizing student amongst their peers when they have been nominated as student of the week by one of our organizations.
These examples are all demonstrate a great start. There is a growing atmosphere which resembles that of A.B. Combs, so there is some encouraging news. I think we need to get radical, somehow. I think our feeder zone is further behind than A.B. Combs was at the beginnng of the book. Not because of the Educators or Administration, necessarily, but because of the culture. In conversations I've had with other teachers and in some posts on this blog, I've noticed that I am not the only one who believes our area is facing some serious unique cultural challenges. It will take a lot more than candy to motivate our students, much less teach them to motivate themselves. I don't have any specific ideas to remedy this, unfortunately. I do believe, however, that if our schools were centers for all sorts of positive community activities, we could shift the community's opinion of education. Like that guy in "Field of Dreams" said, "If you build it, they will come..."
DeleteSo basically we need the educational equivalent to a cornfield-turned-baseball diamond where dead people play.
I agree with Josh. I believe that the first step in changing our schools culture is to first shift the community's opinion of education. Teachers/Administration need to capture the parents’ hearts before we can truly capture our kids’ hearts.
DeleteI also believe that teachers go into the education profession with a genuine desire to make a difference or change the world. If we could implement the “real world” logic from this book and continue to provide an academically rigorous classroom environment, then we’d be destined for greatness. (Providing the professional staff maintains the culture of “Leadership” within the four walls of each classroom.) Teachers should nourish the spirit of learning within each child and foster a safe learning environment where they feel appreciated, useful, and important. If one teacher chooses to belittle or chastise students, then the fear creeps in and we lose their trust instantly.
Ultimately, we (teachers) want them to get along well with others and be responsible. Employers want students to have character and competence. All of these traits should be modeled at school (in the classroom and around campus) for students to see in order for them to fully understand what we are asking them to become.
Treat a man as he is and you make him worse than he is. Treat a man as he has the potential to become and you make him better than he is. ~Goethe
~A.Mlcak
I agree with Josh in that the culture our kids come from is limiting their opportunities. They just are not aware of the many things that are waiting for them. All they know is their environment and for the most part, they are comfortable with that. I have had many conversations with kids about what they plan to do and how they plan on getting there and most are resigned to the fact that they will have some low skilled job, working week to week because that's all they know. It is amazing to see their reactions when I start talking about my own journey and the path I took.
DeleteT. Plumley
It would be great to see our faculty all working toward the same goal with the students. I don't think that we are extremely disjointed, but I do think that we don't always operate with the same idea in mind when teaching. I would like to see the campus institute some of these ideas into our toolkit. I don't know that all of it would be a great idea because this book seems to be oriented toward elementary schools.
DeleteThe alignment concept needs to go further than just the school. It needs to be consistent throughout the entire feeder system. Theses attributes of the seven habits should begin in elementary school. We can make a difference in our school if we started tomorrow by every teacher employed The Leader in Me model. However, we could make a significant impact if the Model was employed with the students the seven years prior to reaching us. Those students that struggle can be quickly identified and have the opportunity of seeing the majority of the students modeling appropriate leadership and citizenship skills.
DeleteI have been hitting the book in two chapter intervals. Chapter one give the demographics of the sample school, which gives the teachers at Moorhead a good image of our school. AB Combs went to a style where they focused more on teaching people skills. These include good time management, getting along with students and faculty, what it takes to be leaders, and simply making good decisions. Good decision making will make a student successful in all of these areas. So, we have to go beyond simply hitting the facts of the lesson plan, and teach the kids how to be responsible. We all know this is an area that it lacking in a majority of homes of our kids. Kids today have issues with being reponsible. I feel like creativity is is lacking, and the youth of today are lacking good, solid people skills. Is this the case in all schools? I do not beleive this to be the case. Schools in areas like ours are fighting a wolf pack mentality in trying to break down the barriers. the kids are comfortable making bad decisions when all of their peers are making the same bad decisions. Chapter two started getting into things that the local community wanted to get out of the education. Parents are looking for schools to teach the art of getting along with others and to be responsible. Business leaders were talking about preparing students to be future employees. Yes, I rambled on too much.
ReplyDeleteMany of our students do not really understand what it means to be responsible. I think that if we are all on the same page and working as a whole school with the same expectations, we can teach our students to take ownership of their learning and behavior. However, I think that these skills need to be taught all through school, not just when they get here. I am not sure how this would work, but it would be awesome to get the elementary and intermediate schools on board with the same system. If students start learning how to be responsible and take ownership at a younger age, the transition would be much more successful. Change is harder the older we get. Change brings progress, so if we want progress we need to be pro change.
DeleteI have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book so far. I am just a couple chapters away from completing it. Here is my initial response:
ReplyDeleteThis is GREAT, in theory. I think it does work and would work in our situation EXCEPT for the fact that it requires a "ubiquitous" approach. They begin saturating all aspects of education with these leadership principles from Pre-K! I recall how they changed the words for "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to "Be A Leader Everyday" or something to that effect. At first, it was almost depressing to read because I realize that the kids we work with are now 7 years behind the ones in the book. I've been racking my brain since to try and find ways to integrate this into Teen Leadership.
I somewhat agree with your reasoning here. I think a unified approach from kindergarten through the secondary levels of education is essential because by the time they get to us students have had so many experiences, minds are made, self worth is determined, and it is incredibly hard to undo years and years of shortcomings.
DeleteI agree wit Josh that this book has a great theory... But so does any aspect of teaching something that isn't concrete. The role of a teacher has gone from teaching concrete knowledge to the "un-concrete" of character, leadership, responsibility, etc. In essence,I think this book encourages us to take on what should be the role of parents to teach them to be leaders. To me, this is the problem we face in education within our feeder zone. Is it our job to encourage and facilitate the "un-concrete"? Certainly....but not to be solely responsible for teaching it. From what I recall, my educational degree did not include a parenting class but lots and lots of education and subject based classes. - Doty
DeleteAfter Integrating it into Teen Leadership for the PASS kids, things have gotten worse. I think it is mainly because we didn't start the class until the second semester and a lot of the negative behaviors have become far more cemented since. I think If I am able to put this into the first 9 weeks of Teen Leadership in the Fall of next year, it will help develop personal awareness and challenge the group.
ReplyDeleteOne idea that I am committed to implementing in whatever way possible is the concept of empowerment. The anecdote about the "bad student" who transferred in from another school with an impressive list of shortcomings showed that some of the kids act the way they do because the believe that is all they are capable of. Some have been told that. It is certainly not a fix-all, but I think giving every kid a responsibilty or something of which to take ownership will be encouraging on many levels.
ReplyDeleteI love your idea of empowerment and I whole-heartedly agree that educators can sometimes be quick to judge or label a student as the "bad student." I think we have a responsibility of instilling the idea of having a "clean slate" where we let our students know that everyone is human, we all make mistakes, and if you do make a mistake, learn from it and move on. I believe this approach is empowering, because now, they have to take ownership of their behavior and say to themselves, "What will I do different next time?"
DeleteI think we should treat every student with respect and show them how to make changes in their lives. If a student has an "interesting" past, they can make changes if we give them the opportunity. The story of that kid in the book helped to cement this idea in my head.
DeleteOn the other hand, it doesn't always work. We have seen that with the PASS group. We have given these kids every opportunity and many learn and grow from it. Others never bought into the process even though we treated them with love, respect, and great intentions. Josh you are right when you say it is great, but not a fix all.
I can't even begin to list all of the "bad students" who I have seen transfer in from other schools. By standards at their former school, they were completely self-contained, "bad" kids. However, when they arrived here, their behavior wasn't one that I would have considered "bad" at all. I've learned from watching these students and where they've come from with their label, that what is "bad behavior" is relative. Sometimes, it comes down to what battle are we willing to help these students fight that will make them become a better and more productive student. And, sometimes, that battle isn't leadership. - Doty
DeleteThis blog will focus on chapters three and four. The book discusses a process for developing leaders by focusing on one child at a time. To accomplish this, A.B. Combs formed a solid support system that assisted in the follow through. All faculty played an important role in making the system successful. They were able to establish relationships with the students. This made the students feel comfortable in the environment. The school nurtured the students, and this produced positive results. The students trust the faculty.
ReplyDeleteChapter four dealt with the fact that A.B. Combs, like many schools, aren't maximizing the resources to tie the different systems together. It makes me think of the CIA, ICE, and the FBI. One doesn't know what the other is doing. The right hand is not talking to the left. After allignment, the school was much more stremlined in their approach. This chapter discussed the incorporation of smaller "arrows" feeding larger "arrows". These included bringing people on board, defining who would do what, training the staff, and developing the reward system.
Reading this book, I wonder how early should kids learn the "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". Is it too late by the 8th grade? Are their minds already formed that it will be impossible to inculcate these traits into their young minds?
ReplyDeleteAgain I postulate here that these traits should begin from the home. If these are lacking by the time they become teenagers, it makes it an uphill battle. Without a doubt, these habits are pertinent in raising a well formed citizenry. We got to instill them very early.
We would need to be vertically alligned in our efforts. The 7 habits would greatly benefit our kids if we started teaching them in the first grade At the junior high level we could continue the same work and make it more involved so it will keep up with their development. It would also be a good idea to create a program to educate the parents in these ideas.
DeleteChapter five talks about the implementation of the plan A.B. Combs came up with. This was the time when they went about getting all on board with the theme. Qeustions were answered, and the leadership theme built momentum. As stated in the book, the process was not overnight. It happened gradually. The school slowly built a culture of learning from the top to the students.
ReplyDeleteChapter six speaks of the different schools that have developed the 7 Habits. These schools have developed leadership themes to implement. The list includes schools from diverse areas to stress that it is possible to change for any school. The models may differ slightly from school to school from the schools tailoring the model. The theme remains consist throughout.
I really like the "common language" theme that the book describes, particulary the "7 Habits." I especially like the 1st habit of being proactive. For me, this habit is the easiest to instill in my students as I ascribe to Choice Theory in my counseling techniques and so much of the foundation of Choice Theory is found in this habit, i.e. "I choose my actions, attitudes, and moods." Having students take responsibility for their actions is so important in not only their time with us in school, but also when they are finally out on their own, in the real world.
ReplyDeleteI loved what you said and I couldn't agree more with the responsibility aspect. So many students are ingrained with the thought that if something happens it is someone else's fault. My students really struggle with this. If they got in trouble, it wasn't because it was a consequence of their bad choice but because the principal "was being a jerk" or because someone "snitched."
DeleteI've also found that a lot of my students don't understand taking responsibility because their mind doesn't follow a thought process like that. In a lot of ways, teaching responsibility to my students means a complete over-haul to their thinking process and retraining their brain.
The 7th habit, "Sharpen The Saw" is such a powerful concept and unfortunately a high percentage of adults (including myself) do not practice these concepts on a consistent basis. Taking care of one's self through eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep is difficult in our hurried, rushed, brimming-over, technologically-paced lives, but is so important. We as educators can have some impact on the students regarding these concepts, but without adequate supervision and support in the home, we are often unsuccessful. I also like how this habit incorporates the community aspect of helping others. I feel this is necessary for a well-rounded individual.
ReplyDeleteThe paradigm shift that the book describes of all students having the capability of being a leader is paramount to the success of the model. If you break down the "From the Inside Out" concept, I believe that students will be the key to bridging the parental support/guidance gap. I agree that the climate of the staff must change in order for the model to be successful, but I feel strongly that students can learn skills that will help them to effectively communicate the importance of education, the importance of health, the importance of community, etc. to families who struggle with providing adequate support and guidance of their pupils.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI especially like the fact that this model incorporates a way to do things better. We already do the majority of these things, but in aligning the principles with the curriculum, making sure everyone is speaking a common language, and getting all staff on board, the paradigm shift will be so much easier. I really think that Moorhead would benefit by tailoring this model to fit our needs.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely. The negative responses I have read I believe fall in a category of fear. We all fear change. This is not a magic elixor. You will not reach every child. People tend to be fearful of that student that they have pictured in their mind as their worse-case-scenario and say that it will not work. That is probably true for everyone's worse case. But what about the thirty cases that are not quite as bad? What if you had those students on your side in the classroom battle? Your worse case scenario now just becomes a minor inconvienence. I have attended as much class room management training as I could in the past five years; from Fred Jones, Harry Wong, Why try, Teach Like a rock star, and Capturing Kids Hearts. They thing I have learned is that behavior is not personal. When you treat it that way then you let that behavior affect you. Modeling the Seven Habits even in the face of a difficult child will speak volumes to your class about your own character.
DeleteIn addition to fear, I think it's uncertainty. I can easily how it can be done in Teen Leadership or a literature lesson plan by discussing the concepts in terms of the story characters. But at this point, I feel more uncertainty about how to instill these concepts into a Science lesson plan about atomic structure. But than I suppose it's more about setting expectations (Be proactive and complete the assignment before you get to class) around the assignment and discussing the habits when discussing assignment expectations.
DeleteIn Chapter 4 We learn about "Aligning for Success". I was unsure at first what to make of this chapter because a lot of it sounded like what schools envision for their campuses, but as I read on, I came to realize how commited a campus must be to bring about sucess. It is encouraging to read about how everyone can take on a leadership role in every situation, even the students. It demonstrates how intergal the student becomes in the process. Sometimes I think the students are left out of the equation, even thought their best interest is what we as educators are striving for. I was very suprised to learn of the student involvement in the hiring process. What an experience it must be for a student to interview a teacher. It really is impressive the level of dedication from both the staff and students.
ReplyDeleteC. Aguirre
Now we were able to read about the effectiveness in middle school and secondary education. It is nice to read about primary education, but to see the same success in upper grades drives the principle home. As in a previous chapter, tailor the model to fit your situation. The goal is the same, the methodology, the same. One goal with all faculty being the driving force. The 7 habits apply to all of us, young and old.
ReplyDeleteChapter eight describes how difficult change can be. Well, our lives are changing so fast, we have to be apble to cope with change. A lot of us are in a whirlwind as it is, and adjusting to change should be another updraft to ride. Look at the long term goal, and this change is worth the pains one may experience along the way. If any obstacles appear, it is up to our own will to perseveer. Have faith in the methodology and overcome the anxiety. Talk to your faculty members to remain strong in the belief that success will follow.
The “7 Habits” are based on "principles" that successful people already use in their lives, but they just didn't give it a "name". If you read any biography from a truly great leader you will find that they follow/use these habits. It's not a quick fix, it's a way of living, teaching and leading. As the book points out, implementing these habits and leadership theme takes time and progress is gradual.
ReplyDeleteIn chapter nine, four phrases are listed out that were alluded to earlier in the book. The first phrase is the Modern Day Miracle Worker. Covey suggests that faculty can can see the gift each child has to offer, and the teacher has to find a way to expose that gift. Every child has potential, and teachers need to find a way to let the child see the same potential. "The Tradition of Caring" is another phrase that means exactly what it says. Show students you care about their lives. Another phrase states "Not One More Thing" to do. We all feel overwhelmed, and we should look at the potential for success this method offers. A fourth phrase is "Universal Nature" which refers to the 7 Habits. All lives, all situations in those lives.
ReplyDeleteChapter 10 talks about the two great paths; one of mediocrity, one of prosperity. Teach the kids to desire the path of prosperity. It is a harder path that takes work to achieve. This should happen at home, but I feel like it is missing in a lot of young lives. Foundations are missing, and it is time to build them up to produce future leaders.
There was an interesting story in the book. A kid comes to the school and he has assaulted a teacher in his previous school. He gets off the bus and looks like a thug. They walk up to him and intoduce themselves to him and he cusses them out. They are polite and just calmly tell him that they don't cuss at their school.
ReplyDeleteWhat is odd is that they tell him they love him on a regular basis. He cusses them out in the beginning, but eventually he says it back to them and they see him prosper.
The concept is that if we treat all kids with love, then we would have a healthy environment for kids to learn and grow. I am not willing to tell kids that I love them, but it is an interesting concept. I think it would be interesting to see a school try this. I have to wonder how many kids would see us as suckers and try to take advantage of us.
Whatever you do, do it from the heart. Many changes that have been made in our society would not have happened if people worried about their what others will think. We should do what is right at all times not counting what the cost may be.
DeleteWe use this same approach in the SDC classroom. These students are running on high emotion and sometimes say or do things at the spur of the moment that can be quite shocking to others. It is so important to keep yourself under control and remind the student of the rules and what is expected and let them make a decision on their behavior.
DeleteIt would be very easy to escalate the situation by reacting negatively, but that isn't going to help matters. We don't go as far as saying we love them, but we do in a calm way tell them that we care about them and we want to help them be successful while reminding them that they have to make the final choices in the end to be successful. It works quite well, but an incredible amount of patience is necessary on the teachers behalf.
In regards to my ball teams and my science classes, I tell them that I love them on a daily basis. For some of them it is the only time that they hear it. I always tell them when I am admonishing poor behavior and letting them know that it is the behavior and not them that I disapprove of. In my experience I have found the thought of them disappointing me if far stronger than any other pressure or influence that I can have on them. And no, It does not work everytime but I can always be sure that have not done anything to worsen the student's struggles.
DeleteI agree with disapproving of the behavior and not the student. This helps students maintain self-esteem and think about their actions. Using language that focuses on the language and not the student can be difficult sometimes. "Love and Logic" teaches this same concept.
DeleteThe concept of "loving" the students into submission is far removed from the students I work with because, quite frankly, they don't know what "love" is. Then again, what jr. high kid does. Students know to view love as an action not just an emotion. Case in point, if you loved me, you wouldn't write me a referral. If you loved me, you'd let me have this...etc. It is the actions of "love" that they have the wrong definition of because that's what their parents have taught them. Their parents throw gifts and knick-knacks at them or chose not to punish bad behavior in order to placate them. So, our students feel, that if we love them, we should be expected to do the same. It is a fine line to walk... to retrain our students brain to view what real love is may bring them to the conclusion that their parents, or whoever, doesn't really love them. - Doty
DeleteNo matter how many times the boy cussed them out, the teachers were steady in their love of the boy. They were stronger and more resilient than he was. They were able to outlast him because of the positive support they gave each other. It is tough to maintain a positive attitude when others around you are negative. So many of our students come from such negative environments that they don't respond to positive interventions, or it seems that they don't, although we don't know what's going on inside their head. I would feel uncomfortable telling a student seriously that I loved him, I can easily tell them that I believe in them. This is something many of them have probably not heard either.
DeleteChapter 5 really was important to me and made me think about my school experiences and take a look in the mirror. “We focus on what they can do, not what they can’t do.” I really feel it is important to look at children from this perspective. If we build up students on their strengths they will be more willing to work on their weaknesses. Building self-esteem in students based on their qualities is setting a foundation for student success. We need to be real with students and show them we have weaknesses, too. I have many students that struggle with reading. I struggled with reading as a child and am still the world’s worst speller. I do not hide this from my students. I show them my weakness and I show them how I use skills to cope with the areas I struggle.
ReplyDeleteI also think the quote in A.B. Combs faculty room is appropriate…”In years to come, your students may forget what you taught them. But they will always remember how you made them feel.” This took me back to my school experiences. I had many teachers that affected my life positively but the negative experiences are the most vivid. These experiences, good and bad, are what inspired me to be a teacher. However, for many students, the negative experiences can be so destructive, crushing them. This also made me stop and look at myself. Where can I make improvements with my students?
I have found it very difficult to help some students take ownership not only of their behavior, but more importantly their academic performance. Especially those who have had repeated failure and now think that is all they are capable of. For the most part, they don't understand how they perform at the high school level will ultimately determine whether or not they continue with some sort of higher education and improve their standard of living. Finding a way to empower students, especially those who have experienced failure in the past, and take ownership of their actions is the key to their success in the future.
ReplyDeleteI believe everyone has a difficulty understanding the concept of delayed gratification. With 13 year olds; realization they will be responsible for themselves in just a few years is not even fathomable. I believe that these habits are essential, but the key is a community investment by all involved.
DeleteI know it's difficult for them to "to see the light at the end of the tunnel" at this age, but if we can somehow get them to see the relevance in what they are learning now I think it will ultimately help them take ownership in their academic performance, thus empowering them.
DeleteI hear all the time from students "why do I need to know this"? Immediately, I try to tie whatever topic we are on to a real world application, which is much easier to do in math than other subjects.
In my 8th grade SDC math class, I plan on finishing out the year with a Life Project, similar to what we did last year with the students who did not participate in math bootcamp. Hopefully with this research project they will be able to better understand what it really takes to take care of themselves with just basic needs and what they will need for any "extras" in life.
I'm hoping a project like this just before they enter high school will take them one step closer to owning their choices and performance from here on out.
I really love the idea of the project that you will be working on with the students. The biggest problem I've noticed throughout the year, is not so much that our students lack leadership, its that they lack purpose. If they have purpose, they are inspired to be a leader for themselves. - Doty
DeleteI am reminded by what one of my students told me about his ninth grade friend who just found out he was going to be a father. My student was proud of his friend because NOW his friend has decided to take his education seriously. NOW his friend has decided he wants to finish school.... because NOW he's going to be a dad and wants to care of his kid. Sad as this situation is, my students friend lacked a real purpose until it was too late.... Our students need purpose. They need a reason to believe that what they are doing now is important right now and not just later.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteChapter 8 is a key in understanding how we as educators need to change for the better. If we do not make changes in ourselves, how can we expect our students to change? The chapter outlines four steps that teach us how to aim for change. These four steps are very helpful in taking the first steps in the right direction. Even though we all have different teaching style and learning styles, we can come together as a school and work toward the common goal of creating a school culture of leadership. We can change one step at a time. Our students are definitely worth changing ourselves to help them change!
ReplyDeleteI found it quite interesting and perhaps a wake up call to all of us that in Chapter 2, the discussion in regards to concerns of the parents and community leaders had nothing to do with academics. Safety of students, values instill good character such as honesty and respect were at the forefront. Any company or organization will train their employee to their methods and standards. However, employees who lake a strong work ethic or are compromising in the core values are a wasted investment to the company.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the parents are a child’s first teacher. I think if educatores and parents work together teaching, modeling and practice the 7 Habits, they will become a daily part of their lives. Students will be empowered to be leaders within their community. I do think that families need to be educated on the 7 Habits.
ReplyDeletePerhaps, training can be offered through a series of family nights. Famlies will come if you make it easy for them to attend. One way to help make it easy is to provide childcare and dinner on the information/trainning night. Volunteers can help with childcare and local stores may help with the meal. I have participated in programs like this before and attendance is high. The feedback from parents is that they could attend because they did not have to worry about childcare or dinner.
As educators I believe is it part of our job to instill the attributes of primary greatness (personal integrity, work ethic, motivation and initiative) into all of our student. If each student showed these traits, it would make a noticeable difference on our campus. Thanks Bishop
ReplyDeleteDawn
I agree with this, but as stated in the book it is a collaboration with parents, and the community. I really found insightful, the information provided to incorporate the 7 principals at home with your own children. It is mutually beneficial as a parent and as a teacher.
DeleteC. Aguirre
I agree with the comment about empowing students to believe in themselves and their capabilities. Students need to take responosiblity in their own learning as well as their behavior. This will better prepare them for the "real" world...when teacher and parent are not there to lead them along.
ReplyDeleteDawn
I was impressed by one of the students in Ms. Muriel class coming up with a new code of cooperation and giving it a name which used the accronym LEAD. Lead, Loyalty, Achievement,Discipline. All which are characteristics which make one a great leader.
ReplyDeleteDawn
"The foundation of every of every state is the education of it's youth." This quote in chapter 7 reinforces the importance of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. If we all, teachers, parents, and students learn to follow these 7 Habits (1. Be Proactive 2. Begin with the end in Mind 3. Put First Things First 4. Think Win Win 5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood 6. Synergize 7. Sharpen the Saw), We will inspire Greatnes Around the World...Lead by our YOUTH.
ReplyDeleteDawn
"If a teacher has a good relationship with students, then students accepther rules, procedures, and disciplinary actions." This quote my Robert M Marzano in chapter 8 makes sense. Once students flle understood and accepted they are then more open to influence-to listening to what a teacher has to say. I have found this to be true in my own classroom. Once you build a good rapport with your students, they are more willing to cooperate and be respectful, leading to a better learning environment for everyone.
ReplyDeleteDawn
Oh..i do agree with the comment I stole from Ms. Bishop. It is our responsibility as educators to help instill these qualities. We not only need to teach them but need to model these qualities as well. :)
ReplyDeleteDawn
Covey's idea of the Emotional Bank Account is similar to the Love & Logic 'I noticed' idea. You tell the students something genuine about them. But you have to be careful because students know when you say things to be nice versus saying something that you really mean. It's amazing how important students start to feel when you recognize them as people.
ReplyDeleteCh 9 says that "So much literature on education implies that students will seldom have a better life than what their home offers them and that schools have little impact....odds are against students who come from dysfunctional homes". It's sad to think that this is a majority of our students. Wouldn't it be awesome if, as a school, could successfully incorporate the 7 Habits as some many other schools have done and really make a difference, not just with 1 or 2 students, but with just about all of them? It would be hard work, but I think it's possible.
ReplyDelete