_____________________________________________________________
Fall has always been my favorite time of the year. It has always been a time for reflection for me as a teacher and as an administrator going back to school. There is something about the comfort of fall, and the way that we are almost required to gather closer around to each other. It is probably the most beautiful time of the year, and watching the leaves change color and feeling the crisp air take hold never gets old. I just love the way autumn smells. It is earthy and primitive, a great reminder of the vastness of this universe and the power of the seasons. This fall also marks my Getting Back in the Game. Recently, I went back to working as an Assistant Principal at the high school I left 2 years ago to work in the district's Office of Professional Learning. Though I learned so much during my time there, I had an itch to get back to working with students and teachers. This monthly newsletter is an attempt to bridge those two worlds in my ongoing quest to support effective teaching and learning.
_____________________________________________________________
The beginning of school is always about getting to know people, so here are a couple of teaching strategies that I like to share at the beginning of the year.
Simple Partner Activity: (Template)
I have customized several online courses for professional learning for teachers, coaches and administrators. These courses are open to WCPSS staff. Let me know if you are interested in one of the courses below:
- Coaching Skills for Leaders
- Using Video for Coaching Teachers
- Leading Effective Professional Learning Teams
One of the topics that I have become very interested in lately is how people learn and how they can become self-directed learners. One of the areas of research that fascinates me is the work of David Rock. His work on the SCARF Model is key to helping people understand how we function within environments. The domains of the model, Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness and Fairness, are all at work in the neuro-makeup of our brains. According to Rock, these domains can activate a "primary reward" or primary threat" reaction in individuals. If for example, someone feels a lack of certainty in an environment, he or she will likely have a feeling of threat. A person who feels that the environment is structured with a sense of fairness will likely function at a higher level as the "reward" reaction is in play. This research can be significant to the classroom environment as teachers think about the systems they set up in their classrooms. If students feel a lack of relatedness within the classroom, they may often retreat into a threat mode. How might teachers reduce this threat? Simple activities like having students develop a class code of conduct together, or giving students an opportunity to relate stories about themselves, or intentionally building class community can diminish this feeling in students. For a deeper look read SCARF: a brain-based model for collaborating with and influencing others.
Simple Partner Activity: (Template)
- Create a sheet that has 4-5 thematic pictures on them (For fall, I might use a leaf, a pumpkin, a scarecrow, etc.)
- Have students in the classroom find someone to be a like partner with. For example, two students might be the leaf partner; others, the scarecrow, etc.
- Students should find a different partner for each of their pictures.
- Use these partners when doing class activities where students might need to process information with someone else or work for a period of time with someone else.
_____________________________________________________________
Take One of My On-Line Courses:
- Coaching Skills for Leaders
- Using Video for Coaching Teachers
- Leading Effective Professional Learning Teams
_____________________________________________________________
One of the topics that I have become very interested in lately is how people learn and how they can become self-directed learners. One of the areas of research that fascinates me is the work of David Rock. His work on the SCARF Model is key to helping people understand how we function within environments. The domains of the model, Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness and Fairness, are all at work in the neuro-makeup of our brains. According to Rock, these domains can activate a "primary reward" or primary threat" reaction in individuals. If for example, someone feels a lack of certainty in an environment, he or she will likely have a feeling of threat. A person who feels that the environment is structured with a sense of fairness will likely function at a higher level as the "reward" reaction is in play. This research can be significant to the classroom environment as teachers think about the systems they set up in their classrooms. If students feel a lack of relatedness within the classroom, they may often retreat into a threat mode. How might teachers reduce this threat? Simple activities like having students develop a class code of conduct together, or giving students an opportunity to relate stories about themselves, or intentionally building class community can diminish this feeling in students. For a deeper look read SCARF: a brain-based model for collaborating with and influencing others.