Local Economy

I wouldn’t blame you if you read the word “economy” in the title to this post and wondered if you could handle any more depressing economy news at this point; thanks for reading on. I’m actually referring to the makeup of your local economy. What industries keep your area afloat? Another way to ask the question is who are the largest employers in your area? They might be the food processing plant, the hospital, lumber yard, grain co-op, insurance agency or university. Whatever, or whoever they are, it’s worth knowing for at least three good reasons.

1. Many of your students’ parents probably are employed by them.
2. These are the jobs currently available to students who stay in the community.
3. These are the jobs available to you in the area should you leave your current profession.

Let’s assume number three isn’t relevant at this point. Look at the first two as your ticket to relevant examples to draw from. When we connect and apply concepts to students in their world, we make learning more impactful. Next time you prep to teach a new skill or concept, do a little homework and provide examples of the careers in your area that apply it regularly. You can begin setting up a chart of your local examples similar to Relevant Classroom’s Making the Connection Charts provided in the My Career Kit user’s guides. Challenge yourself to provide at least two local, applied examples in your current units.

Career Development Tip for January 15, 2009

That's What I'm Looking For!

We’ve discussed Positive Psychology and Positive Behavior Support in prior postings. Both programs share a common element of placing focus on desired behaviors in our students. I don’t think that means you can let little Jimmy disrupt class for 15 minutes with his not-so-desired behaviors, but you can make a concerted effort to praise good behaviors.
Appropriate praise varies from situation to situation and student to student. If you have a brand new group of students this semester, it may take you awhile to determine what each responds well to. Here are a few options of varying degrees to get you started (Click on the table to increase its size):

The last suggestion, positive note home, reminds me of a random progress report and note my freshman English teacher mailed to my parents sharing how impressed he was with my first poetry analysis. He was hard to snag a compliment from, and it meant a lot to my mom and me.
Commit to focusing on the positive in your classes this next week or so. It can really make a difference. Besides, it’s much more fun to be the bearer of good news than bad!

Leadership Development Tip for January 15, 2009

The Leadership Link, from Tim Elmore

A client recently shared a monthly article on Leadership called The Leadership Link. We really enjoyed the content and have since read more. The articles are written by Dr. Tim Elmore, founder of Growing Leaders, a non-profit dedicated to equipping and mobilizing youth to serve and share their talents with the world. If you’re familiar with Habitudes®, he also produced those as well. If you’re not familiar with Elmore, you should take a quick peek at his resources. They are great for those passionate about fostering leadership skills in today’s youth.

Click the icon to view a past article or sign up for the monthly Leadership Link email from Dr. Elmore.

Leadership Development Tip for January 8, 2009

Questions that Count

Nearly a month ago, I had an appointment at the local university to meet with a professor. I was early and waited on a bench in the hallway. To my right was a classroom. I couldn’t see in, but I was close enough to eavesdrop for 15 minutes. I concluded that the class being held was an entry-level college algebra class. The professor was using an overhead transparency (the creak of the overhead knob is hard to miss) to guide the class through a number of problems.
Perhaps it was because I could not see, but I clearly noted the following distinct pattern:

Professor asks a question…Professor answers her question…Professor asks a question…Professor answers her question… (Repeat.)

The above situation is not isolated; we’ve all taught classes where creating discussion felt like pulling teeth. Here are my thoughts on why student often don’t participate:

• It is easier, requires less thought and is less risky to wait for the teacher to answer his or her own questions.
• Teachers don’t provide enough time for students to think and discern an appropriate answer before the teachers answer themselves or move on to the next question.
• Students don’t feel confident or safe sharing their initial thoughts.

How do we fix the problem? Here’s what I’ve learned from watching good teachers and by trial and error in my own classroom.

1. It’s not easy. You have to commit to setting the expectation of participation and plan to work through the initial awkwardness.
2. Create a safe environment to share. Consider asking more open ended questions or those with no particular right or wrong answer.
3. Ask clear questions.
4. Wait! Students need time to think, digest and work up the courage to say something aloud
5. Lower the level of risk by starting with:
   a. “Think to yourself…”
   b. “Share with the people next to you…”
   c. “Who will share something they heard with the class?”
   

Number five is a personal favorite of mine as it can be used as a bail out when you’ve asked a question and students aren’t willing to share with everyone. Eventually students understand they are expected to participate and the process becomes more natural. Remember, it will take time and effort and it is worth it!

Classroom Engagement Tip for January 8, 2009