Kicking off the week... Here's the premiere of our brand new campus TV show!
Monday 31 August 2009
Thursday 27 August 2009
Wells International School Counseling Department Blog
Curious about what a Counselor does?
Well... wonder no more!
Stay abreast with what I do via my new Counseling (School) Blog:
Learning Life!
Well... wonder no more!
Stay abreast with what I do via my new Counseling (School) Blog:
Learning Life!
Thursday 20 August 2009
Miracle in Front of Your Eyes!
Have you ever watched a child grow?
Today, I observed the way my 3rd graders (last year) already seem to be more mature 4th graders (this year).
Surely summer wasn't all THAT long!???!?!!
In child psychology, we learn about the changes that a child goes through - physical and otherwise, and it is plain to see that children are indeed fast learners. From not knowing what language or communication is even for, to having a vocabulary that grows and expands in a way that would put an adult to shame!
The thing is, we are often so dulled by the "normal" aspects of everyday life that we fail to recognize the daily miracles happening right before our eyes.
So next time you feel frustrated with your students/children because it seems that they just never seem to learn...
Remember:
- they are learning! They are learning more than you know!
They learn vicariously through observation, from daily repetitious behaviours, from the trial-and-errors of life's experiences... boy oh boy, do they LEARN!
So... just take a breath now.
Be patient with them.
Because change, in anyone, takes time.
Today, I observed the way my 3rd graders (last year) already seem to be more mature 4th graders (this year).
Surely summer wasn't all THAT long!???!?!!
In child psychology, we learn about the changes that a child goes through - physical and otherwise, and it is plain to see that children are indeed fast learners. From not knowing what language or communication is even for, to having a vocabulary that grows and expands in a way that would put an adult to shame!
The thing is, we are often so dulled by the "normal" aspects of everyday life that we fail to recognize the daily miracles happening right before our eyes.
So next time you feel frustrated with your students/children because it seems that they just never seem to learn...
Remember:
- they are learning! They are learning more than you know!
They learn vicariously through observation, from daily repetitious behaviours, from the trial-and-errors of life's experiences... boy oh boy, do they LEARN!
So... just take a breath now.
Be patient with them.
Because change, in anyone, takes time.
Monday 17 August 2009
Infectious Optimism!
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Catalogued under: Classroom Environment, Motivation, Teaching Methods, Teaching Reflections
Catalogued under: Classroom Environment, Motivation, Teaching Methods, Teaching Reflections
A happy classroom is a learning classroom.
Today I held the first meetings with the upper and lower elementary student leaders.
They have been given a special mission: to infect the school with happiness through their own optimism.
Here's a clip that demonstrates some great points on optimism (watch just from 2:50 onwards):
After the clip, we discussed what optimism is, and HOW to infect others with positive energy. In particular, how do you infect a "negative" person with optimism?
The video clip holds the key (last part) - that even the toughest/hardest person has a soft inner core.
Teaching the kids this important point, I saw a glimmer of hope and excitement in their eyes.
It's interesting to see how quickly they caught on to the idea that helping make other people happy might be fun and benefit them!
Many children enter school with an effervescent enthusiasm for learning, and a natural optimism towards life. However, somewhere along the way, that glimmer gets squashed.
I think that as educators, it is important for us to ask ourselves this question ever so often:
How do we nurture and keep those flames of enthusiasm burning?
Today I held the first meetings with the upper and lower elementary student leaders.
They have been given a special mission: to infect the school with happiness through their own optimism.
Here's a clip that demonstrates some great points on optimism (watch just from 2:50 onwards):
After the clip, we discussed what optimism is, and HOW to infect others with positive energy. In particular, how do you infect a "negative" person with optimism?
The video clip holds the key (last part) - that even the toughest/hardest person has a soft inner core.
Teaching the kids this important point, I saw a glimmer of hope and excitement in their eyes.
It's interesting to see how quickly they caught on to the idea that helping make other people happy might be fun and benefit them!
Many children enter school with an effervescent enthusiasm for learning, and a natural optimism towards life. However, somewhere along the way, that glimmer gets squashed.
I think that as educators, it is important for us to ask ourselves this question ever so often:
How do we nurture and keep those flames of enthusiasm burning?
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