Teenage students and You

It doesn’t matter which part of the world you are in
your teenage students will be going through a difficult
stage of their journey between childhood and adulthood.

They will be going through a great deal of personal
changes and dealing with difficult questions, while
consciously trying to fit into the environment around
them, eager to be not only be accepted, but be ttreated
with respect and fairness. At the same time your
teenage students will be in need of authority and
guidance. While you may think it best to take on the role
of friend most teenagers much prefer a teacher who
values and respects them.

When dealing with teenage classes always maintain a
strong and clear teacher/student relationship, keeping
control of the classroom at all times, but at the same
time encouraging your students to influence the
topics of the lessons. Don’t look to your students for
lesson plans, always show that you are responsible for
the class and that lessons well planned, but encourage
them to give ideas, ideas which will be listened to and
acted upon.

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Using resources

Good teachers will always use resources in their classes
to bring a lesson to life, and this is even more so
important when trying to motivate a TEFL class of
teenage students. Good uses of resources will not only
get the attention of your class but it will also inspire
creativity and break the tension in within quiet and
difficult classes. Here are some resources you should
try:

Music

Teenagers of all culture relate to music, it is often the
best way to get teenagers to express themselves and
connect with a lesson.

Role Playing

Role playing is an ideal way to bring quieter classes to life. Acting gives your teenage TEFL students a chance to release any anxiety or tension in a safe and

controlled way, helping them really connect to the
subject and making for a memorable lesson.

Social Activities

Teenagers are very social creature by nature, though
many may seem shy or reserved, most teenagers long
for social interaction. Group activities can be a great
way to get a shy class to bond and working together.

Pop Quizzes

We don’t mean surprise quizzes, rather quizzes on the
topic of pop culture. Students hate being tested on the
things they are taught in school, it makes them feel
controlled, but allowing them to express their knowledge
of their hobbies is a different thing altogether and will
often get them highly motivate.

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Games 

Who doesn’t like games? While teenagers don’t like to
be treated like children, they do have a very competitive
nature and giving them a chance to show off and
compete in small groups is a great way to bring class
interaction. Just make sure to give everyone a chance
to shine.

Tips for teaching Teens

Worgan M. describes some aspects of the teacher- student relationship that have worked for her and hergroups.

1. The First Day: The first few days are crucial to the way the course will run. This is the time when the students will make unconscious decisions about what kind of teacher you are and it is essential to let them know that, while you may be relaxed and friendly, you will not accept any nonsense.

Make sure they are conscious of the amount of work they will be doing both
in and out of class if they want to reach their objectives (pass a course or an exam, learn English, etc.) Most teenagers expect to have to put in a bit of effort, and this usually motivates them. It is really important that they feel motivated.

2. Being strict: Research has shown that firm but fair teachers are preferred by this age group. Many times teachers are tempted to treat a group of sixteen year olds as adults, but the fact is that  emotionally they are not. If you talk to them as if they were your friends or peers, they will often use this as an excuse not to study or do as you ask.

At the end of the day, most teenagers
don’t have the maturity to choose learning over fun and games and it will be much more difficult to get them to
put in the required effort. However, this doesn’t mean that teachers have to be strict all the time!

Students should be rewarded when they work hard and rewards, such as games and other fun activities, can be a great
incentive to get the task done. Transmit the idea that you are in control of the class, this is something teenagers consider as a qualification of a good.teacher.

3. Short-Term goals: For the teacher, the school year may fly by, but for the average fifteen-year-old, though, a year can be a very long time. Set them regular,
achievable goals in order to keep motivation as high as possible, and discuss and negotiate these goals with your students keeping them involved.

4. Motivation: Worgan M. mentions that one of the questions teachers of teenagers constantly ask is “How can I motivate them? They aren’t interested in
anything!” They usually don’t like the books and the topics in them. If you ask teenagers what topics they would like to cover in class they, usually, don’t know or
will come up with just a few.

Even if you bring in materials about their interests they will most probably show very little enthusiasm. The problem is not the actual topic of the lesson, but the type of activities involved.

I have used the following activities with
teenagers and they have worked well. Imagine you have a text about someone who found a bottle on the seashore. In the bottle was a message which was written many years ago.

Instead of just asking your students to read, tell them the story from the writer’s point of view from the beginning, but stopping before the end.

Now ask what happened next, encouraging all kinds of funny answers and, then, get them reading! The gist of it is to find fun ways to exploit the materials they already have in their course books.

5. Humour: A good laugh now and again can motivate teenagers to want to come to class. Make up stories or ask them to help you solve a problem or to introduce a grammar point that they actually know. My favorite problem-solving activity used to be a story which was partially true.

I would tell my students that I had
received a horrible birthday present (an orange blouse for example) from my husband and I didn’t know what to do with it, without hurting his feelings. The students would come up with all sorts of solutions, have fun and, actually, practice their English.

This will give you and the students an opportunity to relax. They will be much happier about working when they notice the teacher is prepared to tell a story or
joke. As a follow-up activity you can ask them to share similar problems they have or have had and their peers should suggest solutions.

Teenagers will be eager to
participate (as long as it is done in English) and our teaching objective will have been reached (2 nd Conditional: if I were you, I would…).

Effective Teaching Methods for Teenagers
Louanne Piccolo states in her article Teaching Teenagers: How to Motivate and Interest

Them, that t eenagers look for meaning and significance in relation to their own lives in what they are taught. An intelligent teacher will use this knowledge to personalize their lessons and relate this to what is going on in the lives of the students at the moment.

Teenagers want to know about now, and not about what happened a hundred years ago! Keeping up- to-date with technology and the topics that may interest teenagers may take a lot of effort on behalf of the teacher, but it is of utmost importance to getting and holding their attention.

Most teenagers like to talk about themselves, what they think, what they don't like and are quite emotional; so, teachers must be creative and organize activities like sharing journal entries or writing articles for a magazine students have created themselves.

This allows students to express themselves freely and talk about a topic they are interested in: their own ideas. Piccolo further explains that, prior to learning, teenagers need to know why they are doing something, how it can help them and how it relates to their lives.

Although everyone prefers interesting classes, this is not always possible. Teenagers are aware of this and even though they are, generally, in favor of fun they know that good learning takes an effort.

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Six Resources a Teacher Should Use When Teaching Teenagers

Piccolo suggests six resources which help put teaching methods into use, through appropriate and adapted
activities.

Here are some particularly useful resources when teaching teenagers:
Not quite-yet-adults and not-still children is a difficult thing to be. The average teenager is an inquisitive contrast of innocence and worldliness and has a thirst for knowledge that is endless, in spite of the fact that
their interests, emotions and frustrations vary enormously.

A teacher who understands the characteristics of a teenage learner, effective teaching methods and the resources to put those methods into
practice, is a teacher who will motivate and challenge a teenage class to learn with interest.

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Teaching Children with Autism 2

Continued from here

Step 6: Manage Behavioral Challenges

For students with autism, problem behaviors may be triggered for a variety of reasons. Such behaviors may include temper tantrums, running about the room, loud vocalizations, self-injurious activities, or other disruptive or distracting behaviors.

Because children with autism
often have difficulties communicating in socially acceptable ways, they may act out when they are confused or fearful about something.

Your first challenge is to decipher the cause, or function, of a particular behavior. Look for patterns in these behaviors such as when they do, or do not, consistently occur. Communicating with families and other team members, and observing the behavior in the context in which it occurs, will be an essential part of learning the function of a specific behavior.

It’s important to use consistent, positive behavioral reinforcement techniques to promote pro-social behaviors for children with autism. This process involves
providing reasonable alternatives to undesirable behaviors.

Teachers may choose to ignore other negative behaviors or give predetermined consequences. The key is to be consistent with how you react to the behaviors over time, and to use as many positive strategies as possible to promote more desirable behaviors.

As you follow these steps and learn more about children with autism, you will become a mentor to other educators when they face similar challenges for the first time. Your curiosity will fuel your education about autism, and your communication skills will help you create a meaningful alliance with parents.

Most of all, you will be able to effectively collaborate with a team that will support a child with autism throughout the
course of the school year. Your patience, kindness, and professionalism will make a difference in the lives of all
your students.

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Courtesy: www.researchautism.org

11 Myths of Autism

People with autism don’t want friends. If someone in your class has autism, she probably struggles with social skills, which may make it difficult to interact with peers.

1. She might seem shy or unfriendly, but that’s just because she is unable communicate her desire for relationships the same way you do.

2. People with autism can’t feel or express any emotion— happy or sad. Autism doesn’t make an individual unable to feel the emotions you feel, it just makes the person communicate emotions (and perceive your expressions) in different ways.

3. People with autism can’t understand the emotions of others. Autism often affects an individual’s ability to understand unspoken interpersonal communication, so someone with autism might not detect sadness based solely on one’s body language or sarcasm in one’s tone of voice.

But, when emotions are communicated more directly, people with autism are much more likely to feel empathy and compassion for others.

4. People with autism are intellectually disabled. Often times, autism brings with it just as many exceptional abilities as limitations. Many people with autism have normal to high IQs and some may excel at math, music or another pursuit.

5. People with autism are just like Dustin Hoffman’s character in Rain Man. Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning its characteristics vary significantly from
person to person. Knowing one person with autism means just that—knowing one person with autism.

His or her capabilities and limitations are no indication of the capabilities and limitations of another person with autism.

6. People who display qualities that may be typical of a person with autism are just odd and will grow out of it. Autism stems from biological conditions that affect brain development and, for many individuals, is a life long condition.

7. People with autism will have autism forever. Recent research has shown that children with autism can make enough improvement after intensive early intervention to “test out” of the autism diagnosis. This is more evidence for the importance of addressing autism when the first signs appear.

8. Autism is just a brain disorder. Research has shown that many people with autism also have gastro- intestinal disorders, food sensitivities, and many allergies.

9. Autism is caused by bad parenting. In the 1950s, a theory called the “refrigerator mother hypothesis” arose suggesting that autism was caused by mothers who lacked emotional warmth. This has long been disproved.

10. The prevalence of autism has been steadily increasing for the last 40 years. The rate of autism has increased by 600% in the last 20 years. In 1975, an estimated 1 in 1,500 had autism. In 2009, an estimated 1 in 110 had an autism spectrum disorder.

11. Therapies for people with autism are covered by insurance. Most insurance companies exclude autism from the coverage plan and only half of the 50 states currently require coverage for treatments of autism
spectrum disorders.

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Know more about Autistic Children

Wikipedia says ; Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction , verbal and non-verbal communication , and restricted and repetitive behavior.

Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child's life.  The signs typically develop gradually, but some children with autism will reach their developmental milestones at a normal pace and then regress.

Understanding the underlying reasons for behaviour is
very important in helping professionals to devise
strategies to help a child on the autism spectrum.
Without at least a background knowledge of the
challenges that having autism can create, a child’s
behaviour can be misinterpreted and their needs will not
be met in the most appropriate way. A teacher or early
years practitioner will therefore need a knowledge of
autism and how to structure situations to promote
learning as well as observational skills and the capacity
to motivate and involve.
Other people’s opinions may have little or no influence
on the behaviour of children on the autism spectrum
and the child may say and do exactly as they want.
Adults who do not know the child or know about autism
may misunderstand the child’s behaviour and view it as
naughty, difficult or lazy when in fact the child did not
understand the situation or task, or did not read the
adult’s intentions or mood correctly.
Typical behaviour
The kind of behaviours professionals look for in
diagnosing autism are:
Delay or absence of spoken language including loss of
early acquired language
Unusual uses of language
Difficulties in playing with other children
Inappropriate eye contact with others
Unusual play activities and interests and failure to share
in the interests or play of others
Communicating wants by taking an adult’s hand and
leading to the desired object or activity
Failure to point out objects with the index finger
Unusual response to certain sounds, sights and textures
Resistance to changes in familiar routines
Repetitive actions or questions
A preference for following their own agenda.
There are a number of subgroups within the spectrum of
autism but all children on the autistic spectrum share a
triad of impairments some of which impact on their
behaviour, for example difficulties with thinking and
behaving flexibly may be evidenced by obsessional or
repetitive activities. Some children on the autism
spectrum may have unusual sleep patterns. Many will
have difficulty in understanding the social behaviour of
others and in behaving in socially appropriate ways.
Other factors besides autism can also affect a child’s
behaviour – personality, environment, family
characteristics and the child’s skills and interests.
Children on the autism spectrum may have other
conditions which can impact on behaviour – for
example ADHD, dyspraxia and obsessive-compulsive
disorder.

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Here are ten things every child with autism
wishes you knew:
1. I am a child.
My autism is part of who I am, not all of who
I am. Are you just one thing, or are you a
person with thoughts, feelings, preferences,
ideas, talents, and dreams? Are you fat
(overweight), myopic (wear glasses) or klutzy
(uncoordinated)? Those may be things that I
see first when I meet you, but you’re more
than just that, aren’t you?
As an adult, you have control over how you
define yourself. If you want to single out one
characteristic, you can make that known. As a
child, I am still unfolding. Neither you nor I yet
know what I may be capable of. If you think of
me as just one thing, you run the danger of
setting up an expectation that may be too
low. And if I get a sense that you don’t think I
“can do it,” my natural response will be, why
try?
2. My senses are out of sync.
This means that ordinary sights, sounds,
smells, tastes, and touches that you may not
even notice can be downright painful for me.
My environment often feels hostile. I may
appear withdrawn or belligerent or mean to
you, but I’m just trying to defend myself.
Here’s why a simple trip to the grocery store
may be agonizing for me.
My hearing may be hyperacute. Dozens of
people jabber at once. The loudspeaker booms
today’s special. Music blares from the sound
system. Registers beep and cough, a coffee
grinder chugs. The meat cutter screeches,
babies wail, carts creak, the fluorescent
lighting hums. My brain can’t filter all the
input and I’m in overload!
My sense of smell may be highly sensitive.
The fish at the meat counter isn’t quite fresh,
the guy standing next to us hasn’t showered
today, the deli is handing out sausage
samples, the baby in line ahead of us has a
poopy diaper, they’re mopping up pickles on
aisle three with ammonia. I feel like throwing
up.
And there’s so much hitting my eyes! The
fluorescent light is not only too bright, it
flickers. The space seems to be moving; the
pulsating light bounces off everything and
distorts what I am seeing. There are too many
items for me to be able to focus (my brain
may compensate with tunnel vision), swirling
fans on the ceiling, so many bodies in
constant motion. All this affects how I feel just
standing there, and now I can’t even tell
where my body is in space.
3. Distinguish between won’t (I choose not to)
and can’t (I am not able to).
It isn’t that I don’t listen to instructions. It’s
that I can’t understand you. When you call to
me from across the room, I hear “*&^%$#@,
Jordan. #$%^*&^%$&*.” Instead, come over to
me, get my attention, and speak in plain
words: “Jordan, put your book in your desk.
It’s time to go to lunch.” This tells me what
you want me to do and what is going to
happen next. Now it’s much easier for me to
comply.
4. I’m a concrete thinker. I interpret language
literally.
You confuse me by saying, “Hold your horses,
cowboy!” when what you mean is, “Stop
running.” Don’t tell me something is “a piece
of cake” when there’s no dessert in sight and
what you mean is, “This will be easy for you
to do.” When you say, “It’s pouring cats and
dogs,” I see pets coming out of a pitcher. Tell
me, “It’s raining hard.”
Idioms, puns, nuances, inferences, metaphors,
allusions, and sarcasm are lost on me.
5. Listen to all the ways I’m trying to
communicate.
It’s hard for me to tell you what I need when I
don’t have a way to describe my feelings. I
may be hungry, frustrated, frightened, or
confused but right now I can’t find those
words. Be alert for body language, withdrawal,
agitation or other signs that tell you
something is wrong. They’re there.
Or, you may hear me compensate for not
having all the words I need by sounding like a
little professor or movie star, rattling off words
or whole scripts well beyond my
developmental age. I’ve memorized these
messages from the world around me because I
know I am expected to speak when spoken to.
They may come from books, television, or the
speech of other people. Grown-ups call it
echolalia. I may not understand the context or
the terminology I’m using. I just know that it
gets me off the hook for coming up with a
reply.
6. Picture this! I’m visually oriented.
Show me how to do something rather than
just telling me. And be prepared to show me
many times. Lots of patient practice helps me
learn.
Visual supports help me move through my
day. They relieve me of the stress of having to
remember what comes next, make for smooth
transition between activities, and help me
manage my time and meet your expectations.
I need to see something to learn it, because
spoken words are like steam to me; they
evaporate in an instant, before I have a chance
to make sense of them. I don’t have instant-
processing skills. Instructions and information
presented to me visually can stay in front of
me for as long as I need, and will be just the
same when I come back to them later.
Without this, I live the constant frustration of
knowing that I’m missing big blocks of
information and expectations, and am helpless
to do anything about it.
7. Focus and build on what I can do rather
than what I can’t do.
Like any person, I can’t learn in an
environment where I’m constantly made to
feel that I’m not good enough and that I need
fixing. I avoid trying anything new when I’m
sure all I’ll get is criticism, no matter how
“constructive” you think you’re being. Look for
my strengths and you will find them. There is
more than one right way to do most things.
8. Help me with social interactions.
It may look like I don’t want to play with the
other kids on the playground, but it may be
that I simply do not know how to start a
conversation or join their play. Teach me how
to play with others. Encourage other children
to invite me to play along. I might be
delighted to be included.
I do best in structured play activities that have
a clear beginning and end. I don’t know how
to read facial expressions, body language, or
the emotions of others. Coach me. If I laugh
when Emily falls off the slide, it’s not that I
think it’s funny. It’s that I don’t know what to
say. Talk to me about Emily’s feelings and
teach me to ask, “Are you okay?”
9. Identify what triggers my meltdowns.
Meltdowns and blow-ups are more horrid for
me than they are for you. They occur because
one or more of my senses has gone into
overload, or because I’ve been pushed past
the limit of my social abilities. If you can
figure out why my meltdowns occur, they can
be prevented. Keep a log noting times,
settings, people, and activities. A pattern may
emerge.
Remember that everything I do is a form of
communication. It tells you, when my words
cannot, how I’m reacting to what is happening
around me. My behavior may have a physical
cause. Food allergies and sensitivities sleep
problems and gastrointestinal problems can all
affect my behavior. Look for signs, because I
may not be able to tell you about these
things.
10. Love me unconditionally.
Throw away thoughts like, “If you would just
—” and “Why can’t you—?” You didn’t fulfill
every expectation your parents had for you
and you wouldn’t like being constantly
reminded of it. I didn’t choose to have autism.
Remember that it’s happening to me, not you.
Without your support, my chances of growing
up to be successful and independent are slim.
With your support and guidance, the
possibilities are broader than you might think.
Three words we both need to live by:
Patience. Patience. Patience.
View my autism as a different ability rather
than a disability. Look past what you may see
as limitations and see my strengths. I may not
be good at eye contact or conversation, but
have you noticed that I don’t lie, cheat at
games, or pass judgment on other people?
I rely on you. All that I might become won’t
happen without you as my foundation. Be my
advocate, be my guide, love me for who I am,
and we’ll see how far I can go.

Coutesy: http://www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk

www.ellennotbohm.com

Teaching Children with Autism 1

Your classroom is already a diverse place. With the rising inclusion of students with autism in general education settings, the challenges associated with managing a classroom will grow.

This section outlines a simple and highly flexible six-step plan you and your teaching team can use to prepare for the inclusion of a child with autism in your classroom.

Step 1: Educate Yourself

You must have a working understanding of autism and what that means for your students. Sometimes children with autism may behave in inappropriate or disruptive ways, but their behaviors are more related to their autism than they are deliberate, disrespectful acts.

Learning about autism and about how it specifically affects your student is the first step to success. Your education about autism will evolve as your
relationship with your student and their family develops; your knowledge about the disorder and skills in dealing with its impact on the classroom will also continue to grow.

Maintaining an open attitude to learning and working closely with the parents and school team will help you (and your student) succeed in the long term.

Step 2: Reach Out to the Parents

Parents are your first and best source of information
about their child. Step two is all about establishing a
working partnership with the families of the students
you serve. Not only will you meet before the school year
begins, but it is critical to establish methods and
patterns of communication for which there is mutual
agreement.
Building trust with parents is essential. Communication
with families about the progress of the student should
be ongoing. While the information you exchange may
often focus on current classroom challenges, strategies
employed, and ideas for alternative solutions, do not
forget to include positive feedback about
accomplishments and milestones reached.

Step 3: Prepare the Classroom

There are ways you can accommodate some of the needs of students with autism in your classroom that will enhance their opportunity to learn without sacrificing your plans for rest of the class.

Of course, there are practical limitations on how much you can modify the physical characteristics of your classroom, but even a few modifications to support a child with autism can have remarkable results for everyone.

Step 4: Educate Peers and Promote Social Goals

You must make every effort to promote acceptance of a student with autism as a full member and integral part of the class, even if that student only attends class for a few hours each week. As a teacher, you must create a social environment that encourages positive interactions between the student with autism and his or her typically developing peers throughout the day.

Children with autism, by definition, have difficulties with social skill development and understanding language and social cues. With appropriate assistance, however, children with autism can engage with peers and establish mutually enjoyable and lasting interpersonal relationships.

Research shows that typically developing children have more positive attitudes, increased understanding, and greater acceptance of their peers with autism when provided with clear, accurate, and straightforward information about the disorder. Assuming there are no
restrictions on disclosing that your student has autism, educating your class about autism and how it can affect their classmate can be an effective way to increase positive, social interactions between the child with autism and his classroom peers.

Remember that many social interactions occur in settings outside the classroom. Without prior planning and extra help, students with autism may end up isolated during these unstructured times.

You may want to create a “circle of friends,” or a rotating group of
responsible peer buddies for the student with autism; they will not abandon him or her, serve as a model of appropriate social behavior, and protect against teasing or bullying. This strategy should also be considered for use outside of school.

Read more about Autism here

Courtesy: www.researchautism.org

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Leadership retreat for February 25

The forthcoming retreat for school administrators and officials will expose the participants to the basic skills
needed to inspire their workers for longer service and productivity, the Association of Proprietors of Private Schools has said.

The retreat tagged, “Effective Empowerment of Schools through Collaborative Capacity Building and Leadership,’’ starts on February 25 at Magodo, Lagos State.

The Lagos State chapter Chairman of the association, Mr. Yomi Otubela, said the programme became necessary to provide “requisite skills in school business using collaborative building capacity.

“Some other focus is on sports and recreation activities as a tool for self and body development.

Exercising the body is a tool to staying healthy and its importance and benefits will be emphasised and practiced during
the retreat.’’

The Managing Consultant, Standard Mandate International, Mr. Nelson Ayodele, said the training of teachers and school managers was necessary to keep the academic environment vibrant.

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Ideas for School Administrators

Here are ten ideas

1) Your School Must Be For All Kids 100 Percent of the Time
If you start making decisions based on avoiding conflict, the students lose. This is what sustained me through one of my most difficult decisions. I asked
the school district to let our school health center offer birth control after four girls became pregnant in one semester. For this group of kids, the health center at
King was their primary health care provider. Although
we offer birth control to our students, we are not the birth control school; we are the school that cares about all of its kids. This decision was the right one, and it cemented for all time the central values of
King.

2) Create a Vision, Write It Down, and Start Implementing It : Don't put your vision in your drawer and hope for the
best. Every decision must be aligned with that vision. The whole organization is watching when you make a decision, so consistency is crucial.

3) It's the People, Stupid : The secret of managing is to keep the guys who hate
you away from those who are still undecided. (That's adapted from Casey Stengel.) Hire people who
support your vision, who are bright, and who like kids.

4) Paddles in the Water
In Outward Bound, you learn that when you are navigating dangerous rapids in a raft, the only way to succeed is for everyone in the boat to sit out on the edge and paddle really hard, even though everyone would rather be sitting in the center, where it's safer.

At King, in times of crisis, everyone responds with paddles in the water.

5) Find Time to Think During the Day
They pay me to worry. It's OK to stare at the wall and think about how to manage change. If i have 70 people who work . Even the most centered has three bad days each school year. Multiply that by 70 people and that's 210 bad days, which is more than the 180 school days in a year. So, me, I am never going to have a good day -- just get over it.

6) Take Responsibility for the Good and the Bad
If the problems in your school or organization lie below you and the solutions lie above you, then you have rendered yourself irrelevant. The genius of school lies within the school. The solutions to problems are almost always right in front of you.

7) You Have the Ultimate Responsibility
Have very clear expectations. Make sure people have the knowledge, resources, and time to accomplish what you expect. This shows respect. As much as possible, give people the autonomy to manage their
own work, budget, time, and curriculum. Autonomy is the goal, though you still have to inspect.

8) Have a Bias for Yes
When my son was little, I was going through a lot of turmoil at King, and I did not feel like doing much of
anything when I got home. One day, I just decided that whatever he wanted to do, I would do -- play ball, eat ice cream, and so on. I realized the power of yes. It changed our relationship. The only progress you will ever make involves risk: Ideas that teachers have may seem a little unsafe and crazy. Try to think, "How can I make this request into a yes?"

9) Consensus is Overrated
Twenty percent of people will be against anything. When you realize this, you avoid compromising what really should be done because you stop watering
things down. If you always try to reach consensus, you are being led by the 20 percent.

10) Large Change Needs to be Done Quickly
If you wait too long to make changes to a school culture, you have already sanctioned mediocre behavior because you're allowing it. That's when
change is hard, and you begin making bad deals.

Coutesy: http://www.edutopia.org

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Ideas for School Administrators

During my senior year of college, I
taught math to 26 inmates, none of whom had finished high school. What I faced was 26 examples of the failure of American education.

What I did not realize is the profound effect this would have on my career as a school leader. After teaching for five
years, I became a principal because I felt that I could help underserved kids better in that role. Here are ten ideas I have learned in the 30 years since I became a principal.

1) Your School Must Be For All Kids 100 Percent of the Time: If you start making decisions based on avoiding conflict, the students lose. This is what sustained me
through one of my most difficult decisions. I asked the school district to let our school health center offer birth control after four girls became pregnant in one semester.

For this group of kids, the health center at
King was their primary health care provider. Although we offer birth control to our students, we are not the birth control school; we are the school that cares
about all of its kids. This decision was the right one, and it cemented for all time the central values of King.

2) Create a Vision, Write It Down, and Start Implementing It: Don't put your vision in your drawer and hope for the
best. Every decision must be aligned with that vision.

The whole organization is watching when you make a decision, so consistency is crucial.

3) It's the People, Stupid : The secret of managing is to keep the guys who hate
you away from those who are still undecided. Hire people who support your vision, who are bright, and who like kids.

4) Paddles in the Water: In Outward Bound, you learn that when you are
navigating dangerous rapids in a raft, the only way to succeed is for everyone in the boat to sit out on the edge and paddle really hard, even though everyone would rather be sitting in the center, where it's safer.

At King, in times of crisis, everyone responds with paddles in the water.

5) Find Time to Think During the Day:
They pay me to worry. It's OK to stare at the wall and think about how to manage change. I have 70 people who work at King. Even the most centered has three bad days each school year. Multiply that by 70 people and that's 210 bad days, which is more than the 180 school days in a year. So, me, I am never going to have a good day -- just get over it.

6) Take Responsibility for the Good and the Bad: If the problems in your school or organization lie below you and the solutions lie above you, then you have rendered yourself irrelevant. The genius of school lies within the school. The solutions to problems are almost always right in front of you.

7) You Have the Ultimate Responsibility:
Have very clear expectations. Make sure people have the knowledge, resources, and time to accomplish what you expect. This shows respect. As much as possible, give people the autonomy to manage their own work, budget, time, and curriculum. Autonomy is the goal, though you still have to inspect.

8) Have a Bias for Yes: When my son was little, I was going through a lot of
turmoil at King, and I did not feel like doing much of anything when I got home.
One day, I just decided that whatever he wanted to do, I would do -- play ball, eat ice cream, and so on. I realized the power of yes. It changed our relationship. The only progress you will ever make involves risk: Ideas that teachers have may seem a little unsafe and crazy. Try to think,
"How can I make this request into a yes?"

9) Consensus is Overrated: Twenty percent of people will be against anything. When you realize this, you avoid compromising what really should be done because you stop watering
things down. If you always try to reach consensus, you are being led by the 20 percent.

10) Large Change Needs to be Done Quickly: If you wait too long to make changes to a school culture, you have already sanctioned mediocre behavior because you're allowing it. That's when
change is hard, and you begin making bad deals.

Do you know achievements are easy to come by check here to know more

Coutesy: http://www.edutopia.org

COBIS 2015 Conference on 16 -17 April 2015

On 16-17 April 2015, Grange School Lagos will be the host school for the first Council of British International Schools (COBIS) Conference in Africa. COBIS is the organisation which serves British International Schools of global quality, representing over 300 prestigious member organisations worldwide.

This Conference entitled  "Students taking ownership of their learning" is the first of its kind in Africa and will be drawing participants from all British International School on the Continent and Overseas.

The event which will run 9am - 4pm on both days (exhibition at 8am), and have a Gala Conference Dinner on 16th April 2015, will provide high-quality CPD through a mix of keynote speeches, seminars and workshop by leading UK educational expert, on arrange of topics including:

British International Schools: The Africa Perspective - Challenges, Threats, Opportunities

British International Schools: Meeting the Challenges of Becoming Outstanding

Education: Current Trends and Issues

New Models of Educational Delivery: Opportunities and Challenges

Using ICT to Enhance, Extend and Support Learning

Special Educational Needs

Differentiation and Personalised Learning

Effective Lesson Observation

And more

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Be a part of history in the making:
COBIS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR SCHOOL LEADERS, TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF, LAGOS, NIGERIA

THEME: "Students taking ownership of their learning"

Date: 16 - 17th of April 2015

Venue: GRANGE SCHOOL Ikeja,Ikeja Lagos

For whom:

Proprietors of British International Schools, Educational Leaders, Parents, Teachers, Assistant Teachers and Support staff are invited to join us for this COBIS Conference

Booking:

Please visit www.cobis.org.uk/lagos2015 for online booking form and registration.

Accommodation:

Hotel information will be circulated with booking confirmation.

Exhibitors are invited to participate in this conference. To download more information and book an exhibition stand

please complete an online exhibitor booking form at: www.cobis.org.uk/lagos2015

For additional information, please contact:
ma.olaosebikan@grangeschool.com

Why teachers can’t deliver real personalized learning

It is heart wrenching to imagine what it must be like for a small child to go through the experience of seeing her mother sent to prison. That tragedy is compounded when the school where that child should be able to find help and support is dismissive of her emotional needs.

But from my experience as a teacher, I can understand why something like that would happen. Unfortunately, the real problem isn’t just that a handful of teachers and school administrators at a particular school were insensitive to a child.

The real issue is that the design
of our traditional education system affords teachers and administrators few good options for handling such challenges without neglecting their primary responsibilities.

In a traditional classroom, students do not learn unless the teacher is in control by managing and guiding the learning experience, giving students directions, and making sure they all stay on task and on pace. Because of this reality, a decision to stop and address the emotional needs of one student inevitably means temporarily neglecting the academic needs of the class.

Sometimes, sending a student to a school counselor or administrator is a way to minimize this tradeoff. But when the student is gone from class, she misses valuable instructional time and falls behind. And in an education system based on whole-group instruction, teachers’ work grows exponentially when they have to catch individual students up.

More generally, when many students are already behind academically and
where such crises in their personal lives are far too common, focusing on social and emotional needs can quickly undermine teachers’ and administrators’ efforts to close achievement gaps and change the ultimate life trajectories of their students.

The reality is that our traditional education system was designed to utilize teachers as lesson planners, graders, and managers of whole-group instruction, but today we also expect them to be counselors, mentors, and individual learning specialists.

It is unreasonable to give teachers these additional roles without changing the
structure of their work. But too often we just stack teachers up with additional responsibilities and then expect them to be able to juggle everything with superhuman deftness.

To solve this problem of human capacity constraints, what we need are new models of schooling that use online learning to both personalize learning to each students’ individual needs and also free up teachers from some aspects of their work so that they can focus more on the academic, social, and emotional needs of their individual students.

Fortunately, we already have some promising models for addressing these challenges. As Rick Ogston, the CEO of
Carpe Diem Learning Systems said in Rick Hess and Bror Saxberg’s book, Breakthrough Leadership in the Digital Age , “When you’re leveraging technology like we are, people want to look at us in terms of technology.

But the secret sauce is not the technology, it’s the relationships.” Similarly, Diane Tavenner, CEO of the Summit Public Schools, has said in the same book of her school’s blended-learning approach, “Our model has more of the stuff that teachers got into education for.

There’s more meaningful one-on-one work, more opportunities to get to know their kids very well.”

When we talk about personalized learning, we often focus on using technology to tailor instruction to students’ individual learning needs.

Equally important, if not more so, is the way personalized learning can make
education more humane. Personalized education is about not only personalizing the instruction students receive, but also the relationships between teachers and
students.

Courtesy: www.christenseninstitute.org

Global standards for teaching and learning

HEAD of School, City of Knowledge Academy (CKA), Ogun State, Abiola Lamikanra, has urged education managers in the country to
incorporate global techniques in the routine of teaching and learning in all schools.

This, she said should be in tandem with regular training of teachers in contemporary trend and practices, arguing that they are the group that transfers knowledge to the students.

Addressing reporters shortly after a facility tour at the school, located at Itanrin, Ore-Sagamu expressway, Ijebu-Ode, Lamikanra stressed that the objective of every school should be, among others, prepare students that are global in orientation and at par with their counterparts around the world.

According to her, “Teaching children about global issues is very imperative and raising a child in a 21st century requires a common sense; one century is not different from another,
the only thing that happens now is that we are more global in perspective, we are all very connected, whatever happens in Australia in one minute, the whole world knows the next minute, so to be able to get our children participate globally we have to be very active in the use of technology and this should be the target of all education managers.”

“At CKA, while grooming our students with our ethical pillars which is culture, character and confidence, we also explore other avenues.

There is a programme we call Physical, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education, where they discuss personal responsibilities and other life skills.

“We pay a lot of attention to the acquisition of life and organisational skills, time management and interpersonal relationships. There are other programmes they take in conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and fixed mindset versus growth mindset.

All these are designed to ensure our students are well equipped to cope
with future academic requirement, they are not examination subjects, we are simply teaching them the ABC’s of this life,” she said.

She further stated that there are virtual learning platforms, where teachers engages students and parents could as well access it, urging school managers to make effective use of such platforms.

She said, “In CKA, technology is used as a tool not for decoration, when the children are in class they make effective use of the interactive board, they have their netbook with them and as the teacher is interacting with them, they are exploring the Internet together.”

On the ethical pillars of the school, she said, “Our emphasis is also on culture, character and confidence. We have explored the dimensions of character in today’s world, in terms of accountability, honesty, responsibility and leadership. Having good character is important
to us all in maintaining a good position in a society.”

“For the culture, we do not want to produce children who do not have a trace of their culture, not just their culture but to also have respect for other people’s culture. On the aspect of confidence, our children have confidence in themselves, they can go anywhere in the world and participate actively in any programme.

We build their self-esteem and that is important in educating a child in today’s world.

However, after the tour of facility, which
revealed that the school is indeed a home of knowledge, some parents of the school who were present at the school’s open day ceremony, expressed joy at the tremendous academic and infrastructural achievement of the school.

Help your Students Succeed

Teachers who transform lives understand not only how to teach curriculum, but also how children develop into capable, caring, and engaged adults.

They see beyond quantitative measurements of success to the core abilities that help students live healthy, productive lives.

Famous educator Maria Montessori wisely remarked, "The greatest sign of success for a teacher. . . is to be able to say, 'The children are now working as if I
did not exist.'" The world has changed dramatically since the early 1900s when Montessori made her mark in education.

Yet the same goal remains: scaffolding children toward self-sufficiency. How does this occur today, particularly when test results often seem more
important than the development of a child ready to tackle career-life challenges?

In a nutshell, it happens when we understand how children and teens successfully mature to adulthood and how we impact their growth in key developmental areas. Based on decades of research in child and adolescent development, neuroscience, education, and psychology, we know that relationships with teachers, parents, and other supportive adults determine how
school-age children acquire their personal guidance systems, full of interconnected abilities and pathways to success.

When we envision those abilities as an
internal compass, it's easy to see how education and development go hand in hand -- how children navigate successfully through school and life.

A framework for understanding why kids need these interconnected abilities and how they're nurtured in different contexts, it's also a call to act on behalf of children who deserve to live full, meaningful lives beyond external measures of success.

Is the first in a series of nine posts on how teachers develop these internal abilities in the classroom. Each month, we'll take a deeper dive into one of these eight compass attributes:

Curiosity

Curiosity is the ability to seek and acquire new knowledge, skills, and ways of understanding the world. It is at the heart of what motivates kids to learn and what keeps them learning throughout their lives. Curiosity facilitates engagement, critical thinking, and reasoning. We nurture children's curiosity and other life-long learning skills when we encourage them to identify and seek answers to questions that pique their
interests. When we help them recognize failure as an opportunity for exploration, we encourage experimentation and discovery.

We help them understand the tenets of engaged learning when we recognize the different ways they explore -- touching,
tasting, climbing, smelling, etc. -- and praise them for their perseverance in finding answers. When we show
them how parts connect and influence the whole of society, they discover that curiosity improves relationships, fuels innovation, and drives social change.

Sociability

Sociability is the joyful, cooperative ability to engage with others. It derives from a collection of social- emotional skills that help children understand and express feelings and behaviors in ways that facilitate positive relationships, including active listening, self- regulation, and effective communication.

We impact children's sociability when we help them understand that the words they choose make a difference to the relationships they create.

When we teach them that every social interaction is tied to an emotional reaction, we help them avoid impulsive behavior and think through difficult situations before acting. We also build their capacity for collaborative teamwork.

Resilience

Resilience is the ability to meet and overcome challenges in ways that maintain or promote well- being. It incorporates attributes like grit, persistence, initiative, and determination.

We build resilience when we push students gently to the edges of their intellectual, emotional, social, and physical comfort zones. Our support and
encouragement as they take risks, overcome challenges, and grow from failure helps them learn to bounce back from life's ups and downs.

Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is the ability to examine and understand who we are relative to the world around us. It's developed through skills like self-reflection, meaning making, and honing core values and beliefs. It's situated at "true south" on the compass to symbolize that introspection is about looking into ourselves.

Self-awareness impacts children's capacity to see themselves as uniquely different from other people.

We stimulate students' self-awareness when we engage them in reflective conversations about values, beliefs, attitudes, and moral dilemmas.

By encouraging them to understand and attend to their intellectual, emotional, social, and physical selves, we let them know that we value their full human
potential.

Integrity

Integrity is the ability to act consistently with the values, beliefs, and principles that we claim to hold. It's about courage, honesty, and respect in one’s daily
interactions -- and doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

We shape children's integrity by treating them with respect and dignity, and listening to their feelings and concerns without judgment. When we praise students for demonstrating their values, beliefs, and principles through actions, we remind them of their value as ethical human beings, beyond a grade or test score.

Resourcefulness

Resourcefulness is the ability to find and use available resources to achieve goals, problem solve, and shape the future. It draws on skills like planning, goal setting, strategic thinking, and organizing.

We encourage students to be resourceful when we set high expectations and support them to accomplish their goals. When we teach them to be strategic
thinkers and adaptable problem solvers, they learn to live without rigid rules or preconceived ideas.

Creativity

Creativity is the ability to generate and communicate original ideas and appreciate the nature of beauty. It
fosters imagination, innovation, and a sense of aesthetics.

We inspire creativity when we encourage young people to express themselves through writing, poetry, acting, photography, art, digital media, unstructured play, etc. When we notice and praise them for thinking outside the box and taking risks, their imaginations blossom.

Empathy

Empathy is the ability to recognize, feel, and respond to the needs and suffering of others. It facilitates the expression of caring, compassion, and kindness. It's
situated at "true north" on the compass to symbolize the outward impact of educating young citizens committed to creating a just, sustainable world.

We influence children's abilities to care for others beyond themselves by creating meaningful relationships with them, ensuring that they are seen, felt, and understood regardless of how they learn.

When we expose them to different worldviews, engage them with community projects, and bring service learning into the classroom, we develop greater empathy and compassion.

The Compass Advantage views education and child development as integrated processes nurtured through
the collaborative efforts of parents, teachers, and out- of-school programs. When we attend to the development of these eight abilities, the results are
transformative.

Not only do children become lifelong
learners, they become what Maria Montessori envisioned -- self-sufficient navigators of their own
lives.

By: Marilyn Price-Mitchell PhD
Developmental Psychologist,
Researcher, Writer

www.edutopia.org/blog