What are you creating?

“I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.” Haim G. Ginott

When I first read this quote literally the hairs on the back of my arm stood up. I read it again and there was pit in the middle of my stomach. And again, I read this quote. The third time slowly and aloud. I knew that I had a responsibility to share this with my staff.

You are the "decisive element" in your own classroom. What type of climate are you creating?

Haim Ginott was a well known clinical psychologist and child therapist of the 1960’s and 1970’s.  He believed that the overall classroom atmosphere should be dealt with and that teachers should work with students by using non-aggressive language. Ginott believed that a child’s self-esteem is greatly affected by their interaction with adults. In other words, what we say and do to our students matter (to everyone, especially them)!

Below are four of Ginott’s beliefs relating to how teachers can establish and maintain positive classroom discipline. As we continue to have courageous conversations about who we are and what we stand for please keep these “proverbs” in mind. When we brainstorm what Memminger should be let us examine ourselves, and our practices, to see if we are measuring up to our own meter stick.

 

*Learning always takes place in the present tense. This suggests that teachers must neither prejudge students nor hold grudges against them for previous misbehaviors.  The effective teacher should correct students by directing them to proper behavior examples.

 

*Teachers should always be respectful of student needs. Students should never experience any teacher belittling them.

 

*If teachers want civil behavior, they should model it for students.

 

*One of the best ways to improve student behavior is for the teacher to actively confer dignity on the students.  

Examine yourself and let us enjoy a courageous conversation at our upcoming professional development on Friday.

Leading courageously,

Dr. N

Today at Memminger:

*TCTs (smile)