Lessons learnt from a life in learning

“There is no greater undertaking than exists in schools”(Sean Friedenthal)
Whether it is a minister or a missionary, whose position and profession exclude a certain group of people; nobody has the group of people to work with that teachers do. It is a privilege to have the involvement with people and the influence on the future that teachers do.
Habits of excellent teachers
1. Believe in people
2. Take risks on the growing edge
3. Keep learning
4. Plan thoroughly
5. Nurture your faith
6. Use findings of the latest neuroscience research
7. Reflect
How to maintain discipline in classrooms
• Create an ethos that celebrates what is good rather than just punishing what is bad.
Learners who are on the cusp of either good or bad behaviour will lean towards the side which you give most attention to (i.e. if more of your attention is on punishment of what is bad, they will lean towards that to get your attention)
• What you condone, you authorize to exist.
• What you want from kids, you have to give to them in return and more so.
How to engage young people
• Get them involved in the learning process.
• Assuming basic education (literacy and numeracy) is in place, focus more on emotional education.
Measuring success in teaching:
• In the short term, measurable results such as final marks and matric results are the only way.
• True success in teaching is measured in the thirst for further learning that you have cultivated in your students.
• An important lesson to teach kids is to imbue them with the tendency to selfless service to their community.
Lessons learned from a life in teaching:
• We need to teach children to deal with failure correctly
• Don’t move too quickly in your career to seek promotion, because this results in too much lateral movement.
• Teaching can consume you and it is important to work together with the people in your life to create some sort of balance to deal with this
• Teamwork in teaching is essential, since it builds the capacity of yourself and the entire institution.
Good education systems have:
• The best people as teachers
• Good training for teachers and principals
• Good support for mediocre students
• Good maths and science programs
An effective Governing body:
• Is supportive of the school, but not controlling.
• Involved in fundraising, but not demanding.
• Should not attempt to micro-manage a school, because this undermines everyone in a leadership position within the school
• Has a role of oversight and monitoring, not undermining.
• Puts in place a good succession plan for all leadership positions in the school to ensure a seamless takeover of duties!
Rest a little, thank you for your support!

The down side of electronic failure...Formula for life?

Good to be back! The debugging of electronics seems to follow those who don't know all there is to know about computers..

Are you taking life too seriously? Having a bad day? Do you question every word and analyse every sentence spoken by others? Is everyone letting you down - not keeping their promises? Is the political bickering driving you mad?

This is a time when people are simply working and don’t have a lot of social events or public holidays to look forward to. People are struggling to cope with the cold weather, high inflation rates, and high prices for boring necessities. It’s a time when people are starting to feel the stresses and strains of work.

The formula W+(D-d) x TQ / M x NA by scientist Cliff Arnell helps calculate the year’s emotional low point. The formula combines personal and seasonal factors; (W) weather, (D) debt, (d) monthly salary, (T) time since Christmas, (Q) time since failure to quit a bad habit, (M) low motivational levels and (NA) the need to take action.
He suggests that we make changes to our lives, mid year, whilst surrounding ourselves with friends and parties to avoid stress.

Hold on!
I constantly remind my students that life is way too short to take everything so seriously. Yes, there are lots of things in the world for concern and there are always things in your personal life that cause stress – exams, poor health, the high price of fuel, the next trip to the dentist, children needing attention, ill pets, the economy - the list is endless. But, if that's all your day consists of, it is unbalanced, stress filled and lacking in fun.

Stress scale?
On a scale of one to ten with one being low stress, calm and enjoying life - and ten being totally drained, out of control and stressed-out - what is your number? If you are in the one to three numbers, you are doing great. If you are in the four to seven numbers, you are well on your way to a tedious wearisome lifestyle lacking in fun and joy. If you are at eight and above; beware - you are in living a lifestyle that is demanding, frustrating and unbalanced.

This simple exercise will help you better understand your life, why things happen the way they do and to what degree you are out of balance with your fun and joy to stress and frustration ratio as it relates to your daily activities and commitments. Balance is the key to living your life in a way that maintains or improves good health, prosperity and joy. Fun is part of the process that leads to a better life filled with more joy.

A Fun Formula
Do you need a simple formula for achieving more fun in your life? Are you devoid of fun - do you need a formula just to begin having fun? While fun may be a word that can be defined in a number of ways depending on your age and outlook on life, the following formula works for everyone.
The formula used in my class is S M I L E.

1. S - Sort, save and simplify your life. The less stuff you have to deal with the easier, and less stress filled your life will be - this creates calm
2. M - Make today and every day count. Balance your life by adding some fun. Put it on your calendar, plan ahead and commit to having time for fun.
3. I - Invest in yourself by planning enjoyable events that are filled with fun - spend time at the beach, go to lunch, pamper yourself.
4. L - Learn to laugh at yourself and not take life so seriously. Learn to laugh with others. Laughter is truly great medicine.
5. E - Encourage yourself daily to have more fun through motivational cards with funny or uplifting sayings on them, music that makes your heart sing and puts a smile on your face - this not only puts you in-control but is empowering
This simple action to make a positive change in your life, to reduce stress and to increase your fun, while it may seem like having fun is a frivolous, trivial and unnecessary component of life - it becomes very relevant and important when you put it in the perspective of living a balanced joyful less stress-filled life.

Remember a simple observation. Although a mouse has a shorter life than an elephant, both clock approximately the same number of heartbeats during their lives.

Let your heart beat for the greater good.