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8 to Great Teaching Tips
from author MK Mueller
January, 2010 |
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| Teaching Tip #2 - Creating a Safe Haven |
"When we did the High point/Low point activity for Highway #4 - Feel all your Feelings - One student said his low point was missing two days of 8 to Great because of snow days!"
- Twila Knehans
Wow. Students missing school on snow days!?! That could only mean one thing: that Twila had created a safe haven in her 8 to Great classroom!
(See below for her "best ever Christmas present"!)
Whether you're starting a new class or restarting with a group that's had
trouble trusting, here are some tips from teachers for creating a Safe
Haven in your 8 to Great Classroom:
1) Have the group decide on basic 8 to Great classroom rules.
Allowing them to discuss and vote on issues such as
confidentiality, whether or not all students need to
participate,etc. is a great way to bond. You could even
require unanimous votes, making sure every voice is heard.
2) As often as possible, replace "I need you to" with "I invite
you to..."
3) Allow the students to make choices. From asking, "Would
you like to do this activity again sometime?" to "Does it
help you to have me write the quote of the day on the
board?" Anything that helps them up the Power Pyramid.
4) Listen and Respond. When a student says, "Let's try it this
way," trying it that way sends a powerful signal to the group.
5) Tell your personal stories of practicing the High-Ways. It's
amazing how they'll open up once you do.
6) Share some of their journalings aloud from time to time
without sharing names, i.e. "One student asked a powerful
question: Is it ever okay to give up on a dream? Let's
discuss that."
7) The old standbys of comfortable chairs or moving chairs in
a circle send a signal that this class is "different" and they
are in charge of the quality of their experience.
8) Food and fun whenever possible! |
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There are still 3 openings in our
Lincoln 8 to Great Training Weekend on Jan. 29-31.
Call 402-553-0555 or click here to give yourself this powerful set of tools.
"It was awesome, amazing and affirming! I now have a formula to share with anyone
who wants to change."
- Sue Bugge, counselor |
| Join our Mailing List!
Have you Signed up to Win $1,000 Dreaming Big?
Click here for more information! Deadline for starting the 31 day contest is January 28th.
Next month's Teaching Tip:
How counselor Rick Marez and 8 to Great helped a student stay in school! | |
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| Teaching Tip #3 - Always Do Activities Yourself! |
In a faculty inservice last week, I reminded my audience, "8 to Great is not a high school program. It is an adult program. Aren't our students making adult decisions every day? Then we believe they deserve a program that is not watered down or sugar coated!"
If you and I as trainers truly believe the above, then it's clear that we need to get involved in every activity ourselves first, before we invite students to do them. Twila Knehans, of Adams Central does just that. Here is one of her many success stories:
Her Best Ever Gift from a Student
When I took the 8 to Great training in July I shared one of my dreams
with the group. I shared that I would like a street in our hometown of Hastings,
Nebraska, to be named after me. It would be a green sign, with white
capital letters that spell out my last name KNEHANS.
The reason is because 3rd grade students at Hawthorne Elementary take a bike
ride around Hastings every year. After going on this bike ride last year with my son, I noticed every time we came to a street with someone's name on it, my son would say, "Mom that is so and so and this is what he did for the city of Hastings." I would like a street to be named after me so that I can impact other little boys and girls for the important contributions that I made for the city.
I shared this dream with my students at Adams Central at the beginning of the semester. Today senior Zach Hunt came into my room after semester tests and gave me a Christmas present. He said I couldn't open it until after he left. I thanked him and told him to have a Merry Christmas. After he left, I opened the card first and this is what it said, "Mrs. Knehans, I just wanted to say thank you for everything you have done for me the past two years. I have taken a lot more than just math from your classroom. Merry Christmas and always remember to DREAM BIG!"
 That was enough to make the tears start to flow. Then I opened the present. Inside was a green street sign with white letters that said KNEHANS Ave. WOW I can't believe it. This is the best Christmas present I have ever received. I will never forget Zachary Hunt.
Twila |
| Trainers Request 2-day Trainings and So It Is! |
 Is it possible to be certified in 8 to Great in just two powerfully packed days and avoid having to get SUBSTITUTES? The answer is YES! Just ask the Michigan Lighthouse trainers or the San Diego training team. So now we've brought the 2-day training to Omaha!
Our upcoming 2-day trainings are:
February 26-27 in Oshkosh, NE
March 18-19 in Cambridge, NE
March 27-28 iin Omaha, NE
You will still be fed 3 great meals, get the same 40+ activities for use in the classroom or on the field, meet phenomenal people and get to take the risk of training others who haven't heard the power of the High-Ways! Call now to reserve your spots: 402-553-0555 or click here for a registration form. Still only $695 per person or $595 if two or more attend.
It will change everything...for good. | |
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FREE! |
This month, when you book MK to speak at an inservice in the next year you'll get 8 copies of her book sent to you
absolutely FREE! Call 402.553.0555 to get on her schedule and mention this "Teaching Tips" special offer! |
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