Positive Expectations Your expectations of your students will greatly influence their achievement in your class and their lives
There is absolutely no research correlation between success and family background, race, national origin, financial status, or even educational accomplishments. There is but one correlation with success, and that is ATTITUDE.
Attitude By Charles Swindoll “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.
It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.It will make or break a company…a church..a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.
We cannot change our past..we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude…
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our Attitudes”.
You can accomplish anything with students if you set high expectations for behavior and performance by which you yourself abide.
Two Kinds of Expectations Positive Expectations We are going to win. I believe every child can learn I am eager to learn. I look forward to staff development.. Negative Expectations We’ll be lucky to lose by 10 points. These kids don’t want to learn. Staff development is boring. I never learn anything.
The Effective Teacher Has a statement of positive expectations ready for the first day of school. Creates a classroom climate that communicates positive expectations. Goes to professional meetings to learn. Has a personal goal of high expectations.
Effective teachers have the power and the ability to invite students and colleagues each day to learn together.
Are You Invitational or Disinvitational? Inviting Congratulations. How can I help you? Smiling Listening Disinviting Not bad for a girl. You can’t do that. Sneering Yawning
All of us need to convey to our students and our colleagues every day that you are important to me as a person.
From Teacher and Child (1976) by Haim Ginott “I have come to a frightening conclusion. I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather.
As a teacher I possess 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 humor, hurt 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.”
Four Levels of Invitational Education 1.Intentionally Disinviting 2.Unintentionally Disinviting 3.Unintentionally Inviting 4.Intentionally Inviting
Unintentionally Disinviting Some teachers are oblivious to the fact that they are negative people. They feel they are well meaning, yet others see them as thoughtless, condescending. “I teach only students who want to learn.” “If you don’t want to learn that’s your problem.”
Unintentionally Inviting “Natural-born” teacher. They are generally well-liked and effective but are unaware of why they are effective. “Aren’t you sweet.” “Just try harder.” “Ienjoy teaching.
Intentionally Inviting Purposively invitational. They have a professional attitude, and strive to be more effective. They have a sound philosophy of education and can analyze the process of student learning. “Let me show you how to improve.”
Five Significant Concepts 1.Name 2.Please 3.Thank You 4.Smile 5.Love
Beliefs of an Effective Person I am not in the restaurant business. I am in the hospitality business.
I do not serve food. I nourish customers.
I do not sell clothes. I dress successful people.
I do not sell insurance. I help people solve problems.
I do not teach third grade. I enhance the quality of lives.