Programs That Succeed “Creating a Catalytic Classroom” Moving from Lessons to Learning and from Instruction to Impact John Chevalier CTE Instructor / Apple Certified Trainer Sonoma County Office of Education Healdsburg High School Educating for Careers Conference Sacramento, California March 10-11, 2013 © 2013 Chevalier Training

What do we mean by “Catalytic Classroom?”

Catalyst: …by the age of 38. Definitions 1. Chemistry. a substance that causes or Accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected. 2. something that causes activity Between two or more persons or forces without itself being affected. 3. a person or thing that precipitates an event or change: His imprisonment by the government served as the catalyst that helped transform social unrest into revolution. 4. a person whose talk, enthusiasm, or energy causes others to be more friendly, enthusiastic, or energetic. A learning environment that functions in a way that naturally motivates students to excellence. CatalystCatalytic Classroom

What does a Catalytic Classroom Look Like?

Principle #1 Be Intentional How do you view yourself as a Teacher? Teacher = Leader Leader = Teacher Positional Leadership Influential Leadership NEW PARADIGM Moving from being an instructor to being a mentor!

Principle #1 Be Intentional How do you view your Students? The Problem: Students are just not motivated to Learn. MOTIVATION The Reality: Students do not see a practical connection between the classroom and the real world. NO CONNECTION The Solution: RELATIONSHIPS Young People are motivated by connection not by the actual work in the classroom.

Principle #2 Reach Out to Students who we Don’t Understand Be Inclusive in Everything you do! ✔ The parents are now on YOUR TEAM ✔ Find the difficult students early ✔ DO THIS EARLY!! The clock is ticking ✔ Call home and report it to the parents ✔ Catch those students doing something good

Principle #2 Reach Out to Students who we Don’t Understand Be Inclusive in Everything you do! ✔ The parents are now on YOUR TEAM ✔ Find the difficult students early ✔ DO THIS EARLY!! The clock is ticking ✔ Call home and report it to the parents ✔ Catch those students doing something good

Principle #2 Reach Out to Students who we Don’t Understand Be Inclusive in Everything you do! ✔ The parents are now on YOUR TEAM ✔ Find the difficult students early ✔ DO THIS EARLY!! The clock is ticking ✔ Call home and report it to the parents ✔ Catch those students doing something good

Principle #2 Reach Out to Students who we Don’t Understand Be Inclusive in Everything you do! ✔ The parents are now on YOUR TEAM ✔ Find the difficult students early ✔ DO THIS EARLY!! The clock is ticking ✔ Call home and report it to the parents ✔ Catch those students doing something good

Principle #2 Reach Out to Students who we Don’t Understand Be Inclusive in Everything you do! ✔ The parents are now on YOUR TEAM ✔ Find the difficult students early ✔ DO THIS EARLY!! The clock is ticking ✔ Call home and report it to the parents ✔ Catch those students doing something good

Principle #2 Reach Out to Students who we Don’t Understand Be Inclusive in Everything you do! ✔ The parents are now on YOUR TEAM ✔ Find the difficult students early ✔ DO THIS EARLY!! The clock is ticking ✔ Call home and report it to the parents ✔ Catch those students doing something good

Principle #3 Proximity Equals Opportunity Are your students a project or people? ✔ Connect struggling students with successful students. students. ✔ Take the time to have real conversations with your students. ✔ I am NOT saying be friends. I am saying be friendly. friendly. ✔ If the Proximity is there the opportunity will come. ✔ View your classroom as a Community.

Principle #4 Learn to Recognize the Needs of our Students What is the need? THE MYTH: THE REALITY: ✔ Students need an education. ✔ The need is simple. ✔ Remember why you got into this in the first place. ✔ The need isn’t so simple. THE NEED IS MET OVER THE LONG HAUL: ✔ Student’s have basic needs that must be met before they can learn. ✔ Or are you making a difference in the lives of Young People? ✔ Are you an enforcer of rules and dispatcher of information?

Principle #4 Learn to Recognize the Needs of our Students

Principle #4 Learn to Recognize the Needs of our Students We need to understand the world that our students are graduating into! What do you want to be when you grow up? We’re asking the wrong question…

The New Career Paradigm Old…New… ChoosingLearning OccupationSkills & Character WorkLife InformationCreativity ListsRelationships Phil Jarvis, The National LifeWork Centre, Memramcook, New Brunswick

OLD: Choose a destination What will you be when…? NEW: Focus on the journey Who are you now? What are your special skills, abilities, talents, gifts (assets)? What will you do next (stepping stones)? What competencies will you work on? What does your future look & feel like?

Principle #5 Develop Authentic Connection Points People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care! Dr. John Maxwell Dr. John Maxwell ✔ Find the interests of your students. ✔ Watch for student safety. ✔ Expect resistance at first. ✔ Learn the character traits of the FOUR CLASSIC TEMPERAMENTS.

Relationship Principle #5 Develop Authentic Connection Points The 3 R’s: Relevance Rigor NO!

Relationship Principle #5 Develop Authentic Connection Points The 3 R’s: Rigor Relevance

Principle #5 Develop Authentic Connection Points Dr. Russell J. Quaglia: President and Founder of the Quaglia Institute for Student Aspirations (QISA) “The Achievement gap will only be closed by dealing with the Motivation Gap, the Participation Gap and the Relationship Gap. Once you deal with those gaps, student achievement will no longer be an issue.”

The Benefits Of Creating a Catalytic Classroom 1.Learning happens naturally because the students believe you have their best interest in mind. believe you have their best interest in mind. 4. Test scores and overall achievement improves because learning is actually happening. because learning is actually happening. 3. Class size naturally grows because students WANT to be there. 2. Classroom management becomes less of an issue because the students respect you. because the students respect you.

Contact Information John Chevalier CTE Instructor/Apple Certified Trainer Sonoma County Office of Education Healdsburg High School