TIPPS » Intelligent Kids

What You Focus on Grows

admin — Mon, 18 May 2009 02:40:00 +0000

I have found such wisdom in the website that this article came from. The Jorgensen Learning Center has mentored me in my leadership. Check out the website and articles such as the one listed below at http://www.gojlc.com Whether you are a parents, teacher, or student, this principle of “What You Focus on Grows” is valuable for everyone.

By Liz Garavuso

Some of the most meaningful conversational leadership work I have ever done involved sitting for three days staring at the walls in order to come up with one simple provocation to guide a 2 hour employee discussion.

Weeks ago, I was planning for an annual workshop day that occurs every year on election day. I had clarity on the issue I wanted to tackle – I wanted to increase the effectiveness of the weekly grade level meetings. Those meetings were designed as the result of embracing the concept of professional learning communities. I had manipulated resources, much to my supervisor’s dismay, in order to ensure an opportunity for staff members to talk about their practice and ways to improve it. Unfortunately, the topic of those meetings often digressed into complaining sessions or opportunities to do the “administrivia” work required of the job: complete forms, purchase items, plan field trips, etc.

Last year, I addressed this issue, convincing myself that it was an issue of me not being clear about what I wanted. So, I explicitly detailed my wishes. Needless to say, nothing changed.

To make the complicated even more confusing, I was trying to plan this year’s workshop on the heels of having to deal with the aftermath of a much deserved disciplinary action for an employee which resulted in the building’s other employees focusing on “evil bosses” instead of meaningful instruction. Ripe with anger at the attempt of others to insinuate themselves into the work I needed to do to manage a difficult worker, I began planning a meeting that was destined to chastise and focus on the very things that would be counter productive to the more noble goal – more effective, account table teacher talk.

Fortunately, I turned to a colleague who shared a phrase that I have heard a many times, “What you focus on grows.” I was literally stunned by the power and intent of that phrase and knew immediately that I had to find a way to center the upcoming workshop around this notion of nurturing more accountable teacher talk.

So what was the three days of staring about? It took that long for this leader to get out of her own way. I had to recognize my feelings, accept my anger, let it go, focus on what I truly wanted as the outcome and the evidence I would need to collect to ensure its fruition, surface my mental models, envision a picture of success…in other words I had to practice the disciplines of conversational leadership that I knew would lead me to develop an effective approach to the workshop. The resulting provocation – “What might you do to make the grade level meetings more productive?” More importantly, the outcome of the workshop was not only a comprehensive list of actions that were generated by the staff members, but truly improved grade level meetings.

Once again, I was reminded that the work of a leader is not the work of doing stuff. It is not the work of demanding or mandating stuff. It is not the work of coercing around stuff. Instead, the work of a leader is to facilitate the process of learning of others relative to a clear mission or purpose of the organization. And that facilitation of learning means one thing – that all in the organization talk, in an environment of honest inquiry, about the very work that needs to be done together to ensure the success of the institution’s goals.

It’s a lesson I am sure I will need to relearn over an over again.

Intelligent Without Knowing It

admin — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:12:00 +0000

A student that needed to repeat their grade was recently tested for Special Education services. After the test, the school psychologist came and shared with me that the student did not meet the requirements for Special Education; matter of fact, the student scored in the above average category. The student even scored close to the Gifted levels.

When I shared the test findings with the student and told them that we were going to promote them two grades, he smiled beyond belief, looked me in the eyes, and said, “Dr. Z, I always thought I was stupid….are you sure the test was right?” This student was amazed that he was actually intelligent.

Way too many times in school, kids learn that they are not intelligent from their classmates, adults, and even teachers. As parents and educators, we need to invest in children by building their academic and intelligent confidence. We must encourage children to believe that they are intelligent. Howard Gardner, Professor at Harvard University, shares that kids have eight intelligences:

Linguistic intelligence (“word smart”):
Logical-mathematical intelligence (“number/reasoning smart”)
Spatial intelligence (“picture smart”)
Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (“body smart”)
Musical intelligence (“music smart”)
Interpersonal intelligence (“people smart”)
Intrapersonal intelligence (“self smart”)
Naturalist intelligence (“nature smart”)

Check out this website for descriptions of each intelligence: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/gperf/education/ed_mi_overview.html

Aim Don’t Tame Your Boy

admin — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:02:00 +0000

I noticed that a number of parents try to tame their boys rather than trying to aim their energy toward positive things. Both in the church and the home, many are demasculating boys by creating too many boundaries that don’t allow boys to experience the risk and thrill of living as boys. I believe in boundaries, but these boundaries must not act to cage our boys but to aim them toward the God given untamable spirit of boyhood. As parents, we should look for safe opportunities to let out your boy’s adventurous spirit. Take your son white water rafting, rock climbing, to a laser tag game, or high ropes course. By allowing your boy to live out his untamable and adventurous spirit, you can keep him free of the dangers of adolescence such as alcohol, drugs, violence, and sex.

By aiming and not taming your boy, you release him to be all that God means him to be.

Why Choose a Public School

admin — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:47:00 +0000

Why choose a public school for your Christian child?
Listen closely to this poem about sending your Christian child to a public school
Sending my child to a public school
Some Christians make me feel like a fool
But I want my kids to be salt and light
And become extra bright
Public schools have so many opportunities
To build friendships within their communities
Public Schools teach my kids how to be a Christian in today’s culture
And how to survive and defend their faith from the liberal vultures.
Public Schools teach my kids how to make their faith alive

So when faced with temptation they will thrive

- William T. Ziegler, Ed.D.

Dressed to Learn

admin — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:32:00 +0000

Jeans ripped to strategically expose undergarments, pants hanging low to purposely expose everyone to your stylish boxer shorts, these are just a few of the things that you will be literally exposed to when walking down the hallways in your typically public high school. Now I am as stylish as any young thirty something guy I know so don’t think of me as some out of touch prude. Unfortunately, yes a lot has been changing since my graduating high school in 1992. I work in the same high school I graduated from but it is like a different world from where I came from. If you wore ripped jeans in my day you were more likely to get made fun of. P

Parents, it is important to impress upon your child that there is a time and place for everything and that includes certain attire. Just like you would not wear a tuxedo or prom gown to school (unless it was a special occasion) you should never allow your student to wear certain clothes to school. One important thing my educational experience has taught me is that the better you focus, the better you learn. I have seen too many students constantly worrying about how their pants are hanging or if their shirt is exposing enough of the tattoo on their stomach. The arguments for school uniforms is an entirely different topic, I am not advocating for that in this here, I am just asking parents to consider what they let their child wear. Here are some a few TIPPS for helping you decide what is proper to wear.

If those jeans still hang low with a belt then keep those jeans at home. You would not want your daughter exposed to some guy walking around with his underwear showing so don’t let you son wear them. If the pants are too big on dad, chances are they should be kept in the closet.
Always try to think about the impression your child is making when they walk down the hallways. Modesty is always the best policy. Having two daughters of my own I know that there is still very modest clothing out there.

This blog was authored by Justin Aaron Foster

Parent Teacher Conferences

admin — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:29:00 +0000

I can remember as a kid being so nervous around Parent/Teacher conferences. I was always worried what my teacher would say about me. You see, I wasn’t the best student academically in school. Matter of fact, I liked Algebra so much that I took it twice. Thank goodness I passed the second time:) As a parent, how can you make conferences a productive time for both you and the teacher. Check out these TIPPS for making parent/teacher conferences an enjoyable, productive, and informative time.

Talk with your child before going to the conference or invite them to join you if the school permits.
Pray before going to the school.
Listen, listen, listen. Don’t interupt the teacher; allow him/her to share on your child’s progress.
Ask how you as a parent can help your child to be successful.
Inform the teacher of any changes in your child’s life: family illness, death, marital issues, job loss, etc. Many times the school can provide help and guidance for students.
Ask how you can support the teacher.
Show your support of the teacher. Don’t criticize!
Ask the teacher if you could close the meeting in prayer.

It is so important to build a good relationship with your child’s teacher. Continue to pray, support, and encourage your child’s teacher.

Math Matters

admin — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:01:00 +0000

Did you know that Algebra I is the number course that determines a student’s success in graduating from high school.

When I was in high school, I enrolled in Algebra I and as a freshman, I was excited to be in a class with upper classman. However, I struggled and ended up failing the course. I repeated Algebra I in the 10th grade and was then able to move onto Geometry. I understand why researchers say that Algebra I is the most important indicator in a child’s success in high school. Algebra I sets a foundation in math that is essential to grasp the higher levels of math that are required in high school and college. Here are some tipps for helping your child be successful in math.

Encourage your child to enroll in higher level math courses
Connect your child with a math tutor for enrichment or remediation
Make practical connections to the use of math
Encourage your child to talk with an engineer, machinists, electrician to see how they use math every day
Purchase some great computer math games that are funEmphasize the improtance of math in succeeding in school and a career