Author of

 "Good Kids, Difficult Behavior" and "Discipline Works: 5 Main Things" http://www.thehumanconnection.net   Volume 22 May 2004

Note from the Editor:

Dear Educators and Friends,

Welcome to our new monthly newsletter.  For many of our educators and students it is almost the end of another school year.  Time to take vacations and give our students a little time to relax and recharge.  It is also a good time to encourage summer reading for students, parents and educators.  If there are any teachers who have not read Joyce's books, well this summer would be a great time.

Why not consider Joyce’s latest book;  “Discipline That Works:  5 Simple Steps”.  The book will become a valuable study guide and you will return in the fall with a renewed feeling of confidence, having learned “5 Simple Steps” to better understand and communicate with your students.  For such a small investment you will reap major rewards.

Continuing Education for Superintendents, Administrators, and School Board Members.

June 24th & 25th, 2004 ~ to be held in Peachtree City, GA

(2 day workshop)

Supervising and Supporting the Struggling Teacher:

How to Address Poor Performance, Negative Attitudes or New Teacher Overwhelm

Who is Paying Your Energy Bill? 

How to Protect Your Personal Energy Supply from Burnout and Exhaustion

Go to our website for all the details and registration information.

www.thehumanconnection.net

~  ALSO  ~

Coming Soon, Online course Bridge from Rage to Reason.

See the "News Release" on our website

Check out "Ask Joyce" below for her answer to an educator's question. What would you like to ask Joyce? See how to send in your own question below! We look forward to hearing from you during this school year. Please let us know how it went if you try some of Joyce's suggestions. Joyce really wants to be a help to you.

 

If you like the newsletter, please consider forwarding it to your colleagues and system staff development specialists.

Have a Safe Memorial Day!

Mark @ The Human Connection

Special of the Month for our E-zine Subscribers

Save 20% this month.

Buy the Combo for ONLY $32.00 

One copy each of

"Good Kids, Difficult Behavior" and "The ABC's Workbook"

As Joyce travels and works with educators all over the country, she is constantly being asked--- "What do you do when...?" questions.  She has the greatest respect for "what do you do when questions" because usually the questioner is genuinely seeking new information and the teacher is willing to be a student.  Each month, Joyce will answer one or more of the most common "what do you do questions".  Feel free to send one of yours.  She'll do her best to answer it.  Keep in mind, her answers may be different from the customary response but they are tried and true strategies for getting students to do what you are asking them to do.  Give yourself permission to try something new! Email Joyce at joyce@thehumanconnection.net  with any questions or situations you would like input on.  Let us know if we can show the question in a future newsletter or if you prefer to keep it private. We are hoping Joyce can help address situations you encounter and by sharing these questions/answers others can benefit as well.

FROM Joyce:

As we enter the last weeks of this school year, there is no doubt that stress levels are rising for both educators and pupils.  Recently I have noticed an increasing number of elementary age students who are experiencing moderate to severe symptoms of acute stress and anxiety.  Ironically these symptoms seem more common in students who have no history of behavior difficulties and/or whose parents hold high expectations regarding school performance.  Some of the most common symptoms I see, both in the schools I visit and in my private practice, are children who complain of one or more of the following:  headaches, stomachaches, extreme disinterest or motivation to engage in the learning process, worries about physical problems such as feeling nauseous or feverish.

I believe there is at least three significant reasons for an increase of stress related symptoms in the students of all ages, most especially elementary age students. 

First, teachers are exhausted and stressed.  Most educators will agree that they are experiencing more pressure to meet standards of expectations than ever before.  Many times they feel they are being held accountable for outcomes over which they have no control.  Children will always reflect the mood of the adults around them.  Therefore, anxious and exhausted educators will find themselves dealing with anxious and stressed out students.

The second reason that more and more students are complaining of hating school and/or being miserable while there is the structure of the average school day.  As pressure to increase test scores has risen, the time devoted to playful activities has diminished.  Many school systems throughout the country have severely limited or even eliminated recess or any kind of free time during the school day.  The more unmotivated or low performing a student is, the more likely recess is withheld.

The third reason stress symptoms and intense dislike of school even in the youngest student seems to be on the rise is that small children, especially those who have been taught to respect adults and behavior properly, have few if any acceptable avenues for expressing their frustration.  They cannot verbally object, or ask for and receive a five to ten minute break, or have any influence or input into the routine structure of their day.  They are expected to follow instructions and routine and ignore or repress any negative emotions.  Those emotions do not disappear simply because the systems says, “we know best. Do as you’re told and do it well.

When symptoms of stress become evident, stress-reducing strategies need to be employed.  Without such an intervention, physical and emotional illness will develop.  I would like to refer educators to the attached or following article from the New York Times.  This article is posted on our website.  What I found most notable about what is working in Finland that is not working in the United States is the integration of fifteen minutes of playtime for every 45 minutes of instruction. I have long suggested that this would be a healthier approach to the learning process.  I therefore would like to make the following suggestions for stress reduction in schools. 

1. More breaks.  Teachers can, if permitted, integrate more brief timeouts for movement and fun activities.  This is especially important in middle and high schools that have gone to block scheduling.  I think the latest brain research also supports this theory.
2. Let teachers and students talk about how tired they are feeling at this point.  Everyone has to march on but just talking about the fact that everyone is tired right now is helpful.  One teacher told her students “Even I am tired of CRT Testing.”  The third grade student who told me about her teacher’s comment seemed to feel relieved that the teacher understood how she was feeling.
3. Some time out for quiet deep breathing while the teacher reads a funny or light hearted story or plays cheerful music can be very helpful. 
4. Teachers can acknowledge how hard everybody is working or has worked this year and even express appreciation to their students for their sincere efforts.  Let everybody, including the teacher; give themselves pats on the back.  A little celebration of success gives folks energy to keep on working.

Last but not least, educators need to be giving themselves more time to do the things they most enjoy when not at school.  Don’t postpone all good and playful activities until school is out.  Pleasure energizes. Have some now,

Inspiration:

The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught,
as that every child should be given the wish to learn.  John Lubbock

Taken from ~ http://www.inspirational-quotes.info/index.html

Personal Energy Saver:

 
Put yourself first. You can't be anything for anybody else unless you take care of
yourself FIRST!!!

Just For Fun: 

           (From - www.schooljokes.com )

Editor's favorite link of the month:

Education Week on the web - American Education's Online Newspaper of Record

http://www.edweek.org/
 

The Human Connection

125 Highgreen Ridge

Peachtree City, GA 30269

Phone (In Georgia): 770-631-8264                     

Phone (Toll free): 1-888-460-8022

Fax: 770-486-1609 

Email: For info about newsletter/website, contact mark@thehumanconnection.net

To order books, and get info on training programs, contact divinyi@mindspring.com

Website: http://www.thehumanconnection.net

Copyright 2004 The Human Connection