This is perhaps one of the best TED Talks I have ever watched.
Tag Archives: school
The Art of Being Less Good at Art
I cannot remember a time in my life when I did not want to go to school. I have always enjoyed reading, writing, and working hard in the classroom – which is probably why I am still in the field of education now! However, I have never been good at – or even enjoyed trying to learn – art. Even though I enjoy making and playing music, my drawing skills have not improved since I learned how to draw ‘stick figures’; my colouring is still a mess, and my imagination when it comes to drawing/painting is very limited. I do enjoy going to art museums as I do appreciate most art pieces, but I still don’t see the point of me trying to develop my skills.
As I grew up, I realised that it is not important to be good at everything. We are all intelligent in our own different ways. This is what I tell to all the students I work with. Yes, we all need to pass our subjects in school, but being less good in some areas does not make us less than those who are.
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In response to today’s Daily Prompt: Land of Confusion
I still have my towel
Today’s Daily Prompt: When was the last time you were ready to throw in the proverbial towel? Did you end up letting go, or decided to fight on anyway?
In the grand scheme of things, I still have my towel. About 9 years ago, I decided that I want to become an Educational Psychologist to help pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, and their families. Now, I am in the middle of my doctoral training to become one. It was not easy to get onto the course – it took me two attempts. Prior to that, I had to complete a 3-year undergraduate course, a 1-year Master’s course and work with children and your adults for a total of 8 years.
I found the journey rough, tough and challenging. There were times when I was ready to quit. After my first attempt at applying for the doctorate, I was so broken-hearted that I thought about changing my career path. But I was surrounded by children and young people who inspired me to go further. Through them, I saw strength that I have never seen before or since. They knew things were difficult, but they kept on going.
Now that I am in the middle of my training, I always wake up looking forward to the challenges ahead. I love Mondays! I love trying to find out the best possible way of helping each child, teacher and/or parent that I meet.
I am pleased that I carried on, thanks to my students, family and friends. I carry my proverbial towel with me – not because I plan on throwing it anytime soon, but to show people that anything’s possible but you have to work for it!
We are more intelligent than our ancestors. Find out why.
Top 10 Tips for Disciplining Children with Challenging Behaviour
When it comes to teaching and parenting, one of the most talked about topics is discipline and behaviour. Most of us expect children to behave in certain ways – with respect, listen and respond appropriately, have infrequent tantrums, etc. Getting children to behave in these ways is not always easy. Even though a lot of children respond to our unique ways of disciplining, a few of them may display more challenging behaviours that are persistent and could seem uncontrollable – from theirs and your point of view. Below is a list of strategies and tips that has worked for me in schools and different settings over the years.
(It may be usefult for you to read Understanding Children’s Behaviour as well)
10. Know what the triggers are – Every behaviour is triggered by something. Find out what it is.
Potential triggers:
- Medical diagnosis (Autism, ADHD, etc.)- Please note that I am not saying that having a diagnosis is an excuse or a ticket to behave badly. What I am saying is that a diagnosis provides a signpost on what interventions you could use.
- Medication – some kids on Ritalin could become hyperactive as the medication wears off
- Sensory Stimuli such as noise, certain smells, bright or dim lighting, temperature– Some children are very sensitive to sensory stimuli and tend to react in unconventional ways when they encounter an unbearable one. If they are not able to communicate this discomfort through words, they may act out.
- Change in routine (substitute teacher/Teaching Assistant, cancelled or swapped classes)- This is not specific to children with Autism. I have encountered children with no diagnoses who were unsettled by changes in routine.
- Home life- problems and/ or changes at home
- Bullying– It is worth investigating whether your student in question is being bullied by others when you are not looking. Not all children will report bullying.
- Relationship with classmates– Investigate their relationships with other children. Are they getting enough attention, and if so, what kind of attention are they getting? If they are not getting any attention, make sure that you find out why.
9. Find out what the student’s receptive and expressive language skills are.
A lot of our behaviours are forms of communication. If children are not able to verbally express what they are feeling (see above), there is an increased chance that they would ‘act it out’. This can also happen if they do not understand what the others are telling them. Some children struggle to read body language, understand people’s tone of voice and/ or metaphors. If this is the case, you can organise for them to have lessons wherein you or other professional(s) will explicitly teach them these things.
8. Give them chances to succeed.
Give small targets that are achievable by the students. Set them up to succeed. For example, instead of asking them to ‘be quiet inside the classroom at all times’, you could start by asking them to ‘try to be quiet during carpet times’ (Primary school) or ‘try to be quiet when the teacher is talking’.
7. Give praise that is specific, well-explained and well-earned.
Never give blanket praises such as ‘good job’, ‘excellent’, ‘well done’, unless they are followed by a brief explanation of why you said what you said. Let them know why and which part of their work is amazing. You could say for example: ‘well done for colouring within the lines’ instead of ‘good work’.
6. Approach them positively.
Try not to shout and try not to be negative. Humour definitely helps. If the children understand figures of speech and metaphors, sarcasm can be an excellent tool. I found that students of any age are more likely to listen and change their behaviour if I approach them positively.
5. Tell them what to do instead of what not to do.
There are a lot of research that suggests that if you tell someone to ‘not play on the stairs’, they would. This is because what registered in that person’s brain is ‘play on the stairs’. Even though some children will hear you loud and clear, chances are, they will not know what to do instead of the undesirable behaviour. Quite a lot of teachers always tell students ‘not to fight’, but a lot of these children may only know one way to behave. If this is the case, how can they behave appropriately if you are not telling them what tappropriate behaviour is?
4. Be consistent.
You should be firm and fair all the time. Punishments and rewards should be handed out consistently – not only when you feel like it.
3. Remember that behaviour can be changed.
The whole point of your efforts trying to make your students behave appropriately relies on your belief about behaviours and attitudes. If you believe that we were born with a set of attitudes that make us behave in a certain way which cannot be changed, you need to think again. Although genetics play a part in the development of our attitudes and behaviours, the people around us and our experiences also have big contributions. We should keep in mind that everyone is capable of changing, especially our students.
2. Communicate effectively with the children’s parents/ primary carers.
For any intervention to work, the children’s school and home should work in concert with each other. Although it may be a good start, it shouldn’t be enough that your students behave really well in school but throws tantrums and go wild at home (or vice versa). Having an effective professional relationship with your students’ parents/ carers is one of the most important factors in helping children behave appropriately. Regular communications through phone calls, emails, face-to-face meetings will help increase the likelihood that interventions will be carried out in both settings.
1. Set an example.
Kids will follow and copy your actions. If you practice what you preach, then you have won half the battle. Always remember that your students are far brighter than you think. They will start ignoring your advice and you will lose their respect if you do not walk your talk. Here are a few examples you can set:
- Admit your mistakes publicly. You will make a mistake today- trust me. When you do, do not be ashamed to admit it.
- Apologise to your students. When you make mistakes, say sorry. Explicitly let them know that even you can make mistakes, but your apology and subsequent actions are what matters most.
- Respect your colleagues. Never say anything bad about your co-teachers, no matter what. Students notice how you treat other people and indirectly learn from your example.
Other bonus tips:
Sometimes Teachers Just Need To Shut Up
Teachers are not only there for the academic side of things. They also serve as counselors, peace-maker and sometimes, therapists. You know what I mean. Students at some point will have concerns and worries about their friends and families. These worries are often carried into the classroom and would sometimes translate to bad behaviour or social withdrawal.
When students misbehave, most teachers resort to shouting and/ or punishment. Often, this results in escalation of the situation and a vicious cycle of bad behaviour – teachers shouting – suspension. It does not help. Granted that bad behaviour is never acceptable and should not be tolerated, aggressive responses may not help in the long run.
On the other hand, the usual response by a teacher to a student who is upset or has opened up about their problems is to shower them with advice. While this is good in some cases, giving advice may not work for others.
For both situations, what I suggest is for the teacher to ask the students what their problems are or what’s bothering them. Even though bad behaviour is a regular occurrence for some pupils, try to remember that these behaviours could be the result of something deeper- a family problem or a problem with their friends, for instance. Try to keep an open mind.
Be quiet and listen to what they have to say. Keep in mind that some of them may not have people around them who would listen to them whole-heartedly. Some of them may just need to off-load.
Try not to pass judgement too quickly. Assess the situation and offer advice only when needed. Seek help from authorities and other agencies in appropriate situations.
Peppa Pig’s ‘The Bing Bong Song’: My Theme Song For This Week
Those of you who have been following my blog for quite some time will know that I spend most of my time in schools with children and young people with Autsim Spectrum Conditions (ASC). This week is no exception. I have spent most of this week with a child who is obsessed with Peppa Pig. I figured that I have to utilise this obsession and use Peppa Pig games and videos as rewards for good work and good behaviour.
My plan worked fantastically! My new little friend has developed a liking for his one-to-one time with me because I was strict but fair. My expectations and rules did not change for the whole week, but my rewards were also consistent- one ‘decent’ piece of work equals 10 minutes of ‘choice time’. I gave my student a choice between playing an iPad game or watching any Peppa Pig Youtube clip. For the whole week, he always opted for the second option. In addition, he always chose the same video- Peppa Pig’s The Bing Bong Song. As a result, this song has been stuck in my head and I have been singing it on repeat since Wednesday afternoon.
Here it is:
Isn’t it catchy?
This is why I love my job. It keeps me young!
😉
Teacher stabbed to death by a student
The BBC reported that a female teacher at Corpus Christi Catholic College has been stabbed to death. A 15 year old male student has been arrested.
Autism Hangout: Autism and Friendship
On the latest episode of the Autism Hangout, I, along with other panel members, discussed the intricacies of initiating, forming and maintaining friendships in individuals with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC). We explored how people with ASC communicate with and relate to their friends. We also gathered insights from people with the condition on how they form and maintain friendships. We gave advice for individuals with Autism on what to do and where to go if they have any questions about friendships, other people and general social encounters.
Autism Hangout 4: Autism in Women
Our panel discusses the experiences and challenges of women with Autism Spectrum Conditions:
Understanding and Embracing Diversity 