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This was my presentation at The 4th Annual Reform Symposium.
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Facilitating “Wow” Moments through Humor, Novelty, Awe, and Fascination
by Joan Young, M.A.
Very Briefly.. A little about Me!
Passionate about helping bring out the best in kids so that they “flourish”
4th grade teacher/K teacher/coach/tutor
Author of 25 Super Sight Word Songs
Super Sight Word Songs
Finding Ways for All Kids to Flourish
A Little About You!On the next board, please share by
typing what you hope to learn and/or contribute to our discussion!
Please indicate your role in education!
Setting the Stage These ideas are those that will take minimal
time
The goal is to immunize against the factors of stress and negativity that impact the school day
I invite you to think about the most challenging parts of your day, your classroom and see if you can invent/modify a practice to reset the tone.
Threats to EnvironmentOn the next board, please write
factors that pose threats to maintaining a positive, effective classroom environment
Definition of Positive Climate
Who has inspired me?Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, author of Positivity
http://www.amazon.com/Positivity-Groundbreaking-Research-Strength-Negativity/dp/0307393739 Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotions
http://www.unc.edu/peplab/research.html
got me thinking of how we can capitalize on positive emotions and their effect on cognitive flexibility.
The expanded cognitive flexibility evident during positive emotional states results in resource building that becomes useful over time.
Even though a positive emotional state is only momentary, the benefits last in the form of traits, social bonds, and abilities that endure into the future.
Broaden and Build Theory
Dr. Judy Willis
neurologist, middle school teacher, author http://www.radteach.com/
Dr. John Medina, Brain Rules and Brain Rules for Baby
Dr. John Ratey , author of Spark
Dr. Todd Kashdan, author of Curious
Who has inspired you?
Positive Environment
Maximize autonomy, increase choice, raise the bar
Positive lens
Magnify strengths..minimize challenges
Got Practical Ideas? yesRoutines and Rituals
Movement
Music
Novelty
Spontaneity
Time dedicated to exploration of fascination
Routines, Rituals, JobsStudent has job of classroom environment
engineer each week
Other jobs: class photographer, blogger, music manager
Jobs promote responsibility, community
Music is powerfulRaise your hand if you use
music to enhance the mood or set the stage
At the end during questions/discussions I would love to hear how you incorporate music
Use musicFor transitions: signal
To introduce a new book, topic
To get kids moving between activities
In learning: have students create parodies/songs for learning
How do you use music?
Novelty Awakens
Present a lesson in a different order, new place, or while talking like a character from the book students are reading.
Start singing the directions or rhyming.
How do you use novelty to engage?
Be Spontaneous !
Be creative
Ignore negativity from peers
Power of Awe & Fascination
http://allkidscanflourish.blogspot.com/2010/04/power-of-awe-fascination-and-wonder.html
Fascination Time
Study what you’re interested in studying
Share a strength or a skill
Work together in a shared exploration or creation
Students can record questions/passions in a journal
Skype an expert in the field
Awe and Aww…Baby animals promote positive mood
Can you look at them and not smile?
Google: baby animal images
Humor Protects..Use humor to protect from stress
Celebrate mistakes with humor
Santa’s “slay” : OOPS!
Kids want to make bloopers out of “funny mistakes”
Celebrate Our Mistakes with Humor
Students love to “catch me” making a mistake.
“ I am so glad you are paying attention! I was testing you!
When we model that mistakes can be funny, we encourage a growth mindset.
Student Bloopers
Resources for Humor Benefits
What’s you favorite way to seize the power of humor to uplift?
Be proactive to prevent stress
Before a big writing test, I spontaneously invited the students to a huddle in the center of the room
We all put a hand in and cheered: We are going to “ROCK THE WRAP!”
The week before our standardized tests, I took pics of students looking above privacy screens with fear. We laughed and dispelled fears.
Evoke CuriosityFrom the work of psychologist, Todd Kashdan
Curiosity has an impact on anxiety: when you evoke curiosity during a stressful situation or before what could be stressful for some, the effects of anxiety can be less.
Use curiosity to counter the anxiety of a fixed mindset risk averse student.
Celebrate Wins!
Use student created positive visuals tohelp them work toward self-selected goals
Reflect! What’s Your Sentence
End of Year: 6 Word Stories
Help students to “reframe”When something goes wrong, help
students learn how to “reframe”
Challenge their irrational beliefs; taking the time to “reset” the emotional climate after recess is invaluable!
Walk Around it!
Teach kids that what they choose to focus on affects their mood and how they learn.
Just, “walk around it” and come back later.
Throw it out the window!
Have a Partner
You have -- within you -- the fuel to thrive and to flourish,and to leave this world in better shape than you found it.Sometimes you tap into this fuel – other times you don’t. But the sad fact is that most people have no idea how to tap into this fuel or even recognize it when they do.Where is this fuel within you?
You tap into it whenever you feel energized and excited by new ideas.You tap into it whenever you feel at one with your surroundings, at peace.You tap into it whenever you feel playful, creative, or silly. You tap into it whenever you feel your soul stirred by the sheer beauty of existence.You tap into it whenever you feel connected to others and loved.In short, you tap into it whenever positive emotions resonate within you.
From the UNC Chapel Hill Pep Lab
Thanks for coming! Find me on Twitter @flourishingkids
allkidscanflourish.blogspot.com
BIG NEWS! ..
