Improve Student Behaviour by Improving Student Mood

(Today's post is a guest post from Rob Plevin, the creator of Needs-Focused Teaching His bio is at the end of this article. Thanks so much, Rob for a thought-provoking article! - Pat)

Did you know that there’s a simple way to improve behaviour in your classroom? It’s a little counter-intuitive to be honest and I must confess, as both a teacher and a parent, it took me quite a while to discover it. Like most adults I was usually concerned with achieving a particular aim – getting my students to work, my teenage son to remember where he lived at bedtime, and my young daughter to throw her tantrums at home instead of supermarket checkouts. So much so, that it almost did NOT dawn upon me that there is an inextricable link between mood and behaviour.

Think about this: how often have you seen a genuinely happy student causing mayhem in your lesson? I know your answer already. When kids are in a contented, relaxed mood, happily engaged and with their needs being met, they have neither reason nor inclination to reduce your lesson to chaos.

In some classrooms scenes of diligent students seem to be the norm; their teachers manage to draw the very best behaviour – textbook, you might say – from the most challenging, resistant kids in school. So how, you ask, is that?

Well, as one who has spent many years in schools as teacher, manager, coach, and trainer, I used to ask it too. I witnessed some incredible teachers and was always fascinated by the spells they seemed to cast – yes, at times it really did seem to be magic. What on earth was it these brilliant teachers do to get even the most challenging students on side?

The solution is absurdly simple: they make kids feel good. They make them laugh. They make them feel empowered. They make them feel capable. They make them feel understood, wanted, and valued. Most important of all, I think, they make them feel good about themselves.

The good news for you is that any teacher prepared to spend time tending to the emotional and social factors that influence learning can weave this magic. One way to achieve this is through certain classroom activities… ‘mood changers’, I call them. These can quickly help you create a classroom environment in which students feel safe, supported, and eager to participate. And, of course, non-disruptive.

High-energy activities, for example, generate movement, action, laughter, fun, excitement and interest. They can be used to start a session, to introduce a new topic or idea, or to invigorate a flagging group. The right high-energy activity can change the mood in a room very quickly and help instill a sense of excitement, engagement and focus.

Calming activities have the opposite effect, lowering the energy in your classroom by inviting students to settle down and quieten the ‘busyness’ of their minds a little. Brain scans show that the pattern of alpha waves generated when we are in a calm, relaxed state (as opposed to normal waking state beta waves) enhances learning, retention and recall.

Creative thinking activities bring bright ideas and challenges into the classroom, encouraging students to think creatively and help them develop skills that will be essential for success in both their personal and professional lives. Creative thinking helps students become more innovative and ‘think outside the box’. It allows them to approach tasks with a different perspective, thereby helping to boost their confidence and self-esteem.

Connection activities can be used to develop a sense of inclusion and community in your classroom. Students feeling that they are part of a safe, supportive and inclusive community are less likely to feel overwhelmed and isolated, more likely to participate and contribute in class, and to feel comfortable when asking for help. Connection also leads to improved social skills and helps develop a culture of respect and understanding. Students who feel valued and respected are more likely to treat their peers and teachers with the same kindness and respect.

Finally, we have focus activities. These help students concentrate on their work and avoid distractions. They promote the learning and retention of information, leading to improved test scores and overall academic performance. Perhaps the greatest benefit of helping students learn to focus is that it promotes the development of a ‘growth’ mindset. Students able to immerse themselves in a task and concentrate fully on their work can more easily embrace challenges and put in the effort to learn. Many studies have revealed that growth mindset has significant positive effects on behaviour, motivation and academic performance.

If I’ve done my job right, by now you’re thinking, ‘this all makes perfect sense, Rob, but where do I find such activities?’ Well, I’ve got you covered. My latest book ‘Change the Mood of the Noisy Class’ is jam-packed with 102 tried and tested activities to improve students’ mood and boost creativity, connection, and focus in your classroom; it also includes a bonus suite of downloadable resources and printables.

Get your copy by searching for ‘Change the Mood of the Noisy Class’ by Rob Plevin on Amazon and start transforming your classroom into a place where students love to learn!

Rob Plevin was a special-ed teacher and deputy head and has spent the last 15 years helping teachers, lecturers, parents, carers and youth workers to connect better with children. He provides free training and downloadable resources from his website at www.needsfocusedteaching.com.

Side Gigs for Music Teachers That Will Relieve Pandemic-Related Stress

(Guest writer: Joyce Wilson is a retired teacher and enjoys sharing lesson plans, resources, and teaching tips on TeacherSpark. She s passionate about teaching and loves using her writing to help teachers, parents, and students.)

Teachers have had to face multiple upheavals in their professional lives since the pandemic began, from not knowing how long their job would be there to changing their entire curriculum and teaching method to make virtual classrooms sustainable. Now, as the pandemic continues to shift and spread, it’s important for educators to have options. Whether you want to find a temporary side gig or create something of your own to fall back on, there are several ways to make extra money and give yourself peace of mind at the same time. Think about how much time you can commit to a new job and how you can apply your skills to it.

Visit Successful Teaching for strategies and ideas on how to improve your teaching skills. 

Utilize your connections

As a teacher, you probably have many connections with students and parents who would love to take music lessons. This is an easy way to earn extra money any time of the year, and if there are pandemic restrictions in your area you can use Zoom or another video chat service to give lessons virtually. Create a simple website or social media page that details your instruments of choice, your hours of operation, the cost of lessons, and your availability, and encourage students to spread the word to their friends. Do some research on how to start an LLC in your state, keeping in mind that you can use a formation service to file the paperwork and avoid attorney’s fees while ensuring that the legalities are taken care of.

Start a YouTube channel

If you’re not quite ready to start a business but you already have a social media account with the following, consider creating a YouTube channel where you can share videos of you performing and monetize them with ads. Learn more about the search engine algorithms that put your content in front of the right viewers so you can navigate them intelligently, and connect your channel to a blog or website that will help you drive traffic to the videos.

Write for a music publication

You may not be ready to garner a huge fan following, and that’s okay. If sharing your music knowledge is more important to you than performing, consider writing for a music blog or magazine, or for an educational publication. As a teacher, you have unique insight into how to get kids involved in a creative pursuit; as a musician, you can provide techniques, instrument and equipment reviews, and tips on how to get started with a new musical hobby. Look online for freelance gigs, and consider taking a writing course if you’d like to brush up on your word skills before taking a job. 

Offer up your services 

If your writing skills are more focused on songs, put those skills to use by offering up your services as a professional songwriter. You can create unique songs for advertising agencies, television shows, or special events, or team up with another musician to supply lyrics for an upcoming project. If playing music is more in your wheelhouse, you might offer your services at weddings, parties, or in the studio for other musicians. You might even consider working for a band to help them learn new techniques with their voices or instruments. 

As a music teacher, you have several options for earning extra money, but they won’t all be right for your needs. Do some reading online to find out more about these gigs and what they require, and think about how much time you have to commit to the job you take on in order to avoid stress. 

Photo via Pexels

Amateur Radio with the Blind and Deaf

(Guest Post: Jeffrey A. Meyer is a Radio Amateur and Model Railroader, and Retiree currently residing in Painesville, Ohio.)

Since its discovery in 1895, radio has always been on the cutting edge of technology and through the excellent work of both experimenters and hobbyists, our lives have been forever changed. Radio is so tightly woven into the fabric of our everyday life that we don’t know it’s all around us. From your remote car starter to weather radar, to your microwave oven and your smartphone, radio signals are everywhere.

Like many innovations, someone takes an existing concept, tweaks it, and applies it somewhere else. It’s that spirit that brought us from Radio to RADAR to Doppler Radar to being in your car to avoid accidents and keep you centered in your roadway lane.

Let’s now look at another branch of the radio’s family tree.

NASA needed a way to communicate with the MARS rover. Being a relatively tiny device, it could only use low power, so the transmitter and antenna had to be sized accordingly. So, the call went out looking for a solution. What came back was a software program that could “hear” nearly inaudible radio signals, signals that were so weak they were simply buried deep within the noise and static.

Fast forward to today.

Now, imagine that you are blind or deaf. How would you do many of the things the rest of us do so easily? Getting around is difficult, which complicates meeting new people, and that doesn’t include the loneliness, isolation, and occasional need to have to depend on others.

What if there was a way to meet new people, learn new things and get some serious relief from those daily problems?

Voila! There is and it’s called Amateur Radio. If they’ve ever heard of Ham Radio at all, they think it’s an ancient and boring hobby for old men. Not even close.

Today, our radios talk to us, so you don’t need to be sighted, and now, you can have a conversation with stations that you can’t even hear. Additionally, you can compete in contests that match your operating skills with others, or just simply kibbutz.

In essence, you can armchair travel anywhere your signal takes you, earn operating awards, such as working all continents, pass radio messages for people, participate in public service events, play chess over the air or contact new countries, any time of the day or night.

No other hobby or activity, on the planet, levels the playing field more for the disabled. If it’s a problem, smart minds and a supportive team can get past it.

We have Handihams, an organization that creates and provides podcasts, training materials in every format, local clubs that really want your participation, and an army of “Elmers” that will volunteer their time, talents, and resources to get you on the air. It really does take a village and this is it.

Most people don’t know that today’s weathercasters can’t actually identify the altitude where the rotation is. The rotation could be anywhere from the ground to the cloud, so they need “spotters” who know what to look for. For as long as I can remember, Hams have been the eyes and ears of the NWS and the blind and deaf can easily participate in that too.

So, if you’re disabled or know someone who is, let them know that there is an avenue for them to participate, learn, grow and benefit from. It could be in the areas of public service and so much more.

Finally, I’ve been personally involved in this hobby for over 45 years now and say this with absolute certainty; there’s always something new to experience, no two days are ever alike and it never gets boring. It’s like a good friend with infinite possibilities.

Come and join us, you’ll be glad you did.

Photo by Matt Seymour on Unsplash

Amateur Radio as a Stem Classroom Tool

(Guest Post: Jeffrey A. Meyer is a Radio Amateur and Model Railroader, and Retiree currently residing in Painesville, Ohio.)

We’ve come a long way since 1895 when the radio was first “invented”. That continuing radio-based research resulted in both AM and FM radio, RADAR of all kinds (police and weather too), the microwave oven, the television remote, mobile phones, and everything wireless. Today, radio is so prevalent that we get our news and weather on TV, radio, and smartphones, our cars nearly drive themselves, we can turn on our house lights remotely, keep our pets contained, heat up our meals, follow our kids on daycare cameras, order our favorite fast food at the drive-thru, etc.………..

Now, let’s look at how a 125 plus-year-old association with radio continues to offer an unrivaled STEM learning opportunity for today’s students.

SCIENCE (PHYSICS)

Amateur Radio revolves around sending and receiving radio waves, and to do so, students will learn about the earth’s atmosphere, basic electricity, sunspots, meteorology, Ohm’s Law, radio theory, and weather.

MATHEMATICS

This hobby involves the metric system and is comprised of many mathematical formulas, from calculating dimensions to building antennas to plotting a top view 3D picture of how an antenna actually works in space.

ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY

Electronic circuits are created by connecting different combinations of electronic parts, so the student will learn what these parts look like, what they do, be able to identify them in a schematic diagram, participate in both assembling and wiring projects, learn how to solder and how to do all of this safely.

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Today, our computers talk to our radios, which means we can control them remotely or in your home radio room. This software can change both their frequencies and modes, control where we aim our antennas to exactly towards where we want to talk, record our contacts directly into our station logs, dispatch that contact information to websites for awards and even enable us to design our own proof of contact postcards.

COMMUNICATION ARTS & FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Through Amateur Radio, the student is able to sharpen both their conversational and listening skills. Broadening one’s horizons, through meeting and engaging with other people and cultures, is an important aspect of everyone’s personal growth. Those activities help all of us to better understand the world around us and learn the important art of being a patient listener. In addition to that, foreign language broadcasts can also be used to fill the gap between the “King’s English” and everyday conversation.

GEOGRAPHY

There is no better hobby or activity on earth that addresses this topic better than Amateur Radio. As signals are traveling all around the world 24/7/365, you will ALWAYS hear foreign amateur stations. Without having Amateur Radio, in my life, I wouldn’t readily know where specific countries are located, which continent they are in, or be able to answer that Final Jeopardy question that no one else knew.

I’ve shown you that radio is more relevant than ever, given you just a small sampling of examples, where radio activities intersect with STEM instruction and demonstrated how a simple hobby easily brings the non-textbook, practical side of problem-solving into your classroom environment.

Finally, programs like this are rare enough that there are less than fifty schools nationally doing something similar, with some states having none at all. That being said, there are plenty of opportunities out there to blaze a new trail and use this hobby as a unique launching pad for your kids, so why not with your school and why not now? Do you see the potential? Check out SARCNET at www.sarcnet.org. and you’ll see what I mean.

Let’s collaborate on this, you’ll be glad we did.

QST from Flickr Commons     

Marking Text with Special Education Students: Ditch that Tech! – Guest Post

(Guest Post: Jonathan Pickles has taught language arts at the middle and secondary levels for more than twenty years. He has worked in both public and private schools in California, Connecticut, and New York. He is published by N&N Publishing and UPCO. Jonathan currently resides in Dutchess County’s gorgeous Hudson Valley with his wife, daughters, cats, dogs, and one very lucky goldfish. You can read more at https://www.picklesandbooks.com)

Let me begin by saying that I embrace technology in my sixth-grade language arts classroom, but there are times when tried-and-true methods, however archaic or old-school they may seem, are the best tools for the task at hand.

It’s easy to feel pressured by the technology tide that is rolling through the academic world; I have many colleagues that feel guilty when they assign a worksheet or ask their students to complete a workbook activity. Truth-be-told, in the spirit of differentiating instruction for all students, there are situations where that mimeographed exercise from 1979 is the best tool for a particular student at a particular time.

I encourage you to ditch that tech and try a timeless technique that has endured since the first word was printed on a page: marking text. I’m referring to annotation, which is writing in the margins of books.

Readers across time and across the world have read with a pen or pencil in hand, ready to mark an important paragraph or scribble their innermost thoughts in response to a relevant passage.

Low-skilled readers have difficulty in establishing a purpose for reading. If they are compliant, they may want to please the teacher and search through literary or informational text to find an “answer.” If this is the case, they can’t see the forest for the trees. Conversely, if they are prompted to find the big-idea, or “message,” they won’t see the trees for the forest.

This is especially true of my special education students, who, although willing to please and work hard for the most part, often miss out on the journey and the simple joys of reading. This leads to frustration and confusion which quenches their spirits and quashes any chance of developing a growth mindset. As such, they have had limited success in building their language arts skills.

Low-skilled readers need to know that their reading reactions may matter more than finding the answer or message in a text. Students can begin annotating right away. Try this: ask your students to help you make a list of possible emotional reactions a reader might have while reading. A reader might be amused, or angry; perhaps they agree or disagree strongly with a passage. Maybe they despise or love a certain character in a story, or it could be that they are surprised by the thrust of a news article.

After you and your students have a list of reactions, assign a simple icon to each. For example, to mark agreement, use a check-mark. To note disagreement, make an X. Use emojis where possible, as your students are most definitely familiar with them. A happy face can note amusement.

If the students own the books or texts that they are reading, they can annotate directly—mark a passage, draw the icon or emoji, and write a few words about why they had a particular reaction. If they do not own the texts, simply do this on a sticky note and affix it to the relevant passage.

Students can share their reactions with seat partners. They can use their annotations in literature circles or reading groups. Probe the readers as to why they reacted a certain way and celebrate differences. Draw their attention to the reading journey itself.

Your students will have had a positive reading experience, which is a type of success in and of itself. This will boost engagement immediately and reap rewards beyond what you might have expected. And the only technology you will have used is the printed page.

Photo by Maciej Ostrowski on Unsplash

Summer Side Gigs Can Lead to Added Income All Year

(Here is a Guest Post from Joyce Wilson. She is a retired teacher and enjoys sharing lesson plans, resources, and teaching tips on TeacherSpark. She is passionate about teaching and loves using her writing to help teachers, parents, and students.)

Are you looking for ways to supplement your teaching salary?  Or maybe you want turn a hobby into a money maker?  Summertime side gigs can not only fit those bills, they can also be worked into your school year schedule for year-round added income. 

Selecting a good fit.  Some studies show the number of Americans working multiple jobs is reaching a 20 year peak.  While wages remain relatively stagnant, thanks to the gig economy you can add a side gig to your lifestyle to help make ends meet without losing quality of life.  Match a gig with your talent, knowledge or personality type to keep things simple and capitalize on what you have to offer.  For instance introverts can do computer repair, house sitting or e-commerce, while extroverts can become personal trainers, life skills coaches or drivers.  Think of what your special knack is and put it to work!  Summer is a window of opportunity for getting set up, and then you can ease your new gig into your school year routine.   Here are some ideas:

Dog sitter or walker.  If you love interacting with man’s best friend, becoming a dog sitter or dog walker are great ways to combine your interest with making money.  It’s a flexible opportunity, allowing you to set your own schedule, pricing, and even the size and age of dogs you tend. 

Photography.  A good digital camera and an eye for composition can lead to great opportunities.  For shutterbugs with a gift for capturing moments, The Penny Hoarder notes there are many ways to put those skills to work.  Make memories during the wedding season, take family photos or graduation portraits, or sell your work to websites to be used as stock photos. 

Calligraphy.  Does your handwriting draw compliments?  If penmanship is one of your gifts, you can put it to work for you.  Beautifully handwritten envelopes, signs and place cards are sought after during the wedding season, and you can keep that gig up by providing services for holidays and other special events.  Or some experts suggest setting up an online store or engaging a craft-oriented platform website.  You can offer custom options or framable pieces. 

Tutor.  You can provide tutoring services to youth or adults in subjects you especially enjoy, offering your services freelance or via a tutoring agency.  Some of the more lucrative choices are subjects such as languages and advanced sciences and mathematics, or consider career-oriented options such as interview coaching.  If you prefer not to work one-on-one or are limited regionally, you can establish an online tutoring business.  Connect with students via the web using video conferencing. 

Dropshipper.  If marketing and customer service are your bag, dropshipping could be a terrific choice for you.  Your job would be to take orders and convey them to a manufacturer, who then ships directly to customers.  According to Oberlo, dropshippers tend to be most prosperous with items they are both knowledgeable and passionate about.  There are many options such as beauty products, specialized cookware, technological goods, or athletic gear. 

Airport shuttle driver.  Most people are familiar with delivery and carpool-style driving options these days, but a less familiar niche is airport shuttle driving.  As Lifehack explains, some airports just require you to register your car, and then you transport travelers to and from their vehicles.  It’s a bit like being a taxi driver in your own vehicle. 

Mystery shopper.  Would you love to get paid for doing your own retail therapy?  Being a mystery shopper is a lucrative side gig.  Many companies hire mystery shoppers to visit stores and report about their shopping experiences.  You can either search out existing opportunities or connect directly with companies that interest you. 

Interests, skills and income.  Side gigs offer opportunities to capitalize on your interests and skills in your off-time.  Look for ways to put your talents and interests to work.  By getting started this summer, you can transition your side gig comfortably into the school year.

Image courtesy of Pixabay