Personally+Meaningful

=PERSONALLY MEANINGFUL Website: Setting Personal Goals Is The First Step On The Journey To Classroom Leadership Success =

This website talks about setting personal goals for effective classroom leadership. []

//The Craft of Christian Teaching // by John Van Dyk As a Christian, this is the best book about teaching I have read; it blends the theoretical, practical, and spiritual together in one book. It would probably be most applicable to a Protestant teacher teaching in a Christian school, but the ideas and approaches are worth checking out no matter what your faith is. Van Dyk takes Christian teaching beyond merely teaching Christian content or saying a prayer at the beginning of a class, to examine what a Christian pedagogy (how you teach) would look like.
 * Book Review **

Dr. James Dobson is a licensed psychologist and the president of Focus on the Family Dobson holds a Ph. D in child development and 12 honorary doctorates. This book was originally written in 1970 and continued as a best-seller for almost twenty years. Listed here, are some of Dobson's views and beliefs which I found to be the most meaningful: - Throughout the book he discusses the importance of having a balance between love and discipline. Dobson describes these two dimensions as being of the same quality and that one demands the other. Disciplinary action is a function of showing love. - Another key point that Dobson raises throughout the book, is how crucial it is for a child to learn to respect his/her parents. This parent/child relationship is the basis for later attitudes toward all people (including school authority figures). Dobson discusses this point later in Chapter 1 - Discipline in Learning, relating it more to teachers. He says that primary teachers have a huge responsibility and largely determine the nature of a student's attitude towards authority figures and student peers later in life. Primary teachers are in a position to construct a foundation which is built on love, kindness, and respect.
 * Book Review **
 * //The New Dare to Discipline // **by Dr. James Dobson

 " It is the ultimate paradox of childhood that youngsters want to be led, but insist  that their parents (teachers) earn the right to lead them. " (Chapter 2 - Common  Sense and Your Child, pg. 21)

- Dobson whole heartedly believes that children want boundaries set on their behaviour. Children feel secure when clear boundaries are defined. They find safety in a classroom that is in order. On the contrary, in a classroom where behaviour is out of control, children feel afraid of each other (pg. 59 & 154). <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">- When asked what the very best disciplinary advice he had to offer, Dobson replied: "...spend time with them before disciplinary problems occur - having fun together and enjoyable mutual laughter and joy. When those moments of love and closeness happen, kids are not tempted to challenge and test the limits. Many confrontations can be avoided by building friendships with kids and thereby making them want to cooperate at home. " (Chapter 4, Questions and Answers, pg. 75)

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">In other words, relationship is key. When students feel connected to their teachers, the likelihood of students having a successful school learning experience will be much greater. Once a child's need for security, respect, and understanding is met through a relationship with the teacher, the child is then more trusting, more motivated, and more willing to engage in the learning experience.

<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;"> " One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;"> those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;"> material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;"> of the child. " ~ Carl Jung