THE PRAISE MODEL (Part 1)
PRAISE is an acronym for a set of behaviours, strategies and structures which enable teachers to create learning environments that promote good practice and foster high achievement amongst pupils. I have used these ideas myself in the fifteen years I spent as a primary and secondary classroom teacher, so they are not merely theoretical notions, but tried-and-tested approaches that are based on common sense and reflected practice.
At its simplest level, P.R.A.I.S.E stands for:
P - promoting the positive.
R - reducing negative stress.
A - acknowledging the individual
I - illuminating the way forward
S - structuring social interaction
E - encouraging continuous improvement
Notice that the use of the present continuous is intentional. Having an effective learning environment is not something that, once it is created, can remain static. It is, like a living organism, something that needs to evolve and continuously adapt. Seeing it as a living entity allows us to realise that it needs to be nurtured, supported, nourished and perpetually enriched in order for it to function effectively.
Over the next five articles, I will focus on each of these elements and provide easy-to-implement ideas that teachers can consider to enhance classroom practice.
1. PROMOTE THE POSITIVE
We live in a society that is, by and large, unashamedly negative. News reports tend to deal with bad news, for that is what sells. The "fascination with the abomination" is something well documented by sociologists and even our weather reports embed the trend for negativity with comments like: "There will be a 70% chance of rain tomorrow," as opposed to a "30% chance of sunshine?". Computer games which glorify violence are bestsellers and most things on television revolve around the need for "drama" - something bad has to happen in order to keep our interest. So how can we reverse this trend in our classrooms?
Here are a few simple techniques:
a) Smiley Meet 'n Greet: acting as a gatekeeper, smile at pupils with your eyes, and try, as they pass into the classroom to provide an uplifting comment / comment of recognition.
Whenever you see the pupils you teach, whether in the corridors or outside in the parking lot or as they enter your room, smile at them with your eyes. Yes, I know we smile with our mouths, but students are quick to spot false-smiles, smiles that are forced. Smiling with your eyes is a way of making eye contact so that you appear naturally happy to see someone.
When you smile using your eyes, your mouth automatically follows and the impression you give is one of sincerity and positivity. This requires a conscious effort not to smile with your mouth first, but rather to let your eyes "do the talking". Your mouth will follow. Your eyes should "light up" when you see your students - no matter how you feel about them and no matter how poorly behaved they might have been the previous day.
This means that students, when they see you (even if you are not their favourite person in the world), know that - despite their behaviour - your approach to them begins anew each day ... that the slate is wiped clean.
Acting as the gatekeeper to your classroom and greeting students enthusiastically as they enter goes a long way towards creating a positive climate / atmosphere and often sets the tone for the lesson to follow. I found that by smiling at them with my eyes as soon as I saw them, and then saying something positive and uplifting as they walked past me to go to their seats, often meant that behavioural issues could be avoided. It takes some practice, this, and you need to be resourceful finding something positive to say to each pupil, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes. "Ah, great to see you! I marked your work last night and was well-impressed! Looking sharp and mighty intellectual today, Mary! Ah - the mighty Mike has arrived - greetings, fellow me lad!? - things like this create a playful tone, and students enjoy being greeted personally. Aim to make the first thing you say to each pupil something positive. Compare this to the tone that is created when pupils see you as they enter the room and the first thing they hear is, "For God's Sake, put on your jacket, John," or "Spit out that gum, Glen." A negative command at the start of the lesson - often even before the student has had a chance to sit down, creates a negative atmosphere, and can lead to confrontation later in the lesson.
b) Positive phone calls home: Parents expect bad news when you call - buck the trend by phoning home regularly, just to praise the little things the pupil is doing right. If you are a parent, you will know this scenario only too well: you're at home and the phone rings. It's your child's teacher. Are your first thoughts: Great! I am going to hear good news! Or are they Oh, no what has my child done again? What's it this time? For most parents, receiving a call from their child's teacher, or head of year, means only one thing - bad news. So try reversing this trend. I found that by calling four parents each day (not the same four parents, obviously), just to tell them about something positive their child had done helped build a constructive relationship with both the parents and the pupils.
Pupils would say to me the next morning "You called my mum last night?" to which I would usually reply, with a smile, "Yes, I know. I was there when it happened!?" And add, "Well, she deserved to hear about the good thing's you did."
This was an effective way of praising boys who found it uncomfortable to receive praise in front of their peers.
I also found that if I did nothing else for the first term i.e. just called home to praise even the smallest things, then when I called in the second term to ask for help with behaviour, they would eat out my hand, as it were. It's amazing to think that many teachers only call home to complain about the behaviour of kids and then wonder why some parents are so unhelpful and unresponsive.
Also, regular positive calls home meant that students would often seek me out the next morning, and they would be the ones saying something positive as they entered the classroom!
c) Use positive peripherals: When students face the board, what do they see? Is there a list of sanctions and names for detention? How many positive, affirming things can be seen when the student faces the front?
Although this is an extreme example consider the following scenario: imagine your classroom walls were covered in graphic pictures from horror movies, full of gore, violence, blood and disturbing images. Would this be an environment you would like to teach in? Do you think you could happily teach with an optimistic spirit with those images staring back at you? How long would it be before they would seriously disturb you?
Yes, as I said, this is an extreme example, but I have visited classrooms where lists of the named and shamed are displayed for all to see yet, no positive lists or indicators of visible praise can be seen to counterbalance the negativity. In other rooms, the field of vision is filled with classroom rules and administrative procedures, which, important as these may be, do not create an atmosphere that uplifts the spirit.
So think of ways to enliven the students peripheral field of vision. Perhaps you could have all the classroom rules displayed at the back of the room so that they are immediately visible when students enter the room. When students are seated and facing the board, maybe you could have things that are positive placed on the walls to their left and right field of vision. These can be examples of exemplary work neatly displayed, with positive phrases between them. I have seen some rooms where teachers photocopy cartoons and humorous pictures onto A3 and regularly change them so they don't become stale placed here too. Then, directly around the whiteboard why not create a "celebration space" which you can use to fill with posters that "sing the praises" of the students you teach. These can be photos which celebrate the extra-curricular achievements of students in drama, sport or cultural affairs. Or you can make place for positive and uplifting posters with words of wisdom and arresting visuals. I have met teache s who, in schools which use detention still, get the stud nts to create fun and bright posters that support the learning objectives of the next day's lessons. So essentially, the students "punishment" consists of making colourful displays which are used the next day to complement the learning content of the class.
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Positively MAD aims to MAKE A DIFFERENCE to everyone involved in the direct teaching and learning of all students. Our techniques and methods are varied and rich enough to cater to the needs of all learners, and our training and resources provide ongoing quality support. We are equally passionate about providing schools with the best service we can, and pride ourselves on our professionalism and ability to make an impact. Get free teaching resources here: http://www.positivelymad.co.uk/resources/
How To Find A Legitimate Work At Home
The popularity of working from home with an online business is increasing. It enables you to organize your working hours around your personal commitments.
How do you learn about business opportunities, work from home options. A starting point and knowing what to look for can be difficult when evaluating the business marketing,work at home,online business opportunities, affiliate marketing.
How much time does it take researching and evaluating the pros and cons of the different and sometimes complex possibilities and determining whether some business opportunities, work from home are a scam or have real potential to set you up in a home business that earns real money in the long run.
There are a multitude of affiliate marketing, online businesses,work at home. online business opportunities,internet marketing marketing their sites with the marketing jargon with terms like optimization automated marketing turnkey business etc etc.
Evaluating the many business opportunities, internet marketing and work at home can be stressful it all can be so foreign to you with all the new terminology used on the internet. What do they really mean and where is the proof.
Some of these sites make you feel an idiot with the complex terminology and 10,000 word essays of their business opportunity. By the time you get to the end of the page you're totally bemused and disinterested. The email is often used to market their wonderful businesses which adds to the information overload with long boring emails.
So how do you wade through all these business opportunities on the internet and choose the best program. Start with a good evaluation criteria before embarking on finding the optimal online business opportunity or work at home. Approaching the evaluation process systematically is important also.
Adding websites to your favorites list in folders that relate to your criteria before the evaluation process can be helpful as long as you haven't book marked too many websites. Here is some simple but effective evaluation criteria that you can use to determine the program best suited to your needs
1. Website presentation needs to be simple and professional in appearance that includes relevant and up to date information. I wouldn't be personally recommending the very intrusive websites with a lot of gadgets and gizmos. I am very cautious of websites that flash a lot of bling because it seems like they want to distract you away from the poor products they have.
2. Product quality should be high with unique added value. Ensure that the information given with the product is not outdated or complicated and difficult to understand. A good understanding of what the product or online business is about and the benefit of the product or work at home opportunity is important. The benefits of the product or online business need to be clearly stated before involving yourself or purchasing a product.
3. To be successful with any internet opportunity or work at home the product or online business needs to be relevant and effective. Outdated and tedious complex formulas, techniques or information equates to good money wasted with no returns. The online business or product should have a simple systematic approach for implementing the work at home opportunity.
4. Effective customer services shows good business practices. If the customer service is excellent the customers are more likely to return and recommend your product or services to others. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth has on any business. A quick relevant response to your enquiry or concerns entails good customer service. A ticketing service is used by most businesses online to answer to queries. An acknowledgment of your ticket submission is sent automatically with a response withing 48 hrs. This system should be available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
5. Is the product or online business opportunity user friendly? Simple explanations and easy to use strategies should be part a good product or work at home business. The customers or potential business owners should find it easy to implement the strategies given to produce an income online with their product or work at home opportunity. Instructions that are more like essays only complicate the learning process and navigating through complex tools will only frustrate the users and lead to customer dissatisfaction.
It is important to remember that you can find a legitimate work at home ,online business but you do have to thoroughly research the product, service or online business before you commit yourself and your money to it. Adhering to the guidelines you have set may help you to be more alert to scams and uncover the best online business,work at home option for you.
----------------------------------------------------
Vivienne has had over 10 years experience as an affiliate marketer.In the last twelve months she has been reviewing products and services to find legitimate work at home opportunities and writing informational articles and reviews. Find out more at: http://www.kill-the-rat-race.com/blog
How do you learn about business opportunities, work from home options. A starting point and knowing what to look for can be difficult when evaluating the business marketing,work at home,online business opportunities, affiliate marketing.
How much time does it take researching and evaluating the pros and cons of the different and sometimes complex possibilities and determining whether some business opportunities, work from home are a scam or have real potential to set you up in a home business that earns real money in the long run.
There are a multitude of affiliate marketing, online businesses,work at home. online business opportunities,internet marketing marketing their sites with the marketing jargon with terms like optimization automated marketing turnkey business etc etc.
Evaluating the many business opportunities, internet marketing and work at home can be stressful it all can be so foreign to you with all the new terminology used on the internet. What do they really mean and where is the proof.
Some of these sites make you feel an idiot with the complex terminology and 10,000 word essays of their business opportunity. By the time you get to the end of the page you're totally bemused and disinterested. The email is often used to market their wonderful businesses which adds to the information overload with long boring emails.
So how do you wade through all these business opportunities on the internet and choose the best program. Start with a good evaluation criteria before embarking on finding the optimal online business opportunity or work at home. Approaching the evaluation process systematically is important also.
Adding websites to your favorites list in folders that relate to your criteria before the evaluation process can be helpful as long as you haven't book marked too many websites. Here is some simple but effective evaluation criteria that you can use to determine the program best suited to your needs
1. Website presentation needs to be simple and professional in appearance that includes relevant and up to date information. I wouldn't be personally recommending the very intrusive websites with a lot of gadgets and gizmos. I am very cautious of websites that flash a lot of bling because it seems like they want to distract you away from the poor products they have.
2. Product quality should be high with unique added value. Ensure that the information given with the product is not outdated or complicated and difficult to understand. A good understanding of what the product or online business is about and the benefit of the product or work at home opportunity is important. The benefits of the product or online business need to be clearly stated before involving yourself or purchasing a product.
3. To be successful with any internet opportunity or work at home the product or online business needs to be relevant and effective. Outdated and tedious complex formulas, techniques or information equates to good money wasted with no returns. The online business or product should have a simple systematic approach for implementing the work at home opportunity.
4. Effective customer services shows good business practices. If the customer service is excellent the customers are more likely to return and recommend your product or services to others. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth has on any business. A quick relevant response to your enquiry or concerns entails good customer service. A ticketing service is used by most businesses online to answer to queries. An acknowledgment of your ticket submission is sent automatically with a response withing 48 hrs. This system should be available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
5. Is the product or online business opportunity user friendly? Simple explanations and easy to use strategies should be part a good product or work at home business. The customers or potential business owners should find it easy to implement the strategies given to produce an income online with their product or work at home opportunity. Instructions that are more like essays only complicate the learning process and navigating through complex tools will only frustrate the users and lead to customer dissatisfaction.
It is important to remember that you can find a legitimate work at home ,online business but you do have to thoroughly research the product, service or online business before you commit yourself and your money to it. Adhering to the guidelines you have set may help you to be more alert to scams and uncover the best online business,work at home option for you.
----------------------------------------------------
Vivienne has had over 10 years experience as an affiliate marketer.In the last twelve months she has been reviewing products and services to find legitimate work at home opportunities and writing informational articles and reviews. Find out more at: http://www.kill-the-rat-race.com/blog
Common Work At Home Jobs
With the Internet and many households having more than one computer these days, a lot of people are looking at the possibility of working from home. But there are so many different work at home jobs, how do you choose? Well, here are some of the more common work at home jobs that people do and are able to make good money.
Copywriting
Copywriting is an excellent job if you are someone who enjoys writing and have a good knowledge of the English language, as well as having knowledge of search engine optimization. Webmasters buy articles from copywriters in order to get more traffic to their website and to get people to buy their products. Copywriting can pay very well, and it's a job that is advertised a lot on freelance websites.
It's a good idea to write sample articles and put them on places like Associated Content. This will show prospective employers your writing style.
Crafts
Another work at home job that people do is that they sell homemade crafts on the Internet. This is a great job if you have something that you can make yourself or if you have a friend who makes crafts. They are sure to give you a commission if you advertise for them on the Internet. If you have website building knowledge, you can build a website and sell the crafts on there.
Videos
Another type of job that people do at home is that they make videos for other people. This can be a musical montage that is in remembrance of a loved pet or friend or it can be an advertisement for someone's services and products. This is something that anyone can do with Windows Movie Maker, but there are also more expensive programs out there that can be purchased to use.
Creative writing
For people who enjoy writing poetry, they can offer their services as a creative writer. There are people who are always looking for a heartfelt poem and who don't have the skill. Writing poetry for special occasions, such as a wedding or an anniversary, is a good way to make money. The poems can be personalized to fit the people that they are being written for.
Photography
The last way that someone can make money at home is by taking pictures for other people. They can be done for local people or they can be done for clients on the Internet, if they are looking for something that the photographer can provide them with.
These are just a few of the common work at home opportunities that people have found that they can do from the comfort of their own homes. There is a work at home opportunity for just about everyone - you just have to figure out what you are good at and do it.
Working at home is something that is fun and saves the people who choose to do it a lot of headaches. No more commuting, no more high gas prices, and no more figuring out what to wear to the office every day.
----------------------------------------------------
Vivien Wu publishes work at home resources and articles on her website:
http://www.top-work-at-home-directory.com
Copywriting
Copywriting is an excellent job if you are someone who enjoys writing and have a good knowledge of the English language, as well as having knowledge of search engine optimization. Webmasters buy articles from copywriters in order to get more traffic to their website and to get people to buy their products. Copywriting can pay very well, and it's a job that is advertised a lot on freelance websites.
It's a good idea to write sample articles and put them on places like Associated Content. This will show prospective employers your writing style.
Crafts
Another work at home job that people do is that they sell homemade crafts on the Internet. This is a great job if you have something that you can make yourself or if you have a friend who makes crafts. They are sure to give you a commission if you advertise for them on the Internet. If you have website building knowledge, you can build a website and sell the crafts on there.
Videos
Another type of job that people do at home is that they make videos for other people. This can be a musical montage that is in remembrance of a loved pet or friend or it can be an advertisement for someone's services and products. This is something that anyone can do with Windows Movie Maker, but there are also more expensive programs out there that can be purchased to use.
Creative writing
For people who enjoy writing poetry, they can offer their services as a creative writer. There are people who are always looking for a heartfelt poem and who don't have the skill. Writing poetry for special occasions, such as a wedding or an anniversary, is a good way to make money. The poems can be personalized to fit the people that they are being written for.
Photography
The last way that someone can make money at home is by taking pictures for other people. They can be done for local people or they can be done for clients on the Internet, if they are looking for something that the photographer can provide them with.
These are just a few of the common work at home opportunities that people have found that they can do from the comfort of their own homes. There is a work at home opportunity for just about everyone - you just have to figure out what you are good at and do it.
Working at home is something that is fun and saves the people who choose to do it a lot of headaches. No more commuting, no more high gas prices, and no more figuring out what to wear to the office every day.
----------------------------------------------------
Vivien Wu publishes work at home resources and articles on her website:
http://www.top-work-at-home-directory.com
Saving Your Marriage - Things To Help
When a marriage experiences challenges, there are many things that can cause the difficulties. Some of these things are lack of communication; lack of interest in what the other person's involved with; low self-esteem; infidelity, and so it goes on - the list can be extensive. Yet positively, there are many things that can be done to get a marriage back on the right path.
Many couples experience relationship difficulties - recognise from the outset, you're not alone. If you are experiencing a marriage with problems, recognise straight away that your marriage CAN be saved. What's important to be clear on and identify is the fact that you both really want to save it.
If you both want it you can find ways to work through the issues and end up with good, healthy balanced relationships, often stronger than before the issues occurred because of their new ability to learn how to see things from each other's perspective. You may be at a place now that you're eager to learn how to save a marriage.
When a marriage is in trouble there are several things you should immediately focus upon that may help things begin to turn around for you and your partner.
Here's some ideas for you to think about if you're finding yourself in a marriage with some issues...
A) Emotional Support - When people are trying to discover how to save a marriage, many times they may not realise that the core to the problems are down to the lack of emotional support from one or both of the partners. Try to start supporting your partner emotionally, in order to make him or her know that you care about whatever it is he or she may happen to be going through.
B) Patience - It's really key to adopt patience with your partner. Even if he or she is trying the limits of your patience, or is not patient with you, try to stay calm. Getting upset, angry or irrational will only cause the issues to get stronger and really won't help matters.
2) Communication - Communication is not only important in marriage, it's important in any relationship if it's to work over the long-term. Both partners need to communicate their needs, wants, likes, dislikes and anything else they feel needs to be talked about. Without constant open lines of communication, things can go seriously wrong very quickly in a marriage.
Emotional support, patience and communication are all important in their own way and, when not present, will all contribute to the breakdown in a marriage. Yet when these attributes are present and worked at, can all each help to revive a flagging relationship.
Do not expect immediate results from implementing any of the above. Once your marriage is in a bit of a 'grey patch', it's going to take some time and effort from both partners to get it back on the right path. The above tips will prove helpful in rebuilding a marriage but only for those couples who are committed to their marriage. However, if there seem to be issues that cannot be resolved on your own, then it may be time to seek out the services of a professional marriage counsellor. Time is a great asset in rebuilding problems in a relationship - remember that it takes time to get back to the joy you once experienced, so give it time.
----------------------------------------------------
Steve & Louise have experienced the relationships problems many face at some point, and in an effort to find answers to their problems, they spent months researching the vast array of relationship help and advice products, identifying the good and the not-so-good. Read their independent and unbiased reports: http://www.Relationship-Reports.com - Facts, Product Info & Customer Feedback
Many couples experience relationship difficulties - recognise from the outset, you're not alone. If you are experiencing a marriage with problems, recognise straight away that your marriage CAN be saved. What's important to be clear on and identify is the fact that you both really want to save it.
If you both want it you can find ways to work through the issues and end up with good, healthy balanced relationships, often stronger than before the issues occurred because of their new ability to learn how to see things from each other's perspective. You may be at a place now that you're eager to learn how to save a marriage.
When a marriage is in trouble there are several things you should immediately focus upon that may help things begin to turn around for you and your partner.
Here's some ideas for you to think about if you're finding yourself in a marriage with some issues...
A) Emotional Support - When people are trying to discover how to save a marriage, many times they may not realise that the core to the problems are down to the lack of emotional support from one or both of the partners. Try to start supporting your partner emotionally, in order to make him or her know that you care about whatever it is he or she may happen to be going through.
B) Patience - It's really key to adopt patience with your partner. Even if he or she is trying the limits of your patience, or is not patient with you, try to stay calm. Getting upset, angry or irrational will only cause the issues to get stronger and really won't help matters.
2) Communication - Communication is not only important in marriage, it's important in any relationship if it's to work over the long-term. Both partners need to communicate their needs, wants, likes, dislikes and anything else they feel needs to be talked about. Without constant open lines of communication, things can go seriously wrong very quickly in a marriage.
Emotional support, patience and communication are all important in their own way and, when not present, will all contribute to the breakdown in a marriage. Yet when these attributes are present and worked at, can all each help to revive a flagging relationship.
Do not expect immediate results from implementing any of the above. Once your marriage is in a bit of a 'grey patch', it's going to take some time and effort from both partners to get it back on the right path. The above tips will prove helpful in rebuilding a marriage but only for those couples who are committed to their marriage. However, if there seem to be issues that cannot be resolved on your own, then it may be time to seek out the services of a professional marriage counsellor. Time is a great asset in rebuilding problems in a relationship - remember that it takes time to get back to the joy you once experienced, so give it time.
----------------------------------------------------
Steve & Louise have experienced the relationships problems many face at some point, and in an effort to find answers to their problems, they spent months researching the vast array of relationship help and advice products, identifying the good and the not-so-good. Read their independent and unbiased reports: http://www.Relationship-Reports.com - Facts, Product Info & Customer Feedback
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