gain confidence in 5 steps

1. Do something that requires a decision and a follow-through.

Have you been putting off writing that letter to aunt Martha? Is there a friend you’ve been meaning to call? Wash the car, tidy the garden or clean the house. You’ll gain confidence by setting goals (even small ones) and following through on them.

2. Enjoy something you do well.

Do you have any hobbies or sports that you enjoy playing? Some things like going swimming, painting or writing can hold your attention and get you into a state of ‘flow’. While you are in the flow you forget about everything else.

Afterwards, you’ll feel competent and capable. It’s a great way to boost your self-esteem. If you don’t have any particular hobbies or pastimes that you enjoy make an effort to try something you’ve always wanted to try.

Picture yourself doing it, and then give it a try! It doesn’t have to be something big - it can be as simple as joining a walking club.

You’ll find that you are more centered and happier if you do something that puts you in that flow at least once a week.

3. Shift the focus.

It’s been shown that low self-esteem develops hand-in-hand with individuals who put too much focus on themselves. You can gain confidence by doing something that focuses on someone else or even something else.

You’ll find that when you are in a situation where you are meeting new people, you immediately become less nervous when you focus on the person you are meeting.

At the end of the day, you’ve interacted with others and will notice that you feel much lighter.

4. Relax, already!

Learning to become more relaxed is a great life enhancer. People who are more relaxed have fewer problems with their memories and are more likely to take the bumps in the road of life in stride.

The practice of meditation has gained popularity for this reason. You might want to look into Tai Chi, which involves physical relaxation techniques.

Whatever method you decide on, take relaxation seriously. The benefits are just too great to ignore. If you’ve never considered relaxation important, think of it this way: if you can attend to something that results in feeling good, how can you not gain confidence in your personal abilities?

5. Make a list of everything you’ve ever accomplished.

Think small. An accomplishment is an accomplishment! Some things you could put on your list: passed my driver’s test and got my license, scored a goal when I played hockey, managed to save enough money to go on a trip and so on.

These are just a few ideas you can use to gain confidence and boost your self-esteem. Use these ideas as a base point and add these things permanently in your life.

Keep in mind, people are not born with good self-esteem, most of us have to work at it. It develops from your thinking and the things you do daily to make yourself feel good.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Gain-Confidence-and-Boost-Self-Esteem-in-5-Simple-Steps&id=152685

Leadership (Part 2)

This would be the part which i believe is utmost important, especially for me, looking at the transition that i'm going through. everything which i must learn to be.

Leadership requires a person with vision and the capacity to extend it to others.

• Articulates a vision based on moral and professional purpose.
• Inspires others to think along with her.
• Listens to the ideas of others and incorporates them into the vision as appropriate.
• Gains acceptance for the vision.
• Teaches followers.
• Helps others.
• Focuses on maintaining a sense of direction over an extended period of time.
• Is an active participant in the change process, accepting responsibility for outcomes rather than merely assigning responsibility to others.

Administration = management role

• Make plans to ensure abstract visions for change become concrete.
• Taking care of budgets, schedules, access to materials and knowledge, and organization of other resources necessary for change.
• Working with teachers and administrators to determine their needs and responding effectively and efficiently.
• Assess the process.
  

Lessons in leadership and differentiation (Part 1)

Taken from the book "Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms" by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Susan Demirsky Allan

What is differentiation?

It refers to a teacher's reacting responsively to a learner's needs. Understanding the students' needs to express humor, or work with a group, or have additional teaching on a particular skill and many other needs (esp looking at the many learning styles which students have). The whole idea of differentiation is to maximise students' understanding and individual success and gradually applying the knowledge to their life.

The book listed out many principles that eventually builds up on the concept of differentiation and apparently, it's not just lessons, but involved the teachers (in attitudes and teaching methods) and even the supporting education staff and the environment (public/parents) which can be directly/ indirectly involved. All in the name of providing the best education for students!

(i) Student Characteristics for which teachers can differentiate

Students' Readiness, Interest and Learning Profile

(ii) Characteristics of High-Quality Curriculum and Instruction

- Is clearly focused on the essential understandings and skills of the discipline that a professional would value.

- Is mentally and affectively engaging to learners.

- Is joyful- or at least satisfying.

- Provides choices.

- Is clear in expectations.

- Allows meaningful collaboration.

- Is focused on products that matter to students.

- Connects with students' lives and world (isn't this what aL.I.V.E. is all about?:))

- Is fresh and surprising.

- Seems real to the student.

- Is coherent (organized, unified, sensible) to the student.

- Is rich, deals with profound ideas.

- Stretches the students.

- Calls on students to use what they learn in interesting and important ways.

- Involves the students in setting goals for their learning and assessing progress toward those goals.

5 great teaching techniques

here's five teaching techniques taken from 2think2learn video clip. found this in youtube anyway. good as a reminder to me and for others :))

1. Always have a genuine purpose behind the lessons you are delivering.

2. Make sure the material is engaging and interactive.

3. Allow students opportunity to direct their own learning.

4. Mistakes are an integral part of the learning process.

5. Humour releases tension - so use it often!

alive teaching

i really like this teaching technique. i hope one day i can do something like this in my classes. it's so lively and engaging and i believe the students will enjoy the lesson and perhaps, learn and remember more!!



i'm so going to learn this! :)