FOR EAGLES WHEREVER YOU ARE

MIGHTY EAGLE

WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

EAGLE MOUNTAIN IS WAITING FOR YOU

THE SPIRIT CALLS YOU..THE SKY BECKONS

YOUR HEART IS BEATING FASTER THAN YOU EVER KNEW...

MIGHTY EAGLE

WHY DO YOU FEEL THE ACHE

OF SKIES THAT CALL YOU

OF CLOUDS THAT HIDE

WHAT YOU CANNOT SEE

WHAT YOU CANNOT TOUCH

MIGHTY EAGLE YOU FIND IN YOU

YES YOU ARE THE ONE WHO CAN MAKE IT

OVER THE ROCKS THAT BLOCK THE ONES WHO DO NOT DARE

MIGHTY EAGLE I BELIEVE IN YOU

AND NOW I SEE YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN BE

THE ONE CHANCE TO BE A TRUE EAGLE FOR ALL

PLAN YOUR TIME

You are sitting for your paper today.

Remember to plan your time to finish all the questions.

You can do it eagles!

LABELLING AND SELF ESTEEM

Let us be careful about using labels which can affect the self esteem of students.

No matter what situation you find yourself in...be brave and undo the wrong that has been done to students who are given labels like “students with learning problems”, “mat rempit” (bike racers) and “students with problems”and “slow” .

Originating in sociology and criminology, labeling theory (also known as social reaction theory) was developed by sociologist Howard Becker.

It focuses on the linguistic tendency of majorities to negatively label minorities or those seen as deviant from norms.

The theory is concerned with how the self-identity and behavior of individuals may be determined or influenced by the terms used to describe or classify them, and is associated with the concept of a self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotyping.

The theory was prominent in the 1960s and 1970s, and some modified versions of the theory have developed.

Unwanted descriptors or categorizations (including terms related to deviance, disability or a diagnosis of mental illness) may be rejected on the basis that they are merely "labels", often with attempts to adopt a more constructive language in its place.

If deviance is a failure to conform to the rules observed by most of the group, the reaction of the group is to label the person as having offend against their social or moral norms of behavior.

This is the power of the group: to designate breaches of their rules as deviant and to treat the person differently depending on the seriousness of the breach.

The more differential the treatment, the more the individual's self-image is affected.

EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF GIFTED STUDENTS

We need to be sensitive to the complex emotional needs of students who are gifted.


While giftedness is seen as an academic advantage, psychologically it can pose other challenges for the gifted individual. A person who is intellectually advanced may or may not be advanced in other areas. Each individual student needs to be evaluated for physical, social, and emotional skills without the traditional prejudices which either prescribe either "compensatory" weaknesses or "matching" advancement in these areas.

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Social pressures can cause children to "play down" their intelligence in an effort to blend in with other students. "Playing down" is a strategy often used by students with clinical depression and is seen somewhat more frequently in socially acute adolescents. This behavior is usually discouraged by educators when they recognize it. Unfortunately, the very educators who want these children to challenge themselves and to embrace their gifts and talents are often the same people who are forced to discourage them in a mixed-ability classroom, through mechanisms like refusing to call on the talented student in class so that typical students have an opportunity to participate.

Students who are young, enthusiastic or aggressive are more likely to attract attention and to disrupt the class by working ahead, giving the correct answers all the time, asking for new assignments, or finding creative ways to entertain themselves while the rest of the class finishes an assignment. This behavior can be mistaken for ADHD.


Academically talented students can also be the inadvertent victims of well-meaning adults who overestimate an individual student's non-intellectual talents. The adults they admire may confuse the students' obvious academic talents with general wisdom and experience. Such students may be given inappropriate liberties (such as the unsupervised use of a credit card or permission to attend parties which the same parent might refuse to a typical student), or not given normal advice on important subjects like sexual behaviors and illicit drugsز

Finally, G&T students are statistically somewhat more likely to be diagnosed with a psychiatric disability such as bipolar disorder and to become addicted to drugs or alcohol.

These additional issues can require special attention in school.

APPLICATION OF PSYCHOLOGY IN EDUCATION

How do we apply psychology in developping the potential of students?

This is a question that has been posed to me.

Would you like to respond?

FORMING A NETWORK

I am happy that we have readers from all over the world.

May I invite you to post comments.

I have always learned a lot from comments to my postings.

Let us form a network of support.

HELPING STUDENTS WITH AUTISM

Autism can be effectively managed if a few simple concepts are used on a regular basis in the classroom.

How do we increase positive behavior in children with autism based on how autistic children respond to outside influences?

If you have a child in your classroom that has any type of disorder, it would be of great benefit to you to educate yourself on what the disorder involves.

In this way you can better manage your classroom and limit the amount of awkwardness felt by you and the child.

So, to begin with, read a few things about autism.

It is well known that most children thrive in a stable environment. I cannot stress enough how true this is for autistic children. They are at their best functioning level when things are going as they expect them to go.

You the care giver and educator, should be prepared to provide the most comfortable environment as is possible. Naturally, as whenever you deal with human beings, this could take some adjustments.

Below are some tips that can help you promote the best behavior and therefore the most conducive environment for education in your autistic student.

Make a schedule and stick to it.

If you normally take the children to bathroom break at 9:00, then expect resistance when you change that plan.

An autistic child is likely to be looking at the clock as their anxiety increases.

Explain expectations in a clear and precise manner.

Let the child know what kind of behavior you expect from them and what the results of that behavior will be.

Communicate on their level. Autistic children often have difficulty communicating. Keep this in mind and give them ample time to communicate in whatever way they can.

Rushing them or expressing your own anxiety can easily create discomfort in the child and lessen the already hampered communication.

If the child does become upset, remove them from the situation.

For more information, see my article on creating the perfect time out space.

Use colored cards to define behavior. If the child behaves in an inappropriate manner, give them a red card. Three red cards result in the loss of privileges. Give them a blue card for positive behavior. Three blue cards result in a reward.
These are some simple tips that can help an educator tremendously.

These tips can be used with any child, but the specifics of autism warrant a more organized method of communication that is available by using these tips.