Coyote Counselling » Core Routines

Student Time is Sacred Time

collinsd — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 01:31:39 +0000

Stephen Covey and his 7 Habits resonated with me the first time I read it. They became part of my life and I continue to strive to meet them every week. First Things First was also very motivating. The analogy of rocks in a jar is very powerful. Yet, there are times I wish I could grab Mr. Covey by the ear, drag him into my school so that he can see where his theory of time management breaks down.

Advance and Retreat

collinsd — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 16:24:42 +0000

Advance and retreat is a common training tactic. I’ve used it very successfully with my horse. In fact, with Chiquita, when she doesn’t feel like being engaged, I force the issue a little bit. I increase the pressure on her by walking aggressively. I aim my gaze directly at her and point my body to her hind quarters. “If you want to walk away from me, I’ll make you run.” The strange thing is that when I take the pressure off by turning away and dropping my posture, she’ll turn and begin to walk toward me. She may not respond quickly but after a few tries she usually wants to follow me around.

“I’ll Try”

collinsd — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 03:07:32 +0000

I had a conversation with the student today. I explained why I was disappointed with his attendance and work ethic. He nodded and said that he wasn't feeling well and had to go home. I knew how the rest of the conversation would go. So, I fell into my routine and carried on and got the same response that usually comes up in this type of discussion.

Learning Cycles

collinsd — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:38:16 +0000

A comparison of Kolb's learning cycle and the Natural Learning Cycle that is a part of Coyote Mentoring. I realized why the Natural Learning Cycle calls more to my heart as a teacher than what I was instructed about learning back at University.

Adolescent Trust in Teachers

collinsd — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:36:32 +0000

This article lists some very interesting aspects of building relationships with students. It focuses on those students who are facing regular disciplinary actions. ¹

It is no surprise to find that students to not automatically give the teacher the authority (respect, trust) that the teacher may think he deserves. Students actually decide whether to obey the classroom rules depending on how they perceive the relationship they have with the teacher. ² If the student feels that the teacher cares for him/her and wants what is best for him, then he will respond to the teacher’s demands. ³ Trust is an obvious part of the relationship between two people. Trust allows people to work together with basic assumptions and understanding. In a study with adults, trust was also important if people were going to follow orders voluntarily. It is reasonable that this is true for adolescents as well. ⁴

This atmosphere can be established with a relational approach to discipline. This model tries to build a relationship with the student before discipline is needed. Teachers who use this approach can be identified if they talk about trying to connect with their students by building emotional connections. ⁵ It is thought that teachers who use this approach have less discipline problems because they learn the student’s emotional cues and so intervene sooner. ⁶

An interesting thing to note is that differentiated instruction is important part of relationship building as well as material that the student can relate to and find engaging. ⁷

School counselors (and administrators) can help teachers deal with difficult students and discipline problems by helping the teacher reflect on relational skills. ⁸

There are many benefits for placing some attention on relational skills. Students who face regular discipline such as suspensions perform lower academically. They feel alienated from school and so are more likely to drop – out. This increase future risk of incarceration after school. Teachers who learn how to build relational skills report that discipline issues decrease but also they find that they are able to work better with the “good” students in the class. It benefits every student in the room. ⁹

Adolescent Trust in Teachers: Implications for Behavior in the High School Classroom. Gregory, A. & Ripski, M. School Psychology Review, Vol. 37, No. 3. 2008 ↩
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It’s Relational

collinsd — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:58:37 +0000

What situation allows a person to be successful in one place and across the street that same person hits a wall?

My colleagues and I talk about many different things. We are aware of personal situations, problem at home, disabilities, poverty. A very long list can be built. Unfortunately, we have little control over these factors. So, I try to focus on the things that I can directly affect.