Sat
28 Mar
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Adolescent Trust in Teachers

Published under Core Routines, Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , .


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

Read more on Adolescent Trust in Teachers…

  1. Adolescent Trust in Teachers: Implications for Behavior in the High School Classroom. Gregory, A. & Ripski, M. School Psychology Review, Vol. 37, No. 3. 2008 ↩
  2. page 339 ↩
  3. page 343 ↩
  4. page 342 ↩
  5. page 346 ↩
  6. page page 346 ↩
  7. page 347 ↩
  8. page 349 ↩
  9. page 338 ↩
Sat
15 Sep
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Peace River is Getting a Nuclear Power Plant

Published under Uncategorized.

Peace River is getting a nuclear power plant. Actually, it is going in the community of Lac Cardinal, west of Peace River. Alberta Energy, a private company, has proposed to build two, twin-unit, Candu Reactors at a cost of $6.2 billion. This decision will start a long process of environmental studies to measure and predict the effects on the water and land. By the time that they actually get around to building the plant, and given the way construction costs are rising in this province, I hope they budgeted a lot more money. Read more on Peace River is Getting a Nuclear Power Plant…

Tue
29 May
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Once Upon A Time in Alberta

Published under Uncategorized.

Once upon a time in Alberta, there was a very concerned individual. It looked like things were going to get difficult. It was not unusual for costs to rise. It had been going on for the many years he had lived in the prairie province. Utilities costs had been slowly rising for decades. Telephone, heating, and electricity never went down. Good planning and budgeting had allowed him to continue to grow. He had been able to try new endeavors – to expand his horizon. Now that there was money to be made in Alberta, the future looked very good. He finally would be able to buy the things he needed. Projects he had once dreamed of were no longer confined to paper. It was time to take his share of the Alberta Advantage. Read more on Once Upon A Time in Alberta…

Tue
01 May
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Buy it for Free

Published under Uncategorized.

I’ve had several teachers tell me that cliches should never be used in writing. I guess I’ve learned to accept the idea. They can convey an idea or concept that is too easily tied to a time or a situation. For example, approach some one wearing an iPod and ask them, “Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?”
Read more on Buy it for Free…

Tue
06 Mar
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Alberta’s Official Things

Published under Uncategorized.

It’s time for a quiz. This is a closed book test so don’t try sneaking off to the computer or peeking at any encyclopedias. It should be easy for everyone. It’s about our province, Alberta.

Can you list the official things of Alberta? What are the emblems of our fine province? The first question is the easiest. What is the official flower of Alberta? Excellent. It is the wild rose. How about the official animal? The Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep has the honor. Read more on Alberta’s Official Things…

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