Karolinka Peterka EDS 369A 1/24/14 Power of Our Words 3-2-1 Intro and Ch. 1 3 Main Ideas 1.

When speaking with children we should always be direct. Because young children do not yet understand sarcasm and manipulation, we should refrain from using language that could hurt or confuse the students. Also, we should talk around something hoping kids get the message. We should tell them kindly, but directly, exactly the message we want to convey. 2. When giving compliments or suggestions on how to change behavior, we should focus on the students actions, not their character. This means that compliments should not be generalized, like good job but rather specific. For example, I liked how hard you are working to use lots of vivid adjectives in your story to paint a picture. This also applies when we want to correct a childs behavior. We should not say things like Stop being lazy but rather I notice you are talking to your classmate and you have not completed your work, what would help you stay on task? In the first case the child may get offended because it comes across as an accusation. 3. Teachers should talk less and allow kids to speak more. This means providing extra wait time, allowing kids to answer each others questions, and being brief when providing explanations. Often, when explanations become too wordy, they lose their effectiveness. Teachers should be brief and to the point. Also, less repetition puts the responsibility on the students to pay attention and remember the instructions. 2 Questions 1. One suggestion chapter one provided for focusing on action is to prompt the students with questions about what their behavior should look like or what strategies would help them participate in the classroom. I can see that working in an ideal classroom. However, there are some students that will answer my questions with I dont know. How do I proceed from

there? Is it ok to then give them the answer or make an assumption? Some of these strategies require that the students cooperate, but what if they dont? 2. Another question I had was about different tones of voice. Chapter one also mentioned speaking in a warm, but direct voice. Does that mean I should never talk in a disappointed tone even if the students actions warrant it? Am I allowed to convey my disappointment through my tone of voice or should everything I say always be delivered in a warm, but direct voice? 1 Idea for Implementation 1. One thing that I want to try being more conscious of when I speak to my students is to be more direct. Often I find myself giving directions in the forms of questions. Although it is still uncomfortable for me to be more direct, I need to stop asking students if they could do something. When I want them to do something, I need to tell them exactly what they need to do. I also need to avoid making examples of particular students in hopes that other students will follow their lead. I need to be more explicit. Although I have tried these strategies before, I need to be more consistent in my direct language. I want to be more conscious of my language and stop myself from giving directions in forms of questions or being indirect. I want to see how the change in my language affects student behavior.