(Forbes, 2013) “ Neuroscience has shed light on the fact that the two-way interaction between baby and its primary caretaker constantly adjusts and modulates the baby’s exposure to environmental stimuli. This interaction serves as a regulator for the developing baby’s internal sense of balance and homeostasis, creating an early childhood blueprint of peace and safety.” The regulatory caretaker to the child is an essential ingredient to the normal development of the brain. In other words, relationship drives brain development.” In the previous post, we discussed William’s and Shellenberger’s Pyramid of Learning. Today I want us to look at another pyramid from Maslow’s framework of human motivation.
As educators, we spend so much time addressing the top of this pyramid and leave little time and attention to the important foundations that must occur before you can even put that top piece on to complete the pyramid. We addressed the physiological and sensory areas in the last post. Let’s spend some time in the middle of Maslow’s pyramid. Creating a safe environment for learning, while building rapport and facilitating relationships, can lead to the self-esteem needed to motivate the brain to learn.
(Jensen, 2005) “ It’s becoming clear that social contact affects human physiology in a number of remarkable ways.” So how can we, as teachers, create an ideal social environment to enhance learning? Small groups to facilitate more personal contact with your students and think-pair-share to help students build trusting relationships with each other. Emotional states can be affected positively or negatively, depending on how cooperative learning is set up and used in the classroom. (Jensen, 2005) “ For starters, educators can do a better job gathering information about student’s social preferences. How much time do they want to spend alone, in pairs and in groups?” Each group of students is different. Cooperative learning should be monitored, evaluated, and modified according to the outcomes you see happening at the moment. Asking yourself is this creating a successful experience for the student, improving social bonding and decreasing social stress. We are “setting the stage” for their school experience. The brain responds better when it perceives safety and pleasure. Teaching = Learning engineering.
My role as a specialist allows me the flexibility to spend 1:1 and small group time with students. Our training as Occupational Therapist working in both the medical and educational model of practice addresses meeting psychosocial and emotional needs. This is key in building rapport, breaking down barriers and creating a learning environment where students feel accepted, safe, and loved.
I would love to hear your thoughts on how you see this pyramid working in your classroom setting. What are some things that you have seen work well in addressing safety, relationship/love, and self-esteem/self-love with your students?
Before you answer these questions I will leave you with the words of Jaime Escalante, a Calculus Teacher from Bolivia, made famous by the 1988 movie, Stand and Deliver. “ You have to like to teach, you have to like dealing with students, and you have to have respect.” If you can answer yes to all of these than meeting the middle of Maslow’s pyramid will easily follow. The students know when you are being real, they can see your passion. Below is a short clip of Jaime Escalante on being a teacher.
References:
Forbes, H. T. (2013). Help for Billy: A Beyond Consequences Approach to Helping Children in the Classroom. Cork: BookBaby.
Jensen, E. (2005).Teaching with the brain in mind. Virginia: ASCD.
4 secrets to building rapport with students (even when it's hard to connect). (2017, November 06).
Retrieved from https://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/4-secrets-building-rapport-students-even-hard-
connect/
Thomas,
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed your input and knowledge that you share from an occupational therapist's point of view. I have gained a new found appreciate for the OT in my building and all the work he does. Also, your blog is enlightening. The fact that senses play into how students interact and build relationships makes me aware of how I will now interact with my students.
I looked at the bottom tier and thought about your statement that teachers are so focused on the academic part we negate the "whole child". I think about a lesson/activity that I do in December. This lesson/activity is based off of The Grinch. We read the story and talk about ways that they can do a kind deed. I have a huge poster in my room of the Grinch. Throughout the month of December the students write down other children' names based off of kind deeds that they see them do. Thinking about this lesson I can recall how kind the students were to each other and the effort they put into trying to help others. From your Blog, I'm thinking about what if I continued this throughout the whole school year? Would they continue trying to be their best self? It is something that I am definitely contemplating. What is one way, activity or daily thing that you do to help build and maintain self-esteem/self-love with your students?
I like your idea of tying your reading assignment about The Grinch and turning it into action in your classroom to address social skills. I always start my year off with a skills inventory, likes and dislikes, as well as sharing a little about me with the students. This allows me to design a plan with activities that will engage them in their IEP goals and have fun!
Delete"Teaching = Learning Engineering"; this is a great way to take on the world of education. Teaching isn't just delivering lessons, but instead focuses on the entire pyramid that you have posted in your blog. I have always thought that I will never be able to successfully educate a student if they don't feel safe and accepted in my classroom. It is our job to meet those needs first. I think that the beginning of the school year is the perfect time for this; getting to know my students and having them get to know me is beneficial in building that rapport. One way that I try to meet these needs of my students is by having a "Safe Place" in my classroom. This is an area in which my students can go when they are frustrated, mad, angry, etc. where they can work on breathing techniques, use stress balls and fidgets, or draw a picture. I feel as though having this area helps students to realize that they are allowed to feel those emotions, but they need to portray them appropriately. When I see students in this area, I visit them when I'm available to discuss their thoughts and feelings. I discuss with them that they're feelings are valid and really get to know what they're thinking. This helps students to know that they're safe and that there is an adult who truly cares about them and their feelings. I love how this is something simple that helps to build and maintain rapport throughout the school year. How do you start to build rapport with your OT students to help to begin to trust you feel safe in your room?
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you already have some strategies in place. I always start my sessions giving the students 5 minutes to choose 1 gross motor and 1 fine motor activity as a warm up then we get started on their IEP goal activities. They love having the freedom to pick activities and only they know what their bodies need to regulate themselves.
Delete