CULTURE, LEARNING and TEACHING

Judith E. Glaser's June 21st, 2016 blog in the Huffington Post  on the neurochemistry of motivation is worth a read:

"Once a person has been triggered by fear - let’s say from an angry boss, a yelling, or merely a passive-aggressive or blaming boss who is embarrassing that person in front of colleagues - a cascade of neurochemicals starts in the lower brain - and literally spews out into the rest of the brain - like someone was spray painting their brain! This cortisol bath sends messages to the other parts of the brain - there are actually 5 brains working in concert - and tells them to move into hyper-gear to protect the person from harm....Inspired leaders would be further inspired if they understand the neurochemistry of motivation - how praise and support can unlock the neurochemical patterns that also cascade chemistry throughout the brain. This powerful and almost drug-like dopamine state that comes with appropriate, honest and well-deserved (sincere) praise will set into place a pattern of intrinsic motivation that will open up new pathways for the employee to access new skills and talents..."

Read more here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/judith-e-glaser/neurochemistry-of-motivat_b_10590480.html

Teachers are most often evaluated and prepared in measurable and quantifiable skills despite the fact that teachers' dispositions are a vital component of effective teaching. Rick Wormeli's article in the ASCD lists 7 habits of highly affective teachers. Note the emphasis on affective teachers and not effective teachers. Wormeli makes the case that positive affects in a teacher are important for any classroom to be emotionally healthy. In his article he lists 8 habits (adding one bonus habit to his list of seven):

Find joy in others' success

Cultivate perspective and reframe

Ditch the easy caricature

Explore the ethics of teaching

Embrace humility

Value intellect

Maintain passion and playfulness

Self-renew

Emotionally Healthy Kids, October 2015, 73 (2), pp. 10-15

The full article can be found at the link below:

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct15/vol73/num02/The-Seven-Habits-of-Highly-Affective-Teachers.aspx

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/12/how-your-early-childhood-shapes-your-brain/?FB=1

Here is a site which has developed a Rubric that helps teachers determine which books are culturally relevant for their classrooms:

http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/choosing-childrens-books-cultural-relevance-rubric

Engaging and interacting with people who are different from us actually makes us better people if we embrace differences and learn from them about diverse world views and perspectives. Here is an article from Scientific American that explains this:

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-diversity-makes-us-smarter/