# data[].attributes.headline
Becoming A Better Teacher Everyday-Practice Human Goodness in My Life and in My Work.

# data[].attributes.subject
Becoming A Better Teacher Everyday-Practice Human Goodness in My Life and in My Work.

# data[].attributes.body
Good day!
I am Mirasol H. Aquino ,classroom teacher from Aguinaldo J. Santos National High School.
#AJS the Best
#Culture of Excellence
#Keep the Passion Flaming

# data[].attributes.body
Kruhay! I am Richelle Sanchez. Mathematics instructor from University of Antique, Sibalom, Antique.

# data[].attributes.body
My passion towards teaching is like a plant.
Have a blessed Day
I am Cherry Maramag Buyayo,  Teacher III of San Lorenzo Integrated School,  City of Ilagan
Teaching Grade 10 and Grade 11
I can say that my passion towards teaching is like planting.  You cultivate the soil, water the plants,  nourish it everyday.  Making it sure that day by day plants grow healthy. You are fulfilled if you see that yout plants bloom and bear fruits. I treated my students like my plants,  cultivate,  water and nourish them not only the subject matter but to implore on them about life.

# data[].attributes.body
Good day! I'm teacher Raul and my passion is to teach. I love to teach and impart knowledge to my students and help them to be responsible individual.

# data[].attributes.body
Olivia M. Hibaya

I want to become a better teacher because I want to make a difference in my learners life.

My future is to become more attentive to parents and other stakeholders. Attend meetings and assembly for PTA

# data[].attributes.headline
It's comforting to know that we have an extended family to trust with outside of our own homes. My fellow teachers are the people I share the same goals and aspirations in building a community nurtured with values and principles. Our  colleagues help us define our visions and mission on how much we can give and make meaningful impacts in the lives of the young people who we believe are the future makers and leaders.

# data[].attributes.subject
It's comforting to know that we have an extended family to trust with outside of our own homes. My fellow teachers are the people I share the same goals and aspirations in building a community nurtured with values and principles. Our  colleagues help us define our visions and mission on how much we can give and make meaningful impacts in the lives of the young people who we believe are the future makers and leaders.

# data[].attributes.headline
I have been teaching since 2014 yet every year there always new learning experiences that make me enjoy teaching all the more. I am grateful for the opportunity of creating meaningful memories with my students and perhaps leave an indelible mark in their young life. What makes teaching very rewarding is the appreciation we unexpectedly receive from the community we work or worked with and that even if time passes by, your students old and new never fail to express their respect, utmost care and appreciation for all the efforts and sacrifices we teacher continuously and unconditionally give. 

# data[].attributes.subject
I have been teaching since 2014 yet every year there always new learning experiences that make me enjoy teaching all the more. I am grateful for the opportunity of creating meaningful memories with my students and perhaps leave an indelible mark in their young life. What makes teaching very rewarding is the appreciation we unexpectedly receive from the community we work or worked with and that even if time passes by, your students old and new never fail to express their respect, utmost care and appreciation for all the efforts and sacrifices we teacher continuously and unconditionally give. 

# data[].attributes.body
Teach and WRITE

Hi! I'm teacher Elle from Pangasinan.
It is my passion to write my day to day encounter with my pupils in the form of poems and stories.

# data[].attributes.headline
Inspiring and teaching students are the best accomplishment of a teacher.

# data[].attributes.subject
Inspiring and teaching students are the best accomplishment of a teacher.

# data[].attributes.body
Helping one another, sharing beautiful practices and inspiring other teachers bring perfect mood.

# data[].attributes.body
I always start the day with prayers and thanking God for everything good. I keep on smiling so that the ambiance of my work place become nice.

# data[].attributes.body
Spread happiness to all the people I meet. Self sacrifice is love.

# data[].attributes.body
Good Day
I'm Cris Ramil Diwa from Olongapo City. I am grade 4 AP and Filipino Teacher at St. Joseph College Olongapo Elementary department. my family is the most important in my life. because whatever happens family is the first to help and understand you.

# data[].attributes.body
Arts is one of the things I want to nurture for art is creativity and beauty.

# data[].attributes.body
Some of my colleagues are also my chosen friends. They make my job lighter and better. Although not everyone may have a liking of me, having friends is a blessing and something to treasure despite some hard people around.

# data[].attributes.body
A cup of coffee to start a day makes me smile through out the day. I always believe that teachers should start the day with a smile and positive perspective for a happy teacher can make students happy.

# data[].attributes.headline
Hello, I am Jeneffer Chung. I am a grade 7 English teacher at Bonuan Buquig National High school. My family is what keeps me moving everyday. They are the first reason why I strive hard. Whenever I feel like giving up in teaching or some what a bit lethargic and frustrated, I often think of my children. I always tell myself that I want to be the teacher that my own children deserve.

# data[].attributes.subject
Hello, I am Jeneffer Chung. I am a grade 7 English teacher at Bonuan Buquig National High school. My family is what keeps me moving everyday. They are the first reason why I strive hard. Whenever I feel like giving up in teaching or some what a bit lethargic and frustrated, I often think of my children. I always tell myself that I want to be the teacher that my own children deserve.

# data[].attributes.headline
Navigating Difficult Conversations with Students

# data[].attributes.subject
Navigating Difficult Conversations with Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A parent catches you at drop-off one morning and wants to know why her son got in trouble the day before, since he never misbehaves at home.

A colleague presents a proposal at a staff meeting that you are certain will not work.

At the end of a long day of parent-teacher conferences, you are scheduled to meet with the parent of a student who consistently misses assignments, with a different excuse each time.

Getting through these conversations with your relationships intact - while still getting your point across - can be difficult. "With parents, the difficult conversations are when you clearly see the child in two different ways," said Jan Stewart, a career coach with Emerge: Coaching for Success. "What the parent sees is not necessarily what you see in the classroom. You have to convey that to the parent without making them feel wrong about the way they see the child."

Colleagues - whether they are fellow teachers or administrators - present a different type of challenge. Sometimes experienced teachers may think newer teachers, who are enthusiastically advocating for new approaches, don't appreciate the lessons their more seasoned colleagues have learned over the years. And the newer teachers can feel that their ideas are being rejected without being given a chance.

"Teachers may also have to have difficult conversations with students - about classroom behavior, for example," said Douglas Stone, co-author of Difficult Conversations and a lecturer on law at Harvard Law School. Administrators, too, can end up having difficult conversations with all of these audiences.

It can be useful to approach these difficult conversations in stages:

1. Before the conversation

Consider your goals and how best to achieve them. "Ask yourself, 'What's my purpose in this conversation?' " Stone said. "Make sure that the actions you are planning are aligned with achieving that purpose." This starts with deciding who will take part in the conversation - or even if a conversation is the best way to approach the issue. Occasionally, an email message would work better as an initial approach.

And, although difficult communications are usually best handled in person, the setting and people present can make a big difference: "Is it best to have a one-on-one conversation, or to invite a set of people?" Stone said. "Think about what makes sense before you get started."

2. At the beginning of a conversation

"Start the conversation by stating the purpose," Stone said. He suggests using a template:

Start by observing a difference in perspective - doing your best to describe that difference without judgment in either direction.

State an interest in understanding the other person's views and sharing your own.

Propose that you problem-solve together.

For example, in a one-on-one conversation with a parent, that template might be filled in like this: "I'd like to talk about your son's experiences in my classroom. I know from prior conversations that you and I see things a bit differently - you're concerned that I haven't taken into consideration the challenges he's experiencing outside the classroom, and for my part, I'm struggling with ways to give him the attention he needs while still teaching the other students.

"I'd like to hear more about your perspective on this, and I'd like to share mine, and see if we can come up with some ideas for how to improve the experience for your son."

3. When others present their views

It's critical to listen - not just stop talking - when the other person or people in the meeting are talking. Stewart suggests "really listening to the other person and focusing on whatever emotion they're conveying." When the other person is clearly upset, try a response like, "I'm so surprised to hear that - can you tell me more?" This "allows the person to expand on what they have said so you can really listen."

Stone offers other questions that can help you understand other points of view: "What has been the emotional impact of that?" "What are you most concerned about?"

To make sure you're understanding, it can also help to repeat what you hear the other person saying. For example, try saying, "So this is what I'm hearing you say..." Stewart said. "Ask open-ended questions to get more information, while reframing or clarifying as much as you can."

4. When it's your turn to respond

Stewart recommends asking for permission if your point of view is substantially different from the one you have just heard: "'Do you mind if I share another perspective?'"

Give specific examples rather than conclusions, Stone suggests: "Don't say, 'Well, it's just a fact that your son is disruptive.' Instead, offer an example: 'Here's an example of what has been challenging for me'."

It's also important acknowledge if the conversation has given you new information or changed your mind in some way, Stewart said. "This draws it back into being a partnership and not an adversarial relationship."

5. When you're problem-solving

Once everyone at the meeting has presented their view of the issue at hand, it's time to brainstorm together about how to solve the problem. "Some problems may disappear through deeper understanding, and other problems will remain," Stone said. "Share some possible solutions or ways to approach the challenges, and ask for the other person's ideas as well."

6: When the conversation ends

The conclusion depends on what has been resolved. "You may be able to figure out a way that if something like this should happen again, it doesn't build up into a big deal," Stewart said. For example, you could say, "In the future, if something like this happens, I'd appreciate it if you would..."

If there is no agreement, it can help to acknowledge that and to thank the person for having the conversation. It may also make sense to set up another meeting, either to continue the discussion or to check on how things are going.

Staying on the right track

It's important when having these difficult conversations - whether they're carefully planned or impromptu - to avoid some common pitfalls:

Not listening: "We assume we understand what the other person is going to say, for example, because we dealt with what seemed like a similar situation in the past but, in fact, the current situation may be different in important ways," Stone said.

Not being candid about your own views: "Sometimes we listen well, but fail to share our own views and concerns," Stone said. "For example, we might be thinking, 'Well, that's a good idea in theory, but I've already tried that and it doesn't work.' But instead we say, "Well, we'll see how it goes.' And then, of course, nothing improves because we aren't doing anything differently."

Not thinking through solutions: "Sometimes we're just not aligned with our own purposes," Stone said. "Our goal may be to understand what's going on with a student and to problem-solve, but we make a speech to the parent about how the child needs more supervision at home. We might think that the child does need more supervision, but a one-way speech to an over-burdened, worried parent who doesn't feel heard is not going to move the conversation in a positive direction."

Thinking carefully about each stage of a difficult conversation and avoiding common mistakes will not guarantee success in every conversation.

"Nothing can turn a difficult conversation into a fun, easy conversation," Stone said. But these steps can "increase the chances that the conversation will be productive, while at the same time helping to preserve the relationship."

Join Resilient Educator

Subscribe To Our Newsletter To Get Content Delivered To Your Inbox. Click or Tap the Button Below.

Join Resilient Educator

Subscribe To Our Newsletter To Get Content Delivered To Your Inbox. Click or Tap the Button Below.
Join

Tags: Mid-Career Teacher, New Teacher, Professional Development, Teacher-Parent Relationships

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teachers: Here's How to Handle Difficult Conversations | Resilient Educator

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A parent catches you at drop-off one morning and wants to know why her son got in trouble the day before, since he never misbehaves at home. A colleague presents a proposal at a staff meeting that you are certain will not work.

# data[].attributes.headline
36 Questions that Will Turn Strangers into Friends 

# data[].attributes.subject
36 Questions that Will Turn Strangers into Friends 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A powerful empathy exercise for team building (and increasing self-awareness too)

Knowing each other well is more than a nice to have. Deep empathy increases understanding, communication, and teamwork.

This empathy exercise is a quick way to turn strangers into friends or to strengthen already existing team relationships.

What are the 36 questions?
How might we find a way to create instant intimacy between strangers?
This question led Arthur Aron to discover how to create deep empathy quickly. He started testing a series of questions over and over. He brought together pairs of strangers who asked each other a series of increasingly personal questions.

After decades of research, he finally landed on a total of 36 questions.

Aron's work became famous when a New York Times article went viral. People refer to them as the questions that can lead to love.

The "36 questions" empathy exercise is a quick way to get to know everyone - not just your lover. It's perfect for accelerating team building.

How to practice this empathy exercise?

There are three sets of questions.

They become more and more personal. This empathy exercise increases not only team building, but also self-awareness. It confronts us with things we usually don't ask ourselves.

Get the team or group together and distribute them in pairs. Share the questionnaire and let each duo answer them on their own.

Both people must answer the question before moving to the next one. It's convenient to rotate the order in which they answer each question. The one who answered last should be the first to answer the next one.

If you have time, you can ask each duo to go out for a coffee and spend one hour answering all the questions.

If your time is limited, choose a smaller set and focus on those. Remember to keep the progression from less to more personal ones. Ideally, select a few from each set.

Avoid the temptation of turning this into a public exercise. People become more open in front of another person than a large crowd. Intimacy builds empathy.

Arthur Aron's 36 empathy questions

SET I

1. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?

2. Would you like to be famous? In what way?

3. Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?

4. What would constitute a "perfect" day for you?

5. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?

6. If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?

7. Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?

8. Name three things you and your partner appear to have in common.

9. For what in your life do you feel most grateful?

10. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?

11. Take four minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.

12. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?

SET II

1. If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?

2. Is there something that you've dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven't you done it?

3. What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?

4. What do you value most in a friendship?

5. What is your most treasured memory?

6. What is your most terrible memory?

7. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?

8. What does friendship mean to you?

9. What roles do love and affection play in your life?

10. Alternate sharing something you consider a positive characteristic of your partner. Share a total of five items.

11. How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people's?

12. How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?

SET III

1. Make three true "we" statements each. For instance, "We are both in this room feeling ... "

2. Complete this sentence: "I wish I had someone with whom I could share ... "

3. If you were going to become a close friend with your partner, please share what would be important for him or her to know.

4. Tell your partner what you like about them; be very honest this time, saying things that you might not say to someone you've just met.

5. Share with your partner an embarrassing moment in your life.

6. When did you last cry in front of another person? By yourself?

7. Tell your partner something that you like about them already.

8. What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?

9. If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven't you told them yet?

10. Your house, containing everything you own, catches fire. After saving your loved ones and pets, you have time to safely make a final dash to save any one item. What would it be? Why?

11. Of all the people in your family, whose death would you find most disturbing? Why?

12. Share a personal problem and ask your partner's advice on how he or she might handle it. Also, ask your partner to reflect back to you how you seem to be feeling about the problem you have chosen.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
36 Questions that Will Turn Strangers into Friends - Gustavo Razzetti

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Knowing each other well is more than a nice to have. Deep empathy increases understanding, communication, and teamwork. This empathy exercise is a quick way to turn strangers into friends or to strengthen already existing team relationships. How might we find a way to create instant intimacy between strangers?

# data[].attributes.body
It's time we welcome all colors and shapes of emotions. Learn the art of noticing and paying attention to enrich your life. The only currency required is time. <3

# data[].attributes.headline
Making good decisions and social responsibility

# data[].attributes.subject
Making good decisions and social responsibility

# data[].attributes.body
Teachers face many questions everyday in order to give their best for their students. It's time we talk about the many-sidedness of our daily experiences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If we as educators want to live lives of positive impact, and especially if we want to cultivate ethical growth in our students, we have to start with ourselves-by reflecting on our own values and behavior, understanding how we and others think about right and wrong, and always striving to live up to our moral principles. (Note: Though they sometimes have distinctions in meaning or connotation, the terms "ethical" and "moral" are generally used interchangeably.)

Educators are constantly communicating values and ethical messages to students, whether they mean to or not.

Though some people may feel that school is not the best place for students to learn about morality, the truth is that the work of teaching is inherently moral. Teachers inevitably serve as ethical role models for students, and schools and teachers convey moral messages (i.e., what is right vs. wrong) and other values (i.e., what is important, desirable, etc.) all the time, in both explicit and implicit ways.

The pattern of implicit ways in which schools socialize students and convey values-not through the academic curriculum, but through school policies, priorities, climate, interpersonal interactions, etc.- is known as the "hidden curriculum."

By explicitly addressing values and ethical issues with students, educators can be more intentional about the messages they convey; this also encourages students to consciously and critically reflect on their own values as well as the messages they receive.

When teachers understand and incorporate moral development principles into their classroom management and teaching, students respond better and show improved reasoning abilities.

Across cultures, when judging social situations, both adults and children (as young as three-year-olds) can distinguish between issues that are moral (inherently right or wrong, such as because they hurt people or are unfair) and aspects that involve other considerations (e.g., social norms, rules dictated by authority, personal choices, safety). When deciding what to do, we have to balance between these different domains of social knowledge.

Kids know that hitting someone else for no reason is wrong. Even if their teacher said it was OK, or if they went to a different school where everyone did it, it would still be wrong, they say. On the other hand, if asked whether it's OK to wear a swimsuit to class, they would likely say no-but if the principal allows it, or if it's the tradition in another school, then it's probably all right.

When teachers respond to student misbehavior in a way that matches the domain of the transgression-for example, responding to a moral transgression (e.g., hitting) by talking about the harm done, and responding to a breach of a norm (e.g., talking out of turn) by referencing the classroom rules and disruption to order-students rate the responses better, and rate the teachers as more knowledgeable and effective.

When discussion of social domains is integrated into the academic curriculum-such as by explicitly discussing which features of historical events had moral implications and which features had to do with social conventions-students show higher levels of reasoning and a greater ability to balance different considerations.

Strengthening moral identity (how important being a good person is to one's sense of self) encourages people to make ethical decisions.

Moral reasoning (figuring out what is right or wrong) and moral identity (wanting to be a person who does the right thing) are both important for ethical decision-making, especially in difficult situations.

Moral identity is linked to moral action, such as donating money to charity, and to moral emotions, such as caring about people different than oneself and feeling guilty after doing something wrong.

Simple cues, like reading lists of moral principles or writing stories using moral terms, can remind people of their moral identity and make them more likely to behave prosocially; on the other hand, performance-based incentives can turn people away from moral identity, making unethical behavior like lying or cheating more likely.

When people have a strong, internalized moral identity, they are more motivated to behave prosocially even when they don't get any recognition for it; one way to work towards this is by focusing on the internal (vs. external) rewards of doing the right thing.

Reducing moral disengagement (when people do things that they know are wrong, but distance themselves from the actions and consequences) helps people do the right thing more often.

Research has found that moral disengagement is less likely in people who are empathetic and have strong moral identities, and more likely when people are cynical and feel that what happens is out of their control.

Moral disengagement, unsurprisingly, is linked to unethical decisions and behavior.

Using ethical tools as simple as an honor code can remind people of their moral values and identities, and thus reduce moral disengagement and unethical behavior.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SEL for Adults: Ethical Decision Making and Responsibility | Greater Good In Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If we as educators want to live lives of positive impact, and especially if we want to cultivate ethical growth in our students, we have to start with ourselves-by reflecting on our own values and behavior, understanding how we and others think about right and wrong, and always striving to live up to our moral principles.