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Responsibility

Edgar A. Guest – It Couldn’t Be Done

On January 4, 2013 / Effectiveness, Responsibility

Teaching Edgar Guest’s poem will assist kids’ character development.

It Couldn’t Be Done

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. lf he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it.”
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his … >>>

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Mindsets Foster Responsibility

On January 2, 2013 / Learning, Responsibility

Mindsets are attitudes, dispositions, intentions, and inclinations. If Johnny’s mindset is one of little or no interest in learning (and this includes learning appropriate behavior), Johnny will not learn much. Therefore, a major task of adults working with young people is to promote mindsets that promote learning and appropriate behavior.

James Sutton is a psychologist in Pleasanton, Texas, who trains child service professionals. Jim emphasizes how perceptions are as important as reality. If a child is afraid, behaviors will reflect that fear, regardless of whether there is anything to be afraid of or not. Jim’s experiences have led him to conclude that there are youngsters who are damaged more by their perceptions of their lives than by the realities … >>>

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Delegation Increases Responsibility

On December 28, 2012 / Parenting, Responsibility

Many parents often say, “If I want something done right I have to do it myself.” Yet effective parents know that delegation of tasks is essential to build trust in the family. When you hold onto tasks and don’t delegate, you deprive your children of an opportunity to grow and learn responsibility.

Accept the fact that growth comes through struggle. Babying your children hinders their development and implies that you don’t trust them. Therefore, focus on treating your children as if they are who, how, and what you would like them to be. Treating children as if they are responsible and empowered increases their chances of becoming so.

Once the child completes a task, the objective should be to focus … >>>

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The Path to Responsible Behavior

On November 14, 2012 / Responsibility

There is an old Greek myth about a gentleman who was looking for Mt. Olympus. On his journey, he asked directions of an elderly man who turned out to be Socrates. When the traveler asked how to get to Mt. Olympus, the old sage responded in his reflective tradition: “Be sure every step you take is in that direction.” The counterproductive approaches of rewarding expected standards of behavior and punishing do not take us in the direction of fostering responsibility.

Although we often think we can give responsibility, the truth is that responsibility can only be taken; therefore, desire is essential for developing this characteristic. Desire comes only through internal motivation. Responsible behavior is a chosen behavior.

Remember the … >>>

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One Trick for Helping Children Develop Self-Discipline

On November 5, 2012 / Discipline, Parenting, Responsibility

Self-disciplined people make a point to think before they act or speak. They think about where each particular choice will lead—to something positive or negative. They think ahead to see if they are going to be satisfied with the consequence that a particular choice will bring. If they are satisfied, they go ahead in that direction. If not, they think again and choose to act or speak differently—in a way that will bring a consequence that they can more happily accept. So, how do you help a child become more self-disciplined? The key is to hone the skill of asking reflective questions—questions that prompt the child to think. It’s not necessary for the youngster to tell the parent what … >>>

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Promote Responsibility by Asking for Assistance

On November 2, 2012 / Parenting, Responsibility

Just as no one can place knowledge or wisdom into the head of another, no one can make another person responsible. Although responsibility can be delegated, it does not become effective until taken. A much-overlooked opportunity is for young people to help parents.

In former generations, the parents were the center of the household and children were expected to assist in the running of that household. Very often in today’s family, the emphasis is on giving to children, rather than on the children doing the giving.

An effective way for parents to gain respect and assistance is to refrain from doing some favors for their youngsters and let their youngsters perform services for them. A simple way to do this … >>>

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Four Questions that Prompt Reflection…and One to Avoid

On October 29, 2012 / Effectiveness, Responsibility

Reflection fosters growth and responsibility. Therefore, ask evaluative questions—those that lead to reflection.

Here is a series of four such questions that lead to a change in behavior:

“What do you want?”
“Is what you are choosing to do helping you get what you want?”
“If what you are choosing to do is not getting what you want, then what is your plan?”
“What are your procedures to implement your plan—specifically, what will you do?” “What else?”

What question should you seldom if ever ask? Any question that starts with “why,” as in “Why did you hit your brother?” or “What did you lie about your homework being done?”

“Why” questions allow the person to give an excuse, be a … >>>

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Choices in Life

On October 17, 2012 / Learning, Responsibility

A significant difference between the optimist and the pessimist is related to the perception of choice. For example, a school math test is returned with a low score. One student concludes, “Well, I guess I’m not good in math,” while another student who receives the exact same score engages in different self-talk: “I guess I’ll have to study harder.”

The difference? The first youngster senses a lack of control—that nothing can be done. “I just have no gift for math,” goes the self-talk. The second youngster believes that something can be done. The first child’s pessimistic self-talk is of resignation—primarily based upon the wrong assumption of a lack of choice and, therefore, a lack of control. The second … >>>

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Use Choices to Build Responsibility

On October 15, 2012 / Learning, Parenting, Responsibility

Offering children choices promotes the most important skill for success in life: the skill of making responsible decisions. Responsible behavior is directly related to the number of responsible choices a person makes. Positive discipline approaches—of which offering choices ranks high on the list—motivate children to want to act responsibly because it feels good and because children realize it is in their best interests to do so. In contrast, if we deprive people of choices, we deprive them of positive motivation. By giving children opportunities to make decisions starting early in life, we prepare them for greater success as adults living in the 21st century.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, manufacturing led and fed the economy. There were few … >>>

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2 Simple Techniques to Promote Responsibility

On October 5, 2012 / Parenting, Responsibility

At times children—and especially adolescents—will not like what is required of them and will act as if they do not like their parents. Remarks such as, “You don’t understand,” or “I’m the only one who has to,” or “I’ll die if you don’t let me,” are attempts to have the parent relent and say “Yes” when the parent knows it is really best not to allow what the youth desires.

In these situations, the parent should focus on what is best for the youngster in the long run. However, in the process, the child needs to understand the reasons for the decision.

A simple technique to employ when a “No” needs to be given is to place the challenge … >>>

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Obedience versus Responsibility

On September 17, 2012 / Responsibility

External motivators are used extensively in schools. This includes telling young people what to do, punishing them if they do not, and rewarding them if they do. These approaches teach young people obedience. The shortcomings of obedience appear when teachers and parents are not around to use these external motivators.

The Raise Responsibility System focuses on internal motivation, which builds the vision to act with responsible, autonomous behavior—whether or not anyone else is around.

If America is to continue the civil democracy that has been our heritage, we must do more than just talk about civil democracy and responsibility; we must actively foster it. We can do this in a classroom by providing opportunities for students to take responsibility and … >>>

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Homework: Whose Responsibility is It?

On August 20, 2012 / Responsibility

School has started in many areas (and will start very soon everywhere else). This is the time of year when Dr. Marshall gets many questions from teachers and parents about homework—specifically how to handle a child who simply refuses to do homework.

Many times the question comes in after the adult has asked the child reflective questions and has spoken to him/her positively about the matter. Often, the youth is also well aware of the various levels of The Hierarchy of Social Development and knows where his/her behavior falls when refusing to do the homework.

So what’s the solution?

According to Dr. Marshall, no one can force another person to learn. The person needs to be motivated. If there is … >>>

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God Bless the USA and American Values

On June 15, 2012 / Learning, Responsibility

After much practice, students at a New York City school were informed that they would not be allowed to sing “God Bless the U.S.A.” at a school performance. As far as can be determined, the school administration’s position was that, since there are so many different cultures represented at the school, some students would take offense at the lyrics:

God Bless The USA
by Lee Greenwood

If tomorrow all the things were gone, I’d worked for all my life,
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom, and they can’t take that away.

Hey! And I’m proud to … >>>

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Classroom Management for Middle and Secondary Schools

On February 11, 2012 / Responsibility

THE CLEARING HOUSE – Volume 79 Number 1 (Pages 51 – 54)

In an attempt to provide ideas and ways to make middle and secondary schools physically and psychologically safe, we asked a number of experts to write articles for this special symposium edition of The Clearing House. Rather than prescribing specific writing topics, we asked the authors to share their beliefs on what contributes to classroom management and to making middle and secondary schools safe.

—M. Lee Manning, Professor and Eminent Scholar and Katherine T Bucher, Professor—both with the Department of Educational Curriculum and Instruction, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia – Guest Editors, page 5

Discipline without Stress^®
Punishments or Rewards

by Marvin Marshall

This article may be … >>>

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Promoting Positivity, Choice, And Reflection:

On February 11, 2012 / Learning, Responsibility

These three simple practices can make school a place where teachers and students want to be.

By Marvin Marshall

Originally published in Leadership Magazine by the Association of California School Administrators – Vol. 34, No.5, pp. 28-30

Theme:
How to Champion A Positive Learning Climate

No student comes to school with the deliberate intention of failing or getting into trouble. Similarly, no adult enters the teaching profession with the intention of not being successful or not enjoying it. Yet, the profession loses fifty percent of its new teachers within five years and a rapidly growing number of students are demonstrating irresponsible behavior.

This article describes three simple practices that foster positive school climates—where both teachers and students want to be.… >>>

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Promoting Positivity, Choice, And Reflection

On February 11, 2012 / Responsibility

These three simple practices can make school a place where teachers and students want to be.

By Marvin Marshall

Originally published in Leadership Magazine by the Association of California School Administrators – Vol. 34, No.5, pp. 28-30

Theme:
How to Champion A Positive Learning Climate

No student comes to school with the deliberate intention of failing or getting into trouble. Similarly, no adult enters the teaching profession with the intention of not being successful or not enjoying it. Yet, the profession loses fifty percent of its new teachers within five years and a rapidly growing number of students are demonstrating irresponsible behavior.

This article describes three simple practices that foster positive school climates—where both teachers and students want to be.… >>>

READ MORE >>> →

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