Adapted from Stephen R. Covey’s work

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Act in the classroom, not re-act
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Every teacher needs a pause button
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Teachers are free to choose: Selfawareness, conscience, imagination, independent will
• Be a positive influence on your student’s emotional bank accounts

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Teachers need a destination and a compass
• A Teacher’s Mission Statement
• Are teacher’s principle centered?
• The end should always be “what is best for the children under your care.”
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Planning ahead always makes things better.

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Establish priorities in the classroom and at home
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Home culture 50 yrs. Age vs. Today -Where does that leave teachers??
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Balance academics with social skills, character education, health and self esteem
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Be an ADVOCATE for children

• Adopt the attitude: “Let me listen to you first” or “Help me to understand” with students and parents.
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Positive discipline - How can you and the student win??? No power struggles.
• Moving children from “me” to “we”
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Class Meetings where agreements rule.

Habit 5: Seek First to
Understand..Then to be Understood
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Recognize your prejudices in the classroom and work to overcome them.
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All children want to belong - avoid miscommunications.
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Practice Empathic Listening - the highest form of listening.
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Give honest feedback to children and parents.

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Work together with teachers, parents, children, administrators.
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Value and celebrate differences.
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Involve people in the problem and work out the solution together (great playground strategy)
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Never give up - small victories lead to larger ones.

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Renew yourself: physically, socially, mentally, and spiritually.
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Nurture your relationship with children.
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Begin your day with children with some quiet time to reflect.
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Always grow - be a better teacher tomorrow than you were today.