Have psycho T ready
Handouts (pic & write-up)
Between red slides is one hour of session.
Thomas.mcintyre@hunter.cuny.edu
1
“Do Now” Activity
Think
of an argument/battle that you got into with
someone (student, spouse, colleague) that lasted
more than a few sentences.
Did your actions become more heated and forceful as
the other person failed to “give in”?
THEN…
Jot
down notes that describe the sequence of events.
What action brought out the 1st negative comment?
How then did the other person react?
How did the 1st party respond to that 2nd person’s
action?
Etcetera.
2
“Copy the material from the board.”
Psycho-T video
In the short term (and long term), who “won”?
– Were hearts & minds won over?
– Were relationships built & “trust bonds” cemented?
– Will the “show of force” “teach the kid a lesson”?
Which teacher actions worsened the situation?
3
The Beatings Will Continue
Until Morale Improves.
“Getting tough” with persistently defiant, non-compliant
kids is counter productive.
These youngsters don’t succumb to coercion…
Rather, they are incited by it.
If our penalties are harsh & consistently applied,
we might possibly be able to subdue the rebellion
& create a non-motivated, withdrawn kid
(ala Driekurs’) …a hollow victory for educators.
4
Why Do Otherwise Caring Professionals
“Lose Their Cool” With These Kids ?
(and colleagues, supervisors, & loved ones)
Inadequate training in respectful, supportive, nonconfrontational ways to manage behavior.
Unappreciated or ineffective efforts drain our energy,
make us doubt our competence, & build dislike for
persistent offenders.
Life events lower our ability to handle frustration.
Their actions violate our value system.
Unresolved personal or professional issues of our own.
These circumstances can cause us to
strike out at our students when they
don’t quickly & fully comply (stage 3) .
5
Self
discipline
isn’t taught
in
obedience
school.
6
The ways of “tough teachers”:
-aren’t needed with most kids, &
-don’t work at all with the “difficult” ones.
Skilled, knowledgeable & caring educators do
what they’re paid to do:
Teach
Inspire
To promote positive behavior change &
motivation, “tough” stage-3 teachers must change
to more effective & positive ways.
However, it’s hard to convince negative teachers of
the faults of their ways.
They commonly respond with:
7
What ?!
Me Change?!
THEY’RE
the problem.
(not me).
8
It take two to --------------tangle tango
Might we be playing a role in:
– Recurring situations?
– Escalating battles?
Let’s look at the situation again and break it down…
9
Student’s
Experience
1.
Stressor/Threat
or Comforter
from Adult
2.
3.
1.
1.
2.
2.
Toward Self
or Adult
3.
3.
1.
2.
3.
10
Teams: Using your “Student” diagram…
Let’s watch the scenario develop again. It
opens with the student’s “observable action”
(bottom disk on diagram).
What might have caused the stress (top disk) & the
secondary feelings that then developed from it
(right side disk)?
How does the adult react to the observable behavior?
Does the adult reaction reduce or increase
psychological pressure on the student?
11
1. Teacher angrily chastises &
insults student’s failure
to copy from board
2. More stress piled on
Stressor/Threat
or Comforter
from Adult
3. More stress placed on
student
4. Stress reduced
1. Resentment builds
from earlier incident that
resulted in drawing.
1. Teacher
continues
chastisement &
comparisons with
others
2. Resentment increases
3. Hurt??
4. Relief & retaliation
2. Teacher
continues insults
& reminisces
negatively
(“another time of
no work done”.
3. Teacher tells to
leave (attempt to
“win” OR wants
“escape”?)
“PsychoTeacher”:
Student’s
Experience
1. Shows restraint, but remains off task
2. Student uses aggressive humor (“nap”)
3. Shuts out teacher
4. Leave classroom
12
End of Part 1
About 50 min to 1 hour has elapsed to this point.
13
Your “Do Now” Activity
(You wouldn’t fail to engage in something that you require your
students to do at the beginning of each class… Would you?)
Think of a situation in which
tension, anxiety, & surging
emotions were part of the
scenario, but an action or
response on the part of
someone calmed the
situation.
 If familiar with the conflict cycle
model from last session;
how does your situation fit
with the model?

14
“It’s Deja’ Vu all over again.”
(Yogi Berra, NY Yankees Baseball Hall of Fame Catcher)
For the next 45-50 minutes…
Quick refresher of the “Conflict Cycle” model
Adding another part to the model
Applying the model to the world of EBD kids &
those who work with them (That’s us.)
What’s coming in our future sessions
15
Revisiting the Conflict Cycle
Looking back at what we covered last time (part 1):
–
Reasons why caring professionals get angry
& strike out at students they are pledged to serve
–
Problems that escort punishment. Only benefit:
Deterrent for kids who are, at moment, rational & calm
Our kids often aren’t in this state of mind when
punishment is being threatened or implemented.
–
Overview of “Conflict Cycle” model (minus 1 important part)
–
Application of the model to a video
(“Psycho-teacher”)
(Part 2 of the Conflict Cycle is upcoming)
16
Why Do Otherwise Caring Professionals
“Lose Their Cool” With These Kids ?
(and our colleagues, supervisors, & loved ones)
Inadequate training in respectful, supportive, & nonconfrontational ways to manage behavior.
Ineffective or unappreciated efforts drain our energy,
make us doubt our competence, & build dislike for
persistent offenders.
Life events lower our ability to handle frustration.
Their actions violate our value system.
Unresolved personal or professional issues of our own.
These circumstances can cause us to
strike out at our students when they
don’t quickly & fully comply (stage 3) .
17
Which problems accompany
the use of punishment?
Emotional (or physical) harm can result.
The kids:
-Fear you.
-Dislike you.
-Think that you don’t like them.
-Avoid you
-Become sneakier so they don’t get caught.
The punishment may not outweigh the rewards
brought by the behavior.
The “punishment” might actually be a reinforcer.
Punishment does not teach inner control & better
behaviors, so the same ones keep popping up.
18
What ?!
Me Change?!
THEY’RE
the problem.
(not me).
19
See kids as the enemy?
OK… Let’s talk that lingo
Sun Tzu & his principles: (The Art of War, 530 B.C).
– (Previously) Never conduct a frontal attack on an
opponent who possesses equal or greater force
(like “Psycho-Teacher” attempted to do).
– Break the enemy's resistance without fighting.
– It is best to capture the enemy intact (rather than
destroyed) & convince them of your cause
– The greatest victory is to win without having battled.
Sun Tzu’s practices (in preparation for action):
– Gather information on your adversary.
– Use this information to inform your actions & reach
your goals with minimal loss (to self or others). 20
Informed Actions:
Nick Long, Sun Tzu, & You
Please find your “Explanation of the Conflict Cycle” page
21
1. Teacher angrily chastises
& insults student’s
failure to copy from
board
Stressor/Threat
or Comforter
from Adult
2. More stress piled on
3. More stress placed on
student
“PsychoTeacher”:
Student’s
Experience
4. Stress reduced
1. Resentment builds
from earlier incident that
resulted in drawing.
2. Resentment increases
1. Teacher continues
chastisement &
comparisons with
others
3. T comments caused
hurt & negative self
reflection??
4. Relief & retaliation
2. Teacher continues
insults & reminisces
negatively (“another
time of no work done”.
3. Teacher tells to
leave (attempt to
“win” OR “escape”?)
1. Shows restraint, but remains off task
2. Student uses aggressive humor (“nap”)
3. Shuts out teacher
4. Leave classroom
22
Stressor/Threat
or Comforter
from Adult
How can we
intervene
professionally at
each step?
1.
2.
3.
Toward Self
or Adult
23
Stressor/Threat
or Comforter
from student
1.
“Psycho-Teacher:
Adult’s Experience
2.
3.
1.
2
3.
Student/
Peer
Reaction
Adult’s
Feelings
1.
2.
3.
Adult’s
Observable
Behavior
1.
2.
3.
24
“Psycho-Teacher”
This time, let’s look at the conflict cycle from the
teacher’s viewpoint.
-What is her stressor? (opening moments)
-What feelings result?
-What observable action is witnessed?
-How does the student respond?
-Is the cycle defused or escalated by the student?
TEAMS: On your handouts, identify what occurred at each part
of the cycle. Go around the cycle at least twice.
Psycho-T video clip here
25
Stressor/Threat
or Comforter
from student
Adult’s Experience
1. Sees rendition of her
2. Fails to agree & return to task (more stress)
3. Stress piled on
4. Stress increases
5. MORE OR LESS STRESS?
(Doubt actions or relief from exit?)
1.Student
restrains self.
“So” uttered by
Student’s
him.
Adult’s
Feelings
Reaction
2. Witty attack
humor
2. Professionally
offended
3. Uncertainty
3. Student
shakes head &
fails to engage
in task.
4. Student
leaves.
1. Personally &
professionally
offended
Adult’s
Observable
Behavior
1. Chastises & ridicules the lack of on-task behavior. Tells student to copy from board.
2. Continues to criticize, points out error, & compares to other students. Speaks for class.
3. Interprets feelings for class, reminisces back to negatives (“…another time of no work
done”), & continues criticism.
4. Tells student to leave classroom.
26
Flip Side
Teams: Last time, we talked about what the adult did
“wrong” that escalated the crisis situation. Now, let’s
flip the pancake…
Specifically… What could the adult have done to:
1. Prevent the conflict OR
2. De-escalate the situation at various points in the
escalating battle?
Come back to our larger group with at least one
“preventer” & two “de-escalators” to contribute to our
discussion.
27
Backing up the bus
What do we & the students bring to the table?
What factors influence our responses when
we’re under stress?
28
29
Blowing away the smoke
& tossing aside the mirrors
Despite what was initially evident to Dorothy & her
escorts during a powerful, attention drawing event…
30
DO pay attention to the man behind the curtain!
Attempt to gain an understanding of the factors that
have influenced this student’s response to events
(i.e., “Behavior pattern”).
31
Rousseau, Freud, God, & others
Whether you believe that we’re born
– “Tabla rosa” (“blank slate”, waiting for society to write upon you)
– Inherently evil (Hobbes & Freud’s view; “original sin” Biblical view)
– Inherently good (John Locke, Rousseau),
all of the views have a point in common… the
recognition of the massive influence of society
(parents, teachers, media) on who one becomes.
-loyal, friendly, trustworthy, & cooperative
versus
-disloyal, manipulative, untrustworthy, & uncooperative
Kids become what society has “trained” them to be.
– Systematically versus Haphazardly
– Informed positive guidance versus Badly “winging it” due to
incompetence, misinformation, or lack of information. 32
Many Kids Have Low Self
Esteem & Negative Self Concepts Due To?
(1st rectangle of cycle)
• Rotten childhoods filled with negative experiences.
•Abuse, neglect, and/or consistent messages of rejection.
•Inconsistency due to multiple care-takers using very
different practices, and/or giving very different messages.
•Inconsistent caretaking from primary adults who are:
•alcoholic/substance addicted
•mentally ill (unmanaged)
•manic-depressive (unmanaged)
•negatively oriented authoritarian personalities
•incompetent due to lack of childrearing knowledge.
33
Rotten Childhoods (continued):
Reiterated negative
labels & messages
– “You rude little son of a b----. When I catch you, I’ll…”
– “You little criminal. You’re going to end up
dead or in jail someday.”
– “Man, you’re strange.”
– “Why don’t you use your head once in
a while? Stupid!”
– “What’s wrong with you, anyway? Get outta my
face before I…”
– “You little loser. Why can’t you be like Fran?”
– “You evil little beast! I’ll beat the devil out of you!”
Client to psychologist friend of mine when the parent was
asked what he does when his 10 year old son acts up:
“I tell him he’s an a- -h-le.”
34
Due to those painful or unpredictable
childhood experiences, “irrational”
beliefs form about oneself & others
(2nd rectangle in the Cycle)
Based on their inconsistent &/or negative history of
happenings, they interpret happenings differently
than most people.
They view those events through a distorted lens.
Their (re)actions reflect those misperceptions.
35
Next Time & Rest of the Year
Effective strategies for:
– Avoiding conflict
– Escaping conflict
– Promoting cooperation & compliance
– Bonding & connecting to relationship-resistant kids
36
Your “Do Now” Activity
(You wouldn’t fail to engage in something that you require your
students to do at the beginning of each class… Would you?)
Consider the upcoming holidays.
 Most families report some level of stress
accompanying the joy.
 Given that EBD kids are more likely than other
kids to come from dysfunctional homes, is
their anything that educators can do to:

 Help
kids prepare
 Help kids cope
37
38
In the beginning… Life at home
Among kids with EBD, there is an unusually
high occurrence of childrearing that is:
– Disorganized (No clear life lessons regarding civility &
proper deportment)
– Inconsistent (Lack of boundaries & life lessons taught)
– Harsh (Models aggression towards others)
– Wrongly practiced (Supportive talk phrased incorrectly)
In a future session: Counterproductive phrasing of:
– Expectations
– Praise
– Criticism
– References to a child’s character traits… by teachers too
39
The Perceptions That Might Develop From
Maltreatment, Neglect, Rejection
• “My parents treated me badly.”
(Fact)
•“I can’t count on my parents to care for me or treat me well.”
(Fact)
•
“I was treated badly because I am a bad person.
Because I’m ‘BAD’, no one could ever like me,
care for me, or treat me well.”
(Distorted/Irrational belief)
•“You say that you want to help me, but I know adults…
When I show you why I’m not likeable, you’ll quickly
reject & hurt me like my parents (and past teachers).
(Usually plays out that way, further ingraining the identity & reaction pattern)
•
You say you’re different… While I hope that is true,
you’ll have to PROVE IT! ”
(over & over again as I seek reassurance that you really are different).
Brick. Waco & M. Home.
40
Home for the Holidays: Do common media & literature
images of the holidays match the lives of our EBD
students? The effect?
41
The knife is there. Don’t twist it.
“No nonsense”, “zero-tolerance”, “tough”, & “mean”
teachers blame the victim for the “crime”.
Children have no choice as to the homes into which
they are born. They didn’t choose their life
circumstances.
Kids have little control over the things that will
influence them during their young lives.
(Excluding those kids with inborn mental health issues…)
EBD kids are a product of their environments.
Adults who view these youngsters as “the enemy”
& “attack” them with negative words, punishments,
& rejection, further ingrain the unfortunate self
images & life views that they presently hold.
42
Characteristics of Kids Who Have Had
Randomized & Negative Upbringings?
Kids from disorganized households will initially
challenge the legitimacy of procedures & practices
found in structured & positive environments.
They operate in a state of hyper-vigilance, anticipating
that an intrusion on their present non-conflict state
of being could occur at any moment.
Consistent support & predictable adult actions are
– New
– Bewildering
– Viewed with suspicion.
Waco kids & Methodist home.
43
All kids need & deserve long-term exposure
to “pole star” adults who demonstrate predictable
& assertive responses wrapped in calm,
unswervingly supportive emotional displays.
Most of our students don’t receive this guidance.
Kids who have had painful lives need adults
who refuse to inflict more emotional harm.
Kids who have experienced confusion in their young
lives need organized, stable, & supportive adults.
44
With regard to kids who’ve heard
consistently negative messages:
Our task is to help them:
– Develop accurate & useful perceptions
– Exhibit more appropriate behaviors when under
stress.
45
Room 106
Student: Curtis, is a “SPED” kid from a
“disorganized” home. He has been showing
promise academically & socially over the last year
& a half in Mr. Roger’s room. This year, he is
experiencing a rough start with his new teacher,
Mr. Lee.
Teacher: Mr. Lee, an experienced educator who
prides himself on “not putting up with any crap from
kids”.
46
Making Sense of What Happened
Read a somewhat modified version of the page containing
the “Curtis” script. Label where the various parts of the
conflict cycle come into play. Click here for the script.
When finished, list various reasons that teachers
sometimes have a “short fuse” (become irritated) on certain
days or in certain situations with certain kids. What things
influence our perceptions and reactions?
47
What Can We Do To Win Over
Defiant Youngsters?
Establish personal connections.
(308 NYC BD)
– Human nature: We are more motivated to do things for those for
whom we hold respect and affection.
Promote achievement/Ensure progress.
– The desire to continue in a pursuit requires that one see oneself as
proficient, or making progress. (driving test repeated failure)
– Modify material and assignments to meet special needs.
– Create a “safe” environment for individuals with a “failure identity”
who will otherwise resist trying new things. (Eskimo roll)
Teach the behaviors we want to see
Appropriate (re)actions & behavior choices, like academics, are learned.
We often need to teach correct behavior to those aren’t yet displaying it.
We may need to teach how to interpret happenings & handle feelings.
48
Teams: How can/do you establish positive
personal connections with your students?
Give them “the time of day”.
Develop a history of positive interactions.
Make sure that the first contact of the day or period is a
positive one.
Make sure that the last contact of the day is a positive one.
Remain consistently supportive and encouraging, even when
needing to administer penalties.
– “You made a mistake in judgment, but they are further and farther between. I’m
sure that the future will bring even more good choices.”
Find the little bit of positive inside an inappropriate action.
– “I admire your loyalty to friends. However, it is not OK to pummel others on
their behalf.”
– “Even though you refused the direction, I want to thank you for doing it with
49
acceptable words. That shows maturity. However, ...”
How do we promote self control?
Social skills instruction.
Teach reflective thinking:
– “Stop-think-choose” (see the page titled “Problem solving” at
BehaviorAdvisor.com)
–
–
–
–
Problem solving (see the page of that name at BehaviorAdvisor.com)
Self monitoring (see the page of that name at BehaviorAdvisor.com)
Anger management/replacement training
DR procedures (see the page title “Differential reinforcement”at
BehaviorAdvisor.com)
Personalized check-ins with supportive adult(s).
Other ideas from www.BehaviorAdvisor.com
&
“The Behavior Survival Guide for Kids: How to make good
choices and stay out of trouble” (McIntyre, Free Spirit Press).
50
How do we promote academic achievement?
– Modify materials and presentation.
– Ensure understanding by asking the student to
repeat the directions in own words.
– Check in early with the student to assure.
understanding and task engagement.
– Relate material to the student’s life & interests.
– Promote motivation by:
Focusing on effort rather than accuracy
Reminiscing about earlier successes resulting from
effort.
– Assign peer helpers/cross age tutors.
51
Suggestions for “The Dean of Discipline”
Devise a plan before entering or while waiting outside
the door.
Avoid “Why” questions (especially when in agitated state)
– see BehaviorAdvisor.com page titled “Nice ways to build self-discipline
Use respectful phrasing & voice tone
– see BehaviorAdvisor.com page titled “Nice ways to build self-discipline
Talk with the suspect privately.
Find a “Plan B”: Open the other door or wedge a chair
to partially open the door that won’t stay open.
Offer a choice: “When I return in 3 minutes, this door will
have to be in working order again, in order to…
– keep the privilege of sitting alone without me here.”
– Leave at the scheduled departure time.
52
To make a long story short.
(Too late?)
“Difficult kids”:
– Have an ingrained behavior patterns that become more so with
rejection by significant adults (including educators)
– They often project a “hardened” image to those who would help them
in order to fend off more emotional hurt (from rejection by someone
they start to trust)
Punishing these youngsters strengthens their negative world view.
It takes highly skilled, emotionally secure, caring, and resilient
professionals to “reach” these youngsters.
The most “hardened” of kids are the most in need of the guidance of an
“iron hand in a velvet glove”. Firmness and strength underlie the “soft”
touch.
The glove must remain on the behavior management hand at all times.
53
When emotions start to
Fla
re
Remember…
54
Your Turn To Talk Back
Which points made the most impact on you?
In what ways do you see yourself changing
your interaction/intervention patterns?
With which points do you disagree?
(and why?)
55
Stretch Your Brain
Do you have your brain wrapped around the model?
If so, it’s time to bend it into another shape.
This show talked about the student’s conflict cycle.
However, it takes two to tangle…er, I mean tango.
The teacher also has a conflict cycle going.
Your task: Draw a blank, unlabeled Conflict Cycle
diagram. Then fill in the boxes and circles as they
pertain to your “Do Now” activity from slide #3.
Hint: The top circle in the diagram will have
“student’s unacceptable behavior” as the stressor.
56
Resources
Why not read about it from the man (and his former student)
who wrote it? For Long & Fescher’s description to the
Conflict Cycle model, go to:
http://cecp.air.org/interact/authoronline/april98/3.htm They
also provide a brief introduction to the “Life Space Crisis
Interview”, a counseling strategy for working with kids in
crisis.
To get a better idea of how the Conflict Cycles of two
individuals (perhaps a student and teacher) interact, go to:
http://www.aiksaath.com/conflict.html While this cycle
diagram differs from the model proposed by Dr. Long, it is
conceptually similar.
57
It’s a-b-c analysis
A sparks B results in C
The B sparks the C (the B in the other
person) which brings about the next C
Use excel chart for visual imagery?
58
Conflict in the Classroom
Given that “no nonsense” teachers tend to
view defiant students as the enemy, let us,
for the moment, talk in their terms.
If one is “fighting” an enemy, it is best to
gather information about them in order to
increase one’s chances of success.
59
What do you bring to the table?
The top rectangular box refers to the self image (how one sees oneself
and the personal traits that we see in ourselves) and self esteem (how
highly or lowly one perceives oneself…The extent to which someone
likes himself or herself).
The second rectangular box refers to inaccurate beliefs that one holds
about the world and the people in it. These perceptions develop from our
experiences and what we have heard from important others, the media,
etcetera. Examples: “All people of that religious group are…” “Those kids
from that housing project are all…” “Teachers are all…” “No one will ever
love me.”
Our sense of self and our experiences influence how we perceive events
and the actions of others. “Odd” reactions, “strange” behavior, and
“weird” actions reflect a difference between the experiences of the
person being described and the person doing the describing.
60
Sucked Down Into The Whirlpool
The four connected circles in the lower part of the Conflict
Cycle diagram represent the events in an escalating battle
that are readily apparent & observable (unlike the self assessment
and world views found in the rectangular boxes).
In the top circle, the student experiences a stressful incident
(e.g., frustration in trying to meet a goal, rejection by others).
The level of the stress is dependent on the student’s self
image and interpretation of events (the items in the rectangular
boxes at the top of the diagram). To the teacher, the event may
seem innocuous, but that’s because we’re looking at the
event from our perspective. The student views that event
from a very different perch on the tree of life.
The stress will cause emotions to well up (the circle on the
right side). Perhaps the student feels anger, fear, anxiety,
intrigue/interest, sadness, or sulks in self pity or self hatred.
61
If emotions overwhelm the student’s ability to contain & manage
them, an observable behavior (the lower bubble on the cycle)
will burst out (e.g., crying, hitting self or another, running away,
verbal insults toward self or others, cursing). The behavior
might increase in magnitude as the youngster continues to
reflect on the incident (perhaps “inaccurately”) & emotions
continue to build.
(Left circle on diagram) Upon witnessing the “inappropriate”
action, the adult responds (ignoring or not noticing are
responses too).
Competent & concerned professionals respond in a manner
that reduces the stress (back to the top circle), soothes the
emotions, & subdues the emotions that drive the behavior.
Teachers who brag that “I don’t put up with any crap from kids.”
react in harsh ways that heighten the stress on the student,
intensify the emotions, & increase the inappropriate behaviors.
62
An activity that illustrates the Cycle:
Rent a DVD or video tape of “The Breakfast Club” movie
(Circa 1982).
Watch the scene in which the students in the library
detention engage in arguments with each other (a peer
example of the Conflict Cycle). Watch it for ten or fifteen minutes
as the adult enters into the fray, causing the students to
bond together to fight against him (Old Middle Eastern saying:
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend”). Watch as a hero arises from
the masses to confront the bully (the adult). Watch until the
adult prepares to leave the library after engaging in an
escalating battle with the kid in the leather coat. (You might
want to stop the movie before the adult gets to the library exit because
as he is walking out, the kid yells the “F” word.)
63
How Do Nice Educators End Up In Conflict?
Past negative experiences with teachers
and authority figures influence
interactions with caring folks
(like you)
Student Self Esteem & Self Concept: The youngster has a
history of painful rejections in his/her life from parents,
peers, & teachers. S/he possesses a negative sense of self
and a distrust of educators.
Stressful incident: The student is enrolled in class of a nice
teacher like you. S/he hears the promises of “a good year”.
S/he has heard it before and makes the “inevitable”
rejection from you happen on his/her terms, preventing the
increased pain that would result if you became important to
64
him/her previous to that rejection.
– Student Behavior: Displays behavior that caused
rejection before. We try to deal with it nicely. However,
we eventually get irritated with the persistent “testing”
behavior; failing that test when we decide to…
Teacher Reaction: “show ‘em who’s boss”.
– We then find ourselves failing to notice appropriate
actions, but being hyper-vigilant for inappropriate ones.
– We intervene (negatively) more quickly (and maybe even
predict misbehavior by saying “Don’t you be…”)
as we “get tough” with “that kid”.
Because the student causes us to reflect upon our
personal frailties & concerns that we have about our
teaching skills, our own Conflict Cycle engages at the
“stressor” of student misbehavior. Emotions well up
and we then deliver directions, comments, and
punishments in an caustic or condescending manner
(“reaction”). The student refuses this disrespectful and
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alienating treatment, piling more stress onto us.
Is your Chinese a bit rusty?
While I’m told (by my Chinese speaking wife) that the
translation isn’t precise. The two kanji/symbols on
the previous slide, taken together, can be translated
to the English word “Crisis”. The first symbol
translates to “Danger” (This simplified modern symbol is a
stylized version of the ancient pictograph showing a human
figure on the edge of a cliff. See it?) The lower symbol is
equivalent to the English word “Opportunity”.
The message????
In a crisis situation with another, there is danger for
making the situation worse, and opportunity for
making it better.
Seize the opportunity!
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