In this episode, I return to educational content and I look at what it takes to be a Life Changing Educator, I talk about how these teachers help their students feel safe. Undoubtedly any students that I have worked with who have social, emotional or behavioral difficulties really appreciate a culture of safety and support.  All of the best teachers that I work with have a contagious enthusiasm and pass it on to their students. 

Life-Changing Educators know when to be tough, they challenge and demand their students to become more yet they do so in a way that allows their students to trust them and believe in their own ability to stretch themselves. I also link this to 10 things that I think that I have seen in their classrooms, consistently across the schools that I visit. 

This is based on a Solution Focused Approach that allows them to incorporate Growth Mindset values seamlessly into their teaching delivery, so as to help them be great educators and in turn encourage the children they work with to blossom. All of the great teachers that I have come into contact with and had the privilege of working with also know how to and when to model patience, they find a way to stay calm amid the chaos that is school life.  

Crucially they believe in their students and help the students to believe in themselves, they see the new potential and help the children they work with find it. Most importantly they love their students, the single most important impact of Life-Changing Educators is showing that love to their students, through small, meaningful, acts of kindness. 

I also take a look at 'Choosing Time' otherwise known as 'Golden Time or simply 'Reward Time' depending on the school that it is being used in, this has close links to how excellent teachers use this time as a means of promoting not only learning but also good behavior.

I look at how I think it should be used and some 'golden rules' that I would apply to its use within a classroom and indeed the wider school environment.

As I point out in the Podcast I work with individual schools regarding the context within their own school and appropriate time slots and also activities that can be made available for this valuable part of the social skills curriculum that is being ignored in many schools.

I would welcome your comments on any aspect of the Podcast, particularly on any topics that you would like me to discuss in future episodes. You can do this by using the Podcast Audio Comments facility or by linking with me on either Twitter or I am also available on Facebook

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