Chillax!

Here is a suggestion to help you manage stress. Take a brightly colored poster card, and write the word, “Chillax,” on it. The word “chillax” is a combination of two words, “chill” and “relax.” Both of these words together are a reminder to take some deep breaths and think of all the things for which you are grateful. With each breath, think of something else. You will find that you will get an attitude of gratitude to replace the stress.

You can use this same “Chillax” card for your classroom too. The students like the brightly colored card, and they enjoy saying the word, “Chillax.”

Have a great day and a wonderful week-end.

Maryln

PS – We would love to come to you to do training for your school. Go to http://www.atiseminars.org/ and click on "Staff Development/Keynotes" at the top of the page to get details.

Have a Calming Bag

Children need a way to handle their anger. It’s normal for children to get angry, but it is not OK for them to hurt others. A “Calming Bag” is great tool for managing anger.

Create calming messages for students. The messages can say, “Breathe deeply.” “Count to ten.” “Pretend to drink five sips of water, and then breathe.”
Put the messages in the bag and when children are upset, they pull a message from the “Calming Bag” and do what the message says.

This strategy and many more are available in my book, “How to Handle the Hard to Handle Student” – published by Corwin Press. Click here to order the book, http://www.corwinpress.com/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book232704, or better yet – bring Appelbaum training to your team and have a fun, strategy-filled day with one of our Master Trainers. Call 1-800-374-2291 and speak to René Bloom for more details.

Have a great day.

Maryln


PS – We would love to come to you to do training for your school. Go to http://www.atiseminars.org/ and click on "Staff Development/Keynotes" at the top of the page to get details.

Angry students need anger options

This is a great strategy for teaching students how to manage their anger more appropriately. It can be used one-to-one, or it can be used for the entire class.

• Have students make a list of all the things that make them angry. They can use pictures or words.
• Have students make a list of all the ways they handle their anger.
• Go through the list and ask them to tell you which strategies are appropriate and which are inappropriate. Scratch off all the inappropriate strategies.
• Brainstorm additional appropriate strategies for managing anger.
• Have students choose the top ten ways.
• The next time a student gets angry, the student chooses one of the “Top 10” anger options.

This strategy and many more are available in my book, “How to Handle the Hard to Handle Student” – published by Corwin Press. Click here to order the book, or better yet – bring Appelbaum training to your team and have a fun, strategy-filled day with one of our Master Trainers. Call 1-800-374-2291 and speak to René Bloom for more details.

Have a great day. You are a difference maker.

Maryln


PS – We would love to come to you to do training for your school. Go to http://www.atiseminars.org/ and click on "Staff Development/Keynotes" at the top of the page to get details.

Take a stand

I recently heard about a woman who was attending a function in which a man stood up and started shouting at her. Everyone was stunned and speechless. I recently had a similar experience. I flew to another state to be with a friend going through a divorce. She had asked me to help her because she was worried she would get flustered. We were in the courthouse, and I asked my friend’s lawyer a question. Her lawyer got red in the face and started shouting at me. It was a verbal attack. It was totally unexpected and unwarranted. There were several people in the room, and no one stood up to this man. I was all by myself standing up for my friend who was very fragile.

There are people who bully others by shouting. This happens with adults and with students. It takes courage to take a stand and say “no” to someone who is shouting or harming another person. Always be careful to not put yourself in danger. You cannot help someone else if you are hurt. It takes courage to get help for others and still take care of you too. The world will be a better place when people take care of each other and treat each other with respect. That is why your work is so important. You have an opportunity every day to teach students to be respectful to others. You are a difference maker.

Have a great day.

Maryln

PS – We would love to come to you to do training for your school. Go to http://www.atiseminars.org/ and click on "Staff Development/Keynotes" at the top of the page to get details.

Light a Candle

In the Houston area, we were all recovering from Hurricane Ike. I had no power in my house for nearly a week. I would light a candle at night to light up the room I was in. The room went from being pitch-black to having a wonderful glow.

Every day when you teach, you get to be like a candle. You get to spread “light” to children. You spread the “light” of learning, the “light” of your enthusiasm, and the “light” of caring to students. For some of those students, you may be the only bright light they have in their lives. You are a difference maker.

Have a great day and a wonderful week.

Maryln

PS – We would love to come to you to do training for your school. Go to http://www.atiseminars.org/ and click on "Staff Development/Keynotes" at the top of the page to get details.