• Posted 27/06/2019 11:44pm

What's going on in there?

What’s Going on in There?

Why are my students driving me crazy? I’m up against power struggles every day and find myself exhausted just thinking about the next meeting talking about that kid who refuses to listen!

You don’t want to miss this inside scoop on why your kids are driving you crazy.

Our kids are off the rails, it never used to be this bad! There’s simply no discipline like we used to have and they don't listen.

Here’s a thought, maybe they are asking us to listen?

I’ve worked with many kids over the years and felt the struggle teachers experience with student management, engagement and getting kids to do as they are told.  As teachers, we become engulfed in a myriad of novel ways of engaging our kids with ‘fun’ lessons often wasting precious energy and time in preparation and little time left to ‘listen’.  

I know this is a hard one because we are so busy doing our job, but trust me, building trust with your kids and letting them know you really want to ‘hear’ them and work with them is the most powerful tool to get what you want and get what they need.

Don’t worry, I’m not about to tell you to bend over backward, give up your authority as a teacher or spend your lunch breaks and spare time listening to kids!

What I do know is that students need our time! Time to hear their soul, their thinking, their stories, their feelings, their life.  The more we do this the more they will grow into capable, independent, self-sufficient and responsible human beings who will become the powerhouse for a better future.  

I can hear many voices in my ear right now, some with heavy hearts because they know this to be true but can’t do it because of the terrifying time restraints within school life (life in general) and others who dismiss the notion of spending more quality ‘emotional time’ with our kids as unattainable.

The voice and hearts of our students play a significant role in the development of human life, school life and on individuals so how do we provide a school environment which allows for more time to build relationships and gives us more time to listen?

For me, the solution lies in simplicity.

How?

  • Simplify the planning process
  • Simplify the curriculum delivery
  • Simplify the way we plan, track, mark, and report on our students’ work
  • Give students and teachers more control over all these areas using technology which is dedicated to achieving these goals.

That’s what we do.

If you want to learn more subscribe to our blogs Here

Or keep informed with updates and news subscribe Here

11 Jan

Silence isn't empty, it's full of answers

An article on silence from Lifehack reminded me of my experiences as a child being grabbed by the relentless South Island, West Coast surf, tossed back and forth, pushed under...

22 Mar

Student-led learning is not working!

I've just returned from the National Future Schools Expo in Melbourne, Australia reflecting on how this impacts on our teachers' vision for the future.

Latest Posts

  • 6 Ways Technology Can Simplify Online Learning

    30 Tuesday, 2019
    6 Ways Technology Can Simplify Online Learning
  • Laziness does not exist

    08 Monday, 2019
    A very challenging read. To do what this psychologist does requires more time listening and showing empathy to those we often react to with frustration and judgment.
  • What's going on in there?

    27 Thursday, 2019

    Why are my students driving me crazy? I’m up against power struggles every day and find myself exhausted just thinking about the next meeting talking about that kid who refuses to listen!

  • How do we support our students to be curious?

    28 Tuesday, 2019
    Is there something which is keeping our kids from asking questions that matter?