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      Supporting the Teaching & Learning of EAL Students

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    Inspire & Empower

    Getting the new academic year off to a positive start!

    • Categories Inspire & Empower, Mental Health, Teacher Wellbeing, Thought-provoking, Worklife Balance
    • Date August 22, 2022

    Getting the new academic year off to a positive start... and maintaining it throughout!

    Robbie O Connell

    We’re delighted to have Robbie contribute to theis blog piece about staff wellbeing. Robbie recently presented at our virtual CPD conference “Placing Wellbeing at the Heart of Schools“. He spoke about whole-school approaches to wellbeing, because as principal, it is crucial he takes all members of the school community into consideration. His talk was inspiring and we all wanted to work at his school after! 

    We all know that schools can be frenetic places to work, with teaching one of the top three most stressful occupations, therefore things that we can control such as our mindset, perspective and attitude are paramount in order to start the year on a positive note. As William Johnsen said “if it is to be, it’s up to me”. Let’s start as we mean to go on by taking control and ensuring we are thriving as opposed to merely surviving.

    The following are some tips and ideas to assist you with the new academic year.

    1. Choose your attitude each morning otherwise others will choose it for you.

    Come to school with a positive attitude each and every day where possible, we are in control of and responsible for the attitude and energy we bring to our classrooms and indeed staffrooms. Also remember that thoughts and negative thoughts that may creep in are only thoughts, we on average have 60,000 thoughts a day and 80% are those thoughts are unhelpful. Ask yourself each morning am I in the right state or in a right state.

    2. Before you step back into the classroom, take a positive inventory of your strengths, skills and best traits, along with the goals that you are working towards and those that you have already reached.

    Write them down somewhere accessible so you can reignite your reasons to be optimistic in times of need. If stress and worry are blocking you from connecting to happy and positive thoughts, write down the negative ideas on a worry pad or reflective journal. Acknowledge your progress towards your goals with mini celebrations where you do things you enjoy.

    Likewise, seek to find the best in each student; helping them to see their good qualities will boost their optimism, mindset and perseverance. Try subtle observation: in this technique you keep a list of your students’ names and each time one of them achieves something (a kind act or refraining from a bad habit, for example), you write it down. Later, when circulating around the room you can give specific praise for what you observed.

    3. Practice gratitude and kindness

    These dopamine boosters are two-way streets; you get a boost when you give or receive kindness and gratitude. Be alert to the small, thoughtful acts of others and express your appreciation for them. Doing things for other people is a large part of teaching, so make time to be in the company of friends and colleagues who are open in their appreciation and admiration for you, and do the same for them.

    Start the term with habits that let students appreciate your kindness, have positive reward systems, connect with them and show you care.

    We are often so involved in correcting students who are off-task or doing something wrong that we miss opportunities to catch them doing things right. When a child puts in extra effort, be sure to acknowledge it with a quick note to their parents or guardians. Letters from school can often be negative, so they will be grateful to receive good news. We all love a boost!

    4. Prioritise – the 4 D’s of time management

    1: DO IT -urgent

    2: DEFER IT- not urgent

    3: DELEGATE IT- should I be doing it?

    4: DUMP IT- you have decided no action is required

    Self management of time can be difficult – instead of “I haven’t the time” prioritise and say to yourself that the actions I’m doing now; I’m giving priority to over other actions.

    Psst… Read Robbie’s not so secret diary and find out what a principal gets up to HERE!

    5. Be mindful, slow down and have boundaries

    Leave work at work, make use of the out of office feature on emails etc., make sure with regard to your family life that family members get the best of you and not the rest of you, the harsh reality is that we are all replaceable at work.

    Be mindful of what is happening in the present moment and ignore what lies ahead.

    Make sure to make an appointment with yourself a number of times during the week and have non negotiables for yourself, they may be a walk, a tv programme, a coffee etc.

     

    6. The four agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

    Print off this poster and have it visible in as many places as possible, by following these four agreements you won’t go far wrong and you will have a fantastic year ahead.

    7. Simply do your best

    As per Maya Angelou’s famous quote which is one of my favourites;

    “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

    Once we give our privileged positions as teachers our best, everything else will fall into place, all we can ask of anybody including ourselves is our best.

     

    Best of luck everybody, wishing you all a fantastic year ahead, BEIR BUA & KEEP SMILING

    Robbie O’ Connell

    https://linktr.ee/Positiveprimaryprincipal

    https://www.instagram.com/positiveprimaryprincipal/?hl=en

    back to school tips

    Back to School Tips for Teachers

    September 18, 2023 No Comments

    Going back to school is a nerve-wrecking time for everyone – including teachers! It is a brand new start; a chance to do things differently and establish a new routine. We asked some of our followers what are their “Back to School” tips for teachers.

    Read More »
    rahoo

    Are you confident using Formative Assessment methods?

    September 5, 2023 No Comments

    Did you know that 74% of teachers do not feel confident with formative assessment teaching methodologies?
    As we approach the new school year, this survey conducted by Rahoo Training in 2020, and its findings, should be at the forefront of a school leader’s mind.

    Read More »
    Niamh_Cullen_Principal

    Webinar 8th November 2023: How to Enhance the Teaching & Learning of Maths with Formative Assessment

    September 5, 2023 No Comments

    “How to Enhance the Teaching & Learning of Maths with Formative Assessment” is 1 hour in duration including Q&A opportunities.

    This webinar will be hosted by a Nadine Lyons, Maths Lead Practitioner at South View School Dubai.

    Read More »

    What is the Silent Phase?

    June 13, 2023 No Comments

    Supporting EAL (English as an Additional Language) students in schools can be challenging, but there are several strategies that can help. Here are some ways that schools can support EAL students.

    Read More »

    Refer a Friend!

    May 25, 2023 No Comments

    Give 10%, Get 10% with Rahoo’s Refer a Friend Programme!

    Read More »

    The Not-So-Secret Diary of Rachel O Connor

    May 10, 2023 No Comments

    My name is Rachel O’ Connor, I am in my 10th year as Principal of Ramsgrange Community School, situated on the Hook Peninsula in Southwest Wexford. I will begin in a new position as Deputy Director of NAPD on September 1st 2023.

    Read More »

    Tag:Hibernia College, Lesson Ideas, PME, Student Teacher

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