ProcessArtsInSchools

In his book //Life-Enriching Education//, Marshall Rosenberg, founder of Nonviolent Communication, thanks "master teacher Bill Page for giving me, more than 30 years ago, the opportunity to clarify how I would like to see teachers and students working together." What follows is from http://www.teacherteacher.com/About-Bill-Page.php "Page, who has lived in Nashville since 1969, is the author of the book, At-Risk Students, which was published in January 2006. In the book, he discusses the problems facing failing students, “who can’t, don’t and won’t cooperate”, and then reveals how to overcome these obstacles to learning. The solution, he states, is to recognize and accept student misbehavior as defense mechanisms used to cover their embarrassment and incompetence; and to deal with the causes rather than the symptoms by entering into a democratic relationship, where the students assume responsibility for their own learning. Through 30 vignettes, teachers see the hapless students through the eyes of a fellow teacher, whose success in the classroom with these students made him a sought-after speaker in school districts across America."

Community organizing in schools deserves some close attention.

from and email

April 12, 2008 A long-term study of college students tested their vocabularies while also asking the group to rate their level of happiness. For over fifty years the test subjects with the largest vocabularies declared the greatest satisfaction with their lives. For many of us the vocabulary to express emotions is limited to a few words. Additionally many people were raised to not express feelings and find it difficult to connect their emotional states to words. Others may say ////I feel////, but they are expressing a thought: //I //feel that we should elect a new mayor.//// Replace the words ////I feel//// with ////I think//,// and the opinion becomes obvious. Being unable to communicate emotions, due to a lack of vocabulary or an inability to connect words and feelings, damages our relationships and prevents the creation of healthy life-long relationships. 1) ////That, like//// and ////as if//.// Examples: I feel ////that//// nobody listens to me. I feel ////like//// an idiot. I feel ////as if//// I'm in a box. 2) //Pronouns I, you, he, she, it, they, it.// Examples: I feel ////I'm//// being used. I feel ////it//// is a lost cause. 3) //Names or nouns referring to people.// Examples: I feel ////John//// is responsible for the situation. I feel ////the child//// is being manipulative. Interestingly enough, when we express a feeling we don't need to say ////I feel////. For example, ////I am feeling sad//// or ////I am angry//// express feelings and not thoughts or opinions. Once we learn to tell the difference between thoughts and feelings, the next step is to distinguish between our self-opinions and feelings. After we begin to see the difference between self-opinions and feelings, we need to look at ////I feel//// statements to see whether they might reflect our impressions of others' opinions. When we can express our feelings clearly we connect with others more easily. With authentic connections to others, we resolve conflict more simply, leading to healthy and happy people. Or should I say, merry, or mirthful, or enchanted, or satisfied, or excited…. She has over 25 years experience working with young children and holds teaching credentials from the Association Montessori Internationale. She is also Creative Director for a video-based reading series for children ages three to six, The Shining Light Reading Series. Contact her via e-mail at maren@shininglightreading.com. Visit [|www.shininglightreading.com] for more information. Ask your local newspaper to carry Kids Talk. Call, write or e-mail your local newspaper editor and recommend Kids Talk.
 * An Award-Winning Column**
 * Communicating Emotions**
 * Learning to distinguish between thoughts and feelings**.** We need to help our children and ourselves learn to differentiate thoughts from feelings. Marshall Rosenberg, in his book //Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life//, says that feelings are not being clearly expressed when the word ////feel//// is followed by certain words.
 * Learning to distinguish between self-opinions and feelings.**** It's easy to fall into the trap of using the phrase ////I feel//// to express who or what we think we are//. //I feel I'm a terrible tennis player//// doesn't express emotion but gives an opinion. ////I feel frustrated when I play tennis//, //I don't enjoy playing tennis, I'm disappointed with my tennis game//--//these statements reflect feelings.
 * Learning to distinguish between our impressions of others' opinions and our feelings.**** We need to keep our antennae up when using ////I feel//// statements to understand if our words are telling us more about how we think others are behaving, or what opinions others have of us. ////I feel stupid//// communicates more of what you think others are thinking about you rather than your true feelings. ////I feel discouraged//// may express your honest emotions about your interaction with others.
 * Be aware of these words.**** Here are words used with ////I feel//// statements that express how we think others are thinking. //I feel// (fill in the blank): boxed-in, bullied, cheated, cornered, interrupted, intimidated, unheard, unwanted, used. These words do not express true feelings.
 * Build an emotional vocabulary.**** My seventh-grade English teacher forbade us to use the words good or nice in our writing, a great way to enlarge emotional vocabulary and to sense the truth in a situation. Which words better communicate feeling good? Carefree. Jubilant. Amazed. Thrilled. Pleased. Moved. Excited. Or feeling bad? Afraid. Bewildered. Blah. Blue. Fidgety. Lonely. Irritated. Resentful.
 * Next week: Owning Our Emotions**
 * [|Kids Talk™]** is a column dealing with early childhood development issues written by Maren Stark Schmidt. Mrs. Schmidt founded a Montessori school and holds a Masters of Education from Loyola College in Maryland.
 * Complete Collection of the Shining Light Reading Series Now Available on DVD**

Would you like to send Kids Talk to friends and family or receive Kids Talk e-mail updates in your own inbox? Sign up for FREE here: [|Click here for a FREE subscription.] ©2008 KIDS TALK™ 25877 East Bright Avenue Welches, OR 97067 503.550.3143 maren@kidstalknews.com

Kids Talk is published in conjunction with [|Scribe Marketing]