Use These Classroom Design Strategies to Motivate Your Students

Filed Under (Personal Development) by Danny Krumholz on 19-10-2008

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by Honey Krumholz

Your classroom layout, displays and decorations are important to help motivate and stimulate your students. A classroom that is comfortable, friendly and colourful, creates a very positive learning and social environment for your students.

In this article, I have provided you with my ideas and suggestions about the how’s and why’s of designing and decorating your classroom. The topics I discuss below include classroom layout, classroom decorations, classroom bulletin boards and classroom displays.

1. Classroom Layout — One of your main considerations when designing the layout of your classroom is the classroom seating arrangement. I always organized the students’ desks in groups of 4 to 6. I found that this promoted a healthy interaction between students for doing group work. In life, one must learn to communicate and work together with others. When I wanted to give my students more focused attention, it was easy for me to work with them using this grouping arrangement.

Every 6 to 8 weeks I would reorganize the groups and move students around. The main benefit of this is that every student eventually sits with every other student in my class. They all get to know and learn about each other and develop new friendships. I allowed the students to make up their own seating arrangements and then I would finalize it.

2. Classroom Decorations were always very important to me! I always wanted my classroom to be a fun and welcoming place for students, parents and other visitors. I used various classroom decorations throughout the year depending upon the season; for example, Halloween displays in October, Christmas displays in December, Valentine’s Day in February and on it goes.

It is important that students play an important part in decorating the classroom. When students feel ownership, it motivates them and creates a positive learning environment. Encourage students to suggest their classroom decorating ideas. It’s all part of the learning process.

3. Using your classroom’s bulletin board displays is another excellent method for motivating and building your students’ self-esteem. Most students will try harder at producing better quality work if they know it will be displayed for their fellow students, parents and visitors to see.

You should always divide up your bulletin boards in the classroom to display different material in your curriculum - whether it’s your information or the students’ work on a specific topic. Want some suggestions - students’ art, creative stories written by the students, science diagrams, pictures and information on a unit. One more thing, - students love to help put up their work, so definitely let them!

4. Classroom Displays — Classroom bulletin boards are just one form of classroom display. You can use other parts of the room to display posters (preferably ones with a motivational message), hang displays (such as the different planets) from the ceiling, or string displays in one area of the classroom (if permitted). All it takes is some imagination and you’ll find your students will want to participate in making their class one that everyone will want to visit.

Be sure to give the tips that I have made here a try. You won’t be sorry! Use my suggestions and with a little imagination, you be able to stimulate and motivate your students just as I have and love doing it at the same time!

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Hypnotism and the Benefits of Hypnotherapy

Filed Under (Personal Development) by Mark Allen on 19-10-2008

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by Mark Allen

Hypnotism and hypnotherapy have been recognized for centuries for benefits they can bring. In just the past one hundred years, there have been numerous clinical studies and tests, and the methods have been increasingly refined. Today millions of people can claim it’s benefits.

For as long as people have existed, they have looked for different means to alleviate suffering and improve themselves. The fields of psychology, medicine, and psychology developed in order to try to understand and improve the human condition.

Over time, there have been many different approaches to “alternative” healing and self-improvement. Hypnotherapy and hypnosis fall into this category.

There are many reasons for undergoing hypnotherapy or hypnosis. Relief from emotional disorders, physical problems, and the desire to reach improve one’s self and one’s potential are the most common.

Hypnotism can address physical problems like over-eating and weight loss, as well as emotional issues such as anger and low self-confidence or self-esteem.

Hypnosis can also help to overcome various negative habits and addictions like cigarette smoking, gambling, even drug and alcohol abuse.

Hypnosis has also been used successfully to aid with severe medical problems like diabetes and even cancer. Patients have been known to undergo pain-free surgery with minimal anesthesia, and reduce recovery times significantly.

Hypnotism and hypnotherapy certainly aren’t a “cure-all”, or even always the best alternative. However it is becoming increasingly clear that there are real, tangible, and lasting benefits to this type of therapy and self-help.

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Migraine Help - Does Hypnosis Really Work?

Filed Under (Personal Development) by Fleur Moir-Jones on 19-10-2008

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by Fleur Moir-Jones

There is an abundance of medical evidence and studies that prove that pain can be controlled through the use of hypnosis. However, depending on the type of pain involved determines the success of the hypnosis treatment. Acute pain CAN be tamed effectively by hypnosis e.g. migraine headaches.

A sufferers perception of pain is greatly reduced when undergoing hypnosis - anxiety and fear are diluted. In essence, if the person is not concerned by pain then it ceases to be a controlling influence at that moment in a persons life. Migraine hypnosis, doctors have discovered, is a perfect example of this.

Hypnosis is unquestionably a success as a pain reduction weapon. This has been scientifically proven in a wealth of studies over the years. It must be stated however that hypnosis is not a magic cure. Migraine hypnosis will have no effect if (in the worst case scenario) a serious disease (eg a tumor) is causing your migraines. Hypnosis is a highly effective treatment and would, in such an event, compliment effectively any additional treatments with no side effects.

It makes sense that the best way to get rid of the pain of a migraine is by curing the migraine, but as far as I know, there is no surgery available or medication available to cure these debilitating headaches. There is only treatment of the symptoms and the hopes that it will go away.

Some scientific journals have printed articles that suggest hypnosis is one of the most misunderstood treatments for pain management. While it is generally understood that hypnosis works in pain management, it is not fully understood how. It is believed that the power of suggestion is strong enough under hypnosis that you can ignore and conquer pain. You can also learn to shift the pain outward rather than internalize it so that it becomes easier to cope with.

In addition to using migraine hypnosis, you can use hypnosis for many other things. One of the positive benefits of hypnosis is there are no side effects.

People often get terrible side effects having taken prescription medication for migraine. The migraine may be helped slightly but you are only substituting one bad feeling for another. A loss of sleep is common through prescribed medication leaving a person.

Hypnosis is an option to seriously look at if you have tried pain medications and reacted poorly to them.

You may feel like nothing can help in your fight against the dreaded migraine. If you feel this way then learn more about migraine hypnosis. Many migraine sufferers have waved goodbye to the agony by saying hello to hypnosis. Always seek the advice of a professional before entering into any treatment such as hypnosis.

For a highly effective and proven method in fighting migraine chose hypnosis. By learning hypnosis you can rest easy in the knowledge that when the next migraine arrives YOU can dictate the outcome.

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7 Essential Student Motivation Techniques That You Must Use

Filed Under (Personal Development) by Honey Krumholz on 17-10-2008

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by Honey Krumholz

As a teacher, one of your most important functions is to motivate your students to explore and learn. Teachers should try to instill in their students, the concept that learning is a lifelong adventure, but it can be a fun, satisfying and productive experience.

Motivation to learn should be encouraged and developed from an early age. Young children have a natural curiosity to explore and learn about new things. As they grow older, their motivation to learn may diminish (if not properly nourished), so you as a teacher, have a responsibility, to find new and interesting ways to motivate your students.

There are so many ways for you to motivate your students but here are 7 methods or tactics that I have found very effective.

1. Establish a strong teacher-student relationship by showing your students that you care about them and are interested in what they do and accomplish. Respect them and hopefully they will respect you. Develop an atmosphere of trust in a positive learning environment.

2. Allow your students to make as many of their own decisions and have control over what they do and the way they do it as possible. We all like to have a say, make our own decisions and have control of our own lives, so treat your students in this manner as well. (Obviously, you still have the final say). Believe me, this is a great motivational technique.

3. People in general and young students in particular need to feel that whatever they’re learning has a useful application in life. So, keep your students motivated by trying to associate anything you teach, class projects, assignments, etc. to a real life situation. The advancement of computer technology,the Internet and applications such as Powerpoint should provide many opportunities to keep your students motivated, involved and attentive.

4. Implement a reward system. Teaching strategies that offer praise and involve a reward system have proved to be extremely beneficial in motivating students. Teaching in primary grades is quite different than in junior grades and the reward system and prizes will differ. For example, points can be awarded for achieving different tasks and awards such as free time, parties, or other simple prizes (from the dollar store) are great motivational tools. Just make sure that your students realize that the reward system is a reward for finishing a task not for just participating!

5. Use classroom meetings to discuss hobbies, vacation plans, trip, etc. and playing games as team building exercises to develop and enhance the relationships between you and your students and friendships between students. You’ll find that this will motivate your students to participate. This applies to even those students who are unmotivated and do not usually join in. Participating also builds a student’s self-esteem.

6. Another WIN-WIN for both teacher and students, is allowing them to help you out with many of the classroom jobs. Young and older students love to help the teacher and offering this as a reward, motivates them to try harder and do better with their work. It’s a bonus for you too, since there’s less for you to do.

7. Allowing your students to decorate their classroom and put up some classroom displays, gives your students a feeling of ownership. Make them feel proud and build up their self-esteem by displaying their work around the classroom. It will be sure to motivate them to work harder and produce better work. It will also liven up your classroom and make it a more inviting place to come and learn.

Two important thoughts to keep in mind as you finish reading this article. Always display care, concern and encouragement for your students, and never give up on any unmotivated students or they will give up on themselves. It’s a WIN-WIN for everyone involved!

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Easy Steps To Magically Transform Your Life

Filed Under (Personal Development) by mimmo greco on 16-10-2008

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by Bean Barron

Who are Freemasons?
Freemasons are men of good moral character who strive to make themselves better men. Not better than the next man, but to make themselves better today than they were yesterday, and better tomorrow than they are today. Freemasons are men who constantly practice self-improvement so that they may be better husbands, better fathers, and better members and citizens of the larger community. Freemasons are men who, when they extend out their hand, do so to help someone up, not hold them down.Certification distinguishes you and validates your expertise. For many, achieving certification becomes a personal professional goal.

How will I be evaluated?
Written evaluations are completed by supervisory faculty each rotation and discussed with the resident by staff or program director. General evaluation categories include the following competencies: patient care, medical knowledge, professionalism, interpersonal/communication skills, practice-based learning and self-improvement and systems-based care.Freemasons are men of good moral character who strive to make themselves better men. Not better than the next man, but to make themselves better today than they were yesterday, and better tomorrow than they are today. Freemasons are men who constantly practice self-improvement so that they may be better husbands, better fathers, and better members and citizens of the larger community.

How Does Your Program Meet the Needs of Different Age Levels?
Children progress through certain developmental stages, mastering the tasks of one age level before moving on to the next stage. Holistic learning occurs when all three learning domains (knowing, feeling, and doing) are included in the learning process. Children are motivated by a desire for achievement, success, and self-improvement. With maturity, young people may also wish to serve God and help others.

How will I be evaluated?
Written evaluations are completed by supervisory faculty each rotation and discussed with the resident by staff or program director. General evaluation categories include the following competencies: patient care, medical knowledge, professionalism, interpersonal/communication skills, practice-based learning and self-improvement and systems-based care.Some people are looking strictly for symptom relief while others are interested in long-term strategies to maintain good health. There are three stages of care. Initial Intensive Care (Crisis Management): The primary goal is symptom or pain relief. Depending on the severity of the problem, you may be treated as little as once a week or as often as every day. Rehabilitative Care: The focus here is on correcting or eliminating the source of the problem.

What Are the Top Dietary Supplements?
Top dietary supplements are popular because of they augment insufficient regular diet to help people maintain a healthy body and an active lifestyle. If you put your health at the top of your priorities, then you should consider boosting your diet with the right supplements. But before taking anything, you need to have a basic knowledge of the top dietary supplements this will help you determine what would be more beneficial for you and what products you can do without.Certification distinguishes you and validates your expertise. For many, achieving certification becomes a personal professional goal. Not only is certification a way to test knowledge and to measure it against one’s peers, but it also provides prestige to your resume with formal recognition from industry associations.

What different types of care can I receive?
Some people are looking strictly for symptom relief while others are interested in long-term strategies to maintain good health. There are three stages of care. Initial Intensive Care (Crisis Management): The primary goal is symptom or pain relief. Depending on the severity of the problem, you may be treated as little as once a week or as often as every day. Rehabilitative Care: The focus here is on correcting or eliminating the source of the problem. This minimizes your likelihood of a relapse.Some people are looking strictly for symptom relief while others are interested in long-term strategies to maintain good health. There are three stages of care. Initial Intensive Care (Crisis Management): The primary goal is symptom or pain relief. Depending on the severity of the problem, you may be treated as little as once a week or as often as every day.

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Subliminal Messaging Explained

Filed Under (Personal Development) by Greg Frost on 16-10-2008

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by Greg Frost

What is subliminal messaging? A lot of people are unaware of subliminal messaging and its potential, which is not surprising considering it’s not exactly a widely known phenomenon. For those of you who already know what subliminal messaging is, good for you. But for the benefit of those who don’t, allow this article to explain what subliminal messaging is all about.

Subliminal messaging is a technique whereby messages are transmitted to the subconscious, rather than to the conscious mind. These messages - be it in the form of print, audio, or video - are designed in such a manner that a person is unaware of their presence, because they fall below a person’s normal aural threshold.

However, just because a person may not be able to consciously detect and decipher these messages, does not mean that the subconscious is unable to. In fact, on a subconscious level, these subliminal messages can still be deciphered and processed.

Subliminal messaging is all around us. Yet our conscious mind treats the subliminal messages around us as “background” noise because of how redundant the information usually seems to the conscious mind. After all, if the mind were to take in every possible information around us it would be somewhat overwhelming to the senses. Thus, the information is relegated as redundant, yet our minds are still subconsciously aware of it.

Take for example this scenario: You’re at a party, and you’re mingling with some of your friends. As you’re chatting away, you notice someone in the opposite end of the room. They’re known by many to spread rumors about others, so you begin to wonder if your name ever came up. The person makes their way closer to your group, but remains far enough to appear out of earshot. Yet as you continue to mingle with your friends, your mind would have subconsciously taken notice of the rumor-monger, and the minute you hear your name being mentioned, your mind focuses your attention to the rumor-monger, because somewhere at the back of your mind you’ve unwittingly made the rumor-monger a focal point.

The same concept applies to subliminal messaging. Even though you may not be aware of the messages that you’re receiving, your mind is still processing them and deciphering the information. In the case of subliminal affirmations, words, even on a conscious level, have the power to influence people. Words are in fact a very strong element in influencing people. Therefore it is very possible to influence the behavior of an individual or even a group without their knowledge.

In fact, subliminal messaging is the best technique to use when pursuing self-improvement. People all over the world are increasingly turning to self-help subliminals, and the numbers don’t lie; the industry is valued at $50 million today, and it is still growing.

So you see, subliminal messaging isn’t all that bad. All it does is activate the parts of your brain that you aren’t consciously using, and unlock the full potential of your mind to your advantage.

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