Managing Classroom Behavior

My English teacher was tall and desperately skinny with a long bony nose upon which rested a considerable pair of thick glasses. I was thirteen and didn't see any of that. What I saw was a frustrated poet who was teaching us the language by playing us haunting songs. In one lesson he introduced our young minds to the trio, Peter, Paul and Mary and their plaintive "Leaving on a Jet Plane". It was hard not to cry for all the world's farewells, right there, in class.

golden teacher Remember, students are self-centred. Many believe that because you are correcting their behaviour that 'you are picking on them' and/or 'you hate them'. You might get that impression from them too. Don't take it personally. It's just 'the nature of the beast'. Let what happens in the classroom stay there.

golden teacher It, like all of Esalen, is a happening and a place to work through stuff in one's life. Some classes teach the elderly how they can now move -- more slowly or differently and with less or no pain. The flavor of Esalen ranges from intense focused Tantric workshops -- a gazing into your future mates eyes or an early morning meeting by Esalen's staff to a room filled with canvas's and artists to people clobbering each other with pillows or making strange noises or movements. The space is clean and clear (cleaned after every workshop at least) and infinitely higher vibrationally than ordinary existence (fast food restaurants and most of the places I use to hang out).

Lao Mu is afraid that her royal children will suffer in the great catastrophe, hurry cultivate virtue and devote to the missions. He who comprehends Lao Mu mercifulness and is grateful to the enlightened teacher is truly a virtuous person. The graciousness of the guidance from the enlightened teacher is so great that you cannot repay by even sacrificing your life. You should constantly keep in your heart that the grace is as heavy as the mountain and as deep as the sea.

I sat mesmerized, listening to her story. I had never known anyone else to be as, depressed let alone, more, depressed than I was. "Most people don't really want to end their lives," Elizabeth continued, "they just want relief from the hurt and pain. Some see no other way out than drinking, gluttony, sleeping 14 hours a day, been there done that one, or becoming a sex, gambling, or shop-a-holic, been there done a couple of those too. I have certainly paid my respects to the porcelain goddess. I'd counsel clients all day. Lots of therapists have major issues and problems on the home front. Hell, I became a therapist, so I could acquire some tools to help myself.

I will share with you one of the most powerful dreams of my life. I was studying at a library table with my friend, Joy. It was kind of dark. There were many empty tables in this library, which was shaped like a theater in the round. I noticed that a middle-aged woman in a brown dress, her hair in a bun, was quietly standing beside me. As I looked at her she gestured to me to follow her. Joy never looked up from her books. I followed the woman down some stairs toward the center of the theater. In the center of the stage was a brightly glowing, golden pyramid, about fifteen to eighteen feet high. There was an open trapezoidal shaped door in the center of one side. Beside the door stood a blonde, blue-eyed, tall thin man wearing only a loin cloth.

I followed him around for the rest of the holiday. I maintained just enough distance so that he never knew I existed but I still cried silently in the backseat of the Opel Cadett all the way home. I was fifteen, he was my secret love and I didn't know how I would learn to live without him.

From the very beginning set the standards for behaviour high. 'Jump' on early problems immediately. (One of the guiding principles of a successful principal I worked with was this: If you are particular to make sure all the simple issues of discipline are concentrated on, e.g. good manners, being on time, correct dress and so on, the students are so concerned about being 'caught' that the more serious offences never seem to develop. It is important to note here that it is much easier to 'loosen up' on discipline later than to tighten up at a later date.

I have learned that our struggles do not always originate from this current lifetime we are living. I have had more than one psychic tell me that my last lifetime was as a struggling model and Impressionist painter in Paris, France. What I found most interesting upon hearing this is that several things relevant to me in this lifetime to validate the psychics' reading. I never understood the meaning of this strange behavior until the psychics solved the mystery for me. The psychics knew nothing about me and I gave them no information of any kind.

golden teacher growkit Raise your visibility - A second career success strategy for me was to consciously and persistently raise my profile, to get noticed, to have people see and experience what I can do to contribute to the organization. The most effective way to do this is to volunteer for interesting committee work. This allows you to gain visibility, learn new skills, meet and network with new people (hopefully a senior boss) and become a known entity. If internal committee work is not an option, then seek an activity in the volunteer sector. For instance, if you want to gain skills in human resources, then get involved in a not-for-profit board and volunteer for the HR committee.