Archive for January, 2009

Change? What kind of change will you make?

Monday, January 19th, 2009
What kind of change will you make?

What kind of change will you make?

 

Change is never easy, in matter of fact it is one of the hardest things to do.   In order for someone to truly change, they need to be motivated.  But motivated by what?

That’s my challenge today!  Is it possible for me to make others think about what changes they need to make in their own life?  I guess I first need to find a focus and that focus will be for teacher.  It doesn’t matter if you have been teaching for 1 year and are still new to the profession or if you are a 30 year veteran who is about to retire. 

Front of the Class reminded me that teachers can change!  After the movie aired on CBS, I received thousands of emails.  Many of them were from teachers saying “Thank You” for reminding them the impact they have on children in the classroom.  Many teachers like me get so caught up in the paperwork, politics, parent needs, and the curriculum that we sometimes forget why were became teachers.  It is for the children!  Students must come first!

I know I wanted to be that teacher that I never had.  I wanted to make a difference in our schools and help all students believe in themselves and help them learn to the best they can be.  But often times we may lose perspective because of high stakes testing during this age of accountability.  I’m standing up now and reminding teachers not to forget why they became a teacher.

I also remind teachers that it is never too late to change the way you work in your classroom.  Don’t be afraid of change, befriend change!  Change can be one of the best things you can do for your students.  As teachers, we must be able to change our instruction in the classroom as education changes in society.  As the standards change and become more rigorous, so must our teaching practices. 

If I was truly sick and had cancer or a chronic disease, would I want my doctor to treat me the same way they treated patients 25 years ago.  NO, NO, NO!  I would want the latest and greatest that medicine has to offer.  Just like the medical field, the education field is changing too.  Research has been going on to show how kids learn best and it is important to follow the research in order to give our student the best education has to offer.

Many viewers and reader of my story said Front of the Class reminded them that they need to be a little more patient, a little more aware of what life is like for kids who have challenges in the classroom.  Some challenges can be seen by others, but many challenges are not.  As teachers, we must learn to communicate with our students and listen to their voice.  We need to hear how they learn best.  We need to know what they need in the classroom.  We need to see that maybe, it is not the child who needs to change, but it is us as teachers who need to do the changing.

I remember hearing once that when I teach in my classroom, only 1/3 of my class learns the same way I do.  Most teachers teach the same way they learn. That means we are probably not hitting 2/3 of our class in the most effective way.  So, what changes do we as teachers need to make?

  1. Listen
  2. Listen
  3. Listen

Listen to everyone. Listen to the researchers. Listen to moms.  Listen to the dads.  Listen to administrators.  Listen to the new teachers.  Listen to the veteran teachers. Listen to my story where I share with others what it was like to grow up being different and all I wanted was to be treated like everyone else.  Listen to your students.  Because that is who we are here for. 

In the “real” world, you would listen to your clients.  If you didn’t, they may fire you or just leave and go somewhere else.  They may actually give you some sort of advice that would help you in the field or help themselves.  In the field of education we need to listen to our students or else we will fail them.  It is our job as teachers to make a difference in the lives of every single student we work with.  What better way to make a positive change in the life of a child then to just sit back one day and listen.

What changes will you make this year?  Will you make these changes for one day or for the rest of your career?  I guess it all depends if you are listening to your students.

New Year’s Resolutions and Not Allowing “IT” to Win!

Saturday, January 10th, 2009

New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions

What’s your New Year’s Resolution? Diet? Exercise? Not watching so much TV?  For me, I always found making a New Year’s Resolution kind of funny, because most people jump into their “new” routine and by the end of January or February, they’re back to their “old” routine again.  Instead of making a resolution this year, I challenge you to Not Allow “IT” To Win. 

 
What is it?
 
Everybody has a different “IT.”  For me “IT” is Tourette Syndrome, for you “IT” may be a sickness, disease, obesity, financial situation, losing a family member or a friend, finding a new job,  etc.   In my movie Front of the Class, we kept coming back to the idea that I didn’t allow “IT” or my Tourette’s win.  This is a major theme of both my book and my movie.  It’s really the theme of my life and it’s an important message I want others to not only remember, but to also act on.
 
Stephen Covey wrote the book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The premise of this book is if you want to turn something from an action into a habit, follow the seven principle stated in his book. Two of the biggest ideas are to be PROACTIVE and THINK WIN/WIN.
 
For me, being PROACTIVE was so important as I needed to educate others first to make sure others understood TS.  Once other people knew I had TS, it made my life a lot easier.  This is why I say it is never too early to educate other people about your child’s special needs.  Don’t shy away from it, embrace it and learn how to manage your issues. 
 
For you, being PROACTIVE means to step outside your comfort zone for a little bit and start forming some new habits.  Yes, it will feel a little uncomfortable, but if you take some small steps towards not allowing “IT” to win, you can beat “IT” just like I have.  “IT” may never go away, but I do feel you’ll know how to better manage “IT” down the road.  For me with TS, “IT” has never gone away, but is age comes wisdom and I do feel like I’ve managed my life better as I’ve learned from my own lessons in life.  You won’t see me in a movie theater on the first night a movie is released sitting in the middle of the theater, that is just not smart.  But you will see me getting the DVD a few months later and watching it on my own TV in my own home.  Be PROACTIVE and have a game plan that works for you.  Be motivated enough to do something so you won’t allow “IT” to win.
 
The idea if THINK WIN/WIN is plastered all over Front of the Class. You must have a positive attitude throughout life and truly believe you CAN do it.  For me, if I started to honestly believe I would not be able to find a job as an elementary school teacher, then those negative thoughts would quickly take over and hurt my self esteem, self confidence and ultimately put me in a tough place which is difficult to rebound from.  Once you get those negative thoughts in your head, it is super hard to change that mentality.  So, stand tall, be positive and know that you won’t allow “IT” to win.
 
As the new year begins, I challenge you to think about what lies ahead and how do you plan on dealing with “IT.”  Everybody will deal with “IT” differently and I’m absolutely OK with that.  My main goal is for you to learn from my experiences in life and not allow your “IT” to win in your life.
 
How do you plan to not allow your “IT” win?

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Testimonials
"Brad Cohen is a walking billboard for the idea of living positively. He is like a cold drink on a hot day--refreshing, energizing, and likely to put a smile on your face."
Tim Shriver - Chairman of Special Olympics

"I have observed the magic of Brad Cohen in the classroom. He has turned Tourette Syndrome into an asset, and his life into inspiration."
Senator Johnny Isakson, Georgia

"Brad Cohen's story is a triumph of hope, determination, will and relentless good humor."
Peter J. Hollenbeck, Ph.D., Professor and
Associate Head of Biological Sciences,
Purdue University


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