Fed up with fielding playground conflicts in school or squabbles between siblings at home?

Ever wished for a quick and easy  way to engage children in learning or to boost their thinking?

Then read on…

Judy Rees has just posted a brand-new podcast in which I:

• reveal my Clean Language questioning model for resolving playground conflicts quickly and easily
• Show how Clean Language Questions can help young children develop thinking skills akin to much older children
• describe the powerful effects of Clean Language on gifted and talented youngsters
• highlight how to have more effect on children – with a lot less effort.

You can listen to this 30 minute interview here.

Judy Rees is a coach and communications expert known around the globe for her expertise in Listening.

You can find out more about her work (and why she’s sometimes known as The Elephant Whisperer) at http://www.xraylistening.com

Caitlin Walker has just done a TEDx talk which gives a good background on Clean Language and plenty of stories to show applications in education and other areas.  Clean language is really coming of age now and people across the globe are seeing the value of these simple little questions.

Judy Rees of ‘X-Ray Listening’ fame talks to Chartered Occupational Psychologist Nancy Doyle about her ground breaking work with dyslexic adults.

You can listen in here http://bit.ly/wUuzOE

Nancy and her partners, Caitlyn Walker and Cheryl Issacs have developed an comprehensive and growing, interactive resource at www.genuswithin.co.uk

The website is designed to provide some basic simple strategies in an on-line, dyslexia friendly, format.

It provides cheap and easy help for people, who can tap into quick tips and video instructions, instant assessments and effective simple strategies for immediate help.

At last  somewhere for people to go where they can get what they need easily and without having to jump through hoops to access it.

What a wonderful resource!

Go and have a look now…  http://bit.ly/wUuzOE

Expectations: Elizabeth Gilbert shares some wisdom about expectations and creativity.

I’ve just returned home after spending a stimulating ‘dinner meeting’ (hence the duck and pitta bread) with my chums and colleagues Eddy Smerdon (hypnotherapist par excellence) and Greta Irving (accomplished psychotherapist and coach) and feel inspired and a little bit astounded with what I’ve leaned tonight. Thanks for such a stimulating evening E & G!

Sir Ken has an important message – and he’s so funny with it!  Make sure you take the time to watch and let me know what you think.

One of the things that I enjoyed and found interesting in my teacher training was learning about conceptual development in children. Piaget’s work  was the thing at the time. Up until then I’d been busily developing my own concepts (obviously) but I’d only been aware of them from the ‘inside’ – from my own ‘learners perspective’.

Looking at conceptual development from the ‘outside’ – from an observers perspective was fascinating. What needs to happen for a child to get sense of ‘three’ for instance – what is ‘threeness’, or ‘twoness’ or ‘oneness’. What determines whether a four legged creature is a dog or a cat or a tiger?

Teachers of young children design environments that offer children experiences to support their development of these concepts. They will meet ‘three’ for instance, often – and in so many different guises (three counters, three mice, three teddies, three cups, three plates, three knives etc) that sooner or later they will sense the ‘threeness’ – distinct from the objects themselves. For me (and I guess for most teachers) the moment that happens is the essence of the joy in teaching. It’s amazing!

When I started to learn Clean Language and Symbolic Modelling I stepped out into a perspective beyond that of the observer. A kind of meta-metacognative perspective. I’m revisiting my own conceptual system with new eyes – a new kind of awareness. And I am able to promote thinking about thinking in my classes with greater insight now and with an authentic sense of awe and wonder.

It’s exciting stuff!

Have you ever noticed that when you tell children DON’T they DO?

I was thinking about this yesterday when I was talking with a group of teachers about children’s learning. Some of them find it frustrating that their ‘don’t rules are ignored but some make good use of what they’ve noticed by flipping the whole thing around – and they get great results.

Here’s an example to show you what I mean.

When they want young children to make use of a planning sheet to aid their writing, instead of saying. “Use the planning sheet.” (resulting in most of the children not using it) they say, “Now, you don’t  have to use the planning sheet. It’s just there to help you if you if you need it but you don’t have to use it at all if you don’t want to – it’s up to you.” (resulting in everyone using the planning sheet effectively)

So I’m going to suggest that you don’t have to use this ‘don’t idea’ right now to get great results like this – it’s up to you!

And when you find some great ways to use it, you don’t have to share them with everyone in the comment section below either – just a thought!  ;-))

I found this so inspiring when I first heard it, I can’t think why I haven’t put it here sooner!

I won’t say anymore – J K Rowling says it all far more eloquently than I can.

It’s a long speech but boy is it worth every minute.

I give it a 5 star must watch rating.