Kid Whisperer Nation Teacher Tips #67-71

Kid Whisperer Nation Teacher Tip #67 

EYE, ALWAYS LOOK EYE 

… with apologies to Mr. Miyagi. Every day when you greet and say goodbye to students, make sure you look them in the eye. This says, for at least two times per day, “I care for, and respect you enough stop my day and give you my attention.” 

Notice that I am not saying what some “experts” in teaching (many of whom have never taught) say, which is, always give kids your undivided attention. This is so stupid that I’m not even going to insult your intelligence by saying why. 

Kid Whisperer Nation Teacher Tip #68 

SAY THEIR NAMES 

Kids love to hear their name called. Say it over and over, but make sure you say it the first time you see them when you are shaking their hands when they arrive and when they leave! It says to students, “I may be shaking everyone’s hands, but I want you to know that this shake is for YOU.” 

Kid Whisperer Nation Teacher Tip #69 

BE INTERESTING 

Talk about interesting aspects of your life with your students. Give them things about you to become fascinated with. I, for instance, have been lucky enough to have traveled internationally, I talk in detail about my adventures. Give them the chance to find you to be interesting and mysterious. If a student is interested and mystified by you, he is more likely to be nicer to you, to want to impress you, and to be more cooperative with you. 

Kid Whisperer Nation Teacher Tip #70 

PUT YOURSELF FIRST 

Take better care of yourself than you do your students. If you don’t take care of yourself, who will? Take care of your own needs first. Without taking care of yourself, you can’t take care of them. The converse is not true. If I have two minutes left before my students arrive in the morning, and I have the choice of double checking my lesson plans or getting myself a cup of coffee. I’ve got two things to say: I take one cream and two sugars. 

Kid Whisperer Nation Teacher Tip #71 

BE CONFUSING 

You are under no obligation to make sense. When a student tries to manipulate through argument or is whining or tattling, one way to neutralize the manipulation is to calmly act like a confused and/or crazy person. This can be done with short statements. For instance, if a student whines that the work is too hard, even though I know she can do it, I respond by saying, with a wide smile and my finger pointed straight into the air, “I TOO ENJOY PIE!!” I can then keep teaching and living my life. 

Other options: 
“Oops, oops, it’s monkey time!” 
“I fear for the baloney bandits. I really do.” 
“Hot pancakes for sale inside!”