They want to be Self Efficient

In reading this section of the text I couldn't agree more with it!  I see it every day in my sons how they want to be able to do things for themselves and want to understand things they don't. Nothing makes me more proud than to see them and the looks on their faces when they do complete a task they have set for themselves or that little light turn on when they finally do figure out how to solve a problem they were struggling with.

There are many key points/advise the text gives in allowing children/students to become self efficient, such as:

• Making sure to give students multiple opportunities to find the smallest of success in their reading and writing. When grading try to look for more of the right "correct" work than the wrong "incorrect" work.
• Try to make a point in displaying or publishing our kids/students work so other can see, giving them an extra boost of pride in themselves.
• Talking to our kids/students about past problems or issues that lead to their lack of self-efficacy. This could help them help themselves in giving them insight to seeing where they can help themselves .
• Giving kids/students opportunities to work with other kids or in groups helps them not only to work with others but gives them opportunity to give and get positive feed back and responses from their peers and to their peers.

These are I believe are really great points that I can really work on with my boys and students. I am really enjoying this book and all the information it is offering me!

Finding the trust in engagement

In reading this new text Adolescents on the Edge (chapters 1 and 2), I found there to be some very useful information in how to build community and trust with your students and how engagement and motivation are very difficult tasks now a days but is key in teach students of today.

Once again I will be practicing these little techniques on my sons because everyone knows creating a habit will carry over. One would think that as a mother some of the trust issues would naturally be there but I am a very strict mother and tend to have a very strong focus on getting the job done and doing it well because that is what I expect of you. But on page 5 of the text the bulleted items I found to be key things I feel would not only help me with my boys when they are at home so it doesn't always seem so military like, they would benefit me in my classroom with my students to make it lighter and easy going so it too does not seem military like. I just want to go over a few with how I think they would help me.

• Benevolence - If I appeared to me more caring (softer) in showing my support while teaching I believe I would be taken easier by the students. Expressing appreciation and being fair would most definitely grow trust, especially when work is being done. I think this would be able to show students and my boys that they are able to please me and I do appreciate all their hard work.
• Openness - I think sharing the power and decision making would help in a big way. Openness would let the students (and my boys) know they do actually do have a voice and what they think and say is important and valid. This I believe would be some amount of closeness in trust and motivation.
• Reliability - I strongly believe in being consistent with my boys and students. With being consistent there are no real surprises and children in general will know they can depend on you.

I know if I work on this part my personality (the softer side) this behavior would come more natural to me and then hopefully I will become more approachable to my own children and my students.