Message to myself: The tone of my voice has greater influence on children than I might think. I must check exasperation and/or boredom at my door.
I should remind myself about the day that I was rolling and shanking my golf ball up a fairway, and my golfing buddy was trying to help me. I was trying harder and harder, but I was getting worse and worse. THEN his voice rose slightly, and… I literally couldn’t think straight. I know he was trying to help, but his slight change in tone at my continuing incompetence made his help useless.
Even silence can kill a good or creative response. The least effective method to control learning or discipline is humiliation, which I have seen teachers and parents use. Comparison to other classmates or siblings doesn’t work either.
Patience and honesty build trust, and success builds confidence. Enthusiasm is contagious. The tone of my voice should always sound patient, even if I don’t feel patience. It should sound enthusiastic, even if I don’t feel enthusiasm. The road to success is built on these feelings, especially for beginning and/or struggling learners.
Try this simple FREE P. A . Earth Day Script for reading aloud.
It encourages confidence and requires no memorization.
Here are some other interesting posts about education from my friends at TBOTEMC:
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