Mel Henderson

I appreciate the simple advice to just sit with someone, be calm, slow your breathing, and talk slowly and calmly. How simple and yet, like they said, it is contagious.

Excellent module. As an occupational therapist, what this speaks to is the importance of occupational balance. Taking time to do those things that are important and meaningful to us as occupational beings, including our spiritual and physical pursuits. 

Sure wish I would have had this information two weeks ago when I had a highly disruptive and confrontational student act inappropriately in my class. As luck would have it, being a new teacher, I did not have the tools to handle it appropriately and now I'm seeing why it didn't go that well. Darn it for my poor timing!

Lots of really good information in this module. I worried that I was a dictator but was happy they didn't offer that category. Close enough... The way I look at it is that I am learning as much or more as my students are learning. And I have a long way to go. 

The coping mechanisms for stress are actually quite easy to implement. It just takes commitment and dedication. 

It's nice to know that alll new teachers face similar stressors and insecurities. Being transparent with personal and professional stressors is an important point of learning for me. 

I really like the idea of scheduling a time to address emails. By addressing email within 5 mins of turning on my computer, it says that that task is more urgent than other tasks, which is not always true. There is no reason I have to address all emails first thing in the am or even all at once. Scheduling a specific time of day to address emails is a great idea and removes the urgency while still maintaining the importance. 

I need this lesson! I can see that I mis-prioritize things and I procrastinate when they cause me stress. I need to write a daily list. That will be my goal. ANd then I need to appropriately prioritize the list. I ocassionaly make a list but usually when my stress is high. I need to change this. 

I love the Harvard quotes: "THe only way to do the right thing well is to do the right thing poorly first." And, from the same video snippet, "HOw do people experience you and how do people experience themsevles when they are with you?"

Know and strive to understand student roles and meet them where they are and with what they need. Recognize when barriers present themselves and deal with them proactively. DOn't approach every student the same way.