Appreciating Our Teachers

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week and yesterday was National Teacher’s Day. I am celebrating our teachers with my post about Principal, Nathan E. Carter and his faculty at the Lake Zurich Middle School North in Lake Zurich, Illinois.

On April 17th and May 1st, I had the pleasure and privilege of facilitating What Color Is Your Brain?™ Workshops for their Teacher Institute Days. Nate offered Donna Coninx’s Art Room for the workshop. The colorful and comfortable environment offered an ideal condition in which the faculty’s Brain Colors would thrive! 

During the first ½-day workshop the teachers completed their “No Right or Wrong Answer” What Color Is Your Brain?™ Quiz in their workbooks. Then they divided into their Brain Color Groups to discuss, describe and record “How The 4 Brain Colors See Other Faculty Members.”

It’s always fascinating to observe how each Brain Color Group collaborates. The Yellow Brainers quickly organized themselves and finished their chart ahead of time. I had to persuade the Blue Brainers to stop chatting and complete their assignment. I found the Green Brainers in a corner of the Art Room, where I encouraged them to analyze the other Brain Color, since they were spending so much time on themselves. The Orange Brainers were having so much fun; I had to remind them to finish their chart. The energy in the Art Room was effervescent as each group presented their Brain Color Charts and faculty members began to recognize and understanding one another’s behavior and feelings.

On May 1st, the second ½-day workshop was afternoon program, which followed a Community Unit School District 95 celebration, where staff members were recognized for their excellence, given retiree’s awards and years of service recognition.

The Middle School North faculty members were honored with the following: Donna Coninx’s Retirement Award, Sherry Fischer’s Teachers Make a Difference Award and 20 Year of Service Award, Cathy Drake’s 10 Years of Service Award, Pat Ledvina’s 15 Years of Service Award, Sue Key’s 15 Years of Service Award, and Beth Schwartz’s 15 Years of Service Award.

Today, Dan Morvaji learned that he had won the prestigious Golden Apple Award! 

Congratulations to all! 

Even though the May 1st workshop was only 90 minutes long, the faculty produced remarkable results from their Brain Color Collaborative activities. Because Nate, Mark Richter, the assistant principal, and I felt it was crucial for the faculty members to appreciate how their student feel and behave in the classroom who collaborated on two group activities. 

The first activity was entitled:“My Brain Color learns and works best in a classroom where….” The Yellow Brainers’ suggestion that the activity was about how the student “Feel and “Function” in the classroom was a excellent contribution.

The second activity was entitled: “The following are issues that interfere with my Brain Color and prevent me from learning and working at my best…” The faculty found it easier to process ideas for this activity, because of their previous Brain Color experiences and knowledge.

After the 1st workshop, the teachers had a greater appreciation for each other. After the 2nd workshop, they had a deeper understand of their student behavior and feelings in their classrooms.

Blue Brainer’s working on the “How The 4 Brain Colors See Other Faculty Members” group activity

The following are the Brain Color Goals Nate, Mark and I developed during my Pre-Workshop Need Analysis Interview: 

1. Recognize and value your attributes and abilities.
2. Discover and understand the strengths and idiosyncrasies of your personality, while adapting to
    other individuals’ character traits and talents.
3. Appreciation and acknowledgment of your values and needs by others who 
    understand and respect your Brain Colors.
4. Realize and respect the unique differences of your colleagues, students, family members and friends
    who are different from you.
5. Establish a new “color-filled” sense of community by enhancing each
    individual’s self-esteem.
6. Understand how to transfer the Brain Color concepts learned in the workshop to the classroom.

From the following comments and email I think we accomplished our goals.

• Realizing how this knowledge changes what we do as teachers
• Accommodating opposite “Brain Colors”
• Understanding those that are different and where they come from
• Knowing how to use this information with our colleagues and kids
• Classroom function based on students’ Brain Colors
• Talk in Brain Colors

I was thrilled when I received the following email from science teacher, Jerry Clemens; Experiential Brain Surgeon:
“I was so very impressed and thrilled with being present, at least, for your 2nd session at MSN. The idea bulbs are lighting up!  We have been reviewing options for a “Team Building” activity as an introduction to 7th grade for Fall 2008. This would be an event where the 7th graders can get to know one another as well as their teachers. Would you “enlighten” me with any ideas you have for implementing a Brain Color Program for our incoming 7th graders?  I’m ready to dive into this project!” Blue Regards for Green Plans. Jerry”

My response to Jerry was: “Divers are encouraged to have a buddy and I’d love to be your on this
colorfilled dive! Bluely yours with Yellow Details and Orange Enthusiasm! Sheila”

Jerry and I will keep you posted on our “enlightening” ideas for next year.

“Bravissimo

” and “Thank you” to the MSN Faculty and Support Staff!

Two points to ponder:

1. What are the ideal conditions in which your Brain Color learns and works best?
2. What issues interfere with your Brain Color and prevent you from learning
     and working at your best?

Sheila Glazov ~ Author ~ Speaker ~ Educator (a Blue Neon Blue Brainer)
Please, visit my website to learn more about your Brain Colors, my books and workshops.

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