163: The Story of Education Starts with the Story of a Child

In this conversation, Jeffrey Benson discusses his extensive experience working with challenging students and the importance of creating a safe and inclusive classroom environment. He emphasizes the need for repetition and progress in student growth and highlights the role of teachers in supporting and advocating for their students. Benson also addresses the limitations of standardized testing and the importance of prioritizing life skills and the implicit curriculum. He concludes by emphasizing the value of being explicit in teaching and modeling desired behaviors and values. In this conversation, Jeffrey Benson shares insights and advice on creating a culture of excellence in schools, becoming confident and creative educators, and powering through moments of struggle. He emphasizes the importance of listening to students, finding joy in teaching, and providing opportunities for mastery. Benson also discusses the three-year timeline for teachers and principals to develop competence and offers guidance on fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation in education.

Takeaways

• Create a safe and inclusive classroom environment for all students, especially those who face challenges.

• Focus on repetition and progress in student growth, understanding that each student learns at their own pace.

• Teachers play a crucial role in supporting and advocating for their students, helping them develop life skills and a sense of responsibility.

• Standardized testing has limitations and should not be the sole measure of student success.

• Be explicit in teaching and modeling desired behaviors and values to create a positive classroom culture. Create a culture of excellence by explicitly defining and modeling the values and behaviors that are expected in the school.

• It takes three years for teachers and principals to develop competence in their roles, with the first year focused on survival, the second year on refining, and the third year on competency.

• During moments of struggle, go back and repeat lessons to help students reach mastery and experience success.

• Teachers who constantly seek to change, innovate, and adopt new teaching strategies are often those who find joy in teaching and have a growth mindset.

• Foster a culture of collaboration by providing opportunities for teachers to talk shop, share ideas, and receive mentorship and supervision.

• To continue learning with Jeffrey Benson, visit his website jeffreybenson.org and reach out to him for conversations and mentorship.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:39 Working with Challenging Students

06:58 Gaining Confidence in Working with Challenging Students

10:41 The Importance of Repetition and Progress

12:33 The Role of Teachers in Student Growth

16:25 Dealing with Instability and Setbacks

22:22 The Limitations of Standardized Testing

34:52 Prioritizing Life Skills and Implicit Curriculum

43:04 The Importance of Being Explicit

44:28 Creating a Culture of Excellence

46:23 Becoming Confident and Creative Educators

51:34 Advice for Teachers and Principals

53:02 Powering Through Moments of Struggle

54:49 Seeking Innovation in Teaching

56:34 Fostering a Culture of Collaboration

57:41 Continuing to Learn with Jeffrey Benson

Website: www.JeffreyBenson.org 

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