Coastal Academy Has a Field Day with the 8 Keys of Excellence

It’s the start of yet another school year, but it’s not business as usual for the students of The Coastal Academy.With the help of parents and teachers, a group of middle schoolers on the Student Leadership Team put together an “8 Keys Field Day” held yesterday in a local Oceanside park.

At this special event, students were invited to rotate between 8 different stations to grasp a better understanding of The 8 Keys of Excellence. At each of the 8 stations they experienced a key, its definition and body motion, and a story and activity pertaining to the key. Here is a summary of some of the activities held at each station:

Integrity: Students engaged in a game of Jenga with classmates. In this game, as more and more pieces are taken out, the tower becomes weaker. Students were explained that his is also what happens to our integrity when our actions don’t align with our values. Because of this, they learned that their integrity is stronger when their values and behaviors are aligned.

Failure Leads to Success: Students were asked to build a tower of cups. This displayed the Failure Leads to Success Key because, while often times the cups fell and they had to re-build the tower, they finally finished the tower and achieved success.

Speak with Good Purpose: Students played a game called “Two Truths and a Lie,” where one student told three statements about themselves, two true and one a lie, and other students tried to guess which one was the lie. They then discussed why it’s important not to lie to others and to practice Speaking With Good Purpose on a regular basis. They also took turns throwing bean bags at blocks displaying various positive and negative words, trying to knock out the negative words.

This Is It: Students participated in a game of tug-of-war, signifying the importance of being in the moment and trying your best at whatever it is that you’re doing.

Commitment: What better way to practice Commitment than to participate in a 3-legged race? Students learned that it’s important to stay committed to the activities in their lives and not to give up when the going gets tough.

Ownership: Students got low for the Limbo and learned to take ownership and admit when they touched the stick and were out of the game. When the stick became too low to get under, students began stepping over it, signifying that they were Living Above the Line.

Flexibility: The boys were instructed to weave through an obstacle course of cones while the girls moved the cones to different places. This taught students to be flexible and keep moving through the course even though the path was changed.

Balance: One student was instructed to hold a stick with bags on each end, while other students added bean bags to each side. The object was to keep the two sides in balance so one side wasn’t heavier or more impacted than the other. This taught students that it’s easier to handle situations when they have Balance in their lives.

Way to go, Coastal Academy! This “8 Keys Field Day” was a great way to introduce the 8 Keys of Excellence to students and get them excited for the school year ahead.

CoE Teacher Training Prepares Educators for the Upcoming School Year

Is it really back-to-school time already?

Oceanside, California  schools are preparing to open their doors on Thursday to a brand new school year with brand new students and – brace yourselves – a brand new framework for their classroom curriculum.

Yes, that’s right. Over 100 Oceanside School District educators attended the first annual Communities of Excellence – Living the 8 Keys teacher training event yesterday at our headquarters and it was a huge success! During the four-hour training session, teachers learned how to deliver “Key Lessons” to their students as well as how to integrate the 8 Keys of Excellence into their classroom curriculum using our new “one-stop shop” website, www.CommunitiesofExcellence.org.

We want to give a huge THANK YOU to teachers at the four introductory Communities of Excellence schools who came out yesterday:

Garrison Elementary School, Reynolds Elementary School, Coastal Academy, and Jefferson Middle School

We hope you had a great time and took away some strategies to implement the 8 Keys into your classroom.

Now a little bit about the program. CoE is open to schools across the nation and can be implemented in individual schools or at a district level. Participating teachers and school administrators receive training in the 8 Keys curriculum, which focuses on one Key per month from September through April and an 8 Keys celebration in May. Over the course of the program, students receive a set of 8 Keys keycards and a key ring.

One of the greatest features of this program is the all-inclusive Communities of Excellence website. There, teachers and students have separate, password-protected areas where they can access 8 Keys lessons, worksheets, and learning activities as well as share pictures, videos and stories from their classrooms. Supporters of the character development program also gain access to a private area of the website, which contains 8 Keys training material for use with company employees and corporate clients.

We are very excited about this new initiative and invite you to help us spread the good news to your friends and colleagues. Please click here if you’re interested in learning more about integrating CoE into your classroom/school/district.

Have a great start to your school year!

A Very Successful Summer for Quantum Learning

Quantum Learning Education has had its busiest summer yet, and the training season is far from over. We have worked with thousands of students and hundreds of teachers throughout July and August, and have several programs booked for the rest of the summer months.

Our largest Quantum Learning for Students program of the summer was held in Houston, Texas and impacted 305 students. 98% of these kids and teens were classified as “homeless” by the government, and many were living in foster homes. This was truly an amazing experience for all of the students and facilitators involved and we hope to do many more student programs like it in the future.

We have also worked in California, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Maine, Florida, Wyoming, Iowa, New Mexico, Montana, and Illinois, in the last few months. Talk about busy! We are continuing to plan student and teacher programs for the beginning of the school year and through 2010.

One Quantum Learning for Teachers program that was held recently took place in Milan, Tennessee, and included local elementary, middle, and high school teachers, administrators and staff. We received some great feedback from this 5-day training, led by QL facilitator Cami Eiskamp, with teachers reporting an increase in energy, enthusiasm, and motivation for the upcoming school year. Read an article from the Jackson Sun about this professional development program here.

Well, that’s just a little bit about what we’ve been up to this summer, what about you? We sincerely hope you all are having a fantastic summer and look forward to seeing you in one of our teacher workshops in the fall!

Social Networking Seminar for Parents Reveals the Secrets of Facebook, Myspace and Twitter

How many of you have students that can’t get through the day without checking their Facebook page or updating their Twitter status? In just four years, social websites like Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter have become more popular than TV, with ninety-three percent of teens having social accounts online and kids as young as 7th and 8th grade spending up to four hours per day online. There’s a huge upside to knowing how to leverage the full potential of Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites, but there are also some hefty risks if used improperly.

To help parents better understand the opportunities and risks associated with social networking for their kids and teens, Quantum Learning Network is hosting a special two-hour seminar entitled “The Secrets Behind Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter,” on July 18 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m at our headquarters in Oceanside, California.

At this seminar, parents will learn valuable information needed to help their kids, including the “best practices” of social networking for students:

• Safe online homework collaboration
• Reliable online researching
• Online college recruiting secrets
• Best sites for networking
• How to make extra summer cash online

Parents will also learn how to help their children avoid the dangers of social networking, including:

• Identity theft protection
• Cyberbullying support
• Damaging personal reputations, and
• Hurting college admission and job opportunities

“It’s important for kids and teens to understand how to take advantage of what these sites have to offer. And it’s just as important that both they and their parents know the right way to do it.” - QLN president Bobbi DePorter

The cost to attend this seminar is $25 per person and just $35 per couple. Parents can enroll online or by phone at 800-285-3276, ext. 115.

Please enroll now to save your spot, and pass this information along to parents you know who would benefit from this very important seminar. We hope to see you on the 18th!

National Student Excellence Program Set for Fall 2009

QLN COO Mark Reardon and President Bobbi DePorter with Mayor of Oceanside, Jim Wood

Learning Forum International, the non-profit side of our amazing organization, announced the launch of a national student character-building initiative, “Communities of Excellence – Living the 8 Keys,” at a celebration event held at our headquarters in Oceanside, California on Tuesday.

The event turned out beautifully!! It was attended by several local dignitaries and representatives from national, state and local government, including Oceanside Mayor, Jim Wood, as well as business and civic leaders who are supporting the program.

The “Communities of Excellence” program teaches students how to use the 8 Keys of Excellence to improve their learning and life skills both inside and outside the classroom and can be implemented at a district level or at individual schools. Participating teachers and school administrators receive training in the 8 Keys curriculum, which focuses on one Key per month from September through April and an 8 Keys celebration in May. Over the course of the program, students receive a set of 8 Keys keycards and a key ring.

Participating teachers and students also gain access to 8 Keys lessons, worksheets, and learning activities at the Communities of Excellence website, www.CommunitiesofExcellence.org.

“ ‘Communities of Excellence – Living the 8 Keys’ will take the 8 Keys of Excellence to a broader student base nationally by uniting community leaders, businesses, organizations, educators and parents in support of year-long school programs,” said QLN president Bobbi DePorter. “The purpose of this initiative is to inspire students to make positive choices and become productive members of their schools, their families, and society.”

In accepting a plaque for the City of Oceanside in recognition of the city’s support of Communities of Excellence, Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood said, “Supporting young people, who are our future, is what it’s all about. The Communities of Excellence program does just that and I’m pleased, on behalf of the City of Oceanside, to support this very worthwhile initiative.”

Want to find out more about this initiative or even get your classroom or school involved? Visit the Communities of Excellence website or call 760-305-7317.

SuperCamp and Stars of The Secret Come Together to Shift Teens’ Focus to a Positive Future

Hello educators! I wanted to take a moment to let you know about the exciting tele-class series that SuperCamp is hosting this Thursday, June 18. This is a special opportunity for parents, educators, and anyone else concerned for the future well-being of today’s teens, to listen in as six leading human development and youth achievement experts from The Secret, The Passion Test, and SuperCamp discuss ways to help teens who are worried, apprehensive, and anxious about the future.

This tele-class series, entitled “Shifting Teens’ Focus to a Positive Future,” will run about 3 1/2-hours, from 7:00 – 10:30 p.m. eastern daylight time (4:00 – 7:30 p.m. pacific daylight time) and is free to those who register at www.positiveteenfuture.com. It will consist of six one-on-one conversations with our brilliant experts, each of whom addresses a particular area of relevance to teens, including passion, motivation, visioning, excellence, and happiness.

The speakers include three participants from the popular and successful phenomenon, The Secret:

• John Assaraf
• Lisa Nichols
• Marci Shimoff

Also participating are Janet Attwood, from The Passion Test, our very own president and co-founder of SuperCamp, Bobbi DePorter, and Harrison Klein, an inspiring writer and speaker.

Bobbi claims that the idea for this special event came from feedback she has received from several parents who have expressed concern over the negative effect the recession, the war, and other news is having on their teens and pre-teens:

“SuperCamp is all about creating a positive vision for the future with students, so this tele-class series with all these great speakers, was a perfect way to provide parents with some much-needed help.”

Please take a moment to register right now for this powerful and informative event at www.positiveteenfuture.com. And please do spread the word to fellow educators and parents of teens and pre-teens – this is invaluable information that everyone should know.

Everything Speaks – Dress for Success

This is the exciting third post in a series I call: Everything Speaks!

What makes a great teacher? Can great teachers be created or molded? What things can I do to be a great teacher? One tenet understood and magnified by all great teachers is everything speaks. This is a focal point of the trainings we offer for educators, and one I continue to implement in my own profession. Simply put, everything speaks means that everything we do as educators sends a message to students about learning (and school). Great teachers understand the gravity of this tenet and pay careful attention to the messages they are sending to students. Some obvious examples of this tenet include teachers’ verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and dress/appearance. My focus for this post is on the latter: teacher dress.

The clothes that we wear send a message. The clothes that teachers wear send a message about school and learning. Teacher attire has become increasingly scrutinized and regulated by districts across the country. Some schools and districts allow teachers complete discretion when selecting clothes for teaching. Others encourage teachers to dress “professionally.” Still others prohibit blue jeans and t-shirts for all teachers, or require ties for men and dresses for women. I am not here to advocate one way or another. Many days I wore ties to class. Many days I wore collared shirts to class. Many days I wore jeans and a t-shirt to class. On themed days, I jumped right in with the students and wore pajama pants and slippers. As I have done with other posts in this series, let me pose some questions for your consideration. Remember, everything speaks. Remember, the clothes that teachers wear send a message about teaching and learning. Now, what messages do you want to send about teaching and learning? Are you sending these messages with your teacher dress? Would some modifications bring your attire closer in line with your desired messages? Of course, there are many factors that influence these decisions, including the subjects you teach, the age of students, and working conditions. But I always encourage teachers to send the most positive, growth-promoting messages they can about learning, and our dress can assist us with that goal.

Are you smart?

Are you smart? Are your students smart?

I believe every person on the planet is smart. I also believe there are different kinds of smart. I also believe it may be difficult to measure all kinds of smart with a pencil and paper test.

Over 25 years ago, Harvard University professor Howard Gardner began a book titled Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. He hypothesized there were multiples types of intelligence. The eight most widely recognized intelligences are: spatial-visual, linguistic verbal, interpersonal, musical-rhythmic, naturalistic, bodily-kinesthetic, intrapersonal, and logical-mathematical. Emerging brain research is supporting the idea of diverse intelligences. Neuroimaging is highlighting the facts that students learn and express themselves differently.

I have been aware of this theory for many years, though I have not done as much with it in the classroom as I believe I should. I am aware of some schools that have built their entire curricula on the theory of multiple intelligences. Many other educators are not familiar with the theory at all. As a teacher, what do I do with this information? First, I think it important for all teachers to internalize the notion of multiple intelligences. A recognition of this theory will surely affect all aspects of our teaching. Second, analyze your teaching methods to identify the intelligences you emphasize (and deemphasize). Third, make plans to incorporate more of the intelligences into your day: teach things in different ways; present activities in different ways; and allow students to express their learning in different ways. As you teach in new ways, you will likely learn many new things about your students.

Our quest is to help students discover HOW they are smart!

Everything Speaks – Welcome to class!

This is the second post in a series I call: Everything Speaks!

What makes a great teacher? Can great teachers be created or molded? What things can I do to be a great teacher? One tenet understood and magnified by all great teachers is everything speaks. This is a focal point of the trainings we offer for educators, and one I continue to implement in my own profession. Simply put, everything speaks means that everything we do as educators sends a message to students about learning (and school). Great teachers understand the gravity of this tenet and pay careful attention to the messages they are sending to students. Some obvious examples of this tenet include teachers’ verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and dress/appearance. Many other examples exist, but one I would like to focus on is welcoming students to class.

When do you welcome students to class? If you are an elementary teacher, it is likely you welcome students at the beginning of the day, and also possibly at midday. If you are a secondary teacher, you likely welcome students to every period, which could be 3, 4, or up to 8 times a day. How do you welcome students? Why do you welcome students? Teachers are very busy during the school day. Preparing lessons, arranging the classroom, and other responsibilities can easily consume teacher time as students are coming to class. Secondary teachers enjoy precious few minutes between periods, and these are often filled with conversations with students and other teachers, or routine tasks like submitting attendance. Or are you required to stand at the door as students enter, or stand in the hallway as students are passing between periods?

Consider the following question: what message do you want to send to students every day as they come to class (school)? I imagine we want students to feel safe, welcome, and positive. Perhaps you want them excited about learning and the day. We play an important role in orchestrating this message. Everything speaks: the way I stand at the door; eye contact; the words I say to students; and the physical contact I make with students (for instance, hand shakes and high fives). I could stand casually near the door, reviewing papers, and watching occasionally as students pass by. This would send a message. Or I could stand firmly at the door, making eye contact with all students and giving them high fives as they enter the classroom. This would also send a message.

Consider how you welcome students, and consider modifications you might make to achieve your desired welcome message. Everything became great when you arrived!

To Eat Or Not To Eat

When I’m on the run I don’t have time for breakfast, or at least I don’t make time for breakfast. This could be the case with our students.  Research suggests that breakfast enhances our students’ academic achievement.  Many of us are familiar with this finding, but how many of us include this into our teaching, especially before our students receive a big test?  Not any breakfast will suffice either.  The recommended breakfast includes fruit, fiber, and protein, rather than foods with trans fats, which is noted by Dalia Perelman from the Camino Medical Center in Mountain View, CA to “deteriorate cognitive function.”¹  Other studies suggest that students who ate breakfast were “more attentive in the classroom, earned higher grades in math, and had significantly fewer behavioral and emotional problems.”²  If breakfast will increase my students’ chances of academic achievement, then having a little breakfast party I will.  Where’s that breakfast of champions…