OiPC – One iPad Per Child

by Stephen T. McClard - Complete Article List


What could we buy with $15 billion dollars?  

By now we are all familiar with the process of purchasing new technology.  Version 2.0 will cost half as much as version 1.0.  As more and more people purchase the technology, the cost of production becomes proportional to demand.  The market has a tendency to drive prices down over time.  If this process could be sped up, how might this affect education?

Now that I have you thinking of the cost of technology, let us put a few things into perspective.  The US government will spend an estimated $159.3 billion in 2011 for overseas contingency operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.  This number does not reflect the other $549 billion that will be spent in 2011 on other military spending, nor does it reflect any black budgets that may or may not exist.  With a campaign promise to bring the troops home sooner rather than later, we can be sure some of this money will be released for projects that can have an impact at home.

What, then, would a measly $15 billion off the top of these budgets get the American taxpayer?  Is anything so important to our future that we would sacrifice, say, nine B-2 Bombers?  Is there any benefit to our children or our future economy that could justify spending such a small number?

The proposed cost of an iPad is reported to be as little as $500 and may be even less when demand for the product kicks in.  For $15 billion, every single school child between sixth and twelfth grades could be sitting at a desk using this marvel of educational potential.  If the cost can be reduced to $200 over time, most affluent families will be able to afford the cost in place of basic school supplies.  Even if we settled for one netbook per child, this price would be minimal compared to the potential educational advantage.

Here is a quote from President Obama’s guiding principles on education. 

“Providing a high-quality education for all children is critical to America’s economic future.  Our nation’s economic competitiveness and the path to the American Dream depend on providing every child with an education that will enable them to succeed in a global economy that is predicated on knowledge and innovation.  President Obama is committed to providing every child access to a complete and competitive education, from cradle through career.”

Assuming that President Obama keeps his promises, we can imagine this dream of one iPad per child realized in just one short year.  We can further imagine a standardized platform being developed for all classrooms to track, analyze and categorize learning into customized curriculum modules.  Perhaps Google, Apple or Microsoft could lend a hand in making this a reality.  There would certainly be a vast economic advantage to the company that moves this direction.  These new developments in education could revitalize our economy in one decade and once again place us on the top of the employable masses.  

Moving to a digital platform for education would have many beneficial consequences.  Imagine a paperless school district.  Imagine an end to data input for teachers.  Imagine tests being graded and recorded instantly.  Imagine state testing being replaced with constant data tracking.  Imagine model curricula being developed, refined and adopted across the country.  Imagine instant communication between the student and teacher.  Imagine students, parents and teachers seeing mastery develop in real time instead of waiting on grades to arrive in the mail.

Anyone who has owned an iPhone can attest to the truth that there is an application for everything.  We can only imagine what future applications could provide for the educational community.  We ARE capable of making this dream a reality.  I say sooner rather than later.

Education – A Marketplace for Sticky Thoughts That Stretch the Mind

by Stephen T. McClard - Complete Article List

In November of 1919, five defendants were convicted of violating the Espionage Act of 1917.  As America was in the thick of a military campaign with Germany, these five men dropped anti-war leaflets out the window of a building in New York.  They were charged with disseminating words and ideas that were considered unlawful to write, speak or otherwise publish.  They quickly received a twenty-year prison sentence.

In a later ruling by the Supreme Court, the sentence was upheld by a 7-2 vote.  One of the two dissenting votes came from Oliver Wendell Holmes.  Holmes noted the following in his decision:

"The ultimate good desired is better reached by free trade in ideas...that the best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market, and that truth is the only ground upon which their wishes safely can be carried out.  That at any rate is the theory of our Constitution.  It is an experiment, as all life is an experiment.  Every year if not every day we have to wager our salvation upon some prophecy based upon imperfect knowledge.  While that experiment is part of our system I think that we should be eternally vigilant against attempts to check the expression of opinions that we loathe and believe to be fraught with death, unless they so imminently threaten immediate interference with the lawful and pressing purposes of the law that an immediate check is required to save the country.”

With these words, Oliver Wendell Holmes planted the idea of America as a marketplace of ideas and further instilled our notion of what it means to guarantee freedom of speech.  In society and in education, this idea gives us a framework for the dissemination of truth.  For this, we all owe this pioneer of thought a debt of gratitude. 

An important part of our democracy includes the concepts of free discourse and freedom of expression.  These two ideas are inexorably tied to our framework of what it means to be an educated citizen.  Our free access to thought is what defines us as individuals living in a free land.  Limiting this access can only weaken our educational institutions.   

We can also thank Holmes for this famous quote: “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”  This is a metaphorical reference to hypertrophy (hī-ˈpər-trə-fē), or stretching muscle to gain size and strength.  Yet again, Holmes gives us a clue where educators stand in the grand scheme of the marketplace of ideas.

For the last few years, education has moved from being a free market of ideas to a factory-floor of assembly line learning.  Our mad dash to meet the standard of state testing has essentially placed a muzzle on the mouths of great educators and sterilized uniquely crafted curricula.  The well-intentioned mandates of law makers have stretched teachers thin.  Having the autonomy to transfer unique and sticky thoughts to stretch the minds of children is becoming increasingly difficult, sucking the life and vitality from the average classroom educator.

This current era of mandated demands in education is creating a marketplace that serves a narrow band of educational outcomes.  It forces curriculum into a complicated puzzle box that services a test rather than exciting originality and inspiring thought.  This is a sad state of affairs given that we live in an age of unlimited access to information and ideas; it is even sadder when you consider the off-the-shelf tracking technology that could easily provide the data that we currently seek through state testing.

So what is the answer?  Is there any hope?  I say yes!  I say that we are uniquely positioned to build the next revision in education.  We have the potential, through technology, to bring about a new revolution in learning.  Seizing this opportunity now has the potential to revitalize both the marketplace of ideas and the marketplace in our economy.

In the next era of education, technology has the potential to merge the ideals of state-mandated testing and the needed freedom and autonomy that educators require to do their jobs.  Releasing a teacher to do the job of educating will be the greatest gift that technology has ever provided our world.  Using technology to its potential in the classroom may one day bring out the best in the marketplace of ideas.

I will leave you with this thought:

“It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen.” 
-Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

References for this article come from the great and unlimited source of knowledge, Wikipedia.  

Here is an interesting reference article by Alfie Kohn on Standardized Testing 

 Complete Article List

Philosophy of Music Education

Philosophy of Education

by Stephen T. McClard - Complete Article List

The following philosophy of music education is my opinion based on cumulative observations made from my career as a music educator.  It is my belief that music education is an indispensable, developmental element of learning and should be taught throughout the life of a learner.  It is also my contention that music education is a model of learning that should be studied and adapted by the educational community for its value as a cooperative learning and performance-based model. 

The obvious benefits of music education are seen in the aesthetical growth that comes from appreciating and participating in the arts.  As a student, performer, teacher, and luthier (stringed instrument builder), I know the impact that music has had in my own life, and I see its impact on each of the lives that it touches in my classroom.  Music has an amazing ability to inspire thought and touch the soul, character, and desires of the mind in a manner that no other educational discipline can achieve.

More significantly, music education is an important vehicle by which a student develops and rehearses skills that are then carried forward to other disciplines.  There is no other educational discipline that exists that draws from so many areas of learning in such a meaningful and fulfilling way.  Certain cognitive thinking, problem solving, and higher order thinking skills that are needed for math, science, and reading are a natural byproduct of music training and, therefore, rehearsing these skills is indispensable for a well-rounded learner’s development. 

Lastly, music education is a time-honored practice that has not changed much over the last 1,000 years.  Music style, music quality, and the technology of music have changed, but the basic technique of presenting information and then “using what you know” has not changed.  Music education is the ultimate performance-based learning model, and music students are the ultimate learning community.  Music education is a cooperative learning activity that never gets old and provides unquenchable variety and potential.  Plato said it best with these words:  “Music has the power to adjust and channel the collective consciousness of massive groups of people.”  

It is, therefore, my educational philosophy that, because of these advantages, music education is the best basic starting point for developing and equipping young minds to rehearse and apply a wide range of necessary thinking skills critical to every other educational endeavor.

Oedipus the Musical - Cognitive Benefits of Music Reading

The Cognitive Relationship Between Music and Reading

by Stephen T. McClard - Complete Article List

For the last few years, there has been a movement in education away from traditional subjects to a more interdisciplinary approach.  The basic idea is to apply more than one discipline simultaneously.  There is no doubt that cross-curricular approaches to education can be very effective when properly applied. 

When our local school district moved this direction with communication arts, my first thought was to find a way to incorporate reading and writing into my daily routine without interrupting my normal educational process of rehearsing music.  Halting this process to read a book or write a narrative seemed like a waste of our valuable rehearsal time.  My discomfort toward this issue led me to this epiphany:  I AM a reading teacher already and no changes are necessary.

As I thought about what it means to read a book or write a five-paragraph essay, I suddenly realized that I already teach these skills to my music classes.  I realized that the fundamentals of reading and performing music are identical to reading and writing printed text.  The cognitive dissonance that I was feeling about this mandate suddenly turned to relief and reassurance.

The more I think about this issue, the more I realize how much of a communication arts teacher I really am.  Learning to form a musical phrase from individual notes is the same as reading a sentence.  Memorizing note names and then producing them through the instrument utilizes the same cognitive processes as reading aloud.  Performing and rehearsing emotion, tone, timbre, articulation, pace, meter, and dynamics is precisely what I already teach through music.  The hesitation I felt about having this burden handed to me was lifted with these sudden realizations.

This must be similar to what Oedipus felt when he realized that he killed his father and married his mother.  In Greek tragedy, this is referred to as peripeteia, or sudden realization.  Of course, peripeteia only comes after anagnorisis.  Anagnorisis means sudden discovery, or moving from ignorance to knowledge.  What I have to say next may move you from ignorance to knowledge when it comes to music education.   

I would like to try to make the argument that reading music is fundamentally superior to reading text for enhancing overall cognitive ability.  Further, reading music is the best basic starting point for a child 's first steps toward reading ability.  

At first, this may seem like a ridiculous proposition.  You may even be insulted by the very thought that I can make such a claim.  Take a closer look ,and you may find a few surprises.

Rationale

The fundamental processes of performing music are tied directly to the same areas of the brain that are required for information processing and retention.  Like reading, performing music taps into all of the same cognitive areas of the brain.  If you can agree on this fact, then consider how these cognitive areas of the brain can be easily enhanced through music.

Rehearsing music, just like reading a book, has the ability to link certain spiritual, emotional and physical elements together.  Reading music and reading text both channel various emotions into physical manifestations in the body and can permanently alter the way the brain receives and processes information. Regardless of how you examine the two, both reading music and reading text are very similar in nature.  As you may discover, the similarities are not nearly as important as the differences.

When an individual reads a passage in a book, the mind is required to consider the meaning of what is being read.  For retention to take place, the reader must decode, comprehend and retain what the eye transfers to the brain.  The brain uses a complex set of neurological, cognitive and physical processes to accomplish this task.  If everything goes well, we derive meaning and develop new memories and patterns of thinking from what is read.  Aside from reading aloud, auditory processes are not used.

When an individual reads music, however, the mind is required to do a few additional tasks.  There are three main advantages that music has over reading.  

Argument

First, the brain is required to distinguish between rapidly changing sounds and an infinite amount of visual stimuli.  The ability to distinguish between the two is constantly rehearsed and reinforced through repetition.  As this rehearsal takes place, the brain is continuously asked to improve its performance through mental mediation (letting go of thought).  This added task is known as rapid auditory processing and is required for the understanding of language.  Young children are especially challenged in auditory processing and mental mediation.  Early music training has been shown to drastically improve this skill set.

Secondly, the brain is required to translate auditory and visual stimuli into kinesthetic activity.  Although movement in music is similar to pairing reading and writing skills together, music provides a reciprocal reward for the brain that combines all three processes together.  The rehearsal of auditory, visual and kinesthetic processes combine to enhance the brain's overall ability to translate data into meaningful information.  Performing music is superior to reading and writing text in its ability to repeatedly reward the brain for good behavior.

The final area that deserves to be examined concerns visual field articulation.  This is the brain's ability to focus on one item of information within a pattern or field of reference.  Processing rhythmic information in notation is yet another feature of reading music and naturally enhances this area of cognitive ability.  Visual field articulation is closely related to rapid auditory processing and is an indicator of overall reading ability.  Music is a natural and fun way to rehearse these skills.

If these three differences were not enough, new research indicates that musicians are better able to chunk information together and retain long-term memories.  This theory is tied to the way the brain uses harmonic frequency to bind and chunk information.  A musician’s brain is attuned to harmonic frequency in a deeper way, therefore better able to chunk information together into meaningful relationships.  For more on this idea, reference the book How the Gifted Brain Learns by David A. Sousa. 

Back to Oedipus

Throughout the Greek tragedy Oedipus the King, many metaphors for vision and eyesight are used to illustrate knowledge and insight.  It is my hope that you now see music reading differently than you did before.  If I have failed to convince you of my main argument, you will at least have a deeper appreciation for the impact music can have on reading ability.  I will leave you with a quote from the Wordsworth Dictionary of Musical Quotations, 1991, p. 45: 

Music is a moral law.  It gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, and life to everything.  It is the essence of order, and leads to all that is good, just and beautiful, of which it is the invisible, but nevertheless dazzling, passionate, and eternal form - Plato

Atheism and a Belief in the Science of Dark Matter

By Stephen T. McClard - Complete Article List

It is often stated by Atheists that believers are delusional, and that belief in God is a fairytale without evidence.  However, is this really the case?  Consider this:

Einstein’s field equations tell us that space-time is both a singularity and infinity.  From the believer’s perspective, God makes the claim that He is both Alpha and Omega, beginning and end.  Science tells us that the vast majority of what is contained in the universe is invisible “Dark Matter.”  This invisible dark matter makes up a full 90% of the universe, leaving visible matter—what is seen—to comprise all the substance we can perceive around us on a daily basis. 

All material substance is essentially one thing: energy transmuted to what we see as substance, occupying a volume, expressed in its function and meaning to the whole.  We know the 10% we see very well.  The 90% that we do not see well is what Science attempts to explain.  All of this substance and dark matter is made up of energy in movement.  As stated in the opening verse of the Bible, "Let there be light."  Light is both a wave and a particle.  This duality is expressed in the first chapter of John where he says, "In the beginning was the word..."  Light and word, both particle and wave.  

All of this is interesting, but here is where we make the distinction between faith and reason; religion and science:  By faith in a Creator, I examine the meaning behind the visible reality (10% of matter) and realize that it tells a story that can be defined.  This story is not just expressed by religion, but also synchronistically by nature.  Each tells the exact same story, like a mirror perfectly reflecting the truth of the other.

Science, by the same faith, attempts to observe the 90% of what cannot be observed directly.  From this observation, science makes up grandiose claims of theory, believing its conclusions within a context of misplaced concreteness of imagined reality.  This means rational Atheists base the totality of their belief within an unseen reality of imagined perception, with largely unproven theory.  At best, anything concerning the 90% of unseen reality can only be ever-changing theory.  Faith for all of us, then, is the substance of things hoped for, as indicated in Hebrews:

HEBREWS 11:1

1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  2 This is what the ancients were commended for.

 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

Our visible world tells the complete story to us:  God places us in the story, as characters in the story, able to act out our unique part.  The plot points in the production and the ending cannot change.  Our unique performance is the good pleasure derived by God from the exercise. 

PHILIPPIANS 2:13

…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,  13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Why are we here in this story of God?

We are being refined for the next step.  Our inheritance is the kingdom of God (universe).  We do not merit this favor from God.  We were created for his good pleasure, as observers of His goodness and abundant mercy and truth.

Psalms 66:10-12

For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined.  11 You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs.  12 You have caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.

ROMANS 1:18-23

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.   For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Indirect Discipline and Tactical Language in the Classroom Using NLP

This is a continuation of a previous article entitled, The Neuro-Linguistic Educator. Before going any further, please refer to the warning posted on the first article.

Article 2

by Stephen T. McClard - Complete Article List

Words, actions and emotions have the power to persuade the mind and body.  They have the ability to upset equilibrium and can push a person in predetermined directions. If used carelessly, they can also produce unintended consequences.  All success and all failure in the classroom will revolve around these three forms of communication.

Our use of these three communicators has the ability to make or break our classroom management.  Carelessness with these can end a career or turn a student’s mind off like a light bulb.   If you are interested in being able to maintain a quiet class, motivate your students to create high expectations and push them beyond their capabilities, then learn to control your communication.  Using NLP is one way of achieving these goals in an indirect way and will preserve the dignity of your students.

My History with NLP

I recently published a book entitled, The Superior Educator: A Calm and Assertive Approach to Classroom Management and Large Group Motivation. This book represents what I believe to be best practices for maintaining proper discipline.  The book focuses on using a calm and assertive approach to classroom management and defines the use of precise routines for positive motivation. The ideas in this book reflect years of experience correcting my own mistakes with words, actions and emotions.

While writing this book, I was able to reflect on my own weaknesses as an educator.  Reflecting on these weaknesses helped me to make meaningful changes in my approach.  The payoff has been noticeable. My classes are quiet, controlled and engaged.  Students seem to enjoy the structure of my classes more and are highly motivated.  I attribute this to the routines I have developed through the years.  I also need to give credit to my recent discovery of NLP.

Sometime around November of this year, my assistant director and I discovered a book called Verbal Judo by George Thompson.  As we researched the topics in this book, we stumbled upon the related topic of NLP.  As a passing joke, we started using NLP wording in the opening statements of our classes.  What we discovered absolutely shocked us.

For years, I would normally start a class—band class of between 70-120 students—with the typical, “Let’s get quiet guys! Shhhhhhhhh! HEY! Quiet it down!” I would sometimes clap my hands or perform some other random act to be noticed. Although this routine was somewhat effective, NLP shows us a better way.

The first time I formed my words according to NLP suggestions, they came out something like this:

“As you continue to get settled, imagine how quiet this class could possibly become.  We are going to remain quiet now as I give you a few instructions.  You will remain quiet because this will allow us to easily communicate.  Everyone will behave and avoid getting in trouble.  Let’s all work together to be respectful.” 

After saying this in a room full of junior high band students, I paused for a few seconds and scanned the class.  I was left speechless by what happened next.  The entire class eagerly sat there looking at me, hanging on what I would say next.  The class period went by without the usual redirection and threats of consequences. Creating a context for good behavior and speaking in non-threatening absolutes gave me an immediate and positive response.   Many improvements later, and I now simply raise a hand to hear the hum of the lights.

Why NLP Works 

A presupposition in NLP is that communication is the response you get.  If the response you get is not what you want, your communication is at fault.  Improving communication is the key that unlocks the proper response.  Here are two simple improvements that you can start with today.

The first improvement will come from your intentions and emotion.  In the book Verbal Judo, mentioned above, George Thompson talks about the importance of removing bias in the voice.  Condescension, anger and harsh emotion can kill communication and build ground for the student to stand against your wishes.  Eliminating bias is accomplished through a calm and assertive persona, a topic which is thoroughly covered in my book.  When words are spoken in a calm and assertive manner, communication will elicit a calm response.

While harsh emotions, condescension and anger are worth avoiding, it is also worth mentioning that showing disappointment and aggravation can be a healthy way to make a point.  Using a bit of light humor can disarm the gut reaction and give you a way to turn the situation into a learning opportunity.  Aggravation and disappointment can be strong motivators when used sparingly. 

Another related improvement with your communication will involve how words are selected.  Using words in a tactical manner is necessary if communication is to elicit a meaningful response.  Barking out commands to students will only elicit a gut response.  Creating context is much more powerful and brings a response from the heart instead of raw emotion.

Here is an excerpt form a recent article I posted that will relate to this idea. 

Using a metaphor to further build context for proper behavior is one of the most entertaining and pleasant exercises a teacher can endeavor to accomplish. A metaphor paints a mental picture that contains all the elements of a well thought-out lesson. Evoking a previously learned metaphor can bring the lesson back to a student’s mind in a matter of seconds. The following is an example of a great metaphor that I use in my band classes:

I use a metaphor that I call the consistency principle. The consistency principle states that all people want to be seen as consistent. I ask the students to mentally place themselves in my position in the front of the room. I ask them to imagine what expectations they would have if they were the teacher needing to teach the class. I then ask them to remain consistent with these expectations. It is like a magic trick and gets them to empathize with me. All I have to do is have them imagine what it would be like to be me. The fact that I made them believe in being consistent sets up the expectation that they should. I can then continue reminding them each day to be consistent.

As you can see from this example, creating context frames the response of communication in your favor as an educator.  I hope that you are starting to realize the power that NLP can provide for education.  This field of psychology has received a bad reputation over the years.  It is my hope that I can glean out the positive aspects through this series of articles and give you a new sense of how your approach to communication can be improved.

Here are a few additional links that may inspire your journey into NLP.

George Thompson Speaks | Dr. John Grinder

The Neuro-Linguistic Educator

Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Education

Article 1

by Stephen T. McClard - Complete Article List

You may be reading the title of this article and wondering what neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) has to do with education. You may even be asking yourself what it is. Yet others who are reading this article know exactly what NLP is all about. If you have even a vague notion of what NLP represents, then sit back and be amazed at how it can transform your classroom when used properly.

While I write this article, I have a lurking feeling in the back of my mind that at least a few readers will have a biased view of NLP and will read this title with skepticism and disdain. To say the least, NLP is controversial in nature. I can only speak about my experiences with NLP and will let you judge for yourself.

If you are the skeptic mentioned above, let me try to put your mind at ease before we get started and say this: Any teacher using NLP in the classroom will first need to take the solemn oath of Primum non nocere, or “Do no harm.” If you will take this oath, then NLP is harmless and can add many benefits to your educational process.

Warning

NLP, like anything else in this world, can be used for nefarious means. Before you set out to use any educational methodology, ask yourself one question first: Are my actions for the benefit of the student, or are my actions selfish in nature? If you answer the former, then NLP may assist you in the classroom with a variety of issues that cause you trouble as an educator.

Be warned, NLP is used for every type of manipulation you can imagine. Pickup artists, hypnotists, televangelists and shysters of all categories use NLP to cheat, steal and otherwise trick gullible people. NLP is used by the media and in advertising to convince the consumer to purchase unneeded products. NLP is awesomely powerful. When used correctly and for proper reasons, it can transform educational practice for any educator.

What is NLP?

It is hard to really lock down a good definition for NLP. This area of psychology is old, immense and complicated. If I were to give it a short definition, I would define it like this: NLP is the art of using response and stimuli for the express purpose of constructing a desired outcome. This can be done in a conscious manner or an unconscious manner. NLP attempts to find reproducible methods that anyone can use for success.

Let me give you a real world example. Teacher 'A' has a class that is out-of-control. When the same students go to teacher 'B', they behave well. It stands to reason that a method exists to control the students. If teacher 'A' can discover the method that teacher 'B' uses, then teacher 'A' can control her class. NLP attempts to study the method and find commonalities and best practices for controlling behavior.

Over the last few decades, many common methods for success have been found in every area of endeavor. Name the behavior and NLP has the answer. It will be impossible for me to cover the entire territory of NLP in one article, so I will merely give you a good start. My best advice for you would be to purchase Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies by Romila Ready and Kate Burton. It is a fantastic read and can give you a great start into the subject.

Presuppositions

The world of NLP revolves around a few presuppositions. A presupposition is an implicit assumption. In other words, it is assumed that there is implied truth in what is stated and can be viewed as correct in every way. As we jump into this topic, prepare to dive deep and stretch your mind wide.

1. The map is not the territory. Have respect for the individual's map.

Each of us has a map of the territory (world around us) that will be different depending on our perspective and frame of reference.  Our map of the world represents our unique view of the world, while the territory represents actual objects and events.  Your perception as an educator belongs to you and does not accurately represent the territory or the map of the student.  If you realize this difference and respect the map of your students, you are prepared to make NLP work for you.

2. People respond according to their map of the territory.

All students operate in the world according to their perception of the territory. Since each map is different, each response will be unique. Your responsibility as an educator is to discover the student's map and act accordingly. Change the map and you change the student.

3. Meaning depends on context.

Words only have meaning when they are represented within some context. External stimuli will change internal response. If you want to change your students' behavior or character, create context in their minds. Use metaphor when possible. Paint mental pictures and assist your students as they color in their map.

4. Mind and body affect each other.

Mind and body do not function separately. What the mind believes becomes reality in the body. What the body feels becomes reality in the mind. As an educator, you MUST respect how your actions can become emotion within your students. You have the power to affect mind and body when you speak. Choose your words and emotions wisely.

5. If what you are doing is not working, do something else.

Often, the opposite of what we think will work ends up working. Do not be afraid to make changes that are unrelated to the problem. Often this redirection solves the problem. Find out what works for others and apply these practices to your own methodology. Choose the simplest answer and you will most often be correct. Flexibility equals success.

6. Choice is better than no choice.

Your students will respect you more if you offer choices. Barking out commands and creating rules to follow will only create ground for the student to stand against you. Create a context whereby the students can operate according to their own maps. Work over time to change the map and reveal the true territory.

7. We are always communicating.

All of your actions as an educator speak loudly to your students. Tactical communication will be necessary for ultimate success. Plan your communication through wisdom and restraint while keeping effectiveness in mind.

8. The meaning of communication is the response you get.

You will only be as effective as the communication you generate. If your students do not respond according to your intentions, your communication is at fault. Improve communication to improve response.

9. There is no such thing as failure, only feedback.

All failure should be seen as feedback for future success. The more you open yourself up to opportunity, the more it will become available to you. Seek the opportunity in every failure.

10. Every behavior contains positive intention.

Seek first the positive intentions in your students' behavior. Even when behavior is poor, preserve the positive intention first. Preserving positive intentions creates positive choices. A positive teacher creates a positive student. Choice creates opportunity.

11. If something is possible, then it is possible to learn how to do it.

Poor classroom management can make a good teacher feel like a failure.  If classroom management has beaten you down as an educator then this presupposition is for you.  If something is possible, then it is possible for you to learn. 

Take a walk down the hallways of your school. Chances are good that you will find at least one teacher controlling your out-of-control students. It is therefore possible for you to control your students well. Twenty percent of any situation is reality. The other eighty percent is purely mental. Learn to control the other eighty percent.

12. People have all the resources they need already.

Resourcefulness is merely a state of mind. Everything you need is already available. It is your job to assemble available resources at your disposal and make the best choices possible along the way to maximize their use.

13. Resistance is only inflexible communication. The person with the most flexibility wins.

Be the bigger person. In every situation and with every student, success will only come through flexible communication. Be willing to change your educational method before you blame your students for unsuccessful situations. You already have all the resources you need to achieve success. Success comes from using your communication and resources wisely.

14. If you control your mind, you control results.

Bias is the worst enemy of an educator. Your emotion can turn a student off forever. Controlling your emotion can build rapport and help you move a student forward. Creating high expectations is a well-intended goal, but when students are motivated to create their own high expectations, real success will follow.

I hope you have enjoyed this article. These 14 presuppositions are merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg. I will try to give a few concrete examples of how NLP can work in practice over the next few articles. Feel free to comment if you have a specific concern that you would like to have addressed on this blog.

This article represents my interpretation of NLP.  The real credit belongs to the creators of NLP.  Here are links to the history of NLP.

NLP Article 2

Wikipedia Entry  |  NLP.com  |  History of NLP