Clemons Creative Learning Blog

The Mind Opener

2008-07-10T14:28:00.001-07:00

"Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn."
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

The Mind Opener is a technique that builds enthusiasm in the teacher and eagerness to learn in the learners
1. Select a Quote that ties in with your topic that session or with ways to learn that topic.
2. Share that quote with your learners.
3. Ask if any recognize the author and ask them to share what they know.
4. Share the significance of the author from your and your topic's perspective.
5. Discuss the implications of the quote for the learner's lives. *

*Remember that discussion is two way not just you talking, so draw out your learners with questions that stimulate them to think.

6. Ask them to write down one or more ideas or skills that they will apply to their activities that day.

Regular use of this technique is guaranteed to lead to powerful learning.

How do Average Presenters differ from More Effective Presenters

2007-05-10T13:01:00.000-07:00

Average Presenter Concentrates on:
o Having a good presentation
o The content of the presentation
o A formal style of presenting
o Communicating data/information
o Researching the topic
o Lecturing
o Student being responsible for absorbing the material

More Effective Presenter Concentrates on:
o The outcome of the presentation
o The impact on the learners
o An informal style of presenting
o Communicating via stories and examples
o Researching the audience
o Interacting
o Presenter being responsible for student learning

The Average Presenter (AP) is focused more on the presentation itself; the delivery of the material, what the AP looks like, what the presentation aids look like, what the administration thinks of it, how the room fits the presener’s style of presenting or how the presenter can adapt the room to fit his/her teaching style, will the presenter be comfortable, often uses power point or marker board as a crutch

The More Effective Presenter (MEP) is focused on the outcome of the presentation, how it affects the learner: what the learner is getting out of it, how it is being received, is it accomplishing what it was supposed to accomplish, how the environment will affect the learners, is it the right temperature, the right lighting level, are the seats comfortable, do the learners have room to write, can they hear OK, how the presenter can adapt to fit the room and the needs of the learners, uses power point or marker board as an enhancement of the delivery

The AT is concerned with the content of the presentation. The AT is making sure that it matches the outline for the course or other expectations. It must include all points and every point in the lesson must be covered.

The MET is concerned with the impact of the presentation on the learners. How it is being received. What the learners are gaining. Reaching all learning styles.

For more info you can contact me at mark@markclemons.com or go to http://www.clemonscreativelearning.com/

Two Techniques for Teaching With Power

2007-03-29T17:15:00.000-07:00

Here are two techniques for teaching or speaking with power.
Classroom Teachers, Home School Teachers, Sunday School Teachers, Business & Industry trainers, College Professors, Professional Speakers, Preachers, or anyone who teaches or does presentations in any capacity can benefit from these techniques.

The Mind Opener
A technique that builds enthusiasm in the teacher and eagerness to learn in the learners
1. Select a Quote that ties in with your topic that session or with ways to learn that topic.
2. Share that quote with your learners.
3. Ask if any recognize the author and ask them to share what they know.
4. Share the significance of the author from your and your topic’s perspective.
5. Discuss the implications of the quote for the learner’s lives.*
*Remember that discussion is two way not just you talking, so draw out your learners with questions that stimulate them to think.
6. Ask them to write down one or more ideas or skills that they will apply to their activities that day.

The “What Have You learned?” Closure
A technique that places responsibility for learning on the learners
Tell learners what they will learn – Tell them that they will be held accountable – Get feedback at the end of the session (Not tomorrow or next week)
1. Outline or list what they are going to learn that session. (Not what they can learn or will have opportunity to learn but what they will learn.)
2. Tell them what will be expected at the end of the session. (See below.)
3. Present what they are to learn.
4. At the end of the session ask each, or at least several, to tell one specific thing that they learned that day and/or that they are going to apply in their lives that day or week. (Or also ask each to write one or more things down and turn it in. Or provide stamped envelopes that they are to self address and put this in. Then you mail it to them in a week.)

I have been collecting techniques that I and other master teachers and speakers have used to add power to teaching and speaking.

Techniques that are available include:

The Mind Opener - A 10 minute daily exercise that prepares the teacher to teach enthusiastically and students to learn eagerly
A work cycle that empowers students to take charge of learning and frees the teacher to really teach
A goal setting system that encourages students to want to learn
A class organization that does away with monotonous classroom routine
Content organization that lets the teacher and the students know what to expect
A 15-20 minute daily exercise that grows the teacher’s own natural abilities
An approach to teaching that reaches out to students who are growing up in a digital age
The "What Have You Learned?" Closure - A technique that places responsibility for learning upon the learner

These techniques will raise any teacher’s level of teaching.

These techniques have been used to teach High School, Continuing Education, Sunday School classes of all ages, from the Pulpit, business and industry classes, in multiple languages, and even online.

For more info you can contact me at mark@markclemons.com or go to www.clemonscreativelearning.com

You Too Can Be Powerful

2006-11-06T10:18:00.000-08:00

I spend a lot of time talking to people about how to be more powerful.

A really powerful person models powerful behaviors and inspires others to action. A powerful person is anyone who has influence over another person. Notice that it is who has influence, not control. Many people misunderstand power as a control issue. Whether you know it or not, you influence many people every day. It may be as obvious as your interaction with a co-worker or a family member; or as subtle as your mannerisms when standing in a long line at the store. In every circumstance where you can be observed by another person, you are exerting influence by word and/or by example.

I think of power as including Linking – Learning – Leading – and Living.

Linking leads to real power. Real power is not physical strength. Real power is the knack of getting along; having people like you; and, working with others for bilateral benefit. It's the capacity to make friends, create relationships and influence people. Real Power is having an extensive “circle of influence” enabling you to get things done right – right now.

Learning empowers people. To become powerful you must address the characteristics that you show to the people in your life. These are the same characteristics that these same people look at when determining how powerful a person you are to them. One method for addressing these characteristics involves:
* Learning an inspirational quote each day.
* Researching the author of the quote
* Completing a daily power building lesson.
* Applying one skill each day into your professional and personal world.
Become a more conversant, learned and interesting person and you become more powerful to all those around you and your "circle of influence."

Leading naturally flows from powerful people. Real power is having a vision and communicating that vision to others, empowering others to be their best selves. John Quincy Adams said: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” Think of three things that you do every day that might inspire others in some way. Leading by inspiration lifts you up as you lift others up.

If you are linking, learning and leading you will also be living a powerful life. Life is a journey and doing these things sets your feet on a journey - a journey toward becoming a proactive person, a journey toward finding new strengths in your personal and professional relationships, a journey toward growing more powerful each day by building on strengths and eliminating weaknesses, a journey toward becoming a more knowledgeable effective person, a journey toward becoming a well rounded individual, and to begin living a triumphant, harmonious, zestful life.

You Too Can Be Powerful!

You can contact me at mark@markclemons.com or go to www.clemonscreativelearning.com

Does Your Message Match the Way You Live?

2006-10-18T09:58:00.001-07:00

I attended two funerals recently. The manner of these friends’ passing has given me much to think about. One dropped over dead instantly from a massive heart attack at the age of 57. The other had a heart attack but died about three weeks later, just a couple of months shy of his 79th birthday.

The first was a nominal Christian who went through the motions and tried to be a good person, good husband, father friend etc. But God was not very real to him. He used substitutes to get him through the days. We all know about those things that can consume us when overdone like cigarettes and alcohol. Without a strong relationship with a Power beyond himself he turned to artificial things to bolster his courage and give him artificial strength.

He had no chance to make his peace with family or foe, friend or enemy. It would also seem that he was not prepared for his death. I cannot know what it was like for him but I do know what a blow it was for his loved ones. And I can see the struggle that they are going through to deal with their loss.

The other friend had a strong Christian faith in a God that supported him every day. He was an outstanding teacher by word and example, and a very good and wise man who led a long and fruitful life. He always had just the right thing to say. As he lay dying he called in his loved ones and dear friends one or two at a time and gave them some last words. He had always been frank but then he was even more so. He expressed his love for each and every one. To some he expressed approval but to others he expressed disappointment or advice for improvement. He seemed to understand exactly what each was feeling and was wise enough to say exactly what each one needed.

None of us knows the hour of our passing from this earth but I pray that I can be as wise and understanding as my second friend. For you see he was prepared. Regardless of the time and way in which we die we can be prepared. We must spend each day getting prepared.

Just as we must be prepared for living and dying so must a speaker be prepared before stepping in front of an audience. You must not only spend some specific time writing and practicing but you must look at how your daily life is preparing you to speak. If your life and experiences are not congruent with your speaking then your audience may not get the message.

Spend time each day thinking about your message.
Examine your message to make sure the content is congruent with your life.
Live up to your potential and put your life into your message.

You can be a powerful speaker. You can be a powerful communicator.
Prepare your message and allow your life to prepare you for speaking.

You can contact me at mark@markclemons.com or go to www.clemonscreativelearning.com

Communicating the Message Important in any Languages

2006-10-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

Speaking before a group that includes individuals some of whom speak one language, some another and some both is quite a challenge. Although I am seldom particularly nervous when speaking before groups; I must say that as I approached a group in Hof, Germany recently I was more than a little nervous. I had served as a translator for German speaking speakers in front of a primarily English speaking audience before but this was my first time to attempt translating for both English speakers and German speakers to a very mixed group. And many spoke both languages so they would know when I was goofing up.
These were members of Hof Reunion, American GI's, the German girls they had married and other Americans and Germans associated with Hof Air Station which was active in Hof from 1948 to 1971.

But I think the following comment by one of the organizers tells the story.

"A TREMENDOUS job of dual-language MC'ing at the dinner! 35 years ago I might have been able to do that in Russian/English but as good as I thought my German is/was, I could not have kept up with the job you did! And I gotta say, I understood just about every word in the Courthouse and at the dinner! Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The mistake that many translators make is trying to translate word for word. What is important, particularly at a banquet function like this one, is to communicate the message that the speaker is striving to communicate.

The same is really true with any type of speaking. You must ask yourself, "Am I communicating the message that I myself or those that I represent want to get across?" The speaker is the medium not the message.

Strive to look and act in a way that complements the message.
Don't let your appearance or actions detract from the message.
Use words and mannerisms that reflect the tone of the message.
Simply delivering the right words may not deliver the right message.

When you are done did the people laugh when they were supposed to?
Was the room quiet when important or serious information was presented?
Were people paying attention and coming away with the desired outcome?

You can be a powerful speaker. You can be a powerful communicator.
Just keep the message in mind and shape the messenger to fit the message.

You can contact me at mark@markclemons.com or go to www.clemonscreativelearning.com