The following is from the book Myths: Fact and Fiction about Teaching and Learning by Israel Galindo. How well do you know fact from fiction?
FICTION: If you want to get rich, you can’t go wrong investing in real estate (land) because, as they say, “they ain’t making any more of it.”
FACT: Investing in real estate remains, at best, speculative, and actually, new land—the earth’s crust–continues to be created at diverging boundaries where hot rock from the earth’s mantle wells up to the surface and pushes two plates apart. If a diverging boundary appears under an ocean floor, an underwater mountain chain will be formed (like the mid-Atlantic ridge, the longest mountain chain in the world). If a diverging boundary appears under continental rocks, the continent is literally torn apart as the plates separate. This is happening now in the Great Rift Valley of the Middle East and eastern Africa. So be careful where you invest, and remember, “Location, location, location!”
FICTION: The most important thing to do when dealing with chronically difficult learners or a perpetually difficult class is to stick to our discipline plan and be consistent.
FACT: Maybe, but first we need to determine whether what we’re doing isn’t part of the problem. Sticking to a discipline plan that is not working only exacerbates the problem. If our approach to discipline is ineffective, then, the best thing to do is stop doing it! Keep the following basic principles in mind:
1. Focus on long-term behavior changes vs. short-term quick fixes.
2. Be fair, but don’t treat everyone the same. Respond appropriately.
3. Maintain rules that make sense to learners.
4. Model the behavior, values, and attitudes what you expect.
5. Remember that fostering personal responsibility is more important than teaching blind obedience.
6. Always treat learners with dignity.
You can order a copy of the book Myth: Fact and Fiction about Teaching and Learning by Israel Galindo (ISBN 0-9715765-4-8) directly from Educational Consultants or Amazon.com.
