Everyone has a story about a teacher who changed their life. We spend so much time during our formative years with our teachers that they have incalculable influence on our lives. For me, the teacher who changed my life was Mrs. McCormack. Mrs. McCormack taught me to have gusto for learning, but she also taught me more important lessons. From her, I learned to believe in my own potential, love and encourage others, and value discipline.
It wasn't until nearly three decades after she taught me that I was mature enough to recognize the impact she had on my life, but when I did, I wrote her a letter. I wanted her to know that she had made a difference. When she died, my letter was read as the eulogy at her funeral. Her husband said it was the best description of his wife he had ever read.
I will never forget Mrs. McCormack. But she is not alone! There are countless teachers all over the world who make a difference in the lives of kids. They are often the unsung heroes, but they have a unique power to shape the future of young people. Flip Flippen understood this when he created the teaching seminar Capturing Kids' Hearts. He believes that "if you build meaningful relationships with your students, you not only create an effective classroom environment with few discipline problems, but you also get the amazing opportunity to prepare young people for a successful future. With that goal in mind, Flippen teaches the EXCEL Teaching model, which outlines 5 basic steps to capturing kids' hearts:
E ngage Draw them into a r elationship from the moment they enter class.
X -plore Identify students' needs, because not all students learn the same.
C ommunicate A good communicator is both a facilitator and a resource, understanding that communication is a two-way process.
E mpower Empowerment happens when students gain the ability to use and do the things they have been taught.
L aunch How do you end the classroom experience each day?
Flippen's seminar has been helping to radically change individual teachers as well as entire educational communities. He firmly believes that through this simple three-day seminar, teachers can develop the skills to truly capture kids' hearts. I believe that those teachers who are able to capture kids' hearts can change the future! Teachers are in a privileged position, and I commend them for striving to make a difference that will last a lifetime!
Paul J. Meyer is a best-selling author and founder of over 40 companies, but he has never forgotten the life-changing impact that his mother, father, and teachers like Mrs. McCormack had on his life. Visit www.pauljmeyer.com for more resources .
M.B. Flip Flippen founded the Flippen Group in 1988. Today, it is the largest educator training company in North America. For more information, contact the Flippen Group at 800.316.4311.
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