Graduation 
  

 

Organization and discipline can make your life easier, much more profitable, and enjoyable. Scott Peck, M.D., writes about discipline in his book “The Road Less Traveled.” His words are also pertinent to the idea of organization. “Discipline,” he says, “is the basic set of tools we require to solve life’s problems. Without discipline (organization) we can’t solve anything. With only some discipline (organization) we can solve only some problems. With total discipline (organization) we can solve all problems.”

“To be a Maverick you must take a different approach from the standard one, even if it means doing what is difficult.” – Dr. Daniel G. Amen, M.D.

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Facilitator for Reflective Practice

Oysterman & Kottkamp

     A person who is inherently curious; someone who doesn’t have all the answers and isn’t afraid to admit it; someone who is confident enough in his or her ability to accept challenges in a nondefensive manner; someone who is secure enough to make his or her thinking public and therefore subject to discussion; someone who is a good listener; someone who likes other people and trust them to make the right decisions if given the opportunity; someone who is able to see things from another’s perspective and is sensitive to the needs and feelings of others; someone who is able to relax, lean back, and let others assume the responsibility of their own learning. Some experience desirable but not as important as the ability to learn from mistakes.

Oysterman, K. F., & Kottkamp, R. B. (1993). Reflective Practice for Educators; Improving Schooling Through Professional Development, p. 64: Corwin Press, Inc.

Quote from noted educational author Jonathan Kozol in describing what he would look for in a teacher:

     Obviously we want people who can teach (their subjects), but if we had to narrow it down to one characteristic, I would always hire teachers whom I wouldn’t mind getting stuck on a long plane flight to Europe, I would look for people who are capable of making the world seem joyful, people who are a  delight to be with, people who are contagiously amusing human beings. To me, that’s more important than almost anything else. I would put the emphasis on the capability to create contagious enthusiasm for life. There are lots of teachers like that, but not enough.

  
 Life is Beautiful! Don't Forget that!

                                     Relax, Breathe, Meditate!

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Yesterday is gone!

Today is the day to control your life!

Tomorrow doesn't exist but we can plan for it!

"Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday."

"Ut sementem feceris, ita metes."  You'll reap what you sow. (Cicero, "De oratore)

"Ubi concordia, ibi victoria."  Where is unity, there is the victory.

"Ignorantia legis non excusat."   Ignorance of the law is no excuse.

"Potius sero quam numquam."  Better late than never.

"Scio me nihil scire."  I know that I know nothing-(Socrates).

"Ulula cum lupis, cum quibus esse cupis."  Who keeps company with wolves, will   learn to howl.

"Usus magister est optimus." Experience is the best teacher (i.e., "Practice makes perfect.").

"Si fractum non sit, noli id reficere."  If it isn't broken, don't fix it.

Interesting formulas we all should know well:

E = mc2

MA/CA x 100 = IQ

Methylation (the methylation train) + Sulfation = Glutathione

Formula for figuring protein needs is: weight in lbs. divided by 2.2 = weight in Kg. Weight in Kg x 0.8 - 1.8 gm/kg = protein gm. If you need lower protein just multiply by the 0.8. If you have higher protein needs like weight lifting and stuff use closer to 1.8.

WHAT ADD/ADHD IS NOT

       Be careful not to jump to premature conclusions. Sometimes personalities and learning styles may appear to be ADD/ADHD. Here are some personality types, behaviors, and learning styles that can be misdiagnosed as ADD/ADHD.

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that help the brain to function.

Serotonin makes you happy; dopamine (a high sensation) makes you focused.

Serotonin is more involved with mood control, shifting attention, cognitive flexibility.

Dopamine is a chemical heavily involved with motor movements, motivation, attention span, setting the body’s idle speed, focus, follow-through, and "saliency" (how important something is to do). When its availability in the brain is low, people tend to struggle. Too much dopamine causes people to get over-focused or stuck in negative thought patterns or behaviors.

Medication helps children with ADHD by enhancing the production of the neurotransmitter dopamine by raising the availability of dopamine in the basal ganglia.

ADD game: Get the adult angry. They seem to need constant excitement (stimulation) or to see someone get upset.

Parkinson’s disease is caused by a deficiency of the neurotransmitter dopamine within the basal ganglia system (a set of large structures toward the center deep in the brain).

                              D

                              o

ADHD                    Parkinson’s Disease

   o                         a             

   p                         m                   

   a                          i

   m                        n

   I                          e

   n

   e

                  PERSONALITY                                          BEHAVIOR

                 LEARNING STYLES

  (How we take in or learn information)                         BEHAVIOR

Common Roles Individuals Play

1. The “energizer” stimulates enthusiasm in the group (e.g., come on folks this will be a lot of fun; and besides we will really learn a lot).

2. The “scapegoat” is the person everybody blames. He or she is invariably the target of severe anger and hostility (e.g., look Jennifer, we all agree that if it weren’t for you we would have solved the problem two weeks ago).

3. The “gatekeeper” tries to make certain that everyone is doing his or her task and is participating. This person may “secretly” or “unconsciously” want to lead or run the group and could even attempt to establish norms. The danger is that the gatekeeper often does not work on his or her personal issues (e.g., from now on I’d like everybody to bring a journal to the group and write down at least one positive thing which happened during the week).

4. The “interrogator” asks a never-ending string of questions.

5. The “follower” goes along with whatever the rest of the group thinks. From a personality standpoint the follower is nonassertive.

6. The “harmonizer” is the person who tries to make certain that everything is going smoothly. The harmonizer is sometimes called the “conciliator.”

7. The “storyteller” monopolizes a wealth of group time telling endless and often irrelevant tales. A group leader will sometimes needs to help this person to get to the point or will need to ask the person precisely how the story is productive in the context of the group setting.

8. The “isolate” is ignored by others. Isolates generally feel afraid to reach out or do reach out and are genuinely rejected. Isolates are not the same as scapegoats. Scapegoats receive attention, although it is not by any means overwhelmingly positive. Isolates as sometimes referred as the “silent ones” and receive little or not attention at all.

Thought!

Decartes stated: "Cogito ergo sum."  Descartes actually meant it in the sense of "I am thinking, therefore I am."  Every human being is a worthy and valuable person.

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THOUGHTS ARE POWERFUL

In the first century A.D., the Stoic philosopher Epictetus said that we feel the way we think: “Men are disturbed not by things, but of the view which they take of them.”

“Stoic” means showing patience and endurance in the face of adversity.

Structure: Identify and modify variables to positively influence your behavior.

Teach Expectations: teach yourself exactly what behaviors will result in our success.

Observe: Monitor and make decisions based on objective data.

Interact Positively: Model the core beliefs that ALL are treated with dignity and respect.

Connect: Respond to misbehaviors calmly, consistently, fairly, respectfully, and briefly.

“There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” ~ Hamlet

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” - Eleanor Roosevelt.

 “What happens is not as important as how you react to what happens” - Thaddeus Golas.

Thought!

Dr. Amen (Amen Clinics) reports that "improving" blood flow to the brain is the "Fountain of Youth."

How do you achieve that?

1. Relax
2. Meditate
3. Breathing exercises
4. Listen to relaxing music
5. Smile
6. Laugh (When appropriate)
7. Eat Healthy
8. Drink plenty of water
9. Exercise (moderate at least)
10. Sleep 8 hours at least every night
11. Be social (family, religious affiliation, work, friends, etc.)
12. Get rid of Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTS)
13. Be productive everyday
14. Help and be kind to someone today

Boosting Blood Flow

(Improving blood flow is the fountain of youth)  

     Blood is especially important to the brain. Even thought the brain is composed of 2 percent of the body’s weight, it uses 20 percent of the body’s blood flow and oxygen supply. Blood flow to the brain is rarely thought about as important by the general public, unless a disaster strikes (e.g., a stroke or an aneurysm). Yet good blood flow is absolutely essential to the brain’s health. The SPECT imaging study , specifically looks at blood flow patterns in the brain.

     Blood brings oxygen, sugar, vitamins, and other nutrients to the brain and takes away carbon dioxide and other toxic waste products. Anything that limits blood flow prematurely ages all of your body’s organs. Consider the skin of smokers. Most people can tell if someone is a smoker by looking at his or her skin. A smoker’s skin is more likely to be deeply wrinkled and even perhaps tinged with a yellow or gray color. Why? Nicotine and cigarettes are powerful constrictors of blood to every organ in the body, including the skin and the brain. Deprived of vital nutrients, the smoker’s body will look and the brain will think older than they are.

     Unless you actively do something to change it, blood flow throughout your body decreases over time, especially to the brain. Blood vessels become droopy and blood pressure rises, limiting blood supply. In order to stay young of heart and mind, it is essential to understand the factors that limit blood flow and eliminate them. Improving blood flow is the fountain of youth.

      Whatever is good for your heart is good for our brain.  Here is a partial list of factors that limit or disrupt blood flow (blood constrictors):

• Stress. The overflow of the stress chemical adrenaline constricts blood flow to many areas of the body.
• Caffeine This substance directly constricts blood flow to the brain, disrupts sleeps, and is involved in dehydration.
• Nicotine. This substance constricts blood flow everywhere.
• Dehydration. The brain is 80 percent water. Anything that dehydrates you makes it harder to think. In a scan of a body builder, his brain resembled that of drug addict, but the body trainer vehemently denied it. The body builder significantly dehydrated himself before photo shoots to look leaner for the camera.

Exercise

(Improving blood flow is the fountain of youth)

     Exercise can also be very helpful in calming worries and increasing the brain’s cognitive flexibility. Exercise works by increasing brain levels of the amino acid L-tryptophan. Exercise is recommended for oppositional children as a way to improve their L-tryptophan levels and increase cooperation.

     Exercise boosts blood flow to the brain. Unfortunately, children, and teens get much less exercise than they did 20 years ago. With the advent of video and computer games children are spending more time indoors, doing activities which required little exertion.

     A sedentary (stagnant) lifestyle makes someone more prone to exhibit ADHD symptoms. Regular exercise augments mental stamina, while creating an increased sense of self-confidence. Exercise increases the production of endorphins in our bodies.

     Endorphins (endogenous morphin) are chemicals your body produced naturally that, among others things, add to your sense of well-being. Increasing your mental stamina and self-confidence will help you study better.