The Number One Position: Love and Logic Day 3: Afternoon Session

Jen switched seminars for the afternoon and got a hold of a GREAT one called "The Number One Position: Solutions That Go Beyond Classroom Management." This was by two incredible teachers from Kearney, Nebraska (Exactly..."where?"). Thier names are Sam Stecher and Mark Johnson, and thier web page does not have enough on there!

These guys were SO good, I'm thinking of driving up there on my own this summer to meet with these guys. It's only 5 hours away and they gave Jen some stuff I had never considered but could be dynamic. I'd like to know more about it though, before I jump in.

Here's a couple things I thought were really cool and could translate amazingly into middle school ministry:

1. Every day they started thier classrooms with a cheer that they made up. (Maybe I'm still living in Softball Coach land, but I really like that idea, especially coupled with the Brain stuff from ealier).

2. Nicknames: Only special kids get nicknames. Think about it. Only the kids that really connect get a nick name. By fault, kids who don't get a nick name, feel, to some extent, less well-liked. (I thought this was a bunch of garbage until Jen went through a couple nick names of students we've had, and now I kind of feel bad for the kids that didn't have them!)

So you can either not give any kids nicknames...or do what they did. They gave EVERYONE a nick name. So much so, that at parent conferences, sometimes he couldn't remember the kids real name!

One teacher gave each kid a nickname. The other one had the kids pick them out. The bottom line was that EVERY kid felt special because every kid had a nick name.

In a lot of ways I think this would be so cool. I think students would LOVE to feel that way. And it could really build community. We are taking our kids to the Lake next week and it's be a cool time to introduce that idea.

I could also see it turning very inward too...very self focused...exclusive. The dream would be for it to be totally inclusive and that kids would feel so special they'd want to bring thier friends too.

Rules for nicknames:
1. The kid has to like it.
2. It has to be approved by the adult.
3. A kid can change/drop the nickname anytime for any reason.