henry, Author at AMAZING PEOPLE WORLDWIDE

Democracy In The Classroom

henry — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 03:42:20 +0000

WE THE PEOPLE

USA – Democracy In The Classroom

By Dr Charles Margerison
Psychologist

Invitation

I was asked how to develop an active learning process for students to understand the history and development of democracy in the USA.

In particular, I wanted to help students to better understand The American Revolution.

Democracy is about the involvement of citizens through discussion and interaction. So, I suggested, that we commence by asking students to become emotionally involved by reenacting the big decision – ‘to be or not to be revolutionaries’?

In conjunction with a teacher in a Californian school, Melissa Akana, students were asked to meet in groups of four or five and the groups were named P or L.

The ‘P’ groups were Patriots, who supported the revolution.

The ‘L’ groups were Loyalists, loyal to King George III and who opposed the revolution.

Would the students find it interesting, and rise to the challenge?

The Theme – ‘We The People’

These are the first three words of the USA Constitution. The phrase indicated that the new country would not be ruled by a King or Emperor, but by the democratic votes of its citizens.

Therefore, I created a series of classroom sessions to engage students in the events that led to the formation of the USA. These included key dates such as:

1765 – Sons of Liberty group formed and protested against direct taxation imposed by The British Stamp Act.

1770 – Protestors in Boston were killed by British soldiers.

1773 – ‘Boston Tea Party’ – revolutionaries refused to pay tax on tea imports, and threw the sacks of tea into the river.

1774 – First National Congress met to discuss independence.

1775 – Second National Congress met and formed the Commonwealth Army, led by George Washington.

1776 – The Declaration of Independence was circulated to thirteen colonies.

1775 – 1781 – Revolutionary War of Independence.

1783 – Treaty of Paris – formal recognition of the United States of America.

1789 – First Government of USA formed under President Washington.

There were many events in between these dates that led to families and friends having to decide if they were Patriots, supporting the revolution, or Loyalists who wanted to continue as colonists ruled by laws made in England.

Case Study – Re-enactment of the American Revolution

Through active learning by role playing both sides of the real issues, students gained valuable experience, in a virtual way, of the original decisions of the Patriots and Loyalists.

Melissa Akana has used the ‘We The People’ educational resource in her History classes in her Californian school. She has recorded a video indicating how her students responded positively and improved their learning. – view HERE.

This is based on group discussions based on the five-minute videos that were developed about the events covered in the timeline which led to the formation of the USA Government.

To start each classroom discussion, one of the five-minute videos from the series was shown, highlighting key features of the American Revolution. In the following example, the one-hour lesson is based on the historic events that took place in Boston during 1773.

Active Learning Timetable

Introduction – 5 minutes – Teacher informs students that the objective is to learn how a group of North American colonies, ruled by Britain from London, started to become an independent democratic country. Students are told they will see a video based on the events.

In this example, the one-hour lesson is based on the historic events that took place in Boston during 1773.

Video – 5 minutes – Group Discussions – Students are asked to meet in groups of 4 or 5. Those groups labelled P are Patriots and are for the revolution. Those labelled L are Loyalists, and are against the revolution.

In the following 15 to 20 minutes, the Patriot groups discuss how to persuade the Loyalist groups to change their views and join them. Likewise, the Loyalist groups discuss how to change the views of the Patriots.

The classroom ignites with discussions, as students share their ideas. There is also a lot of laughter, which is indicative that they are enjoying the process. Each group is asked to appoint a note-taker, and someone to present their key points.

Presentations – 15 minutes -The Patriot groups present their points, and the Loyalist groups present their views. This is invariably done in good spirits, with some heckling.

Personal Reflections

Afterwards, each student is asked to write a few sentences on two questions:-

What did I learn about the American Revolution history from the discussions and presentations?

What did I learn about myself from participating in the discussions?

Students are then asked to meet someone from a group that had supported the opposing approach, and share what they had written.

The responses received from these activities done in classrooms have shown a high level of engagement and personal insights. Students indicated that they found it was interesting to play the role of a Patriot or a Loyalist, and enjoyed having the opportunity to voice their thoughts.

Effective Active Learning Via Role Play

Active learning involves both virtual engagement and real time personal understanding. The above example shows how it has been applied effectively in a History class to help students learn about The American Revolution.

As a result, students also learn about the psychology of choosing sides and seeing different perspectives. This is an approach which enables both academic learning about the events and also personal social emotional understanding from the virtual involvement in the issues.

The full video series of ‘WeThe People’ is now available, and examples are provided at –

https://www.wethepeoplelearn.website/

Invitation

I was asked how to develop an active learning process for students to understand the history and development of democracy in the USA.

In particular, I wanted to help students to better understand The American Revolution.

In conjunction with a teacher in a Californian school, Melissa Akana, students were asked to meet in groups of four or five and the groups were named P or L.

The ‘P’ groups were Patriots, who supported the revolution.

The ‘L’ groups were Loyalists, loyal to King George III and who opposed the revolution.

Would the students find it interesting, and rise to the challenge?

The Theme – ‘We The People’

These are the first three words of the USA Constitution. The phrase indicated that the new country would not be ruled by a King or Emperor, but by the democratic votes of its citizens.

Therefore, I created a series of classroom sessions to engage students in the events that led to the formation of the USA. These included key dates such as:

1765 – Sons of Liberty group formed and protested against direct taxation imposed by The British Stamp Act.

1770 – Protestors in Boston were killed by British soldiers.

1773 – ‘Boston Tea Party’ – revolutionaries refused to pay tax on tea imports, and threw the sacks of tea into the river.

1774 – First National Congress met to discuss independence.

1775 – Second National Congress met and formed the Commonwealth Army, led by George Washington.

1776 – The Declaration of Independence was circulated to thirteen colonies.

1775 – 1781 – Revolutionary War of Independence.

1783 – Treaty of Paris – formal recognition of the United States of America.

1789 – First Government of USA formed under President Washington.

Case Study – Re-enactment of the American Revolution

Through active learning by role playing both sides of the real issues, students gained valuable experience, in a virtual way, of the original decisions of the Patriots and Loyalists.

This is based on group discussions based on the five-minute videos that were developed about the events covered in the timeline which led to the formation of the USA Government.

Active Learning Timetable

In this example, the one-hour lesson is based on the historic events that took place in Boston during 1773.

Presentations – 15 minutes -The Patriot groups present their points, and the Loyalist groups present their views. This is invariably done in good spirits, with some heckling.

Personal Reflections

Afterwards, each student is asked to write a few sentences on two questions:-

What did I learn about the American Revolution history from the discussions and presentations?

What did I learn about myself from participating in the discussions?

Students are then asked to meet someone from a group that had supported the opposing approach, and share what they had written.

Effective Active Learning Via Role Play

The full video series of ‘WeThe People’ is now available, and examples are provided at –

https://www.wethepeoplelearn.website/

The post Democracy In The Classroom appeared first on AMAZING PEOPLE WORLDWIDE.

PARANOIA IN POLITICS

henry — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 02:30:29 +0000

PARANOIA IN POLITICS

By Dr Charles Margerison
Psychologist

Paranoid Leaders In History – Devastating Impacts

It is often said that people seek political office because of their principles and policies.

However, there is substantial evidence that some people who seek and reach high office in government have a very high level of paranoia.

Infamously, Joseph Stalin had been responsible for the deaths of over a million between 1936 and 1938, because he thought they were a danger to his leadership. More than 30,000 of the Russian Red Army were executed because of Stalin’s fears, including 81 of his 103 Army Generals. Many others were sent to the Siberian Gulag Camps where hard labour was enforced and, due to the harsh conditions, most died.

Notoriously, Adolph Hitler ordered the murder of over six million Jews and killed many others who he claimed where a danger to him and his policies. Hitler also initiated the Second World War, which claimed the lives of over 50 million.

In China, Mao Zedong led the Chinese Revolution to form the Communist Government. To maintain power, Mao attacked and ordered the death of those who were perceived as enemies. This included the so-called Red Guards movement during 1966 to 1968, when thousands were killed under the suspicion that they were counter-revolutionaries. In addition, Mao was responsible for the mass murder of 45 million people, who died of starvation due to failed policies.

So, the politics of paranoia have had devastating consequences.

Paranoia – A Mental Health Condition

Paranoia is a mental condition, where the person has fear of being attacked. This may, in certain cases, be based on some evidence, but is more usually based on self-created suspicions. For example, a person may be fearful of people who oppose their ideas. However, they then also become suspicious of others who are not directly involved, such as a family member or people who they perceive as possible opponents.

There are different levels of paranoia. At a local level, it may be a delusion, for example, that the next door neighbour is stealing vegetables from your garden. At an international level, such fears of attack often lead to revolution and war

People with paranoia tend to have delusions. They see what you say as ‘black or white.’ What you say is perceived either as a personal attack, or is interpreted as support for their beliefs. They act on their fears, not the facts. They must dominate those with whom they disagree. This is demonstrated in the case examples of Stalin, Hitler and Mao, whose behaviours led to the deaths and execution of millions.

Politicians In History – Conspiracy Theories & Lies

Politicians with paranoia often spread conspiracy theories and lies. At the same time, they promise to solve these very false problems that they have self-created. They enter politics purporting to be strong leaders. This is what Hitler did when he got his supporters to attack the Jews, who he alleged were controlling the banks and business. This was a prelude to the ‘pogroms’, and the mass transportation of Jews in cattle trucks to concentration camps.

Stalin did the same by proclaiming the ‘kulaks’ (small farm owners) were storing and stealing grain. His solution was to transport millions of them to forced labour camps in Siberia, where they died in the freezing cold conditions.

During the 1950s, Mao Zedong felt he was losing control of the Communist Revolution. He blamed right wing factions. His paranoia led him to send millions of people from their homes to work in forced labour. This led to a vast number of deaths, and estimates suggest he is responsible for the persecution and execution of between 40 and 80 million people.

Modern Day Paranoiac Politicians

Paranoiacs in politics are dangerous. In 2020, Donald Trump declared falsely that he won the USA election. It is alleged that he incited a crowd to storm the Congress building. If he had a larger armed force, he would have succeeded in a coup-d’etat and remained in power by exacting revenge against his so-called enemies.

Today, we see Putin in Russia, who is inventing false reasons for invading Ukraine. In Venezuela, Maduro stays in power, with the support of the army, even though he lost the election.

At other levels, mafia bosses override local laws to dominate an area and fight battles against opposing mafia groups. In Japan, the Yakuza gangs have used money from their control of gambling and organised crime, to exert their rule in key areas. In China, the triad gangs have used similar methods, and exported these practices to Chinese communities in other countries. All of these ‘gangs’ have members and leaders with high levels of paranoia

A characteristic of paranoiacs is a fear of being attacked. So, they raise levels of anxiety amongst their supporters by suggesting that they will also be attacked. These people then align with the gangs and para-military units, to attack their alleged enemies. And so, a self-fulfilling prophecy culture is formed.

Paranoid About Democracy

Democracy is in danger from paranoic politicians. We need to know what they look like. So, here is a summary. If you observe politicians demonstrating these behaviours, please look for an alternative, even if they have different political beliefs to yours.

The Paranoic Personality.

On a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is low and 10 is high, please grade the following items. How do you rate politicians that you see on television?:-

They can be outwardly charming, but denigrate and disrespect those with different beliefs.

Those they deem to be against them are marginalised, attacked, or eliminated.

Those who they regard as untrustworthy are dismissed.

They bear grudges, which are used as justification for assaulting others.

They can be persuasive orators and have an hypnotic effect on their audience.

They justify their attacks on others by saying they are victims of conspiracies, even if untrue.

They are constantly suspicious that people are plotting against them.

They are pathological liars, and try to convert their lies into reality.

They make cruel decisions to injure opponents, and lack empathy for their victims.

They invent rumours, to give false reasons for their attacks.

They are aggressive when they do not get what they want.

They do not apologise when caught lying, and do not take responsibility for their actions.

They may smile to your face, but will order others to attack you if you are not loyal to them.

They believe their rules should be the law, rather than democratic laws made by elected officials.

Paranoid Politicians Are Dangerous

Beware of paranoiacs in all walks of life. They promise a lot, but it is usually to serve their own interests and distorted views of the world. They may sound plausible, but once in power, they cause havoc and destruction.

They regard themselves as above the law, and will appoint judges and local governors to support their views. They do likewise in the military and the police forces, as demonstrated by Hitler, Stalin and Mao. They create corruption and crime.

A country, or organization, controlled by a person with high paranoia will find itself in conflict. The paranoiac leader will break laws and contracts when it suits their convenience. They are specialists in corruption and committing fraud. Therefore, the number of legal disputes and time spent in court will increase.

The paranoic leader with power and money will try to buy off those who disagree with them. If that does not work, they treat them as enemies, who have to be removed from positions of power and replaced by their supporters who will be loyal Their aim is to win by any means, including bribery and the elimination of those who restrict their power.

So, avoid voting for or supporting paranoiacs. They are dangerous.

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The Power Of Amazing Career Stories

henry — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 05:50:54 +0000

The Power Of Amazing Career Stories

By Dr Charles Margerison
Psychologist

Introduction

What can we learn about our careers from amazing people like the two-time Nobel Prize winner – Dr Marie Curie, or the playwright – William Shakespeare, or Harriet Tubman – the slave who became a civil rights leader? Their life stories can give insights into what is possible, and gives an opportunity to research the psychological factors of career success.

Learning from Career Stories

We have reviewed the life stories of over 500 amazing people, to identify themes which we can all use for our own personal development. They include entrepreneurs, doctors, musicians, scientists, engineers, architects, explorers, spies, teachers, writers, politicians, and many others.

Some of them, such as Andrew Carnegie and Thomas Edison – the mega rich industrialists, had little or no formal education. Some technology entrepreneurs, like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, left college without qualifications to follow their business dreams. Other high achievers, like Indira Gandhi and Marie Curie, were well educated. So, there is no particular one pathway.

With a focus on the psychology of career self-development, we look at key character aspects associated with achievement and success. In particular, we focus on what amazing people did. These key aspects are reflected in both their words and deeds.

The principal message that we see emerging is that each of the amazing achievers were the authors of their own career. Before they led others, they established their own leadership plan. In doing this they:-

Identified their areas of interest.
Focused their efforts on those areas to gain skills and experience.
Developed objectives and gave themselves permission to implement them.
Persisted despite setbacks and difficulties.
Gained support and developed networks to coordinate work activities.

Hopes and Fears

Each of our amazing people had a start point that we can refer to as their ‘self-talk.’ In each case, this is based on their level of optimism or pessimism with regard to the issues they faced. They all had hopes and fears. Amazing people converted their fears and concerns into hopes and plans.

As they interacted and learned from others, they developed a personal script. At the general level, they focused on concepts and ideas that had a personal appeal. In effect, they observed family, friends, and colleagues – and said ‘I would like to do that,’ or ‘I do not want to do that.’

Mozart heard his father play the violin and was keen to do likewise. Harriet Tubman was born to a family in slavery, and resolved to escape and use her time and abilities as she chose. Marie Curie made the bold decision to follow her sister to study for a science degree in France, as women were not allowed to enter universities in Poland, where she was born.

Some amazing people have said they reacted to events and conditions. They observed fear and developed plans to give themselves and others hope. Dr Barnardo started his shelters for the homeless when he saw boys with no homes in London. Sojourner Truth was a slave in America who ran away to make a new life because of the harsh conditions. Florence Nightingale felt she had to serve as a nurse as part of her religious beliefs, to help those in need. In each case, they found a cause they believed in that they felt was important both for their own lives and those they served.

Personal Scripts

In each case, the careers of these people started when they developed their own positive life script plan. That is the equivalent of a personal map. Although each script is different, they all have the following elements:-

– Purpose – amazing people discovered a purpose that motivated their actions.

– Principles/Beliefs – each person developed a set of beliefs to fit and drive their purpose.

– Perception – they used their intuition to identify opportunities in their chosen area.

– Skills – each amazing person developed relevant skills to fulfill their purpose.

– Time – they used their time to focus on achieving their purpose.

– Organisation – they developed networks to help them.

– Persistence – the amazing people were determined and resilient, despite difficulties.

– Adaptability – they were action learners and adjusted their approach to fit the needs.

It is clear that each amazing person had their own pattern of work preferences that were central to their self-talk and script. For example, Shakespeare focused on writing and did not try to become a musician. Mozart focused on music and did not try to be a scientist. Marie Curie focused on research and did not try to be a business entrepreneur. Carnegie focused on being a businessman and did not try to be a doctor.

Therefore, identifying ones preferences and interests early in life is an important part of career success. Increasingly, schools are trying to help students in this area, and some use psychometric-designed questionnaires. My work in that area indicates that it is difficult for students with limited or no work experience to make choices. As an alternative, I have tested an approach linked to the careers of amazing people.

Summary

Career choices are a dilemma for many. For example, there is a recognition that to succeed in medicine, accounting, engineering and other professions, will take up to five years to qualify. This is followed by many more years of practise in order to develop the requisite skill levels. Therefore, the career choice decision is one that will determine one’s lifestyle and level of wellbeing.

The understanding of amazing people career exemplars can help people to clarify their interests. The important thing is to give people the opportunity to share and compare their views with others. It is this discussion above all that enables people to identify their preferences and make choices. Identifying and recognizing character strengths and the skillsets required to succeed in any role is key.

For more information, please visit – www.amazingcareerinfo.com

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Can Do Kids Worldwide

henry — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 03:38:26 +0000

Can Do Kids Worldwide

By Dr Charles Margerison
Psychologist

Learning About Countries & Cultures

How can Primary students learn about people and places beyond their own country?

Can Do Kids Worldwide provides an engaging interactive online platform to help students between the ages of 7 and 11 develop an understanding of different countries, and cultures.

It does so via the travel adventures of the Can Do Kids Band. These are five intrepid teenage musicians who tour countries and share what they learn about people and places.

– Ravi is a talented bass guitarist, and shares his knowledge of India, where he was born.

– Lin plays the piano keyboard and brings her experience of Chinese culture.

– Ace keeps the band in time using his drum skills and introduces African rhythms, reflecting his heritage.

– Amy, from the USA, is an engaging singer with a pitch-perfect voice.

– Oz, the lead guitarist, is from Australia and enjoys exploring new places.

Virtual Travel To Explore The World

In addition to touring their own countries, the Can Do Kids visit Spain, Brazil, Japan, and other countries. During their visits, they stay with students from local schools who show them their ways of life.

Students in primary schools can travel virtually with the Can Do Kids and learn about food, dress, language, dance and cultures in many communities. As a result, they acquire ‘virtual passports’ of the countries they visit.

Education Applications

Teachers have developed many innovative applications of the Can Do Kids Band online travel education resources. In particular, they have used the five minute videos on each of the countries featured, to facilitate group discussions amongst students. These discussions enable students to share what they know about the country in question, especially if they have been there on holiday or have relatives who live there. The discussions also enable the students to have friendly group competitions using quiz questions.

An example lesson of 50 minutes involves the tutor introducing the country and showing a short video. Students then meet for 15-20 minutes in groups of four or five, to discuss questions about the country. Presentations are then made by each group on the key points, and the teacher reviews the key points and assigns any follow up work.

Some interesting outcomes include:

Distances & Navigation – Students were asked to draw a map of the country visited, the USA, and indicate the places explored on their virtual tour. This provided the basis for engaging group discussions.

Outdoor Education – A teacher introduced the country and people of Brazil to her class via the Can Do Kids education resources. This led to an outdoor lesson where students looked at plants that would grow in the Amazon Forest.

Touring and Exploring – A five-minute video about Australia from the online resources was shown to a class. Students then met in groups of four or five to decide where they would like to explore and why. The discussions helped them to develop team communication skills and was followed by presentations to the whole class.

The Can Do Spirit & Perseverance

In each one of these activities, we encouraged students to show their ‘can do spirit.’ This is what all explorers and people of achievement have done.

Can do spirit can be learned. It is the mindset that enables a person to persevere, despite the problems and difficulties they may face. It involves positive thinking and persistence. It includes –

Developing ideas.
Testing those ideas in safe and practical ways.
Exploring and implementing applications.
Drawing conclusions to develop plans and priorities.
Organizing yourself and others to take action.
Supporting others on their can-do voyages.
Learning from experiences and adapting.
Setting new challenges in order to improve.

Every student needs to develop their can-do spirit and character to meet challenges on the road of life. This is reflected in the voyages of the Can Do Kids.

Improved Knowledge

As a result of using www.candokidsband.com education resources in both classroom and home study, we have found that students:-

Widen their horizons and interests.
Improve their ability to write about people and places.
Develop their conversation skills.
Have a better understanding of people from different countries and cultures.
Understand intercultural issues and relationships.
Learn about international affairs and travel.

In particular, students:-

learn about people and places.
appreciate cultural differences.
gain relevant information before making decisions.
see the links between school subjects and real-world applications.
develop personal strengths.

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Amazing Thinkers

henry — Mon, 13 May 2024 04:41:35 +0000

Amazing Thinkers

By Dr Charles Margerison
Psychologist

Introduction

What are the most important words that we should encourage students to use? In my view, Rudyard Kipling summed them up in his great poem called ‘If’

He said, that six words which led to questions taught him all he knew. They were:

Case Example

Recently, I had the opportunity to work with some teachers at Springbrook State School in Queensland, Australia. Sarah Jane Ash, the Principal, invited myself and colleagues to conduct a class about the amazing people who set up the inaugural Australian colony called New South Wales, in 1788.

The students were aged between 8 and 11 and, to help learn about the situation, we gave students the above six words. In group discussions, we asked them to come up with questions that they would pose to people from that era.

Learning with Questions

So began a fascinating discussion. In the process, the students began to think about a range of issues….

Why did the 11 ships set sail?
Why did it take 252 days to arrive?
What was life like on board the ships?
How did they survive, when they arrived in New South Wales?
What would it have been like to be a convict, as over one third of the people on the voyage had been sent as prisoners?
How did their arrival affect the Indigenous tribes who inhabited the area around what we now call the city of Sydney?

Afterwards, the students reviewed what they had learned. Many interesting comments arose. In the process, it was clear the students had developed their ability to think. By using the six key questioning words, they had improved their skill in gaining and using information.

“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.” – Henry Ford.

Amazing People and Questions

Looking at the lives of amazing people like Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, President Lincoln, Florence Nightingale, Dr Louis Pasteur and others, it is clear that their ability to think led them to break down barriers. Rather than taking the situation for granted, they asked fundamental questions and perceived ways of developing responses that advanced our understanding.

The Socratic Method is based on asking questions. Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher, said that questions were the way to truth. But, they need to be put in a form that facilitates discussion, rather than in an accusing and judgmental way.

Questions and Achievements

In my research on the lives of amazing people, I have found that those who succeeded had the ability to ask questions and find answers that opened up new ways of looking at traditional ways of doing things. Many of these amazing people went on to make fortunes.

In his research, Thomas Edison had done thousands of experiments that did not work. One of his team asked, why he continued. He responded that they had learned a great deal from the so called failures and would soon find the right questions and the answers to create a light bulb. Today, we are the beneficiaries of his thinking and determination.

So, amazing thinkers had the courage to follow their curiosity. They not only asked questions, but took action to find the answers. They challenged conventional thinking.

Galileo asked if the Earth was the centre of the universe and how did it relate to the Sun? His experiments shocked the scholars and priests and caused him to be convicted as a heretic, despite having discovered a law of nature.

Louis Pasteur asked questions about the causes of illness and made breakthroughs that led to the understanding of how bacteria are the basis for germs that cause infection.

Marie Curie, the only woman to have been awarded two Nobel Prizes for science, also asked basic questions to advance her research in both physics and chemistry that led to the discovery of cancer treatments.

Irena Sendler saw families being sent to the gas chambers by the Nazis and asked what could be done to save some Jewish children? As a result, she saved over 2000 of them, before falling victim to arrest and horrific torture by the Germans.

Summary

So, what is it that we should focus upon in education?

Of course, we must teach students to read and write and to do mathematics. But, what is the point of having those skills, if they do not think beyond the proverbial? To become valued citizens, they need to look beyond the current situation and ask how we deal with difficult problems, such as; fairness, equal opportunity, and the creation of a culture that respects people. To do that, we need all students to use the six key question words. Those will help them focus on gaining evidence and making sound judgments.

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Bioview Life Scripts

henry — Fri, 03 May 2024 02:57:51 +0000

Bioview Life Scripts

By Dr Charles Margerison
Psychologist

Life Script Writing To Support Character & Wellbeing

Teachers are expected to provide guidance to students on character development and wellbeing issues. However, most teachers have not been provided with specific training on such issues. This article provides a practical approach that can be used in lessons on science, music, social studies, history, literature, plus applications in technology and business education classes.

It involves what I have named the Bioview Method. The term bioview is derived from biographical interview. In effect, a bioview is a written interview that a student creates after researching the life of an amazing person that they regard as inspiring.

In the process, the student identifies the character factors that enabled people like William Shakespeare, Harriet Tubman, Thomas Edison and Dr Marie Curie to succeed despite the difficulties they faced. They can also note the issues that influenced the wellbeing of the people and see how those issues can be used in their own lives.

The Bioview Method has been used in a range of American, UK and Australian schools with students ranging in age from 8 to 18. It has been used in classrooms that focus on different curriculum topics including science, social studies, and history. It has also been used to facilitate discussion on cultural factors in different societies and the impact on character and wellbeing.

Applications & Process – Guide For Writing Your Script

Students are asked to choose an inspirational person from history to study. The steps in creating a bioview are as follows:

The student sets out a number of questions that they wish to explore about the life of the amazing person chosen. This can be based on what is often called the Achievements Model (shown below). The key words provide the start point for a research question. An example could be the word Aspirations. The student therefore can research what aspirations the chosen person had in their work.

The student can research in various ways to gather information about the work of their chosen person and their life and times.

The student can discuss their questions and findings with other students to provide mutual support.

The student can then write a bioview on the named person. This is done in the first person singular. Each line should be short and make a point of opinion, a fact or a description.
At the end of the process, each student should write a document that covers the following questions:
At the end of the process, each student should write a document that covers the following questions:

What did I learn about character development and wellbeing from this project?
In particular, what did I learn about my own character and wellbeing from doing the project?

This is the very important reflective aspect that enables a student to focus on their character development and wellbeing, rather than just completing the project task and gaining a mark from the teacher.

Understanding Of Achievements

Students can understand how amazing people developed their contributions by following the achievements model. By reading the bioview of an amazing person the student can perceive what the inspirational person did. They can then write a reflective review indicating how they could apply the main issues arising to their own lives. They can do this in the following ways based on the four key words in the achievements model:

Abilities – What abilities did the amazing person in the bioview exhibit? Which of these do you intend to focus upon to improve your own achievements?
Aspirations – We all have ideas and dreams that we convert to aspirations and ambitions. What do you regard as the main aspirations of the person whose life story you have read? What are your own aspirations and ambitions?
Attitudes – What were the main attitudes that you detected in the life story of the amazing person? Which of these will you focus upon in order to improve your achievements?
Applications – What were the major applications that the amazing person used in order to succeed? What applications do you need to make in your own life in terms of how you use your time and energy in order to succeed?

The Psychology Of Self-Understanding

The most important part of learning is understanding how to use one’s time in a way that engenders happiness and a style of life that sustains wellness. The Margerison Bioview Method is an important part of that. It enables students to understand how people who made major achievements in life used their time and talents.

In the process, they all had to face personal challenges such as illness, accidents, loss of friends and family and deal with the everyday issues of earning a living. The Bioview Method provides students with the opportunity to see how amazing people met those challenges and learn from them.

Learning Principles To Raise Aspirations

All students need to understand how they can make a success of their lives. By creating biographical interviews (bioviews) of amazing people, who converted ideas into achievements, students can raise their levels of aspiration and ambition.

In the process, they will gain the ability to write their own life scripts by choosing important issues and priorities. By researching the contributions and achievements of inspirational people, in the context of their culture and time, students can also become inspired to make important contributions and achievements in their lives.

1 – Character and Wellbeing Learning Principle – This proposes that a student will learn more about their own character development and wellbeing issues if they have an interest in, and study, the life of inspiring people via the Bioview Method.

2 – Motivation and Engagement Principle – This proposes that a student’s curiosity and commitment to learning about character, wellbeing and achievement capabilities will increase by discussing with others and developing important questions for a virtual bioview investigation.

3 – Life Research Abilities Principle – This proposes that a student’s abilities to research both objective and subjective issues associated with the philosophy, psychology and sociology of the lives of inspirational people will improve as they research and write bioviews.

4 – Understanding Self and Others Principle – This proposes that a student’s ability to empathise with others and also understand their own character and wellbeing issues will improve by researching and writing the bioviews of people they regard as inspirational.

5 – Personal Development Principle – This proposes that a student’s character and wellbeing plan to guide their behaviour and life choices will improve by discussing and writing a response to the following question – “What did I learn that I can use in my own life from the bioview project?”

Self-Understanding

The psychology of self-understanding is an ongoing process. A foundation is to perceive what others did and the character concepts they focused upon. By looking at the psychology of self and others, students can learn how it is possible to develop confidence and determination to pursue one’s dreams. That is what amazing people did. Helen Keller, Hans Wilsdorf, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela and Caroline Chisholm are inspirational exemplars of those who developed their character and used their time well.

Considerable research is now being done on character and wellbeing issues amongst students and adults. Seligman ^[1] and his colleagues have written a number of books and articles that reflect on the importance of optimism, persistence, resilience for example as character factors that influence wellbeing. In all, 24 major factors have been outlined.

The Jubilee Centre ^[2], linked to Birmingham University in the U.K., focus on the four key areas of Intellectual, Moral, Civic and Performance virtues as fundamental to character development.

The application of all these values and virtues in the classroom takes time and competes with the pressure on teachers to prepare students for examinations. While schools increasingly focus on character and wellbeing they can learn a lot from organizations such as the Scouts and Girl Guides who have developed well tested approaches.

Character and wellbeing education has many dimensions, inclusive of the psychology processes of self-understanding and how that links to the philosophy of ethics and the study of cultural beliefs and behaviour. As a start point it would help if the psychology of self-development was integral to the school curriculum as a foundation subject at all stages of a student’s school life.

Educators As Facilitators

The role of the teacher is that of a facilitator, or consultant adviser, to help students explore their character and wellbeing issues and how they can be implemented. This can be done in the subject area within which a teacher is a specialist.

So, for example, a science teacher can introduce a bioview on the life of Dr Marie Curie or Dr Louis Pasteur. A music teacher can ask the students to research the life of Mozart or Ella Fitzgerald. History and Social Studies teachers can introduce the bioviews on the lives of Florence Nightingale or Dr Barnardo. Business studies teachers can refer to the bioviews on the lives of Coco Chanel or William Lever. Geography teachers can provide bioviews on explorers like Captain Cook or Amy Johnson.

There are many inspiring life stories that provide students with exemplars for character development and wellbeing. Therefore, the approach is applicable to all curriculum subject areas.

Life Writing – An Integrated Approach

Character education and wellbeing can be encouraged by providing students the opportunity to learn with and from others who used their time well to make important achievements.

The bioview process can be used on a whole school basis in assemblies and then linked to specific applications in class projects. The approach has been used in a wide range of schools for students between the ages of 8 and 18. In each case, the approach supports the curriculum topics as an integrated approach that also helps students learn about their own character and wellbeing.

References

Peterson, Christopher; Seligman, Martin E.P. (2004) Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-516701-5

Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues (2015) Statement on Teacher Education and Character Education. Birmingham: University of Birmingham. Online at: http://www.jubileecentre.ac.uk/userfiles/jubileecentre/pdf/character-education/Statement_on_Teacher_Education_and_Character_Education.pdf

Arthur, J., Kristjánsson, K., Harrison, T., Sanderse, W., and Wright, D. (2017) Teaching Character and Virtue in Schools. London: Routledge

Margerison C. J. (2017) Character, Citizenship and Culture. Research Paper for Amazing People Worldwide – www.amazingpeopleworldwide.com

Goleman, D. (2013) Focus. Bloomsbury Publishing, London. ISBN 978 1 4088 2911 0

Seligman, M. (2011) Flourish. W Heineman, Australia. ISBN 978 1 86471 298 8

The post Bioview Life Scripts appeared first on AMAZING PEOPLE WORLDWIDE.

Writing Your Leadership Script

henry — Thu, 02 May 2024 03:57:52 +0000

Writing Your Leadership Script

By Dr Charles Margerison
Psychologist

Introduction

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” William Shakespeare.

Shakespeare was a script writer who gave us many wise words about life. But who is writing the script of your life? Who is writing the script for your organization?

I have researched the lives of over 500 amazing people and studied the scripts that they have written. Some of them were great musicians. Their scripts come in the form of musical symbols and notes. The work of outstanding mathematicians comes in the form of formulae. Architects developed scripts via designs and calculations. So did the great engineers like Stephenson and Brunel. Numerical scripts are developed in accountancy and finance to guide our decisions on investments and business operations.

Today’s Script Writing

More and more, we find that scripts are being written via software and a computerized language to create applications that provide amazing operations via mobile phones and other devices.

But, writing in the language that Shakespeare used is still a major form for scripts to guide our thoughts and action at work. Increasingly, the scripts are written by lawyers to put ideas into a protected form in case disputes develop. In short, the scriptwriters are important and the ability to develop one or more of the script writing languages is vital for success.

Therefore, as I have noted in studying the lives of Edison, Curie, Mozart, Nightingale, Einstein, Brunel, and many others, they all succeeded because they developed their ability to script a plan and communicate it clearly to others.

The development of students in schools and universities should therefore concentrate more on scriptwriting. This can be done by giving students practice in developing project proposals. By writing down a plan, the student gains confidence in creating and presenting their script.

The same is true for leaders in organizations. The construction of the script is the first step towards leadership. The development of that script with team members into a plan of action where people know who will do what and when, and how, is the key to implementing the script.

Margerison Communication & Problem Solving Model (CPS)

Script writing is a skill that can be learned. One way to start is to use the Margerison Communication and Problem Solving Model as shown below. This will be available along with our powerful amazing career development stories Here.

Enquiry skills focus on the ability to establish important questions and to find relevant information.

Diagnostic skills refer to the ability to interpret information to identify causes and consequences.

Summarizing skills are very important in meetings to ensure people have a sound understanding of the issues.

Proposing skill help move discussions forward in order to test options and work toward solutions.

Coordinating skills are vital to ensure action is taken and followed through to gain effective solutions.

All scripts have a start, middle and end. Usually, the start is the problem or challenge. Defining the problem clearly is the first step and the skill of Enquiry will help that.

Diagnosing the problem is the second step in order to gain clarity on causes of issues. These steps can then lead to a Proposal script, which needs to be tested and assessed. After that has been done, a script for implementation can be developed. In addition, there needs to be a Summary script, so everyone knows what is being done and why.

Script writing as Shakespeare has shown us, is an art. It can be learned through practice. That needs to be built on a focused approach to problem solving.

Leadership above all is a function of judgement on how to respond to problems and challenges. Developing the script is a start point and many people can contribute to the research and development. Beyond that it needs vision and clear communication. The art of the scriptwriter at many levels, is a key to the education of students and the performance of managers.

Summary

Each person needs to be the scriptwriter of their own life. Those who have identified an important purpose, such as the exemplars mentioned above, developed their beliefs into action. Helping people find a purpose is important. By studying the lives of amazing people, one can see the life scripts that they developed, and thereby assess areas of interest. This is an integral part of self-development science, based on action learning from experience.

The post Writing Your Leadership Script appeared first on AMAZING PEOPLE WORLDWIDE.

Character Citizenship and Confidence

henry — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 04:28:21 +0000

Character, Citizenship and Confidence

By Dr Charles Margerison
Psychologist

Synopsis

The development of students depends upon their perception and experience combined with guidance from theory and knowledge. This article outlines some of the important ideas that have been researched over many generations. In particular, it outlines processes to help develop student confidence.

Attributions and Real Behaviours

We often refer to a person being of good character. That is an attribution, which can mean the person is honest, works hard, has not been in trouble with the law, is helpful to others and is recognised in the community as someone who makes a contribution to others over time.

Is that what character education in schools should be about?

Others may say that character education is about identifying and developing one’s strengths and using those to the best advantage to be a winner rather than a loser in the competitive battlefield of life. In effect, it is real behaviours that count, not attributions. Darwin said that those who survive are effective at adapting to circumstances. That is a strong basis for character development.

Many studies have been made to identify key aspects of character with the aim of designing training and education to enable students to develop those behaviours. In addition, religious groups have defined behaviours they regard as essential to living a virtuous life.

Organisations like the Scouts develop criteria and practical exercises to guide their members. Military units around the world focus on character training by conditioning their troops to fight the enemy.

So, these religious, military and social organisations have developed structured experiences for socialising and controlling their members. But what should schools do? They can help students develop their confidence to behave in positive and effective ways. One approach that we have tried with success is called Amazing People Interviews.

Process

The process can work as follows:

Teacher chooses a theme, such as courage.
Examples of amazing people who exhibited courage are provided.
Students are asked to gather information on someone who they think exhibited courage.
Students are also asked to develop some questions to another student about when they have exhibited courage.
The interviewer keeps notes and writes up the interview as a newspaper story on courage.
Roles are then reversed, and the other person is interviewed, and the story is written.
Both students also write up what they learned about their own character as a result of the interviews and assess their confidence in doing so.

Implications for Student Confidence and Self-Development

Character, citizenship, and confidence education requires an innovative approach from teachers. Indeed, the word teacher needs to be reviewed. You can teach someone mathematics or science, where you are imparting specific knowledge and techniques. But, the social factors associated with character education, such as confidence, require the skills of a facilitator, where the issues are more open-ended.

Their roles can be defined in two key areas of teaching/training and facilitating/coaching. Character, citizenship and confidence education focus more on the psychological needs of the students, in terms of their personalities and making the best of their opportunities. These areas deal with the issues of growing up, attitudes, ambitions, relationships, and the building of confidence.

Learning from Amazing People

My research has focused on the important issues that we can learn from amazing people who made major contributions. For example, Mozart dealt with such issues from a young age. A question he faced was how to make the most of his talent? That is a question every student can ask as part of character development.

Another example is that of a person who did not receive a formal education. It took Harriet Tubman a long time to escape from slavery, where her role and life was dominated and defined by the slave masters.

The essence of self-development and confidence is to enable students to become both independent and interdependent, so they can flourish. Learning with and from people who triumphed over adversity is a way to inspire students. They can then realise how others overcame problems. Elvis Presley, for example, had few friends at school because of a stammer. Thomas Edison, who founded the General Electric Company and registered 1093 patents, left formal schooling at the age of seven because he was profoundly deaf. He continued his schooling at home, where he was taught by his mother, until he went to work at the age of thirteen.

Theory and Evidence for Self-Development

Robert Merton(1) developed the self-fulfilling prophecy theory. He argued that in order to succeed on a regular basis, we need to have a firm belief in both the process and the result. In effect, people who write a positive script, and follow it, are more likely to succeed. That is at the heart of confidence building.

Albert Bandura(2) added to this with his research, which says that self-efficacy is belief in one’s ability to succeed in specific situations to accomplish a task.

John Dewey(3), the education philosopher, emphasised the importance of living an experience and reflecting on the learning gained.

David McLelland(4) showed that people have different need achievement levels, but our performance can be improved by guided training in self-belief as well as practice.

Dr Reg Revans(5) showed that action learning in groups had a higher impact when people learnt with and from each other by sharing and comparing the action they took.

These and other studies have led to positive behaviour development. Social cognitive theory and practice is now used by leading sports people, who are guided by psychologists and improved performances are measured.

In schools, the importance of psychology in character education is being increasingly recognised, but there is a long way to go on confidence building applications. Students can observe and model their behaviour on exemplars, such as amazing people. Next, the students need to have opportunities to practice those behaviours and be rewarded when they improve. After that, they need to have regular applications and feedback to enhance self-development and positive self-image when they succeed. In short, Observe, Imitate, Replicate, Innovate.

Amazing People Exemplars

Amazing people provide examples and evidence to assist students. The message is to discuss not what they did, but how they did it. That moves Social Cognitive Theory into the realm of application based on real cases.

Amazing people, like Shakespeare and Dr Marie Curie, created processes that enabled them to develop themselves and achieve. For example, they used their time well. They realised they needed teams and worked to build supportive relationships. They converted opportunities into achievements. These were practical applications that enhanced their confidence.

That is what students can learn from conducting virtual interviews with amazing people.

Teamwork and Self-Development

Teamwork is an essential aspect of confidence education. Throughout life we need to work with others to achieve goals. Amazing People such as Mozart, Dr Marie Curie, Maria Montessori, Dr Louis Pasteur, Andrew Carnegie, Gandhi, and many others, only succeeded because they had the support of people working in teams.

The essence of teamwork is the ability to co-operate with others, while at the same time exercising leadership within one’s own area of special talent. People who have succeeded through the ages, such as Michelangelo, Amelia Earhart, Dr Elizabeth Blackwell, Dr Alexander Fleming and other high achievers, all recognised the importance of developing their ideas through effective teamwork.

Adaptation Skills

Character, citizenship and confidence education need to provide practical opportunities, such as useful projects, where students can learn with and from each other, by taking action and making contributions that enhance their abilities.

Those who adapt well are open to new learning and change their approach to fit the circumstances. Migrant students face the challenges of adaptation more so than those born into the local school environment. However, it is important to develop adaptation skills for all students. They will all be faced with many changes in their lives, particularly when they start work.

Self-development confidence building education should include opportunities to gain experience in unusual situations. In particular, students should develop the skills of learning with and from each other in situations where they have little experience. Projects that encourage students to go beyond their normal routines will test their ability to adapt. Becoming effective in teamwork is vital, as is the ability to establish relations with those from other groups and cultures who can help them.

Those who practise self-development are recognised as characters who contribute. Examples include William Lever, Joseph Rowntree, Coco Chanel and Elizabeth Arden. To assist students, we can help them develop important categories to guide their thinking on issues such as justice and other aspects of social contributions rather than just career issues.

For each project the students can be guided on how to develop checklists for action with regard to the six key questions of What, When, How, Where, Who, Why! This will help them contribute effectively in class and use their time well.

Key Elements of Self-Development

Therefore, the following five Cs are vital in self-development:

Competence
Contributions
Choices
Checklists
Confidence

Character is recognised by contributions, based on one’s competence. Amazing people used their time well to achieve. All students need confidence to succeed. This is the key to the psychology of self-development. Confidence comes from practical applications and success.

Every meeting you have with another person, whether it be in the classroom or social life, either raises or lowers your confidence. Character education should help students meet the challenges and maintain their confidence, even in difficult situations.

Thoughts in Action

Our character is tested and formed by our experiences at school, work and in our social life.

In these situations, you will hear many comments, which move between general and specific statements. Likewise, there are general and specific questions. People who are successful at problem solving use both effectively. In addition, they focus on both reasons and emotions.

Our character reflects our values and applications of those in day-to-day life. Amazing people showed how they confronted many challenges and succeeded despite difficulties. They can be exemplars to students, as well as their teachers and parents, providing action is taken on the key points. Effective action defines the essence of all amazing people.

Self-Development and Confidence Issues

We can be taught, and we can learn, but the measure of our contributions is in our achievements. You can improve your level of achievement by converting attitudes, ambitions and abilities into project applications.

Amazing people like Galileo, Emily Brontë, Brunel, Dr Elizabeth Blackwell and others focused on self-development in order to gain success. Based on a study of over 500 amazing people of achievement, I have identified the following factors as shown in the model.

Achievements – Amazing people focused on getting results and did not stop until they had achieved the objectives they set.

Attitudes – Amazing people adopted a positive ‘can do’ and ‘will do’ approach, rather than having negative defeatist thoughts.

Abilities – Amazing people identified their abilities and invested in improving their performance.

Ambitions – Amazing people set their goals and objectives, rather than waste time on too many activities.

Applications – Amazing people chose application projects that matched their abilities and focused on regular practical performances, in order to improve their outputs and level of achievement.

These factors are guides to every student and adult who wishes to engage in self-development and meet the issues and problems that will inevitably arise in their lives. Within the model, there are four areas for special focus.

Challenges – We have daily projects that are challenges, which require pro-active problem solving skills.

Plans – To succeed in any project we need to have objectives; the allocation of time and money; and an indication of what will be done by whom and when.

Projects – These are the practical tasks which enable people to test their skills and learn from experience in the process of achieving results.

Experiences – As a result of taking action, people can learn by reflecting on the activities which went well and also where they identified areas for improvement. This is called action learning.

Summary

Character, citizenship and confidence education is a process of learning through engagement. To understand our experience we need concepts such as self-development and other terms such as courage, resilience, curiosity, persistence, as well as wider social terms, such as justice and democracy.

Amazing people focused on self-development and in the process developed strong characteristics, which enabled them to adapt to ever changing social, economic and political circumstances. They triumphed as a result of hard work and persistence, often in the face of overwhelming odds.

Personal development factors were for many of the amazing people more important than any formal education, as that was sadly lacking during their time. People like Thomas Edison, Harriet Tubman, Michael Marks, Maria Montessori and Dr Marie Curie succeeded despite the initial lack of opportunities and opposition.

Both students and adults can learn how to improve their levels of confidence and achievement by understanding the attitudes, ambitions, abilities and applications as exemplified by amazing people.

References

Merton, Robert K. (1968-08-01). Social Theory and Social Structure. New York, NY, US: Free Press. ISBN 0-02-921130-1.
Bandura, A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Dewey, John (1938). Experience & Education. New York, NY: Kappa Delta Pi. ISBN 0-684-83828-1
McClelland, D.C., Atkinson, J.W., Clark, R.A., and Lowell, E.L. (1953). The Achievement Motive. NY: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Revans, R. W. 1982. The origin and growth of action learning. Brickley, UK: Chartwell-Bratt.

Synopsis

Attributions and Real Behaviours

Is that what character education in schools should be about?

Process

The process can work as follows:

Teacher chooses a theme, such as courage.
Examples of amazing people who exhibited courage are provided.
Students are asked to gather information on someone who they think exhibited courage.
Students are also asked to develop some questions to another student about when they have exhibited courage.
The interviewer keeps notes and writes up the interview as a newspaper story on courage.
Roles are then reversed, and the other person is interviewed, and the story is written.
Both students also write up what they learned about their own character as a result of the interviews and assess their confidence in doing so.

Implications for Student Confidence and Self-Development

Learning from Amazing People

Theory and Evidence for Self-Development

Albert Bandura(2) added to this with his research, which says that self-efficacy is belief in one’s ability to succeed in specific situations to accomplish a task.

John Dewey(3), the education philosopher, emphasised the importance of living an experience and reflecting on the learning gained.

David McLelland(4) showed that people have different need achievement levels, but our performance can be improved by guided training in self-belief as well as practice.

Dr Reg Revans(5) showed that action learning in groups had a higher impact when people learnt with and from each other by sharing and comparing the action they took.

Amazing People Exemplars

That is what students can learn from conducting virtual interviews with amazing people.

Teamwork and Self-Development

Adaptation Skills

Key Elements of Self-Development

Therefore, the following five Cs are vital in self-development:

Competence
Contributions
Choices
Checklists
Confidence