Finding success in the stress-relaxation cycle
A phone call from an excited father carried a very useful insight. "Last night I was trying to teach Gallen the name of 'w' in the alphabet," he eagerly reported, "but he just wasn't getting it. But, this morning, the first thing he did was to find a 'w' and call it by its name!"
Whether we are teaching a reading concept or working on a behavior issue, when we allow the power of 'the soak' to do its work, life with children can be much more relaxed by applying the 'the soaking principle' effectively.
Actually, it's based on common sense that we all know about: we just don't apply it very well. You see, all of life works on a cycle of stress and relaxation. From breathing to eating to exercising, the stress-relaxation principle applies to all of life.
That same principle can be applied very effectively to the teaching-learning process, from academic achievement to behavior management to skills development.
Consider little David who just wasn't understanding a matching exercise that a child his age normally accomplishes with little difficulty. In spite of working diligently with him during a particular work period, he showed no sign of understanding the exercise.
However, the next time he attended class seven days later, he completed that same exercise perfectly. Amazingly, 'the soaking principle' had done its work.
Many behavioral issues can be solved the same way when we apply this principle with patience and faith.
Take Sarah, who was refusing to raise her hand to be excused after lunch. However, her mother needed to leave, so I quietly suggested that she simply pick her up and go.
Later, laughing out loud, Sarah's mother called to say that halfway home she looked in the rear-view mirror to discover Sarah's raised hand.
"Yes dear," she replied. "May I please be excused?" Sarah asked.
And that did it. Never again did Sarah have difficulty asking to be excused in a proper way.
So, here's the message: applied with understanding and faith, this insight can help you end 'unsuccessful' teaching sessions successfully. How so? In the end, 'the soaking principle' can deliver success with less stress and more joy than you ever thought possible.
