Last week I was in Las Vegas, Nevada doing a motivational teacher in-service program for club advisors in the Clark County School District. It was a great gathering of educators who go beyond classroom teaching to lead kids in every extra-curricular activity you can think of including student council, chess club, Key Club and a myriad of others.
Many teachers don’t realize that students join clubs not only to indulge their interests, but to connect with like-minded students. It’s easy to get lonely at school, and clubs are a great place to build meaningful friendships. I meet so many teens with a horrible home life and neglectful or abusive parents. Extra-curricular activities get these kids out of the house and into a more supportive setting. Often the club advisor is the only healthy adult role model they have.
During our training we talked about teambuilding within clubs and how these activities provide young people with developmental assets (check out The Search Institute). We also discussed techniques for building rapport with students and helping them overcome self-imposed obstacles. I also did a session on business skills for teachers so they can negotiate more effectively to get products and services for their clubs.
Overall it was a great day and a real inspiration to meet so many educators who go above and beyond for students.
Related posts:
- Motivating Educators in Wyoming
- Keynoting for the Southern Association of Student Councils
- July 2009, Motivational Speaker Scott Greenberg
