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Maddening. People will throw bikes all over and not give a damn, but make something look like a big fancy expensive television and all the sudden it's the most precious cargo ever. I know it may be unhelpful from a communications perspective to say this, but: Bikes are good! Giant TVs are bad!

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This article inspired me to look for better solutions for my students from a resource standpoint. "How can I improve operations and performance within my classroom without overextending my energetic resources?" It's always tempting as a teacher, when students don't perform well, to harangue, beg, lecture, and so on. That means expending my energy beyond capacity and causing my students to feel frustrated and overwhelmed, not motivated to improve. Most of the time what students really need is to know you value them and believe in them. Turns out it takes way less energy to open class with a clear and simple directive, show kindness, and share words of encouragement on a daily basis than to get frustrated and lecture. Patience and quick, concise, creative redirection take energy, but not as much as losing patience and lecturing and getting angry/disappointed do. Today I saw a 90% reduction in "behaviors" and a huge increase in both their learning and my peace by applying the principles here— "the poetry of creativity and the crisp, precise rudiments of great operation".

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