How to be a Spirit Whisperer

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Job Cunningham
6 years ago
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1 How to be a Spirit Whisperer Based on the book Spirit Whisperers by Chick Moorman Karen Waechter

2 Who are Spirit Whisperers? Spirit Whisperers are people who are way showers. They are motivated by an inner drive to go beyond the traditional curriculum based teaching to help you become all who you are meant to be.

3 How do we learn? We learn best when our mind, body, and spirit are taught without judgment. Before we can meet a person s academic needs, we must first try and meet their physical and emotional needs.

4 Which came first, the chicken or the egg? The author states that Spirit Whisperers care more about a student s attitude and energy than about his ability to memorize. (p1) Because of this we can definitely say, the chicken came first. Who one is, is more important than what they produce.

5 To Sink or Swim, that is the Question A successful Spirit Whisperer sees the whole picture, not just delivery of content. Spirit Whisperers teach students to swim. The curriculum is the water in which they learn.

6 I think I can, I think I can Spirit Whisperers encourage a student to believe in themselves and develop an internal standard with which to measure success. Like the Little Engine that Could, a positive attitude goes a long way towards success.

7 Do the Math Behavior = Choice This is the first of 13 basic beliefs the author says Spirit Whisperers follow.

8 Belief 1 Behavior = Choice For example: Following directions is a choice. Ignoring directions is a choice. Being on time is a choice. Being late is a choice.

9 Belief 2 Who s in Charge? We are not in control of all the things that happen in life, BUT we DO control who we are in relation to the events. Are you a Thermostat or Thermometer?

10 Belief 3 Spirit Whisperer energy is inside each of us. We all have an inner sense of character, responsibility and intelligence. It is the Spirit Whisperer s job to pull these out of each student, not just try and cram them in.

11 Belief 4 It s all perfect good or bad This provides the teachable moment when students debrief about an event by examining the choices they made and the results that happened. It s just an experience. It can make you bitter or better, it s your choice.

12 Belief 5 Being is as important as doing. The success of an action you choose depends on the attitude you choose to have when you do the action.

13 Belief 6 Wisdom is applied learning. You may know something intellectually, but until you apply that knowledge, you lack wisdom. + = Knowledge + Application = Wisdom

14 Belief 7 The process is as important as the product. The Spirit Whisperer wants the student to understand the cause/effect why things happen and to apply wisdom to change the outcome if they are unhappy with the results. Allowing students to search for a solution is a part of this process.

15 Belief 8 Attitudes are Caught We are always a role model to someone. They will do what we do more often than do what we say. Spirit Whisperers lead by example.

16 Belief 9 You NEVER get there! Spirit Whisperers know that we never arrive at our destination. Learning is a lifelong journey. We are always under construction in some area of our lives.

17 Belief 10 More = Better The Spirit Whisperer does not believe that having more (rules, homework, studying, discipline, etc.) is better. The Spirit Whisperer is interested in quality not necessarily in quantity.

18 Belief 11 If you build it, they will come A movie character once said, If you build it, they will come. He was talking about a baseball field. Spirit Whisperers believe when the teacher is ready, the student will appear. This means that they believe the students who enter their lives are there for a reason, to benefit them or the student.

19 Belief 12 One size does NOT fit all Spirit Whisperers believe that there is no one best way to teach. They actively pursue many techniques to draw out the learner inside of their students.

20 Belief 13 Being right doesn t work Does being right always work? Having the right of-way doesn t mean you re safe! Spirit Whisperers know how to go with the flow. I can t believe this happened to me! I had the right-of-way!

21 6 Principles Spirit Whisperers focus on 6 principles that along with the 13 beliefs, shape their behavior and attitudes in the classroom. The Principle of Suspended Judgment The Principle of Inner Knowing The Principle of Conscious Creation The Principle of Personal Responsibility The Principle of Personal Power The Principle of Oneness

22 Principle of Suspended Judgment The principle of suspended judgment is an attitude of acceptance. There is no right, no wrong, only consequences. To be right about something the mind needs something to be right about and someone to be wrong. When we make someone else wrong, they in turn want to be right. Spirit Whisperers don t play the Right/Wrong Game. They evaluate the situation with out judgment and hold students accountable for their actions.

23 Principle of Inner Knowing Spirit Whisperers encourage students to look within themselves for the answers. A person who has not learned to listen to their inner voice by adolescence becomes susceptible to peer pressure. Spirit Whisperers help student learn to trust their own judgment.

24 Principle of Conscious Creation Students create themselves by making decisions in 3 areas: behavior, thoughts and words. Spirit Whisperers help wake up students and encourage them tune into what they are doing at any given moment. Being aware means you pay attention to what is happening in your life, what you are doing, and possible consequences of your actions.

25 Principle of Personal Responsibility Spirit Whisperers work hard to help their students accept responsibility for their actions. They help the student find the connection between the cause and effect of a situation and their responsibility. Spirit Whisperers use attribute awareness activities to help students see the role they play in creating their own experiences. Here is an example of a cause/effect chart from 2 children fighting: I Choose I chose to get mad. I chose to rip a card. I chose to say a bad word. I chose to throw the cards at him. Result He got mad. I got in trouble. He threw the cards at me. I got in trouble, too

26 Principle of Personal Power To the Spirit Whisperer, power doesn t mean power over students. It comes from the Latin word potere which means to be able. A Spirit Whisperer s goal is empower the students by helping them see themselves as able, capable, valuable, and response-able.

27 Principle of Oneness Spirit Whisperers strive to create a sense of family and feelings of belonging in their classrooms. Everyone is a part of the larger whole and there is strength in unity. The concept of interdependence is a mark of a Spirit Whisperer s classroom.

28 Bibliography This power point presentation is based on the book, Spirit Whisperers by Chick Moorman. Published by Personal Power Press Merrill, Michigan 2001

1.7 The Spring Arbor University Community Covenant Biblical Principles

1.7 The Spring Arbor University Community Covenant As an academic community, Spring Arbor University is shaped by its commitment to Christian values found in the teachings of Jesus Christ, its historical