My qualifications as an author are pretty basic. I teach and, even after 16 years in the trenches, I still love it. Most days, I show up with the enthusiasm of a modern day Mary Poppins (yes, having an English accent helps!) Cheerful and having fun in the classroom most days? Guilty as charged. Most days.So what about the “Certified NLP Practitioner” part of my author bio? Why do I add that qualification?
When I got involved with NLP years ago, it wasn’t with the goal of “practicing” on others. My goal was to deepen my understanding of how I was creating the experience of life I was creating. The reason I am sharing this is to show that my positive attitude and energy didn’t happen by chance. I don’t somehow inherit a “cheerful” gene. My enthusiasm and positivity about teaching are the results of years of introspection, self-improvement and intentionally cultivating “happy habits.”
I’ll agree that a certification in NeuroLinguistic Programming sounds nerdy. To me, it’s a fascinating field but I understand that not everyone shares my enthusiasm. Yet, quite a few people ask me about it (really!) I will explain what NLP is, and, more importantly, I will highlight one area that can have a PROFOUND effect on your experience as a teacher. If you are willing to read along with an open mind and an open heart and do the exercise I know you will find value in this.
What is NLP?
NLP is the study of how we create our experience of reality based on what we are doing with our
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Physiology (body posture)
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Focus (what we are thinking)
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Language (what we are communicating verbally, and our internal dialogue)
It is the study of how we recreate for ourselves negative patterns of thinking and behaviors. It provides awareness and gives us tools to develop new more productive habits. Now that sounds simple enough until we recognize that many of our thoughts and internal dialog happen on the subconscious level. It’s a large field of study with many layers. But if you want to use one area of NLP to immediately improve your teaching experience, keep reading.
How can NLP concepts immediately benefit my teaching?
One area that can immediately impact your teaching is the idea of uncovering and reprogramming limiting beliefs.
A limiting belief is a belief that we have about ourselves, others or situations that limit us. They are beliefs that do not serve us in some way. An example of a limiting belief is the belief that we are unworthy in some way, or that we’re too old to learn new things. A discussion of how you came to believe these things is beyond the scope of this post. But understand that many of our beliefs happen on a subconscious level.
So the first step here is to become aware of the beliefs that we hold about teaching.
Spend a couple of minutes contemplating these sentences.
I believe that teaching these days is …
I believe that students these days are …
I believe that parents these days are …
I believe that school administrators are …
A quick hint about the language you use. Any time you talk/think in absolutes (“all”, “every”, “always”, “never”) it is a clue that you are overgeneralizing and possibly (probably) entertaining a limiting belief.
I could be wrong, but here are some limiting beliefs that might have come up.
“Teaching these days is getting harder and harder.”
“Teachers are constantly overworked and exhausted.”
“Teaching is very stressful.”
“Society doesn’t appreciate teachers or compensate them fairly.”
“Students these days have no respect.”
“Students’ addiction to technology is making it impossible for me to keep them engaged.”
“Behavior in the classroom is getting worse and worse and I powerless to influence it because parents and administrators don’t care.”
“Parents don’t value education or make it a priority.”
“Parents don’t back me up when I try to hold their child accountable.”
“Parents are so disrespectful it’s no wonder their children act this way.”
“Administrators only care about test scores, not students or teachers.”
“Administrators are overpaid while we struggle to keep basic supplies in the classroom.”
Wow. It pained me to write that list! I’m sure a few of these beliefs resonated with you. It pained me because, some days, they resonate with me too. But I am getting better about catching myself when they enter my mind. I immediately stop and ask myself, “Wait, is that really true?”
So that’s the first step. Be aware that we have some limiting beliefs. Once we recognize that we have a limiting belief, we can make a choice to adopt a more productive one. Yes, we can choose what we believe! It’s not something we can do like turning on a switch. It takes time, intentionality and practice. But it can be done.
Next, recognize that a “belief” is a thought we have a habit of thinking. Again, the rub is that it might be a soundtrack running in the back of your mind. Many people, when confronted with their limiting beliefs, will defend it by saying, “Well it’s true!” And then cite evidence to back it up.
The short answer to that is this: the brain is a pattern-seeking mechanism. We are assaulted with an overwhelming amount of external stimuli in any given moment, and our brain will filter out information and evaluate it based on our beliefs. It will find a way to show us that our beliefs are true. I know that is a gross oversimplification, but most of us have taken classes in psychology at some point. It’s no different from the idea of a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s the notion that I pointed out in the Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers book. The idea that happy, positive people live in a happy world and negative, hostile people live in a hostile world. Same world.
So here is the heart of this discussion and how it can benefit you:
Don’t consider your beliefs about teaching and students in terms of whether or not they are TRUE. Evaluate them in terms of whether or not they are RESOURCEFUL.
Ask yourself, “Does this belief serve me and get me closer to my goal of a more joyful, productive, positive teaching experience or not?” That should be your criteria.
Once we realize that we have the ability to CHOOSE a more resourceful belief, the next step is to gather evidence to support it. One way is to start gathering evidence to dismantle the non-resourceful belief. For example, if you believe that “Students these days have no respect,” start looking for contrary evidence. Set your radar to be on the lookout for students who are demonstrating respectful behavior. Make a mental note of it. Or, even better, jot it down. Carry a small index card with you for a week and jot down all the contrary evidence you find. Or even keep a tally of how many instances of disrespectful behavior you encounter (maybe 3 students in a period) versus how many instances of contrary evidence you found (the other 20+ students). My guess is that you will find plenty of evidence to support your new belief if you look for it.
What do you think?
So what do you think? What limiting beliefs do you have about teaching, students, parents, and administrators?
I invite you to complete this exercise and identify some beliefs you have that might be getting your way of having a positive teaching experience. Challenge yourself to “set your radar” for at least a week to look for contrary evidence to your belief. See if you can soften it, or formulate a more resourceful belief. If you are feeling courageous, share your beliefs in the comments below. People will probably resonate with them.
In any event, know that any time you invest in creating a more positive experience for you and your students is time very well spent. And examining limiting beliefs is an excellent place to start.
One Response
As I completed the sentences above, I noticed I still have a positive attitude towards teaching. However I am just a preK para and have not been in the trenches like most teachers. I do hope I continue this positive attitude as I go into my teaching career.