Humor is a powerful way to relax the atmosphere when coaching educators. I particularly like to have my two favorite buttons with me. The ‘fail’and the ‘BlahBlahBlah’ buttons. I use them to reflect and be a critical thinker about myself. Sometimes I just push the fail button to show teachers that I really am not perfect and I do make mistakes and that actually mistakes are necessary to learn.

It’s just fun to press a button and acknowledge that! It also help relax the atmosphere and create a trust environment where people are free to express themselves, make mistakes and click ‘fail’ anytine they want to!

The ‘blahblahblah’ button helps remember that we can go to the point without going around, that as educators, we should focus on students’ voice (that means less “Teacher’s Talk”). I press it when I realize I am not coaching effectively, I speak to much and drives the person’s thinking instead of letting them think. It helps me remember that’s it’s not about me! It’s about unleashing other people’s power to think and do by themselves and I am only a mediator, rather asking questions than answering 🙂

Those buttons can be purchased on Amazon but this is also a cool project for middle school students to make and then gift their teachers!!!