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How are we going to get Conscious Listening into schools?
In his latest speech, TED speaker Julian Treasure made a call to all of the great people in the TED community to help him make the world more conscious about listening.
Julian is trying to get conscious listening skills to be taught in schools all over the world.
The stakes are high because we became desensitized by this noisy world we live in. We have now lost our conscious listening capabilities and therefore our access to understanding.
We don't really know how to listen, and this leads us to a scary world where people are not listening to one another.
So, Any ideas?
Lucius Chan
This is not a school problem , this is a society problem.
I believe learning to empty the mind is the only way to retrieve our desensitized senses.
Damian Barajas
Theres a lot of noise. That noise isi't going away, to tell the truth anybody that cant adapt to the way things are is going the way of the dinosaurs.
So the problem isn't one of reception, you cannot avoid receiving so many signals, the problem is transmission.
How do we communicate in a world full of noise?
The truth is that students are not the limiting factor for learning ins schools, but teachers.
So, how do we communicate with students in order to engage them in learning?
Now that I've built up my premise, that is that the world is noisy and we need to be able to be heard in that world of noise, let me challenge something else, the fact that the world is really that noisy i he first place.
kids certainly don't think so, its pretty normal for them, its the old guys who both caused the world to be this way in the first place, then lament the way things are.
I do this in order to make sure that everybody understands the issue as complex, having said that, my point of view is this: Teach your kids yourselves, forget about school treat it as a complement to learning and teach your child what you want them to know, the moment you pay attention to your child, your child pays attention back.
Schools are not the issue here, if schools fail in any way its primarily the fault of the teachers, I mean, the people who really teach their kids how to pay attention in the world. The parents.
Kids learn what they see, not what they hear.
If you don't pay attention to your kids, the kids learn how not to pay attention to the world.
Maranda Marvin
tresa gielen
turn off the Tv at home, again to facilitate uplifting conversations, stop the anaesthetising of our childrens developing minds so they ask questions from a conscious level. There cannot be conscious listening without conscious conversation. Humans are dumbing down their owngift of being conscious in favour of computers and convenience.
do we have to live more consciously and become more connected with ourselves in order to be available to others, particularly children, in the role of facilitator or teacher?? perhaps look at the STEINER philolosophy of learning??
Terry Keen
View the dvd "The Corporation".
Challenge the "corporate viewpoint", and you will be slowly, but surely, "squeezed out", by the people who have a vested interest in controlling the corporation, and maintaining the existing power structure..
Arvind Venkataraman
Arvind Venkataraman
I personally believe that to combat this, the teachers themselves have to simply create a more organic and involved class infrastructure. Many students have great lengths of trouble concentrating on a teacher, monotonously declaiming notes and facts at the front of the classroom- not to mention the inherent laziness that comes over most people in such a situation. These past school years, I had a teacher do the exact opposite- he managed his entire class online, and had us get involved in not only learning the subject material, but contributing to the advancement of the class- as his method began to develop a much stronger following. I had that teacher for three years (different courses, of course), and I don't think I've ever had a teacher who has so efficiently used the resources at hand- I can proudly say that he was not only the best teacher I've ever had, but an inspiration for my future.
Another teacher I had, however, took a distinctly different approach. Within one month of school beginning, she became known as one of the most trustworthy and kind teachers in the building- even if her beliefs contrasted ours, students never hesitated to go and talk to her about anything, be it friend problems or grade problems. And every time we walked into her classroom, we not only felt focused and happy, but at peace with ourselves. We never failed to grasp any idea she presented us; and the many moral discussions our class dilated into greatly improved both our behaviors and consciences.
Ed Schulte 50+
why / how is it that "schools" be the place that "listening" be taught ??..
.rather then FIRSTLY out in the REAL world of family / friends etc. Isn't that how the skills of "listening" depreciated in the first place? by turning it over to institutional teachers who are very likely to be the product of "lack of" listening ablities??
JJim Moonan ( below) cracked the perverbial egg wide open when he pointed out "there are always two conversations we are listening to. The first is exteriorThe second is interior. It is how well we assimilate the two that makes for good listening."I would like to suggest that ...further to the interior/exterior ....there are "levels" to each of these which MUST be taken into account. I would like to hear a proposal around "improving listening" while ALSO acknowledges that a full and comprehensive "knowing" of the Nature and structure of Consciousness (IOW the "who is doing" in the act of listening) be established or else there will be no improvement. "
jag . 50+
Kent Spencer 10+
Sebastian Sastre 500+
http://www.johnmedina.com/?q=published-work
It has a chapter where he explains how our classes are designed in a way that is brain unfriendly. Actually those are almost anti-fisiologic.
In a nutshell: the way we expect to get and retain people's attention is based on the wrong assumptions.
ditto for memory formation.
He wrote there about his ideas on how to fix those problems and I got interested because he was elected professor of the year a couple of times, probably because it works :)
It's a great book for anyone planning to use the human brain :)
Linda Woodard
I think technology is partly thel culprit in this, for even if something is not "on", many of my students are still thinking about that last text message or FB status or "biting at the bit" to reply to a text rather than "living in the moment" and listening to me and their peers. And the other is life's stress, for parents are NOT listening to their children. For the most part, there is no longer a family dinner where kids and parent CAN talk to one another. Besides this, we have TOO MUCH STUFF in that there is a tv in every room; kids have their own computers, own rooms and there is just NO INTERACTION between family members anymore! When students talk about their problems, and I tell them to go to their parents for help/advice, most tell me that they won't listen to them or even take the time to ltry to isten. HOW many times have you seen adults not really listen to their children as they are too busy doing something else, thus they not giving their child his/her full attention?? AND this is where the problem begins.... as this behavior is learned.....then when you add technology to tthe mix where earbuds are in almost 24/7, there ya go Fahrenheit 451 has come true!!
Emery Scholder
My point is, no body cares. We are all so used to hearing about so many problems, that even when our kids come to us with a problem, our natural reaction is to assess it quickly and often say handle it yourself or handle it my way.
Linda Woodard
.Now onto your comment about if I want my kids to be more" active in what [I] appreciate ,[I]I need to get more involved in what they appreciate" has WHAT to do with listening to or partaking in what is going on around them? I do know what my students are interested in, but in class, lessons take precedence. And that new sh*t as you say, at least in school is something that they just may need.
And lastly, I don't agree with your "5 generations deep" of parents saying their kids had too much "stuff" as the 3rd generalion back would be MY parents who lived in the Depression and then the War. So...that is not valid. And to be honest, I did not have that much "stuff" either as accumulating "stuff" by the middle class was just beginning in the 1950's. The only exception for me was Christmas as my mom grew up in an orphanage, and I think she was trying to compensate for that, so I was just shy of the "overindulgence" that would soon be happening. Yes when many of my generation became parents, we did overindulge our kids, but the fact that they are ungrateful is due to the parents and how they raised them. I didn't overindulge mine; I listened to mine, taught them manners and how to act and dress properly, and you know what?? All three are non-materialistic, smart and caring adults who are helping to move society forward.
Luisa Black
1. really listening to students (practicing active listening)
2. developing critical thinking skills
3. training teachers to become active listeners
4. all this requires open minds
so:
It is an attitude, and attitudes are slow to change and to acquire
Parthasarathy Ponguri
jejomar bargoza
How?
Meditate-Practice Transcendental meditation at least 20 minutes a day.This method of meditation actually helped children in the united states and some famous composers like paul mccartney,mick jagger etc.
Listen to Classical Music-Listening to Classical Music actually helps our brain to relax and be more hyper,creative and attentive.
Always Think Positive-Thinking positive will attract positive things,Always remember The Law of Attraction.
Bill Morrison
Autumn Frisco 10+
Renato Moraes
I feel stimulated by the ideas exposed, for variable reasons, and I think this is very personal -for we are all human beings- and Can be very enriching. I might be wrong, but I think your question intends to get to what people are actually Doing, with or without TED's contribution. I can honestly answer I'm doing the best I can get to do with the power, strenght, awareness, energy, time and perception I own, gather and invest to do something for me and the people -for we share a lot with each other.
I'm sure I'm doing the Best (which is for the Best can be reached by me in this moment) now with you, my brothers, my family, the people I meet wherever I am, my teachers, colleagues, friends...
I'm also aware of how incredibly tiresome for me to do this is, but this is where people take part and help me, cheering me up, sharing their ideals and ideas with me, being ok with themselves, living up their lives, helping others, believing, making, achieving.
May I ask you how You profit from TED? What do you share with the people around?
All the best. (:
Ben Fincher
George Corban
I think that there are two possibilities to make conscious listening possible:
1. when the listeners and the idea transmitter are on the same wavelength - that means that the subject transmitted is corresponding to what the audience is willing to hear;
2. the teachers must have the capacity to make all the children embrace the spoken idea;
On the other hand, like you all are saying, some listening skills are needed and this is not an easy job :) because you have to be conscious that you have a problem with this; i propose to listen the silence - it's a brutal and effective way to become a good listener.
It is true that we are living in a noisy and scary world but it's like in information - we want to listen but we don't know what...There are so many noises and information and we are lack of knowing how to filter them and to extract what really means to us. What is also scary is that to do all this jobs you have to have the capacity to systematize, because there are so many bad and harmful information on the market that you take it as a good one, without thinking.
louis sommeling
In Holland on TV we now have the programm 'over the line'. In one day boys and girls tell each other about their wounds and anxiety. (Go over the line when you.......e.g. have lost a person; be bullyed...etc. ) .The sphere on school changed totally Wonderfull.
Last year i have seen such a programm in the Oprah Winfrey show.
I have write a book for teachers to see problems of children.
I have worked 25 years on a university for students in trouble with their development (disconcentration blocks intelligence) and I have described the main psychological themes they encounter. (Unfortunately only in Dutch). Very fruitfull!
Linda Woodard
What I think what you may have seen on Oprah is called Challenge Day sponsored by the national club Be the Change. Last year, I was sponsor of it at my high school where I teach. We were to have a Challenge Day, but couldn't find another school to go in with us as the group charges A LOT of money to come out and do a program, and will only go to a school if they can promise 3 days which last year cost close to 13,000!!!
Have you looke up Challenge Day on the net??
Jim Moonan 30+
We are always talking to ourselves. An artistic example of the interior conversation we are always having is the soundtrack in a movie. We know that in reality music doesn't magically play to enhance our day-to-day experiences, yet in movies the soundtrack is crucial to the story. Without it, the movie would be incomplete. The soundtrack of our lives is that conversation and flood of feeling we have as we react to what is going on around us. That's why music is such a powerful form of art. It literally "speaks" to us.
When I teach, I use music to communicate in much the same way that I use writing on a white/chalkboard to communicate.
Austin Korn
Dianne Leggatt
EFFECTIVE LISTENER are:
1. I have my hands and my body still
2. I have my eyes on the speaker
3. I have my mouth closed.
4. I can follow instructions.
5. I can ask or answer a question on topic.
6. I can make a comment, suggestion or connection on topic.
Anyone who reads this little comment is free to use the idea and perhaps in some small way promote Julian's goal of making the world a less scary place. I certainly will use his ideas in conjunction with the 'poster' on the effective listener.
Cheers,
Dianne Leggatt
chad manderscheid 10+
The approach I am trying is to create a Model School that actually works better in every way and is less expensive to boot. When it is repeatedly demonstrated (with before and after objective evaluations) that even disadvantaged children can learn better faster and cheaper and be happier at the same time then eventually there will be more and more copying of the paradigm. I have seen a similar approach work for drug treatment programs nationwide. Prehab of Mesa (Arizona) started a very successful juvenile program in the late sixties and I have since discovered seemingly unrelated programs scattered all over the country that appear to have borrowed many aspects that they pioneered.
Henry McHenry
Paul van Zoggel
My son is about to go to kindergarten and on the program is 'the silence game'. Curious if they are asking the toddlers to sit in a lotus position ;)
Maybe a good start for later to be able to conscious listen in the class room. Though I hope to find a school by than where they 50% of the time listen to teachervideos at home and do 'homework' together in the classroom.
You could invite Bob van Oosterhout (ted account 884864) to write a comment, as he told me and showed me through his videos how to be more consciously focused when needed.
Anthony Jacobs
Jimmy Strobl 30+
I fully agree about the importance of nature and often take long walks in the forest myself.
Anthony Jacobs
Jimmy Strobl 30+
"The stakes are high because we became desensitized by this noisy world we live in." - We need to re-sensitize them (us) by blocking out "all" the noise every now and then.
Taking strolls in the nature if there's an opportunity and so might be good way to go...
I know that this is a really undeveloped idea but I thought I'd give it a go!
Looking forward to following this conversation!