Tapping into our teaching gifts to create an atmosphere of learning.

1. Lights, Camera, Action! Tapping into our teaching gifts to create an atmosphere of learning.

2. The Chatter Box Mission Statement The mission of the Chatter Box is to provide a support system for educators that offers effective and practical professional development opportunities, mentoring services and resources essential for being a successful teacher.

3. Celebrating Teachers Movie tickets for 2= $15.00 Popcorn, Drinks and Candy=$12.00 A Teacher’s Time= Priceless

4. Chatty Quote “ There are high spots in all of our lives and most of them have come about through encouragement from someone else.” -George M. Adams

5. Laugh Lines On the way to preschool, a doctor left her stethoscope on the car seat, and her little girl picked it up and began playing with it. “Be still, my beating heart,” thought the doctor, “my daughter wants to follow in my footsteps!” Then the child spoke into the instrument: “ Welcome to McDonald’s. May I take your order?”

6. Teach with Your Strengths The Gallup Organization researchers found that all great teachers were alike in a key way- they use their natural talents to the full potential whether they are aware of it or not. They build on those talents to create strengths and in turn they become even better with students. What are talents? Talents are naturally recurring patterns of thought, feeling or behavior that can be productively applied.

7. Teaching is a Calling • Teachers with the personality trait (mental ability, personality and conscientiousness) for the job are the ones who keep getting better year after year. • These teachers are not always traditional, their methods and intuitions are different at times. • They know their students needs and how to inspire them. • These teachers don’t set high expectations but the right expectations for each student. They understand that a high expectation is a hope and a right expectation is a plan. • They do the right thing at the right time and almost always say it was worth it. They just have an innate talent for the job.

8. Signs of Your Talent • Yearning- A pull that draws you to a particular activity. • Rapid Learning- Your brain lights up. • Satisfactions- Psychological Fulfillments. • Timelessness-Lose track of time.

9. Turning your Talents into Strengths Strength is arrived when talent, knowledge and skill are combined or when natural talent, education and training work together. Knowledge- The stuff you know. People can always obtain more. Skill- The ability to perform the basic step of an activity. This is improved with repeated effort.

10. What about Weaknesses? • Great teachers don’t focus on their weaknesses, they manage them through education and support from others. • Great teachers find a partner to share talents. • Great teachers learn what they need to learn and practice what they need to practice. • Great teachers use a management system.

11. What are your strengths and how do you use them in the classroom? • Are you technologically advanced? • Are you a good writer? • Are you an organizer? • Do you have good communication skills? • Are you a problem solver?

12. Discovering Your Signature Theme • Take the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment when you purchase the book Teaching With Your Strengths by Rosanne Liesveld and Jo Ann Miller. • Learn more at www.strengthfinder.com • Receive your top 5 talents.

13. In Closing Using Strengths are what make great teachers great. Enjoying success requires the ability to tap into your gifts. Only by stepping outside of the box will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talents and strengths.

14. Resources • Teach With Your Strengths- Rosanne Liesveld & Jo Ann Miller • Go Put Your Strengths to Work – Marcus Buckingham • Strength Training On-line Course- www.oprahwinfrey.com search for Marcus Buckingham