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00:00:02

[Myriam Monterrubio]

So I really want to welcome you to this second session and thank you for being here. I was just reading all your comments and I know that you really want to be here. So the first thing that I want you to do is look at this very nice red panda. Her name is Ruby and what do you think she's doing? Look at her and what do you think she's doing? Breathing in and breathing out, like a karate kid. Breathing in, breathing out. Very good. So it's like meditating. It's like inhaling and exhaling. Very good. So this is exactly what I want you to do, right?

00:00:46

Because the next task is going to be for you guys. So are you ready? Okay. Close your eyes and don't peek just yet and think of something that makes you, you. So think of something that makes you and say, yeah, this is me and put it on the chat. Now you can open your eyes, of course. Now put it on the chat and then you can actually, you know, teaching. Very good. Oh, very good. Thank you. Teaching. Reading a novel.

00:01:28

Walking a lot and reading. Reflecting. So this is, you don't know. Don't worry. After this session you will know. Walking, singing, playing. All of the things that you're saying is everything that you do. Okay? Now what makes you, you, to be you? Communicating, hiking over, listening to music. See? It is very interesting all the answers. Sitting on my chair, drinking green tea, reading, funny. So every time that we think of us as, I mean, what makes me Miriam Monterrubio, what makes you, I don't, I don't, I can't read the names, Mohammed A. Faye. So what makes you, right? So the first thing is you're, all of you are saying lots of, of, of, of, of actions, right? So this is exactly what happens here.

00:02:27

So the first thing is who I am, right? So it's who am I? Am I a girl? Am I a boy? Am I a teacher? Am I a mom? Am I, what, what are you? Right? Then what is it that you can do and what, what is it that you're very good at? So everybody that, that looks at you saying, no, no, no, Mr. Sierra can do this, or Mrs. Alvarez can do that. Right? And the last part would be, what is it that you like? And if, if, if people know your likes and dislikes, that means that they know you. So with this, with these three verbs, I am, I can, I like, now tell me something that makes you, my ability to make relations, for example, Angela, very good. So think about what you are, what you can do, what you like, and what is it that you like or don't like. Okay? So by the, at that moment of naming who we are and what we can do and what we like and what we don't like is the seed of self-awareness. Okay?

00:03:39

This is exactly when we can talk about how aware am I of me, of who I am, who I can be, and who can actually, you know, like and don't like. Okay? So let's, let's revise some of the, of the definitions. Okay? The first one is that psychological definition, and it goes like this. Self-awareness is the conscious understanding of one's own emotions, thoughts, and behaviours, and how they affect your actions and relationships. So that one, I found that, that definition and I, I really like that one. And then of course we have other type of definition, which is educational definition. And it says self-awareness is a learner's ability to recognise, name, and think about their feelings, strengths, and learning processes, leading to greater confidence, motivation, and responsible actions.

00:04:41

Something that I really love about this one is that it says that it's an ability. So that means that you can learn an ability, right? So it's, there's a skill here that is going to, to evolve, right? And the last one, which is one of my favourites is Piaget, and he said self-awareness is the ability, one more time, is the ability to recognise oneself as a unique individual with thoughts, feelings, and actions that are separate from others. So that means that you might be, I mean, you might share likes and dislikes from your peers, but it's not that you are him or her, right? So this is very important when we, when we talk about self-awareness.

00:05:32

How is it that self-awareness becomes an issue in life? In the last talk that I was giving, there was a comment from a teacher and she says that everything that you learn comes the very first part from your ears, right? It's like listening, and I agree completely, all of us are language teachers, and we know that if you want your students to speak a language correctly, they have to listen to the language, and then little by little they will be, you know, like communicating with the language, and one day they're going to start reading, and then one very fine day they will keep on writing, right?

00:06:13

So, but what is it, how does it start? And it starts, the self-awareness starts at home, right? From the very, very, I mean, from when you are very, very little, and I want you to picture this, okay? There are three types of, they are, it's not, they're, they're not steps, but they are layers, okay? So the first layer is body awareness. The first thing that a, that a kid does is look, they're looking at the mirror like, like Vanessa's son, so they're looking at their mirror, and they go like, ah, who is that, who is that boy or girl, right? So they look at you, they just go back again to the, to the mirror, and go like, ah, so that's me. They, they start, you know, like playing with the mirror, and they are actually looking at themselves. So the first thing is, what am I like, right?

00:07:07

It's like, I am tall, I am a boy, I have black hair, my eyes are green, and if we talk about, you know, like language, every time that we talk about this type of subjects, I relate this to language learning and language acquisition with our kids, right? So if you're teaching the parts of the body, that would be a very nice way to reinforce self-awareness in your kids, right? So it's like, I am tall, I am, I have black eyes, I have long legs, I have whatever, right? The second, you know, what I am, I mean, I know what I am like, right? So it's, if I see myself in a picture, in a photograph, I recognise myself, right? I recognise the others, but I recognise myself.

00:07:56

And then the second part is the emotional awareness. It's like, how do I feel today? It's not, and this is something that happens in English with the verb to be. I am happy, right? But why are you happy? I am a happy person, but I feel happy when, dot, dot, and then you can, you know, like complete the answer, right? So when we talk about feelings is, I feel sad when, it's not that I am sad all the time. It's not that I am hungry. I feel hungry because I haven't eaten in five hours, or I feel hungry because I heard the recess bell and I know that it's time for eating lunch.

00:08:41

I feel scared when, but it's not that I am scared all the time, right? So that would be like the second layer of self-awareness. And then we have the third layer, which is reflective awareness. So it's like, what is it that I can do? What is it that I am good at? And within this knowledge, the kids are going to go like, oh, I know how to draw.

00:09:10

I know how to hold a pencil and I can draw a circle. I can colour a circle. We're talking about young learners. We're talking about very, very little kids from three years old, four years old, five years old. If you have these kids in your classroom and even the nursery with two-year-olds and everything that you tell them, they are going to interject that message into their little brains. And then they're going to have these beliefs on their own, right?

00:09:43

So let's picture this scene, okay? We don't teach our kids how, I mean, they don't teach this is who you are or this is, we're not actually, they're not just going to discover who they are just by what you say. They're going to be discovering who they are because they are doing and they are listening and having reinforce on that behaviour or in that action, right? So picture this scene. There is a little baby and the first time he is self-aware, of course he doesn't know that because he's very little, but he starts, you know, like picturing that now he's starting to crawl. So little by little, he sees his mother and then he's like, oh, I can go a little bit farther.

00:10:39

Oh, look. And then again, he looks at mom or dad or the relevant adult, and then he knows what he can do. Of course, he is not conscious about it, but he is actually doing it. But what happens is that when the kids start to crawl, then of course they realise and they discover that if they put their hands on the sofa and then they, you know, like start, you know, like being a little bit straight, they're able to start walking. And then little by little they do it. But what happens, and this is something that I want you to just picture a mom that is looking at the kid, a beautiful kid, and then you are very anxious that maybe this kid who doesn't know how to walk is going to fall down.

00:11:29

So instead, the kid starts to crawl and then finally he starts, you know, like getting up and there is a message there. Watch out. Be careful. You're going to fall down. And of course, the mother is not going to use a very tender voice. Mother is going to go like shouting like, watch out, you're going to fall down. And of course, the kid goes around like, what's happening? And then of course, what happens? The kid falls down and then the other message comes. I told you with a very sweet voice. I told you, honey, right? And then another part comes, right?

00:12:06

This kid starts walking and then he just looks at this beautiful table in the middle of the living room and then he sees a glass of water and then goes like, hmm, I like it. What is that? Because he, I mean, all of these kids are curious. Everybody is curious when we are little and we have to keep on being curious, right? And then the kid looks at this and then what happens? The very first part is like, watch out, you're going to break it. And then of course, the kid again, because the voice is usually not very, you know, like nice. And then the kid goes like this and goes like, I see, I told you. I mean, what part are you not understanding, right?

00:12:54

So this kid says, oh, this person has a magic wand. She knows what's going to happen. So that means that I have to believe in everything this person says, because she knows. I mean, and little by little you are going to start, you know, like this kid is going to start to understand that that person and every adult knows what happens, right? Another situation. Your kid wants a tangerine, right? And then he comes to you and says, oh, can I have a tangerine? And of course, mommy says, yes, of course. Let me peel it for you. OK. And then here you are. Now eat it.

00:13:41

So what do you think that the kid understands? I am I am not ready to peel the the the tangerine on my own. Why is it that my mother is always doing things for me? And of course, it's very nice that the kid just looks around and then is like, oh, baby, baby, baby. I have everything that I want by just asking or by just making a face. Right. So this is very important to understand because, you know, that. These all these messages that we are actually recording into our students cassette, well, of course, for those of you who don't like cassettes. Yes, I don't like when parents make their kids dependent on them.

00:14:30

And this is exact and these are these little behaviours and these little situations when you tell your kids you're not able to do it, let me do it for you. And remember, this is with love. It doesn't mean that the parents want to be mean to their kids. This is love speaking in a very not educational way. So Jack Canfield is a neuroscientist and he wrote Soup Chicken Soup for the Soul. It's a very nice book. And he says that before the age of 10, children hear around 475 negative messages. It doesn't mean that you're not you're not you're dumb. It's not those negative messages.

00:15:13

Well, some of them is like, yeah, it's sometimes just like how on earth don't can't you understand what who am I talking to? You're not listening and all these things. Right. For every 70 positive ones, that seven negative recordings for each positive one. So we're not our students parents, but we are our students educators. And we are there to teach English, to teach Spanish, to teach science, mathematics, but we have to teach them and, you know, transform those little kids into what they are going to be.

00:15:56

It's like our our, you know, our work, right? So as you can see, there is the power of words. So whenever, for example, you I mean, I remember when I was a kid, I was not very good at maths. And then the my teacher used to say, well, medium, I know that you sing very nice, and you colour very nice, but you have to work on maths. So what is it that that I thought, I'm really, I'm really stupid. I don't I mean, I cannot do maths, because this teacher is telling me and and but I am very good at singing. So that's why I write lots of songs. And I'm just singing all the time. And I'm not doing maths.

00:16:39

But this is something which is important, the power of words that relevant adults have on little kids, right? We are those relevant dolls. And of course, we have 45 kids in one class, 50 kids, one kid, seven kids, and sometimes it's a little bit difficult, but we have to have these into consideration every time that you work in the classroom. Okay. So what is it that we can do in the classroom? There are little, very little situations that we can, you know, like, because the education itself is in is at home.

00:17:15

And here, we have to understand that it's knowledge, plus the continuum of that education that sometimes doesn't happen at home, but we have to to do it, right? I think parents and teachers have to encourage students to be independent, to be successful in the future. Your humble opinion is wise is very good. Those are wise words, Jacqueline, because this is exactly what education is all about knowledge. And language is going to be there all the time. So there are three very single steps that we can have. The first one is teach. So, for example, whatever you want to highlight in the class, teach how they have to behave. And what is it that you want them to do? Then rehearse, give them time to rehearse it. And then after rehearsing, reinforce what they did. So let's make a little an example.

00:18:27

Teach, for example, name the feeling or strength. Now, for example, when we're teaching little kids, something that we have to understand is that kids still need to know how to cut out and know. I mean, it's very difficult for me at this very moment to find kids at six years old that they cut with scissors correctly because maybe you want we give them something to cut, but we are not giving them time to rehearse because we have lots of things to cover, right? So here, the rehearsing is very important. We have to create moments to practise. So in this case, name the feeling or strength, right? Then create moments to practise it. If you want to teach them how to understand how they feel, well, create a moment of that, right? And the reinforcing is the most important part because you're going to connect with identity and the reinforcement has to be very clear and very into what the kid is doing.

00:19:40

So, for example, we know that we used to say, we usually say, well done, very good, you're a champion, but let him know why he is champion for, let her know what she did correctly, right? So those are three very simple steps. So the first would be self-awareness is the foundation of self-regulation, right? Then it's really, it has to do with classroom management and this is you. So the classroom management is one of the most important and powerful tools that we have. We must have a webinar of three hours on classroom management. And then by doing this, reinforce self-awareness that we are actually teaching, okay? So let's put this into very, very practical matters, okay? So what can we do to foster self-assessment?

00:20:42

The first one would be the typical morning welcome when you greet your students and then you say, good morning, how are you today? How do you feel? Et cetera, et cetera, right? So in this case, I would propose this. Imagine that you have speech bubbles around, and then you ask what, because you know that nowadays nobody greets anybody. So it's like you go into the classroom and nobody says hello, or if you go through an aisle and nobody says hello. So this is a very good moment to teach hello and good morning. So if then you get the speech bubble and then you give it to Anna. Anna, choose one of your classmates and greet him or her. And then, very good. So it says, good, with a speech bubble, she would say, good morning, Adam. And then good morning, say, okay, Adam, now choose how you're going to greet your

Anna.

00:21:36
So maybe he's going to choose a green hand, which is going to say hello, or hi, or the good morning. And when the activity is done, the very red hand saying goodbye, right? So as you can see, very simple. The
second is feelings. This is a very nice activity that we can do. And this is an activity, we always ask them to be very happy, right? So it's like, of course, we really need happy kids, right? So in this case, the language target is, I feel happy, I feel tired, I feel sad, I feel scared. It all depends on the vocabulary that you're going to teach, which is going to make the context clearer, right?

00:22:24

And in this case, we're going to help our students to help to recognise and name the emotions. So a very cute exercise is having a mirror, a little mirror, and tell them what faces they can make. So you say, for example, make a happy face. And then we're like, I feel happy. And then another one, make a sad face, make a scared face, make it. And then little by little, it's that when you say, okay, I feel happy when, and then they are going to tell you. Not in English, not in the target language, maybe in their own language, but it doesn't matter because they're actually saying, I feel happy when, and then I feel sad when, et cetera, et cetera, right? Another exercise here, I can moments, okay? So maybe you can have flashcards with different actions and or photographs. And in this case, you can, the objective of this is build confidence, self-awareness, and self-esteem. I'm just realising that the title of this is self-assessment and this self-awareness, sorry. So in this case, the kids are going to build confidence with, I can jump, I can whatever.

00:23:46

So you can show them pictures or photographs, and then they can actually mine it to their kids. And then you say like, so what is it that you can do? For example, at home, can you set the table? Can you help setting the table? Can you make your own bed? Go and see if you can do it. And then maybe actually as a homework that the parents will love or will hate, it all depends, right? And another exercise would be, okay, this is me. So it's like all about me. Now I want to talk about me, right? So using your students' drawings, you can actually make them do a very nice flower, a garden of friends, right? So imagine that you have the photograph of a kid right in the middle, and every petal is going to say something about them.

00:24:42

So here would be, my name is Majo. I am four years old. I have black hair and brown eyes. I like purple, or my favourite colour is purple, and my favourite animal is duck, right? And you can see here, they are going to be able to pay attention to all their kids, okay? And then maybe it's like, okay, who likes the same colour that you do? And then they can run like, oh, Gerardo loves purple as well. And little by little, it's like, this is what I like. This is who I am. And then they maybe, you know, like get to know other people like them. And there are many activities that you can think of. So just imagine with these five activities, what else can we do?

00:25:38

Here would be breathing bodies, because sometimes our kids are not very, I mean, maybe we can have very hyperactive kids, and sometimes it's like, really? So teach them to inhale and exhale. And it's not just when they are angry. Teaching, you know, to be calm and to listen to their hearts, and to listen to their own selves helps a lot. So with this, we can use puppets, we can use these type of exercises, like, for example, look at this kid. He doesn't like eating those things, because they're vegetables. And then Ruby, the red panda says, okay, breathe in, breathe out. I know that you have to eat them. So what would you do to make it nice?

00:26:26

So look at these three little things that the kid can do. First, he has to wash the vegetables, and then look at the plate. So we're talking about lots of things in this example. And with this, it's like, okay, how do you feel? Something that I would really, really please urge you to do is not, when you put, for example, when they do something right, and then you put a happy face, and then when they are not doing the things correctly, and a sad face, don't do that. Don't do the sad face. Just put a face with, you know, like a question mark going like, oh, I need to pay attention a little bit more. So as you can see, there are lots of things that we can do with our kids, right, in the classroom. And of course, with parents, we know that when we're teaching little kids, sometimes we have these meetings with parents.

00:27:28

Give them this. Give them like, for example, there are three things that I usually tell the parents to help me with. It's for classifying and mathematics. It's like when the clothings are clean, get them classify the socks of the family and put the socks in every single classroom, in every single classroom, in every single bedroom. There are lots of things that we can do, right? So something that you have to remember after today, let's remember that every routine, every story, every word we say is shaping how children see themselves.

00:28:11

When we teach intentionally, rehearse patiently and reinforce with love, we help them discover the most powerful lesson of all, which is who are they, right? Who they are. So whenever you are in the classroom, think, of course, of everything that you want to teach them in terms of your topic, right? But go beyond and observe your kids and see how is it that you can actually help them discover who they are through your eyes. So thank you very much for being here and with all your very nice, I was just, you know, like listening to your, reading your your, your comments. And thank you for all those loving hearts and clapping hands. Thank you very much. It feels so very nice. Thank you very much.

00:29:11

[Will]

Thank you, Miriam, very, very much indeed. What a talk. Thank you.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

Thank you. Thank you very much.

[Will]

Look at all those emojis you're getting. No, no, no.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

I feel this is this is so good for my self-esteem.

[Will]

It is, isn't it? Everyone keep coming. Keep them coming.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

That's so beautiful, really. Thank you. Thank you.

[Will]

Thank you, Miriam.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

It's really, I mean, look at this. Now without my presence, it's so nice. Thank you.

00:29:43

[Will]

Thanks, Miriam. OK, so we haven't got any questions for you yet. If you've got a question for Miriam, feel free to pop it in the Q&A. They were gripped, Miriam. But if you could offer one thing you'd people to walk away with today, they're watching. They've got a lot of information coming to them today. They've got your talk and they've got. Vanessa's already, and they've got one more from Michelle. If you want them to take away one thing. One thing, practical. What would it be?

00:30:11

[Myriam Monterrubio]

Come on, say what I'm thinking, say what I'm thinking.

[Will]

The question was actually for you, Miriam.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

for me! Ah!

[Will]

Yeah, I mean, everyone else, feel free… actually, no, good point. Everyone in the chat, what are you going to take away? One practical thing from Miriam's talk. Miriam, if you want people to walk away with one thing in particular. To make the biggest change with… an action, what would it be?

[Myriam Monterrubio]

I would say use your words correctly, and whenever you're… you are… if you are feeling. Tired, scared. angry in front of your kids, breathe in, breathe out, and use the words that your kids are going to. to listen from you. Yeah.

[Will]

Okay, thank you. What do you think, everyone?

[Myriam Monterrubio]

Encourage your students to be honest with your kids. Yeah, and something that you're saying, be honest with your kids, you can actually tell them, you know what I do for… when it's like, I feel scared, you know when I feel scared, I feel scared when… and then. Use yourself as an example of why is it that you're scared or happy, or.

[Will]

Mm-hmm.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

What makes you… for example, I usually tell my students, you know something? Today, I was very happy when I came into the classroom, but guess what?

00:31:31

[Myriam Monterrubio]

I am the happiest teacher of the school because you were able to color within the lines you were… I mean, you did… and then, of course, they would be like, really? So, what is it that they do, as you are the relevant adult, they go like. I can… I am going to do that. So, the power of words.

[Will]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

And yeah, as in Russia's saying, and your body language, because if you say, very good, you're doing it correctly. Thank you. Okay, the kids are gonna go like, what? What is she meaning, you know?

[Will]

No. Bring your energy, bring whatever energy you've got, give it, give it, give your energy to the class.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

Exactly, exactly. That's it. That's the only thing that we can do.

[Will]

Someone was mentioning Honor Be Honest, actually. Be honest in the chat, be honest with them and, you know, tell them, be honest about yourself. Um, but there is, I find, uh, as a teacher and a parent, that there's a line when. Isn't there? Isn't there a line where, honestly. may not help the situation, is that fair to say?

[Myriam Monterrubio]

Yeah, exactly. No, yeah, that's a very good thing that you're saying, Will, because sometimes when I see this, uh, TikToks and this, like, okay, tell me what is it that you're feeling, or I am sorry that I shouted at you, no, no, I'm sorry. If you're doing the things intentionally, and you're doing the things correctly.

00:32:48

[Myriam Monterrubio]

I mean, you have to be honest, meaning that I am, I am teaching you, and I'm educating you with these straight lines. I mean, yes is yes, no is no.

[Will]

Mm-hmm.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

Silence is silence. Um, whenever, for example, you want to watch a movie and then your kids come and say. Um, and then they start, you know, like, playing in the living room and say, like, no, if you want to be here, you have to be silent. If you want to be with me with… I am watching the television, I'm watching a film, and then they have to understand.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

that they have to choose. It's like, if I want to be with my… with my mommy, and she wants to be happy, of course, I have to be quiet and playing here.

00:33:32

If I… I'm going to speak, I have to go to another place, and. There is something, Will, that I've been, you know, like, observing, is that parents are really afraid of their kids. They don't want to teach them, uh, limits, and they fear to be, to, to, to the word discipline. And they fear to the word limits. They want them to be very happy. But happiness… is, um, is knowing what you can do and what you cannot do.

[Will]

Happiness is knowing what you can do and what you cannot do.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

Yeah. And in, for example, if you… if you, um, if you are in school, you are not… if you're in the classroom, you're not going to shout in the… in the classroom, because that's… that's not polite. So it's like, I know. I know what is suspected from me in different… and of course, I mean, we can talk about this, you know, like.

00:34:33

For forever, but… something that is very important is we are role models to our students and to our, uh. You know, kids. So… What is it that you want them to, you know, like, look?

[Will]

Mm-hmm.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

And what is it that you want them to hear and to… to be. And it's just you. And with all… everything that they are actually, you know, like, watching and. For example, I don't… I don't… understand why people, you know, upload, you know, like, funny, quote-unquote, videos when a person falls down and everybody laughs.

[Will]

Hmm.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

Or when a father or a mother is scaring the kid with a puppet, and then they love to see the kids. You know, like, having a horrible scare and. Why is it that people laugh? Why is it? It's… Yeah, thanks.

[Will]

Oh, you know why, Miriam, you know why they do that. It's… it's for attention, it's for… it's for the… it's for the acclaim, you know, that they get from the video. That's why people do it.

00:35:40

[Myriam Monterrubio]

So that's why we have 45 minutes in the classroom, so use them… use those minutes correctly, use them wisely. So that you can make a difference in your students. The world is around you, you only have them for 2 hours a week, 3 hours a week, so use those hours wisely.

[Will]

Absolutely. And if you're a parent, use those hours wisely as well, no? Those hours outside of school, when you get to see them and.

[Myriam Monterrubio]

Exactly. I agree with you, yes.

[Will]

Alright, thank you so much, Miriam. I really appreciate your time today. Thank you very much.

00:36:13

[Myriam Monterrubio]

You're very welcome. Thank you very much. See you