Buddies Not Bullys Program

Uncategorized

Bullying prevention behaviors that increase empathy and simple tricks like “mentor buddies”  are practiced and set up through school systems which are the “epicenter” of prevention strategies. (see our special “Buddies not Bullys” program).

Family systems and wholistic solution focused strategies are discussed and implementation plans are made.After a brief review of the history and meaning of bullying behaviors, this prevention program moves into experiential activities, role plays and team building which prevent bullying behaviors without every mentioning the word “Bully”.

We provide a fun experiential mix of activities that can include challenge course climbing, parenting and school community building that eliminate the need in the future for prevention per se.

Our model is based on these two resources that you can access and implement in your community(Eyes on Bullying and International Bullying Prevention. But if you want help making the positive behaviors “stick” and with implementation of the strategies that research shows work, then contact us for a program.

Climbing Wall Open Weekends

Business, Challenge Course, Experiential, Experiential Learning, Traveling

Every so often we have open enrollment meaning you can climb and learn with us without being part of a group and a prepared program. Our climbing wall for example is verticle, it is a challenge (unless you just climbed El Capitan in Yosemite Park) and it is fun!! Just $100 pesos per hour. Two or more family members get a 25% discount so just $75 pesos each. Check our calendar, call or whatsapp to see if we are open on some Saturday and Sundays, usually 12-3pm and on certain holidays/puentes when there are no group programs.  At our San Miguel de Allende Challenge Course only. Check out our facebook Page. Send us an email to claim this offer. Reservations recommended but not required.

 

Saint Valentine’s Day

Uncategorized

In Mexico it is also called Dia del Amor y de la Amistad. I like the addition of “friendship” which expands the idea of celebrating those we love to include our friends. Together with Thanksgiving it is one of the great holidays of the year.

Not too many companies list “loving” as a core competency for their leaders. Perhaps a mistake…? Check out this Forbes article called “Let Love Inspire Your Leadership“.  At Santa Fe Learning Centers we facilitate with love. More on our Couples Program here.

“Flipping” the Classroom and Experiential Education

management

I am always interested when significant change finds its way to the classroom, to the way we teach.  Recent growth in “flipping” classrooms (Fitzpatrick, New York Times 2012) made me think about why it works and I see a “kindred” spirit in flipping. As an experiential educator I see in flipping, a classroom that is more active, involved and engaged. Students first exposure to new material is made prior to class via e-learning tools such as lecture videos, powerpoint and textbook readings. Also called “inverted” classrooms, this style of learning makes more sense with todays online tools and the high quality of lecture videos. It also fits the learning styles now more prevalent with millennial students. Why sit quietly in class and make comments under your breath when at home you can yell “B-O-A-R-I-N-G” at the mind dulling powerpoint presentation. Classroom time is for solving problems together, thinking analytically, sharing ideas, working together on projects (aka “peer instruction model”) and perhaps challenging the teacher.

As a parent, you should be interested in the studies that show these interactive engagement methods to improve learning gains by two or more standard deviations (Crouch and Mazur, Harvard 2001). If you skipped statistics, 2 deviations is a huge difference.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/09/turning-education-upside-down/?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Ar

 

 

 

Zero Sum Game

Business

Zero Sum Game applied to the business world is about balancing home and family life with the rigors of todays working environment. Accepting the Nash Equilibrium is a mistaken approach that assumes that if you spend more time at work you will have to take away time from your family and vice versa. The simplist example of how organizations have overcome zero sum is  “take our daughters and sons to work day” (non-profit org. founded in 1992). SFLC helps organizations with creative solutions to beat the “Zero Sum Game”.

Family Programs at SFLC:  ASK FOR PROGRAM INFORMATION

Implement: Brainstorm with your team different ways of enhancing family life and choose one for action planning.

Positive Psychology

Business

INVESTIGATE

There is a basic truth in psychology that says what you focus on, what you investigate and look into tends to grow and strengthen.  So why do we continue to focus on what is wrong with ourselves and our organizations? The field of positive psychology and its many offshoots such as Appreciative Inquiry offer a more effective choice. The father of positive psychology Dr. Martin Seligman tells us psychology should be:

  1. as concerned with strengths as with weakness
  2. as interested in building the best things in life as in repairing the worst
  3. as concerned with making the lives of normal people fulfilling and with nurturing high talent as  with healing pathology

Check out his TED TALK

MEANING

Experiential learning is a natural partner with positive psychology in that our programs are fun and strength based. We help you explore your strengths and use them to belong to and in the service of something larger than you are.

AUTHENTIC HAPPINESS

Also, people are happy when challenged and must work with each other. Happiness is relatively new to research and you can particpate. Just register and take the “authentic happiness” test and other online questionaires.  Its fun and interesting.

 

Leadership and Change

Business, global, work, , ,

Last year the horses at Los Senderos were set free to roam the 300 acre property. Before that time they were kept corraled and when set loose were closely watched. A different management style is in place now. Can you imagine what a change like that must feel like for the horses?

If you read the literature and research by the experts in the field and by the recognized leadership consultants,  you will find that most of them talk about change in extreme situations that just do not apply to the daily management of a small to midsized company. An example is this 2011 offering by the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. 

At SFLC we focus on leadership behavior and leadership in action. It is about managing emotion and thought. Being mindful and focused when the organization is under fire. Threats from terrorism like the 9/11 attacks, extreme situtations as with the trapped Chilean miners have only distant and modestly applicable lessons in leadership for the average manager, CEO or line worker. So why do we continually turn to these headline grabbing situations for help? The answer lies deep within our own self knowledge that tells us  that unless we face a life and death situation, we are very reticent to change. So how do todays leaders deal with this paradox of learning and change? 

  1. STORY. Create your own story with examples from your personal life and from the history of the company. You don’t have to save a life or  endure a life threatening catastrophe, just tell stories about overcoming challenges with determination and heart.
  2. CHANGE YOURSELF. Change your own behavior before asking others to change theirs.
  3. ALTRUISM. Honor the individual and understand how much you are asking for when you insist on teamwork and making efforts for the organization that may or may not be in the best interests of the individual employee. You are asking for “altruism”, a form of sacrifice, and you are asking for a lot.
  4. ANTICIPATE THE CHANGE. So the most difficult task is to be prepared for the change that in retrospect you could have known was coming. How is it possible that groups of randomly chosen people from all walks of life “out predict” and “out perform” the pundits and experts? By using what we call the “Big Brain” of the team, you tap “The Wisdom of the Crowds” (James Surowiecki). In other words just ask your team what they think lies ahead. To learn about crowd wisdom and group decision making check out this TED talk.  go here.