Practice Seven – Creating Positive Dialogue by Redirecting with Quotes
Through the use of:
- Quotes and Proverbs -
- Display posters for easy visual reference.
- When introducing, teach the meaning and discuss how to apply it in real-life situations. For educational settings, see Life Principle Mind Map for the School Environment.
- Use a pair share discussion first and then have members journal briefly on the meaning and general and personal application.
- Have the group or individuals create a quote/proverb notebook to use as a reference.
- When possible, give background on the author or offer opportunity for members to bring background information to the group.
- As appropriate use to redirect individual or group behavior.
- Suggestion: Make it a procedure to have the members end the quote once you begin it. This makes sure they are engaged and reinforces it in their memory. This strategy may be used as a callback, to refocus after an activity or the beginning of new instruction.
Examples: (green links are to printable posters of the quotes)
| Old Dialogue | New Dialogue |
|---|---|
| “Fighting gets you nowhere!” “Name calling just isn’t allowed in here!” | “We must all live together as brothers or perish alone as fools.” - Martin Luther King Jr. “
If it is not right, do not do it; if it is not true do not say it.”- Marcus Aurelius “I will speak ill of no man and speak the good I know of everybody.” - Benjamin Franklin |
| “Please finish your work. It’s due at the end of class today!” | “No bees, No honey, No work, No money.” Author Unknown
“Continuous effort– not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.--Winston Churchill “If a task is once begun, never leave it till it’s done. Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all. --Author Unknown |
| “ All right, quit your talking!” | “If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two mouths and one ear.” --Mark Twain |
| “I can’t do this! It’s too hard.” | “All things are difficult before they are easy.” --Thomas Fuller
“The right angle to approach a difficult problem is the TRY-angle.” - Author Unknown Take the 't' off of can't and say, "I CAN!" - Author Unknown |
| “This isn’t very good; I was in a hurry.” | “Be satisfied with nothing less than your best.” - Edward Rowland Sill |
| “ I just can’t get it right. I always make mistakes.” | “If you can’t make a mistake, you can’t make anything.” — Marva Collins
“100 mistakes is an education if you learn from every one.” — Author Unknown “Mistakes are stepping stones to success.” — Author Unknown |
| “If you’d just learn to work together, it would get done a lot faster.” | "If we don't all row the boat won't go." Author Unknown
"Teamwork Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success." --Henry Ford |
For more Life Principle quotes: (printable posters)
Quotes about COMPASSION
Quotes about COOPERATION
Quotes about COURTESY
Quotes about CURIOSITY
Quotes about EFFORT
Quotes about ESPRIT de CORPS
Quotes about FRIENDSHIP
Quotes about HONESTY
Quotes about INTEGRITY
Quotes about Perseverance
Quotes about PROBLEM-SOLVING
Quotes about RESPECT
Quotes about RESPONSIBILITY
Quotes about SELF-DISCIPLINE
Quotes about SERVICE
Great Expectations Life Principles - Includes life principle definition posters and one quote poster for each of 36 life principles
Life Principle Posters and Resource Materials Digital Downloads