Even the most enlightened people have days were they’d rather stay in bed, pull the duvet over their heads and lock the world out.
I often ask adults if they had the opportunity to be a teenager again would they take it and to date, none have said yes.
Sometimes, as educators, we need to step back and look at the bigger picture of how our attitude towards our students informs their attitude towards us.
Although a very long time ago now, when I was in school, you could get more out of me with a kind word and a question than just a question and after all these years and the generations of children who have gone through school systems, I don’t think that’s changed.
If you’re an adult reading this, I want you to have a quick think back to the teachers that put a smile on your face and made you want to succeed. Were they fair? Were they funny or good humoured? Did they care about you and show it in their actions and their words? Now think back to the ones that didn’t make you smile, even now, do they still evoke a sense of dread or anger in you? See…it’s not rocket science.
So the. next time you’re dealing with a difficult student or maybe it’s your own child who won’t do what you want them to do, take a mindful moment and be the change that you want to see in them. It might not happen for you immediately but trust me, it will happen.
Remember, your attitude towards anything is its attitude towards you.
