Recently I received this note from a child and rediscovered it yesterday under a mess on my desk.
I was busy preparing my GROWTH MINDSET seminar for this Saturday and as I re-read it I was reminded about the true worth of our work with children.
Our attitudes towards children and ability to connect and build rapport really matter- not so we can receive nice, complimentary notes like this; more because our personal attitudes affect the futures of our students.
Like all teachers, I have times when I have spoken harshly and perhaps not always tried to see a situation from a student’s viewpoint.
Those times are always when I am tired, under pressure and pushed for time. All teachers experience these conditions.
However, I KNOW this matters and that we need to take care of ourselves so we can offer the best interactions possible with children.
We can make or break futures when we show kindness, empathy and understanding.
It costs nothing but requires we remember the almost sacramental importance of teaching.
Teachers touch the future and because of this they need to look after themselves and take the time to do this.
I am so pleased to see schools adopt mindfulness apps and programs for staff. Nurturing all staff who work with children is vital and I have deliberately added an extra hour to deal with this in my GROWTH MINDSET course at no extra cost.