Each week, I give my students a quote, like the one above, to write about and apply to their life. In my classroom, I'm not just preparing my kids for their next test. I'm preparing them for their future, so I like to give them nuggets of wisdom they can take with them wherever they go...
And this brings me to tip number seven from a so-called veteran teacher...each student is a genius. In their own way. Really. I'm serious. Each one has their own unique talents and gifts. But. If we judge our students based on the abilities and skills they do not possess; then they could possibly view themselves as less than intelligent.
I'm reminded of a student I taught two years ago. This young man could not sit still. He was always moving around and dancing in class. He found every excuse to get out of his seat and move around the room...even during a lesson. I soon found out that he did his best when he was on the move. If you expected him to sit still, you'd be fighting a losing battle.
This student of mine learned in unexpected ways. Sometimes he would sit under a desk and complete his work. Other days he would wear his over-sized sunglasses while he was reading. And sometimes, he would lay flat out on the floor, head on his bookbag...working. But the important thing to note is...he was working. To this day, I still have pictures posted in my classroom of him reading in his giant shades and him under a desk working.
How many times do we hold our students, or even our own children, to unrealistic expectations?
What if we allowed each of our students to display their own individual talents and gifts?
What if we celebrated their differences and their uniqueness...rather than have them conform to our way of doing things all the time?
What if?
Everyone is a genius.
Everyone.
I think if we view our students this way, we are more likely to see them shine in their own abilities...rather than be frustrated by their inabilities.
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