This is the time of year when we look back on our accomplishments and look forward to the future. When we look back on the past year, we should encourage ourselves.
Emphasize successes, but recognize and properly examine mistakes, for they are not failures, but opportunities to learn.
Praise is for the successes, and only a few are entitled to it. Encouragement is for the effort, and we all deserve and need it.
On looking back, I tried to think positively of what I have learned.
I came up with the following list of things I have found to be true.
My list is greatly influenced by my professional interests and personal enthusiasms. I am sure your list will be different. When you make yours, think positively.
List of Things I Have Found to be True:
- Children are concrete thinkers. They cannot figure out what is expected of them if we only tell them what they did wrong. Catch them being right.
- Children who are discouraged cannot learn. Misbehaving children are deeply discouraged and do not feel they belong.
- We all have different learning styles. Teaching styles should vary to accommodate to different learning styles.
- Some children are visual learners and some are auditory learners. Some children are sequential learners and some are systematic. Some are right-brain thinkers and some are left- brain.
- We cannot change others, we can only change ourselves.
- We cannot make anybody learn if they chose not to. We can only teach.Those we teach must make their own personal decision to learn.
- A classroom is a group of people working together. Everyone in that class is responsible for the successes and failures of the group.
- Cooperative learning lessons foster group cohesiveness and teach concern and respect for others.
- We are all models for the children. We cannot say, "Do as I say, not as I do." Adults who are not respectful of children, cannot expect respect from them.
- Encouragement is the prime motivator. Praise is for the successes, and only a few are entitled to it. Encouragement is for the effort, and we all deserve and need it.
- Accept each child completely for what he is, not what you think he might or could be.
- Separate the deed from the doer. Never say anything negative about the child as a person.
- Children live up to our best and worst expectations. Avoid labeling them.
- To educate means to lead. Accepting each child as he is with his unique inclinations, strengths and preferences in order to help him to become the best he can be.
- To discipline means to teach and train, not to punish and be punitive.
- Mistakes are not failures. That is how we learn.
- From the Talmud: The Greatest Wisdom is Kindness.
- Add your own............................
I wish you health and happiness, good friends and loving family - and a Wonderful Year Nineteen-Ninety.
You deserve it.
First published in 2001
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