EMG Quote of the Week – Sometimes you have to accept this fact
This is perhaps sometimes the hardest part of the job – knowing what we have the power to change, recognising the things we can’t change and knowing the difference between the two.
Knowing the areas that are our sphere of influence is critical for this. As teachers or educators, we can have the ability to influence:
- The classroom environment – keeping it a calm, consistent and safe space for the students to come
- Our reactions and the way we manage each child – now not all children are the same, so not all students will respond in the same way. We may need to have different strategies for different students. Now that does not mean we excuse behaviour, we may just be able to understand it when we look at it from a different angle.
- Our ability to speak truth and positives – being positive and being a positive role model is very important and influential. The things you may not see the value in, might be the things your students value the most. Don’t discount the small things. Now this does not mean you just allow any behaviour to occur. You still have standards, but you slowly work the student onside. The one’s that are struggling the most often need that bit of light in their lives – you can bring to their attention what they are good at.
Simply know the power you have but also understand it’s limitations. You may not be able to change a child’s whole world and the problems they are facing. What you might be able to do is change one small thing that causes a chain reaction to how they perceive themselves and how they perceive the world sees them.
For more quotes of the week, keep an eye on #EMG_Quoteoftheweek!
Written by Michael Dunn – EMG Consultant and Primary Teacher