What can we do that will result in a genuine celebration for each child on our class list?

And Your Teacher Will Be . . .
by Allison Behne
With the approach of each new school year, I listen to my son and daughter wonder who their classroom teachers might be, and flash back to my own childhood when I awaited the same news. Would I end up with the teacher who had the reputation for giving lots of homework and not celebrating your birthday? Or would I end up with the teacher who was known for dancing on the table and giving high-fives as you entered the room? The eternal wait for the class list to be posted would end in crushed dreams or genuine celebration.

Maya Angelou is quoted as saying, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This is especially true of teachers. What do you remember about your favorite teacher? You may remember a specific phrase or action, but it likely isn’t the phrase or action that made that teacher memorable. It is how that phrase or action made you feel. I don’t remember the dancing on the tables because of the dance or the music; I remember it because of the laughter and happiness it evoked. I don’t remember what was said as I was high-fived coming into the classroom, but I do remember looking forward to that greeting each morning because I felt welcome and wanted.
Whether your school year is in progress or you are preparing for the start of a new year, now is an ideal time to focus on our choice of words and actions and the effect they have on our students. What can we do that will result in a genuine celebration for each child on our class list?