One of the Greatest Things You Can Do for Your Students

What is one of the greatest things that you can do for your students?

It is simple....BE YOUR BEST SELF!

Has your classroom environment been chaotic over the years? Do you always get the students who are disrespectful to each other? Or....are you just the opposite, and you feel like you always get students who are very helpful to each other?

Whatever your classroom environment is like, there is one person who has a lot to do with what is occurring, and that person is YOU! Yes, I really said YOU and not their parents. :-)

Let me share a story.

A few years ago, I had a student who was really struggling. He tried to do the work, but he would get really frustrated because things were extremely difficult for him; he was very far behind. At times, other students would offer to assist him, but sometimes, he would get an attitude with them.  I knew it was because he was embarrassed that he was the only one in the room who almost always needed help with everything. As his teacher, I knew that I had to deal with him very gingerly, so that he would not shut down with me too, but I never shared this information with my students. One day during class, I was amazed at the compassion that was shown to him by the students in my class. On this particular day, he answered a question correctly. After this occurred, one of my students gave him a high five, and if I am remembering it correctly, others clapped for him also. For the record, this was not something that was done for everyone in my class who got an answer correct. However, it is like they sensed that he needed this more than anyone else, and they were right there to give him what he needed.

Over the years since that incident, I found myself always getting a bunch of compassionate students - students who were very caring, and that did things that simply amazed me. They would encourage students who needed it the most (without me telling them to do it). They would give away their food or pencils to those in need. I have even had students take their own money and pay for other students' field trips that could not afford it even though the recipients of their good deeds were not necessarily their best friends.

I was talking to someone about all of this, and telling her that I always seem to get students like that every year. I was sharing how amazed I am because they do these things without me telling them to do it. She said something that really stuck with me. She told me that my students did this stuff because of me. She said that they see those qualities in me, and that this is why they are doing the same things. When she told me that, I had to stop and reflect for a moment about my behavior in the classroom. I realized that she was right!

Before anyone thinks that I am trying to take credit for the great work done by many of the parents of my students, please know that I am not. I would be crazy to think that I am totally responsible for how my students behave. There is not a teacher anywhere who can say that. However, we must remember that the behavior that we display as their teachers either creates an atmosphere for students to continue to display the morals and values that they have been taught by their parents at home or it will deter those behaviors. Our behavior is even more influential to students who do not have positive examples to give them guidance. They are looking to us for that type of guidance.

Sometimes, we don't think about the positive things that we do because it is so much of who we are, and because we tend to focus on our negative qualities more. When we reflect on our behavior, we might be surprised at what we find.  I realized that I do display compassion in my classroom. I do not let my students disrespect each other (calling each other mean names, isolating each other, etc.). I am quick to address inappropriate behaviors, and tell them my expectations. They know that I love each of them, and I try to treat them all fairly. I try to celebrate all of my students' successes, but I do tend to MAGNIFY the successes of students who are not frequently successful.

So yes, YES, I realize that my students are mirroring my behaviors. While there is no perfect classroom environment, we must understand that we really are the examples that our students are following. We set the tone and the expectations for what our classroom environment will be like. If we don't like the behaviors that we see our students displaying, we must make sure that we are giving them our BEST SELF everyday also!