05/05/2026
A Lesson Not Found in a Textbook ❤️
I had a "heart-to-heart" moment today that reminded me why I love what I do.
One of my students was struggling. His friends felt he was being too harsh and "proud," and he was starting to pull away from everyone. It would have been easy to just tell him to "behave," but I decided to pull him aside to really listen to his side of the story.
What I found was a young boy who is incredibly honest—he just hasn't learned yet how to "filter" that honesty with empathy. He says what he thinks, not realizing that words can leave bruises just like hits do.
We sat down and talked about the importance of choosing words carefully. I told him: "Before you speak or write, ask yourself if it’s helpful or if it might be misunderstood." It’s moments like these that define Social and Emotional Learning. We aren't just training brains; we are nurturing hearts. Seeing that "aha!" moment in his eyes when he understood the impact of his voice was the highlight of my day.
Let’s keep teaching our children to be kind, to listen, and to think before they speak. ✨
Peace Olajesu Bamidele
Folake Khadijat Samuel-Igwe
Igbo-owu Junior Mushin