11/01/2024
𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑
As you prepare to begin another school year, just a few reminders: 🤓 📚
1. You’re teaching a WHOLE child. Understanding what’s happening in their brain is SUPER important. 🧠
Although the human brain is incredibly complex and beautifully designed, there are a few simple essentials that really matter in the context of your classroom:
Despite much education solely targeting the ‘top’ section, the brain works bottom up.
Can’t change that.
It’s for very important reasons that it works in that order so there’s VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION coming up right here: 👇🏽
Bottom- Brainstem-Survival brain
Mid- Limbic System-Emotional brain
Top- Frontal Cortex- Thinking brain
Reframing that another way (which I think is pretty awesome), here’s the ladder: 🪜
Safety (Survival)
Love (Emotional)
Learning (Thinking)
This means: (Pay attention here- it’s always a WOW for me) 😱
Until a child feels SAFE (I’m not talking security guard at a door - I mean emotionally), they cannot feel LOVED.
And until they feel safe AND loved, they cannot learn…
Hmmm… Lots to think about… 🤔
but in a nutshell, you will NEVER get the best out of your children academically or on the sports field until you prioritize building a connected RELATIONSHIP with them. 🫶🏽
So instead of charging into this year and slamming curriculum from day one, 📖 take time to get to REALLY know the kids in your class.
YES THERE IS TIME. (You’ll get through your curriculum faster if a relationship is in place!) ⏰
Children work their butts off for educators, not subjects. 🫶🏽
They play their hearts out on the sports field for coaches, not the sport itself. ⚽️ 🏈
Focus on what matters and you’ll see results you never expected.
2. Although it’s important for you to love the subjects you teach, what’s so much more important is for you to love the children you teach.
Children thrive in classrooms where they feel truly seen, heard and loved by their teachers. 🤍
3. If you don’t love anything about a child (I know some children may initially seem impossible to love), you don’t know them well enough. 😬
Spend five minutes a day trying to get to know them- not the information on their academic records- THEM.
The actual human beings they are. What sparks their souls, 🔥 what ignites the light in their eyes, who they really ARE and what’s going on in their lives that you can’t see.
The ‘unlovables’ are really just children carrying heavy invisible backpacks, loaded with burdens you know nothing about. 🎒
4. How you talk matters. 🗣️
Not just your words.
Your body language and facial expressions too.
You can’t expect respect unless you’re willing to give it. Yip. Truth.
Children are not there to be controlled.
They’re there to learn.
Learning, growing and succeeding happens best in the context of that healthy relationship in which they feel respected and safe. 🙌🏽
No one does better or behaves better by being made to feel worse. 🤨
Sarcasm, belittling, public shaming, criticism. These just break children down.
They’re also usually only dished out by adults who feel broken themselves.
Important reminder: We rise by lifting others.
That child in your class who you dislike, needs lifting. We lift by showing interest and showing care.
You’ll see amazing things when you focus on that. 🫶🏽
5. When a child hasn’t done their homework, isn’t listening, is disruptive, distracted or in anyway not behaving how you think they should, there’s “stuff” going on…
Remember that backpack 🎒 and remember that behaviour is a message. 💌
There’s a need in there. Your role is to decipher the message AND meet the need.
If you don’t have a healthy relationship with a child, you’ll have a hard time meeting that need. 👥
6. Trying to control children through punitive punishment measures and threats thereof really isn’t going to help learning AT ALL.
A reminder that the word discipline means to teach, to lead, to guide, to mentor- NOT to punish. 😳
Finding out the real reason a child is behaving in a certain way, speaking to them with respect and role modeling empathy is how we grow brains and change behaviour. 🧠
7. We are human beings. We raise our voices from time to time.
But if you are frequently a “shouty” teacher, know that shouting creates an environment of fear. 😧
Learning CANNOT happen in fear. Back to that brain bit above- the brain in fear is in survival mode.
Ziltch, zero, nada, nil learning can take place here.
None. 🙅♀️
If you find you are often “losing it” in your classroom, get the help and support you need so that you don’t feel so overwhelmed.
Teaching is TOUGH, but shouting is a sign of feeling out of control and it really won’t help your relationship with the kids or your own state of regulation.
Speak to colleagues, hit the self care ⛽️, get professional help.
Do it for the kids in your care, and do it for YOU.
8. On that note, you absolutely have to look after yourself in whatever way you can.
You are not a mechanic that can go buy a new tool when one breaks. 🔧
You ARE the tool, and broken tools do more damage.
Burnout among educators is REAL.
Do what you need to fill your soul. You can’t dish out from an empty bucket. 🪣
You matter.
What you do matters.
For many children, you are THE most important and stable adult figure in their lives.
In this extremely challenging calling (because that’s what teaching is- a calling) LOOK AFTER YOURSELF! 🫶🏽
9. A final reminder:
“No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship.” (James Comer)
Make THAT your focus. 👆🏻
Within relationships we feel safe.
Within relationships we learn.
Within relationships lives are changed.
Thank you for all you are doing to change so many little and bigger lives. You are appreciated. You are seen. You matter.
With love
Naomi ♥️
PS. Heart-led teaching is an area of real passion for me. I have SO much more to share on this. If you are keen for more posts and videos on this topic including how to ensure that classrooms are a safe place in which optimal learning can occur, pop it in a comment below. Xx
