The Power of One

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. --Ralph Waldo Emerson

Being a mom, Wyn knew that her attitude and emotional state determined what kind of fay she'd have with her family. If she was off, they were all off. What a terrible responsibility that is, to be a human barometer. Even with this knowledge, it tool Wyn a lot longer to recognize how she affected her students as well.

There were days that, for one reason or another, she just didn't want to be there. there were days that she never stopped complaining. There were days that she couldn't smile no matter how she tried. And on those days, her students' behavior mirrored her own. She believed their behavior was out of control.

One day, Wyn received notice that she'd gotten the grant she had worked all year on. It would supplement her classroom in a variety of ways. But most of all, it was an accomplishment that reenergized her attitude toward teaching.

In the weeks that followed she approached her job with a renewed sense of purpose and joy. Her students seemed to join in on her enthusiasm, and they too had a renewed sense of purpose. The funny thing is that Wyn had the power to change her students' behavior all along. The first step was to change her own.

Take away: Wondering why your class seems a little ho-hum? Try brightening your outlook and see if it is reflected in your students.

This was the devotional I read yesterday from Apples & Chalkdust. Written by Vicki Caruana. Actually, this book is the revised and updated 10th anniversary edition.

I wrote down on the page that "My students mirror my attitude. I now understand." That made me think.