Many times its hard for children to see their future. That's why it is important that we, as adults, continue to pave the way for our youth. They are our future. They are our Kids of Tomorrow!!
In the classroom, some kids act as if there is no tomorrow. Some don't look towards tomorrow. Some of the behaviors we see as adults can be characterized as age-appropriate, or characterized as immature behaviors. Nonetheless, they are behaviors. So as we witness these behaviors, we have to figure out ways that we can help that child display a better sense of behavior, not only for the classroom but for life. It can be hard for a child to display positive behaviors when they have never seen it. There is such a fine line between what some parents think are bad bahviors to what some call as just being kids or being "cute".
Modeling positive behavior is imperative for kids that do not know what it looks like. Polite manners (Yes, No, Please and Thank You's), being respectful (raising your hand, waiting til someone is done talking to speak), courtesy (holding doors for people or the person behind you), using kind words (You look nice today. Do you need any help?). Simple things like these are very important when it comes to modeling behavior and can go a long ways with people you may not know!
Take Pride in your Children and Teach Them Everyday!
I think that as well as being the models all the time each day, we also need to remember that our students are still children with children-sized brains. And sometimes, especially in middle school, those growing bodies and added hormones are very hard for the children to regulate and control. The teacher-pleasers sixth grader becomes the class-clown seventh grader becomes the mature dedicated eighth grader. Showing that we have the same expectations for them everyday but also understanding if they have a bad day or a bad year, can help the students mature and learn how to work with each other as well as with strangers.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking for more posts, some blogger tools and gadgets such as a poll or video gallery, and at least three colleague blogs linked to yours. These will help you to generate interest and a following.
ReplyDelete