Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week and May 6 is Teacher Appreciation Day, a time to honor the everyday superheroes who lead with love and courage, elevate and inspire and advocate for students’ needs. Educators may not wear capes, but they most assuredly have superpowers. Their superpowers are activated daily when they help an insecure child discover their voice and their gifts, when they provide comfortable space for social-emotional development, and the commitment to lovingly push students to thrive.
Experienced and dedicated educators know that learning in and of itself is so much broader than simply mastering curriculum content; rather, it is about fully empowering students with the necessary life skills and self-confidence to reach their highest potential. Within the walls of our classroom, we embrace a superhero-themed environment, a concept that has traveled with me across various school districts and communities. Regardless of the district or community, this theme inspires all children to take hold of responsibility, being kind, engaged, and thoughtful learners while building meaningful connections. Teachers perpetually help young heroes pinpoint their strengths and talents while selflessly yet mightily helping them to discover innovative ways to shape their future.
Teachers, by exuding calmness and kindness, set the tone for students to embrace these same values in their learning and interactions. In order to execute our superpowers, we begin each day with morning meetings that guide students in understanding their feelings and the feelings of others. These daily morning meetings equip students with a greater capacity for self-regulation strategies, empathy, and social-emotional awareness. Educators, by exuding mutual core values, set the tone for the students to embrace the same. Kiana Pelton, in Calmness as a Quality of Teacher Presence and the Impact on Learning, underscores that when teachers attend to their own social emotional needs, the students will be calmer, creating a better learning atmosphere. As an extension of this commitment, our superhero headquarters features a cozy Recharge Zone (calming corner) equipped with soft pillows, books, and sensory tools.
In our classroom, we focus on cultivating a sound moral compass and a heart for spreading kindness. Together we established a very prominent space in our classroom for our Kindness Recognition Wall. This space is dedicated to students honoring acts of consideration, compassion, and support. Dianne Maroney, in Advice for Teaching Children Kindness and Optimism, emphasizes that while talking to your children about being kind is important, they learn best by example. As such, educators along with parents are tasked with setting this example. Developing these character traits is key to fostering an atmosphere of love, safety, and a culture of empowerment and growth.
Superheroes can’t reach their potential alone. They must have trusty superfriends to progress forward! In order to promote collaboration and the spirit of teamwork, student seating is arranged into small superhero squads/table-teams that work together daily to problem-solve and share, show, and explain their thinking through a variety of learning adventures and activities. Table- teams earn points for working together positively while staying focused and engaged on the given mission (activity/assignment). This recognition encourages cooperation and shows students the value of working together to achieve a goal. Some researchers suggest that the power of student connections/relationships is even more impactful than that of students relationships with parents and/or teachers. According to research published in Frontiers in Psychology (Yu et al., 2023), Academic Achievement is More Closely Associated With Student-Peer Relationships than with Student-Parent Relationships or Student-Teacher Relationships, the study found that (1) the quality of personal relationships significantly and positively correlated with academic performance; (2) Among the three types of relationships tested, the quality of student-peer relationships was the most closely associated with academic achievement. These outcomes suggest that educators should focus not only on strengthening the teacher-student relationship but also on fostering student-peer connections.
Behind every young hero is a loyal village that believes - these villagers consist of a team of educators, families, and community members who accepted them from the start. As we pause to recognize the dedicated contribution of educators on Teacher Appreciation Day, please consider volunteering in a classroom or simply writing a note of gratitude or support. Become an active member of the Parent-Teacher Association, or simply attend school programs and events.
As a group united, we can be a steady pillar for teachers, edify our students, and cultivate a community that helps students navigate challenges, build meaningful connections, and leave a positive impact both in our communities and beyond.
Dr. Geneá G. White is a veteran educator who currently works for Northridge Local Schools. She is a dedicated member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Founder of Optimal View Educational Consulting and Advocacy Agency.
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