Lessons from our favorite teacher

Some may be excitedly anticipating their return, while others want the lazy hazy days of summer to continue well after the school bell rings. But in either case, the countdown is on…only three weeks until both students and teachers go back to the classroom. It can bring back memories of how we felt when we were kids at this time of year while also remembering which category we fell into!

We all remember that special teacher. We may have been in kindergarten, grade one, four, six or ten, but somewhere in our schooling past there was one, at least one teacher who stood out from the rest!

There was just something about him/her. As kids we felt good around them, felt empowered, and felt safe. We would look forward to each day, each class that we would spend with this particular teacher.

He/she was always smiling, kind, happy, and we could feel her compassion. She never had a cross word to say in class and for as much as we knew him, not out of class either.

Theirs was the first homework we did when we got home from school…we wanted to do a good job for him and would be horrified at the thought of disappointing her – but then again we never could – not a disappointing bone in his body. We always felt empowered to do our best and she never made anyone feel that they were not good enough.

Okay, ringing any bells yet? Do you remember his/her name? What grade you were in? Have you caught yourself smiling just thinking about them? This little trip down memory lane can give us a very clear perspective to where any of us are now as adults.

Think about what was most memorable about this teacher who inspired you to be the best version of yourself.

Now, as a teacher, parent, sports coach or anyone working with or around kids, consider this question. Would you like the children in your life to think of you the way you did that teacher you just remembered? And more importantly do they?

It’s difficult sometimes to see how we come across to others, but as we can see from just this one example, it leaves an indelible impression.

This awareness is so important…more important than focusing on our kids peers or how much they text or play video games as explanations for their behaviour…just do the math!

On average our children from the age of 5 to 18 spend 42% of those years asleep in their beds. The majority of the remaining 58% is spent with us, in whatever capacity that may be, at home, in school or on the field.

So as their summer vacations come to a close, the leagues finish out their season and the doors are unlocked ushering in a new school year, let’s work on creating for our kids those positive and memorable indelible impressions that they will remember their whole lives…but because as we know, they will!