In this 71 second viral video titled "Florida Teacher Starts Each Day Complimenting Students One by One," (video also embedded below) a Special Education teacher in Florida shows how he begins his day in the classroom. As part of his mission to cultivate peace and kindness in the classroom, he tells his students every day that they are "amazing student[s]" and he "loves having [them] in [his] class" (LatestNews 2015) He compliments each of them individually and, at the end of the video, one of them even compliments him in return on being "the greatest teacher ever"--the highest compliment a teacher can receive.
Some might look at this cynically, saying, as "Supermonkeyyyyyy" did in the comments, "But if he does this everyday wouldn't the children become numb to the compliments?" (LatestNews 2015) Others might say it's a waste of class time or, worse, that it's making these kids "self-absorbed" (LatestNews 2015) (Ironically, these are examples of why we need more compliments in the world!).
Although I'm not sure I could take 10 minutes every day to do this (I am assuming his class periods are longer than 57 minutes!) however, I think this demonstration of gratitude is incredibly valuable, especially for these learners. They may not hear that they are "amazing student[s]" (LatestNews 2015) or are even complimented much because of their perceived limited abilities.
Some might look at this cynically, saying, as "Supermonkeyyyyyy" did in the comments, "But if he does this everyday wouldn't the children become numb to the compliments?" (LatestNews 2015) Others might say it's a waste of class time or, worse, that it's making these kids "self-absorbed" (LatestNews 2015) (Ironically, these are examples of why we need more compliments in the world!).
Although I'm not sure I could take 10 minutes every day to do this (I am assuming his class periods are longer than 57 minutes!) however, I think this demonstration of gratitude is incredibly valuable, especially for these learners. They may not hear that they are "amazing student[s]" (LatestNews 2015) or are even complimented much because of their perceived limited abilities.
This made me think about what I can do as a teacher--giving that compliment or high-five might seem silly to some students or others observing my class. But maybe I am the one person saying something positive to that student in his/her day.
I had a student commit suicide last year in my class (I tutored twice per week in his AVID class). For months afterward, I got little sleep worrying about what I could have done differently and praying for the other kids that they would not follow his lead. I came to realize that there was nothing I could have done differently--I welcomed the student every day, was always encouraging and kind, and that there were demons he was wrestling with that no one could help him fight.
But I did make one change--I always tell my students I will see them on a specific day. I stopped saying that I will "see them later" because later is undefined. If my students know that I will see them on "Tuesday," then it's a set date; they are expected to be there and, even if only in the back of their minds, realize that someone is looking forward to seeing them in class. Even when my students are late, I make sure to say that I am glad to see them because I know I may never have another opportunity to express to them what wonderful human beings I think they are and what potential they have.
In my experience, this mentality of kindness and encouragement is best taught at a young age. I remember observing in a first grade class and, at the end of the day, the two class leaders were given stickers and, to everyone in the room, individually passed out the stickers with the sentence, "Name, you are loved and appreciated." This small act of kindness was incredibly impactful--it created a culture of kindness in the classroom. Throughout the entire day I observed, not one student was unkind and if anyone was having a hard time, the students all helped each other. It was truly powerful.
Whether you teach at an elementary school or high school, in today's classrooms, we have to remind ourselves that students are constantly bombarded with media that promotes sarcasm and cynicism (as we saw in the video's comments), is a witness to violence, and demolishes self-esteem by promoting products to "better" oneself. In this environment, it is no wonder that many students bully, tease, and demean each other on social media. Curbing this behavior starts at a young age but even if we cannot reach them at that age (I am a high school teacher after all), we can still create a classroom of encouragement, positivity, and compliments, even by just saying, "You are an amazing student. I love having you in my class" (LatestNews 2015).
I had a student commit suicide last year in my class (I tutored twice per week in his AVID class). For months afterward, I got little sleep worrying about what I could have done differently and praying for the other kids that they would not follow his lead. I came to realize that there was nothing I could have done differently--I welcomed the student every day, was always encouraging and kind, and that there were demons he was wrestling with that no one could help him fight.
But I did make one change--I always tell my students I will see them on a specific day. I stopped saying that I will "see them later" because later is undefined. If my students know that I will see them on "Tuesday," then it's a set date; they are expected to be there and, even if only in the back of their minds, realize that someone is looking forward to seeing them in class. Even when my students are late, I make sure to say that I am glad to see them because I know I may never have another opportunity to express to them what wonderful human beings I think they are and what potential they have.
In my experience, this mentality of kindness and encouragement is best taught at a young age. I remember observing in a first grade class and, at the end of the day, the two class leaders were given stickers and, to everyone in the room, individually passed out the stickers with the sentence, "Name, you are loved and appreciated." This small act of kindness was incredibly impactful--it created a culture of kindness in the classroom. Throughout the entire day I observed, not one student was unkind and if anyone was having a hard time, the students all helped each other. It was truly powerful.
Whether you teach at an elementary school or high school, in today's classrooms, we have to remind ourselves that students are constantly bombarded with media that promotes sarcasm and cynicism (as we saw in the video's comments), is a witness to violence, and demolishes self-esteem by promoting products to "better" oneself. In this environment, it is no wonder that many students bully, tease, and demean each other on social media. Curbing this behavior starts at a young age but even if we cannot reach them at that age (I am a high school teacher after all), we can still create a classroom of encouragement, positivity, and compliments, even by just saying, "You are an amazing student. I love having you in my class" (LatestNews 2015).
Reference
LatestNews. [LatestNews]. (2015, November 17). “Florida teacher starts each day complimenting students one by one”. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=5ZXNqraH2Og.
v=5ZXNqraH2Og.