Yesterday might have been a bad day. A student was
disrespectful to me. Another student misbehaved. One student almost got in a
fight. Some students didn’t do their homework. Some students didn’t understand
the concept that I was teaching. A colleague and I had a disagreement. The principal was not happy and when he isn’t
happy, no one is happy. It was an example
right out of the book from “Alexander and
the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!”
But today is a new day.
The disrespectful student may have
been having his own bad day. Maybe he had an argument at home. Maybe he didn’t
get enough sleep or food to eat. Whatever his reason, today is a new day. I
will give him a clean slate and we will start fresh. I won’t hold a grudge. He
gets to start again today.
The student who misbehaved may have
felt justified in doing what he did. Maybe he was bored or maybe he couldn’t
focus. Whatever his reason, today is a new day. I will not hold yesterday’s
behavior against him. He will have a chance to start anew.
One student who was so angry she
almost got in a fight. I will not stay angry with her. It’s a new day. I will
help her set her own anger aside and start today in a more calm attitude. It is
hard to learn when you are angry and angry thoughts cloud your mind. There isn’t
enough room to let in new learning.
For the students who didn’t do their
homework, today is a new day. They will have a chance to show improved
responsibility. I won’t hold it against them but I will hold them accountable.
Failure is not an option with homework so if it wasn’t done at home, it will be
done first before anything else is started. They will learn that they will have
to do it one way or another and that it is much easier to just do it at home as
required.
For the students who didn’t understand
the concept I was teaching. It is a new day. I need to figure out a different
way to explain it. I need to help them learn in the way that is best for them
and not for me. It might include having a peer explain it in a way they
understand. Whatever it takes, it is up to me to help them figure it out and
put our frustrations aside.
The colleague who disagreed with me
may have been right. I will consider the argument and possibly look at my own
opinion differently. But today is a new day. We work together and will put this
disagreement aside and move forward.
If the principal isn’t happy, I need
to figure out what I need to do to change this. It is a new day. I need to do
what is expected and if I don’t understand or know, it is up to me to find out.
I don’t need to hold my own anger or frustration up for the world to see. This
is blocking me from doing what I need to do. I need to start the day with a
clean slate and move forward.
Do you give others a clean slate on a
new day? If so, please share.
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