Help, Not Hurt

“It is our job as educators to help children.  In all that we do, if we cannot help a child grow, then we should certainly not hurt them in their exploration of growth.”

This school year begins the journey of nurturing another group of students!  When we consider all of the responsibilities of education, one of the greatest of these is our ability to help and protect the students that we encounter.

When I began teaching, I worked with a seasoned educator that would ask students often, “was that to help or to hurt?”  This resonated with me on so many levels because I don’t think we begin the process of internalizing our impact on children as much as we should.  Or, I should say, maybe I don’t!

When we ask children to learn a new concept or challenge their views on a subject, we are asking them to step outside of their comfort zone and trust that our way is “stronger” or “more effective”.  However, many times we don’t realize the amount of trust that a student has to have in order to take our “word for it”.

As educators, we help our children so much when we open our minds to their need to see our investment in their development.  This certainly provides a level of interest that is beyond simply saying, “I believe in you.”  It involves the action of actually believing!

When we teach with passion, we help our students grow and trust in our actions.  When we help them grow and trust the learning process, we become a participant in their overall growth process.  If we can’t do anything but involve students in the process of growth this year, let’s do that!  In all that we do, let’s encourage our children to explore their ability to grow beyond their imagined potential.