"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou
I love that quote and it definitely rings true in teaching. When I chat with my former students they will sometimes thank me for preparing them for a college science class but more often I hear things like, "Do you remember that time you got so mad at me for _______?"
In all honesty, no, I don't remember all of the times I have been angry at students or even all the times I have been overjoyed. But they do. They remember the times in school they were punished, earned a special reward, or felt embarrassed. We all do. Looking back, I can tell you the three words that caused me to lose all the three spelling bees I participated in during middle school, but I can no longer list from memory all of the South American countries and capitals I learned. I can still sing parts of the songs that earned me high marks at solo contests, but I can no longer solve any Calculus problems.
It all boils down to this: Emotion cements learning.
We all remember the best and the worst parts of this roller coaster called life. My students are likely to forget the details of what they learn in my classroom but they might remember how it felt to be my student. That is why I try to begin each period with a smile and a cheerful greeting when students enter my classroom. Elementary teachers are experts at this task but it was not something I emphasized until a few years ago. Most days it is genuine gesture because I love getting to teach science and I have great students. However, sometimes I have to put aside many other emotions to be welcoming and sometimes I fail at being cheerful. Without a doubt, I do make students angry once in awhile (or more often, depending on who you ask...) but I try my best to provide a warm welcome because I know it matters. My students will forget much of what I teach them but I do want them to remember that I teach for them. I care for them. I try my best...for them.
I love that quote and it definitely rings true in teaching. When I chat with my former students they will sometimes thank me for preparing them for a college science class but more often I hear things like, "Do you remember that time you got so mad at me for _______?"
In all honesty, no, I don't remember all of the times I have been angry at students or even all the times I have been overjoyed. But they do. They remember the times in school they were punished, earned a special reward, or felt embarrassed. We all do. Looking back, I can tell you the three words that caused me to lose all the three spelling bees I participated in during middle school, but I can no longer list from memory all of the South American countries and capitals I learned. I can still sing parts of the songs that earned me high marks at solo contests, but I can no longer solve any Calculus problems.
It all boils down to this: Emotion cements learning.
We all remember the best and the worst parts of this roller coaster called life. My students are likely to forget the details of what they learn in my classroom but they might remember how it felt to be my student. That is why I try to begin each period with a smile and a cheerful greeting when students enter my classroom. Elementary teachers are experts at this task but it was not something I emphasized until a few years ago. Most days it is genuine gesture because I love getting to teach science and I have great students. However, sometimes I have to put aside many other emotions to be welcoming and sometimes I fail at being cheerful. Without a doubt, I do make students angry once in awhile (or more often, depending on who you ask...) but I try my best to provide a warm welcome because I know it matters. My students will forget much of what I teach them but I do want them to remember that I teach for them. I care for them. I try my best...for them.