Here I am trying to focus on the most important lessons to teach our youth, and I have retyped this introduction at least 4 times because I am getting distracted watching Say Yes To the Dress! Am I the only one who gets sucked into this show?? The husband is always saying, “you’ve been married for years! Why do you need to look at dresses?” He just doesn’t get it.
Anyway…I suppose I should get down to business!
So Many Important Lessons to Teach…
As Teacher Moms, we are constantly taking advantage of “teachable moments”: When your student shows that spark of interest. When your toddler gets excited because she recognizes numbers on a sign. When your husband finally realizes that the foot in his lap needs massaging… Actually, that last one is still only working with a 60% accuracy rate.
But I digress.
The point is, we are constantly teaching lessons. As teachers, there is no shortage of important lessons that we need to teach to our students, let alone the required lessons! And as Teacher Moms, we are responsible for teaching our children (biological and otherwise) not just the 3 R’s: Reading, Riting, and ‘Rithmetic, but also the LIFE lessons that will help them succeed. While I value education and I love learning, the most important lessons I have taught have nothing to do with subject-verb agreement or fractions.
These are the most important lessons I want my kids to take with them as they grow and enter the world:
Dear Children,
-
You Are Just as Smart as I Am
retrieved from Google/media bonnint
I say this to my students a lot. If you are an avid First Belle reader, you know I teach in an inclusion setting. My students often have to work very hard just to approach grade level standards. Every year I find myself saying the same thing to my class, “I am not any smarter than you.”
I am always met with quizzical looks but I explain: “Smart” is such a vague and relative term. Kids are so used to being told how smart they are or what they need to do to become smarter. I tell them that I am not smarter than they are, I have simply lived longer and had more time to learn. That is why I know more information, but “smart” is simply one’s capacity to learn, and all children have that. I have spent a lot of time studying, reading, and learning. If you spend the time, too, you will be just as “smart” as the teacher.
2. We Are All Family
In the words of Lilo and Stitch,
“Ohana Means Family. Family means no one is left behind, or forgotten.”
It may sound cheesy, but in our classroom, it’s how we roll. I say it constantly in some form or another. We are all family and we have to support each other! Where are you without family to lean on? When you spend 35 hours a week together in one room, you really do become like family. We all know what buttons to push, what each other’s strengths and weaknesses are, how to make each other laugh, and who prefers mechanical pencils to wooden.
My first year of teaching I adopted the phrase, (from an older, wiser teacher), “In this room, we HELP each other, we don’t HURT each other.” We say it almost daily and the kids truly take it to heart. I encourage them to look out for each other, stand up for each other, and root for each other throughout the year, and beyond. As a 5th grade teacher, when my munchkins graduate they leave and go to a new school for 6th grade. This community is always beneficial for them during the transition. When you find your community, your close personal friends, treat them like family. You may not always agree or get along, but an element of respect should remain. That foundation allows my students to become more confident and discover what makes them shine.
3. Fair and Equal Are Not the Same
At the beginning of the year I always display this graphic:
retrieved from themetapicture.com
If we gave all 3 children the same size box, we would be EQUAL, but is that FAIR? The resulting discussion leads to the term “boxes” being used throughout the year as synonymous with any tool that we use to help us succeed. Many of my students have IEP’s, 504’s, and countless accommodations to assist them. This one lesson helps them understand why some kids have calculators, some have reading strips, and others wear headphones during tests. No questions asked. Some of us require more “boxes” than others for certain things, but we all agree that everyone deserves as many boxes as necessary to be successful.
4. Always Give 100%, Even if That Equals a 75
Listen up, kiddos: You will not always make A’s. It’s just life. Some students will never see “Honor Roll” on their report cards; and, I’m sure I shouldn’t say this, but I don’t care. If you are giving me everything you’ve got, I accept. And I KNOW when you are half-assing it. (NO, I don’t say that to the kids, but sometimes I’m thinking it). Likewise, I also know when you are truly putting forth your best, and that is what will take you to your maximum potential. If you grow up to be a brain surgeon, be the best one you can be. If you get your GED and become a welder, be the best one you can be. Whether you’re a waitress, teacher, stay-at-home mom, or the president of the United States, just be the best you can be. Don’t give yourself the opportunity to look back and wish you had done more. If you give it your all, you won’t regret anything.
5. Celebrate (Don’t Run From) the Weird in You!
retrieved from blogspot.com
“Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!”~Dr. Suess~
That quote never gets old! 
Honestly, it is really, really hard to believe this when you are 12. The older I get though, the more I love my own idiosyncrasies. Actually, the older I get, the more weirdness I uncover! 🙂 Seriously, though, those oddities make you stand out. They make you memorable. It’s those silly, weird quirks that make your true friends and family love you. I know they may get buried deep down in favor of convention as you find your way through your school years, but please don’t let them go too far. I wish I had embraced my weird earlier!
Dear children, if you learn no other lesson from me, please remember to be true to yourself-you deserve nothing less.
Hopefully I can impart these important lessons to not only my students, but my own child as well.
What are the most important “lessons” you learned growing up?
Psssst!~ I am so excited!! I have had the privilege of being featured in a new online magazine called Digital Miss! Check out my article coming out May 19th!
#MayContributor #digitalmisscontributor
Good tips –
Even though I’m not a teacher, a mom can use these.
For sure, I intend to try and teach the same to my daughter 🙂
We need more teachers like you! These lessons are so important and kids need to be aware of these things.
I even feel about myself now.
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed the post 🙂
Hi,
I am a teacher too. I teach 7th grade history. You are right fair and equal are not the same. I like that. I will use it. I try to be fair but I don’t try to be their equal. We need authority or there would be chaos.
Janice
Actually I was thinking of it as “everyone in this class will be treated fairly, but we all need different things to succeed, so it won’t always be equal.” But I like your take on it, too! I might use that!
Maybe you can check out my blog if you need any blogging tips. That is what I write about.
Janice
Thank you, will do!
Exciting! I will look forward to your visit to my blog.
Janice
I love the fact that you teach them to love the weird in them. Everyone has their own strengths and weakness. I constantly tell my daughters that it’s great to be weird. Who wants to be normal….
Right?! Normal is not even a thing, we are all weird and we love it. It makes for a great classroom community feeling 🙂
Love the font & color you use on your headers 🙂
Thank you! The theme is from Pretty Darn Cute designs 🙂 I absolutely love it, too.
Thanks! It is from Pretty Darn Cute designs 🙂 I love it, too!
I’m not a teacher, but this is great for my kids, too! I especially love number 5. My two littles are incredibly unique and I love their weirdness so much!
Oh yes, I am hoping I can teach my daughter the same lessons! Kids have a lot of expectations on them today, and it’s important that they know they are worth more than a test score! Gotta love that weirdness, too!
Love these lessons! Especially that fair and equal are NOT the same. Also, give 100%, even if that earns a 75 on the test. It’s not about being perfect…it’s about REALLY trying and making progress. Thanks for this. You must be a fabulous teacher.
That is very kind of you to say, I certainly try to be the best teacher I can be. With special ed kiddos, I really try to let them know that THEIR best is what I am looking for, not PERFECT. Progress counts!
“Fair and Equal Are Not the Same” is such an important lesson that I try to teach my students! Luckily, there are so many great lessons out there to teach it – but I think there is a generation lacking that understanding and it’s so important to help this generation understand that!
Agreed! We need to help create a more understanding generation 🙂
What a powerful teaching. I would love it when my daughter’s teacher can tell her to celebrate and accept herself including the ‘weird’ thing abt herself.
Thank you! We should all try to embrace our uniqueness 🙂
I love this list! I especially appreciate #5. I feel like growing up I wish people had been more supportive of my weird side 😉 I’m going to share your blog with my sister who just got her first teaching job!
Oh thank you very much! I really appreciate the support 🙂 COngrats to your sister! Tell her if she needs any resources I would be glad to help- or at least point her in the right direction!
These are great tips and loved reading them. Definitely something all moms could instill in their kids ?
Thank you 🙂 I agree!
OMG I wish you were my 5th grade teacher. All the lessons youre teaching them are lessons I’m having to learn as an adult. When I was going to school, I remember them not celebrating the quirky, there was bullying between our classmates, and getting A’s was a MUST. And teachers made sure to remind you constantly! And point out and compare students. Seriously I miss being young, but I don’t miss school because of this.
You’re an awesome teacher!
Love this all the way!
Oh I am so sorry you have those memories from school! I mess up all the time, but I hope beyond hope that my students feel loved and safe in my classroom. There is so much more to life than letter grades. I really try to teach my kids life skills and help them learn the tools of being a productive member of society. Thank you for sharing your story with me and for the encouraging words!
I love these tips….as a homeschool mom I think these are fantastic for not only teachers, but parents as well. You have some very lucky little ones in your classroom!
Thank you! I agree, these are important lessons for our children to learn as home, as well!
Great suggestions- as a high school teacher, so many kids are missing fundamental “how to human” lessons when they come to me and its sad.
Haha I love that! I should write a lesson plan for teaching “How to Human.” 🙂 I really try to prepare my munchkins for the world as best I can!
#3, #3, #3!! I’m a special education teacher and I feel like I constantly have to bring up conversation around this in the inclusion setting. I feel like our kids truly understand it though (when it’s explained to them)
I completely agree, and I think that’s what makes them more comfortable around us! Funny, I was drawn to your post about children with anxiety and commented today! Great minds think alike! 🙂
This is a tremendous post! I love all of these lessons, and as a coach and mom I think these all apply to me too in thise jobs.
Oh as a coach you really have a far reach and you have so many little eyeballs on you! I agree that these lessons go far beyond classroom walls. Thank you for your encouragement!
As a teacher myself, I completely agree with all of these lessons! I am the general education inclusion teacher and it is so important for my students to know that we are all in this learning thing together. I love that graphic about fair vs. equal. I always tell my students that we all need a boost (or box) in one area or another from time to time. The idea of embracing your weirdness or uniqueness is also so important!
Agreed! I hope all of my students take these to heart 🙂
Oh, me too! Algorithms take a lesser priority to these important lessons!
Hehe for sure!
This is an excellent post not only for students in the school environment, but for the home as well. These are key lessons for a better survival and community that help them to have value by themselves and to be able to develop effectively with other children. Great post!
That is my hope! I am always trying to make sure my munchkins can live a happy, independent life.
Hi Ashley, I am definitely saving your website. I have a 4 month old baby and I sure can get a lot of help from your blog. I’ll sure remember these tips here for my child. Janey.
Oh my goodness, reading this made my night! I hope I can offer some help along your Mommy journey! If there is anything you’d like to see more of, please let me know. I hope you enjoy & God Bless!