3 Things we can learn from kids

Kids can teach us a lot. Kids live in the moment, get up the minute they fall down and better yet, laugh it off and move on. Here are three things teachers can learn from their students.

1. Live in the moment 
   Each day you are faced with a class of children, so many different backgrounds, emotions, stories; all staring back at you through their little sets of eyes.  They are usually focused on the now, not what’s going to happen in thirty minutes, let alone later that day. Your role is to be completely focused on the now. It’s easy to zone out and think about what you’ll have for dinner or a future project and not be tuned in with what’s happening at that given moment. Try to put all that aside when you’re in the classroom and focus on what matters most.
2. If you get knocked down, get back up again
   As the song says ‘you’re never gonna keep me down.’ Kids are awesome at this. They fall over, brush themselves off and get back up running again in no time at all. ‘It’s not how many times you fall, but how many times you get back up.’ Resilience in teaching is key. A strong will and a strong goal will override any knockdowns. Be sure to remind yourself why you love teaching and get back up and enjoy it.
3. Don’t take life too seriously 
   Approach the day with a smile. Laugh at yourself and bring humour to the classroom. The lighter moments are what can make your day. Just like the kids, you want to enjoy your day at school. Sure there’s a lot to learn, but if it’s not fun then what’s the point? There’s a lot of work to do and a lot of responsibility, but if you focus on making learning fun, all of that will take care of itself.