It’s No Accident – A Shift In Mindset

It’s the start of the year, and you have just received your roster. You look on there, and… there. It. is. That one student. The one whose name you heard all last year. The one who was in the office all the time. The one the teachers warned you about. Ugh. 

…

This is the mindset that sets you up from the start – this is the mindset that has already predetermined how your year with this one student will go and all the others.

Let me challenge you to shift this mindset. 

Think about this – 

The kids in your class are no accident. You are in their life for a reason and a divine purpose. You are the difference! YOU!

This is the Remind message that our school principal, Mrs. Clark, sent out to our staff at the start of the year before the teachers got their rosters, and I don’t think there is a stronger message she could have sent to the teachers.

It is so easy for us to get bogged down in the negative mindset that can sometimes come with a new roster. We often look at it in a “Here we go” way, but the teacher can make all the difference in the world for a student. We have the power to have a positive impact on all our students, including that one… 

When you look at your new roster this year, I challenge you to think about the fact that it is no accident that each of those students ended up in your class. There is a reason they ended up with you. Think about the difference you can make with each of them as you learn their needs and work with them. Think about the positive role model you can be. Even the challenging students deserve to not be given up on before the year even gets started. We can make a lasting impact on their lives. However, if we let our preconceived notions about a student or group of students set the tone, we will lessen our impact. 

Think of the new year as a clean slate for each of your students – no matter how many times you saw them in trouble last year or how many negative things you heard about them from the previous teachers. A new year means a new opportunity to be loved, and it’s our job to show students they matter. 

Have a great year and remember to smile through the hardships.