Optimism in the Classroom
“Teaching is the greatest act of optimism.”
Being an education consultant, I often come across important issues that need to be addressed. Today, I decided to address one of them through my blog.
Let’s talk about education and optimism.
When I first began student teaching during my time at Carnegie Mellon University, I was exhilarated by the work. My training began in one of the city’s top laboratory schools. The curriculum was grounded in active exploration, inquiry-based play, and intensive collaboration among educators, researchers, and emerging teachers.
From my very first day in that classroom—and every single day since then—I began each morning thrilled to be working with young children. Any doubts or concerns from the day before would be forgotten. Learned from, of course. But past challenges never once dampened my excitement and hope for the new day.
Three years later, I explicitly learned this mindset from my mentor in her emotionally-responsive classroom. Treat every day as a new opportunity for every child. Yesterday’s challenges have no place tainting your work with this child today.
But some days especially, this outlook will be difficult to uphold. Trust me. Some children might need more than you can give them. Some adults might be bringing toxicity or negative energy into your work. The single greatest strategy you can give yourself and your students is a fresh start.
A Note On Toxic Positivity
In recent years and months, our world has faced drastic and alarming shifts. Widespread consequences of climate change, a global pandemic, political uncertainty, and limited access to our social communities—to name a few.
In light of these growing concerns, it can feel dismissive to say, “Don’t worry, be happy.” When we ask people to “look on the bright side” or remember that “it could be worse”, we ignore their fears and lived experiences. In such circumstances, our positivity can become toxic and harmful.
Our education system is nearly unrecognizable. Every community is facing its own challenges to safe learning. Teachers in some districts are still being asked to teach to the test, from policymakers who are tone-deaf to the needs of their educators, students, and communities. When it is safe for us to regain a sense of normalcy in our world, not a single one of us can predict what our schools will look like.
As an education consultant, I am challenging you to bring optimism into your work. I am inviting you to begin each day with a clean slate and new hopes. What I am not asking is for you to dismiss your issues and paste an empty smile on your face.
What Optimism Means
Just as we teach our young preschoolers that it’s okay to feel things, we must remind ourselves that unpleasant emotions are a basic human experience. (We delve into this topic more in our past blog post on mindfulness and fears). They are not always welcome, and they definitely do not feel good, but they are a reality.
Protecting our mental health and caring for our emotional wellbeing means giving ourselves space to feel disheartened, overwhelmed, and worried.
“Teaching is the greatest act of optimism” does not mean remaining positive, every minute of every day.
Teaching as an act of optimism means creating opportunities for growth and empowerment through education. When our children are denied access to resources or experiences, we teach with the hope that education lifts communities.
When we teach to inspire social justice, we must be optimistic that the world we envision is attainable. Our optimism will carry us through the hurdles and obstacles of an unjust world.
Optimism is a frame of mind that reminds us of why we teach. When we are navigating complex issues and classroom challenges, our optimism can help us to know that our issues are temporary. Our optimism can energize us to be creative in our problem-solving and how we reach our personal and professional goals.
Once we’ve given ourselves space to properly process and feel, our optimism is our lifeline to overcome these challenges.
Strategies for Successful Classroom Perspectives
A positive outlook alone will not strengthen your practice. Read below to learn about key strategies that can help you make each day a fresh start in the classroom.
1. Set The Expectations You Need For A Nurturing Classroom Environment
From your first day of school, every member of your classroom community should understand that your classroom is a safe space and a secure environment. When you create your classroom rules, emphasize why any rules or expectations are in place. Safety and kindness should be at the center of these conversations.
As always, make sure that expectations are written and displayed clearly for emerging readers to learn. A busy chart of green and red choices might not be developmentally-appropriate and readable. Rather, write in large words hanging low to the floor. Include images of the children modeling each rule or expectations. And of course, consider how to make the rule positive and instructional.
For example, “Don’t run” could be better said as “Use walking feet”. The latter offers children an option that they can visualize and understand.
Set yourself and your students up for success by creating this nurturing and warm environment.
For parents interested in teaching their children at home, early childhood workshops for parents could be a great point to start. Early childhood workshops provide parents with the right tools and skills to take charge of their child’s education.
2. Set Clear Boundaries And Consequences
Anyone who works with young children knows that physical responses to conflict are an expected part of childhood development. As early educators, our responsibility is to help children understand why such reactions are not acceptable. More importantly, our job is to offer safe alternatives to upsetting situations.
Your school should have a policy in place for a child who might harm you or other children. Safety is a priority for all members of the classroom. Think about adults in your school that might offer support. Is there a space in your classroom for an upset child to show their feelings in a safe way? A soft cozy area can be such a place.
If the situation reaches a point where a child is inconsolable and cannot be soothed in the classroom, is it possible to take a break in a different place? Maybe some peers can accompany you and that child for a small walk around the school. If your center allows it, perhaps another teacher can invite that child in for a change of setting and a fresh start. These strategies differ from child to child and among different situations. Consider what works for your teaching team, your school, and the unique children in your classroom that year.
3. Check In With Children Who Were Struggling Or Upset The Day Before
An emotionally-responsive classroom is one that creates space for a range of feelings and reactions. We must respond to a child in “a manner that addresses the behavior, validates the emotion behind it, and promotes an environment that helps reduce future behavior concerns and helps the child feel safe for self-expression”.
A fresh start to the day does not mean you forgot what happened the day before. Rather, it means you offer a child trust that today is a new opportunity for them to grow. It is alright to talk about what happened the day before in a way that invites self-reflection and processing.
“I remember yesterday that you were upset when you were working in the block area. Do you remember that? You must have been frustrated at what happened. I wonder what we can do if that happens again. Can you help me think of ways we can show that we’re upset? How can I help you if something happens that makes you upset?”
An intentional conversation about what happened can help a child reflect and strategize healthy and safe alternatives to harmful behavior. If you engage in such a teachable moment, it is important that you approach it with empathy and trust. This conversation is not a place to shame or criticize a child for any past behaviors. It is a learning experience for you and them.
Early childhood mental health consultation is also an avenue to be explored to help children become the best versions of themselves.
4. Be Clear In Your Daily Perspective
To expand on our previous strategy of checking in, we encourage you to be open and honest with the children. At the heart of teaching is relationship-building. After all, we are spending seven hours a day for ten months with our students. When challenging behaviors appear in the classroom, it is critical that you remind the children that you care for them.
You can explicitly share with a child, “I am not mad at you. I am not angry. Today is a new day, and I hope we can find ways to be safe and kind today.” Many young children might feel ashamed of their actions, and children who face childhood traumatic stress might become afraid of your reaction as an adult.
It is necessary to remind each child that you accept and welcome them into the classroom. They are capable of learning that a new day means a new opportunity to grow.
Teaching is an act of optimism, and learning is as well. We could all do with a bit of optimism for the future when faced with new challenges.
When you return to your work, whether in a virtual setting or an in-person classroom, find space for optimism. Give yourself the grace to feel overwhelmed. Recognize that your occasional feelings of stress or incompetence are universally shared by teachers. And once you’ve processed and felt these feelings, remember that the next day is a fresh start.
Remember that our work changes communities and lives. Education is a tool for empowerment, revolution, and justice. Education shapes minds and bodies and self-confidence and curiosity. And we are optimistic that our work will bring about the wonderful world we envision.
For early childhood education consultancy, feel free to schedule a free 20 min session to discuss your child’s needs.