As the new year kicks off and we settle back into a regular flow, what impact do you want to make in your workplace? If you are a teacher, you can make a HUGE impact on the students in your classroom. And your students can work together to make a difference too!
We have a couple of ideas for how you might do that:
Highlight Impactful Student Choices
When a student displays a classroom expectation or value (ex. care and love for another student who is upset) they are making a difference! Find ways to highlight and celebrate those moves whether it’s shoutouts at the end of the day or a system to highlight positive choices. This could look like giving extra privileges for those who exhibit behaviors consistently. For example a student who exemplifies grace can lead a lesson or students can have phone time when they exemplify responsibility and time management.
We had one teacher, Ms. Self, who choose to track positive student choices on a board so that the whole class could see how small decisions add up!
Study Change makers
Find moments to highlight people who made a difference in your community! This could be related to coursework, like highlighting women in Math, or it could be highlighting historical or local individuals who worked to make a difference in their community! Choose examples that are relevant to them. For example: Meagan the Stallion supporting HBCU’s, Demi Lavato is an ambassador for Free the Children, or Tan France’s work with anti-bullying campaigns. To initiate this conversation, Ask students, “who is currently impacting the culture and genres they are vested in? How those people are impacting their communities?”
Ask your students for input
What are THEY interested in? No one is too young to make a positive impact in their community, even in small ways. What things do your students want to change or make an impact in? It could be as simple as picking up trash in the playground out of their interest in the environment, or creating thank you notes for the janitorial staff to make a more grateful school culture. Or maybe it’s advocating for a business that could bring a positive impact in their community. Ask them to share their ideas! “What problems do you want to see fixed? What do you want to do to make your community better?”
What are ways you involve your student in making an impact in your school and community? Leave a comment below!