HAPPINESS IN SCHOOL
Students derive happiness from a variety of sources. More often than not, it is the experience of some human quality that they remember as happy moments.
“The people I come to meet from various backgrounds, and the thought that they are there every day makes my day happy”, says Yvette Wanda Abel of Calcutta: Very similarly, Elizabeth Xess says she enjoys doing things and sharing the time together with her classmates.
Shrabana Chakrabarti claims that her happier moments have something to do with the way her teachers present themselves to her. “The kind, motherly care, and friendly attachment from the teachers, is what makes me happy in school”, she says. For still others, the sense of achieving gradually their life-goals, is a source of immense happiness.
Incidentally, it is the happier moments that contain maximum potential for growth; a growth that is healthy and long-lasting.
Three qualities of the “most liked” principal, according to some Teachers are:
Understanding, Patience, Encouragement
Three-step success
Teachers who have mastered the science and art of classroom management have done it many different ways. Some use sugar, some vinegar. Some follow a system, others say “do whatever works.” What is more important when dealing with these issues is that we maintain an atmosphere of love, consistency and integrity.
Love: Letting students know they are still good people, it’s their behaviour that is unacceptable.
Consistency: Helps students know the framework and boundaries for behavior. They won’t need to keep testing them to find out how much the teacher will bend each day.
Integrity: They will need to know that the teacher will keep his/her values. This sets the example for them to do the same and can reduce discipline problems long-term.
Whom do you admire?
We asked some students to tell us about teachers whom they admire, and what they admire them for. Here’s a sample of what they said.
Shrabana Chakrabarti quoted earlier, says, “I admire three people as excellent educators. One is a religious brother, and two are teachers. All three of them are highly talented, extremely well organized, punctual, and strict to some extent, yet very loving; and people with real, earnest dedication to their work. They have inspired me in my school life and though they will not be physically present around me when I step out of this school, their qualities, their ideas and values will always inspire me in my life.”
When you treat your students Special they do not have to act Special
“I admire a priest as an excellent educator,” says Amit Bafna, also of Calcutta. “He tries and assists the boys in every possible way. He visits the classroom and the boys can freely express their grievances in front of him. Not only does he listen to the boys’ problems but he also takes necessary action. He mingles freely with the boys during the lunch break. Whenever he is in the school, he spends the lunch hour among the students. All boys in the school respect him due to his genuine concern for the students.”