Self-Worth

Guys, Haiti is in a rough time right now. While we wait and pray for an end to the strike days, I've been trying to focus on some positives. In doing so, I was reminded of a conversation I had with one of my first graders that I wanted to share:

One of my favorite & most important jobs as a teacher is build self-worth into my students. My co-teacher and I are very intentional about building relationships with our students and instilling a growth mindset.

Here's a short conversation that I had with a little girl in my class recently that made me smile. 

Teacher: How did you get your whole paper correct?

Student, arms in air: I am smart!!

T: What else are you?

S, with confidence: I am beautiful, nice, kind, & loved.

T: Why couldn't you say that stuff earlier in the year?

S, honestly: I didn't know all that stuff about myself!

This student was one that started the year with poor self-image.  She would give up easily and didn't want to attempt anything perceived as hard because she was afraid of failure. She often complained about how she looked and even defined herself as ugly. 

To hear her confidently say that she is beautiful, smart, & loved filled my heart!

When faced with tough problems, she talks to herself saying, "Don't give up till I'm proud. Don't give up, keep trying."

Just an hour earlier, we had worked on quick thank you notes to God.  She had wrote:

“Thank you God for being my daddy. Thank you for my family. I praise you for loving me.”

This was a great reminder for me that my job matters and that our words make a difference.

She is also one the students who gave her life to Christ in December. What a transformation!

In the words of one of my favorite musicals, “Careful the things you say, children will listen. Careful the things you do, children will see and learn. Guide them along the way, children will listen. Children will look to you, for which way to turn. Careful before you say “listen to me,” children will listen.”

I'm thankful for the opportunity God gives me to speak truth and love into these little hearts as they are just beginning to explore a world that will try to tell them who they are. I hope that some of what I say, they listen and remember that they are all beautiful and loved by Jesus.  They remind me of those things every day!❤