MAKE EACH DAY A CLEAN SLATE INSIDE THE CLASSROOM

LORNA Q. GARCIA

Critical to classroom management is forgiveness through compassion. Teachers should not make students feel as if they’re constantly reminded of their mistakes.

Our students make mistakes because of different factors, inside and outside school. We really don’t know what’s going on at home that would contribute to a student’s stress. When we are able to accept and understand this, then we can make each day better.

We should not waste our time holding grudges, as this would just lead to poor decisions. Let’s forgive and forget, for the sake of our happiness.

Let’s remember however that displaying compassion for our students is not the same as friendship. We show compassion not because we want our students to like us.

We may want our students’“approval”, and we may want to be accepted by our students, but this can lead to lack of mutual respect.

When we show compassion to our students, this means we are trying to make choices that are best for their learning experiences. At the same time, we make the necessary effort to understand their points of view.

This is not friendship per se, but rather, we show that we care about their development and their future.

Compassion is an important like skill we all should possess. For teachers, it is part of classroom management. It can enhance the effectiveness of any strategy we would normally put in place.

For students, compassion gives them the opportunity to trust our choices for them. While classroom management procedures are important, students are more inclined to respect us and follow our lead if they know that we have invested in them.

— oOo—

The author is Teacher II at Jose Escaler Memorial School