A student emailed me this meme, with a word of gratitude and encouragement for the way I've led class this semester...
I'm so grateful for this. I have a reputation for being passionate and energetic in the classroom, and I try to capitalize on these attributes. And usually, I think I do; I'm able to leverage these to create an atmosphere where learning can happen.
But it's not perfect, you know?
I put a lot into my teaching, and I hold myself to pretty high standards, and because of this, I wrestle with self-doubt. I don't mean this to sound self-deprecating; I know that I'm a good teacher, and all that. But I'm also my own worst critic, because I know the warts on my teaching practice, the weaknesses, the places I'm still growing and learning and developing.
But it really feels good to have someone name strengths they see in a deliberate message of encouragement, doesn't it?
Today I'm thinking about flourishing, because I think I'm called to serve as an educator, and I'm equipped to do it well. I don't do it perfectly, and I'm still learning, and growing, and refining my practice. But I am flourishing in my work; it gives me deep joy and satisfaction. The external markers like observations from my colleagues, evaluations of instruction from my students, and informal comments like this student's email of encouragement point to the fact that things are generally going well.
But hearing these kind of encouragement are still important to me, and give me a boost.
Which makes me think of how important it is for us as educators to give these kinds of messages of encouragement to our students, colleagues, and even supervisors to help bring about this kind of flourishing. In my experience, naming strengths, affirming gifts and talents, and offering gratitude all can provide this kind of encouragement.
Let's be intentional about this. Who can you encourage today? And how will that lead to their flourishing?
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