Be A Hopeaholic

America is the world’s leading manufacturer of hope.  America fills  the expectation that good things will come.  It’s the reason immigrants all over the world want to come here.  The wonderful thing about hope is that it’s like a giant umbrella that protects us from the storms of disappointment, failure and hardship.   Recently at the Democratic National Convention Michelle Obama spoke about her childhood.  Her account was a story of a childhood filled with encouragement, appreciation and love.  She demonstrates that when a child is lifted up a desire to make a worthy contribution is a predictable result.

This week children in America return to school.  Many with fear and anxiety about what’s to come but most with the hope that their teacher “will be nice” and “will be fair.”

Despite what children experience at home their expectations for fairness in school is constant.  It’s almost like a primordial need that school show them empathy, respect and kindness.   Sounds like a simple agenda but in reality the layers of challenges that teachers face putting loving kindness first is often difficult.  A typical classroom is a mini diverse society with competing levels of ability and need all vying for the attention of this one absolute authority “the teacher.”  For teachers meeting all these needs can be a super challenge.   But practicing one tactic can help. 

It’s important for each teacher to keep in mind the vision that brought them to teaching, hopefully the vision of making a difference in the life of a child, of opening the door to learning and doing so in way that ignites the curious mind and invites exploration.  One way to do this is to honor the need of all children to be loved and to belong.  The desire to care and be cared for, to give to others and to be part of a family or group is the most basic need below survival that all children share.   Creating a safe environment in the classroom, an environment that promotes kindness and respect first is the foundation for meeting this most basic need.

History teaches us that whatever is done to children they are likely to do to society.  If children find the world a place where social justice is limited and doled out like rewards then they are likely to engage in this system where fairness is not for all. 

My hope for this school year is that teachers will become the nation’s leaders in honoring and respecting this single important value and practicing it everyday so much so that it becomes contagious, that children see one standard, one way to be and pass it on and on.   Let’s inspire this generation of children, lift them up and see where it leads the possibilities are endless!