So far, I’ve taught hundreds of students through environmental education programs, and I’ve learned a lot from them.
I’ve had the privilege of working with children from varying backgrounds; from the very poor to the extremely wealthy. Regardless of where they came from, each child brought something special to the classroom. I’m grateful for every experience I’ve had with kids because I know how valuable the lessons were.
Here are some things they’ve taught me so far:
Live for today:
The first thing I do is ask them if they want to play outside today. If they say yes, we head out into the playground area where our students usually gather. They love playing tag, running around, jumping rope, climbing, throwing balls, and riding bikes.
Most of the time, the children don’t know what lessons they’re going to learn in their outdoor classroom until they arrive at school. However, they always seem to show up eager to get started.
Live life without holding grudges or living in your past mistakes.
Sometimes I have some pupils who don’t make the best choices for classroom management. These pupils often get into trouble and must be disciplined. After an absence to reflect upon better choices, these pupils have returned.
They do not allow a mistake to spoil their entire relationship with me. They do not allow being scolded to break down the lines of communication between us. They move on.
Ask questions: What else
The best way to find out what’s going on is by asking questions. It doesn’t matter if it’s a question about the company itself, its products, or the industry at large. Just keep asking until you get some kind of answer.
I think that the most important thing is, to be honest, and open with your kids. I’ve found that my daughter has an uncanny ability to read between the lines when she knows something isn’t right. She can tell when someone is being dishonest or not telling her the whole truth.
Keep an eye out for
I enjoy taking my students out into the outdoor classroom to do lessons based on nature. When I am teaching about dinosaurs, I often bring along my own dinosaur fossils so they can dig up bones and examine them.
They love exploring everything outdoors! In addition to learning about nature, my students also learn how to observe and record what they see. For example, when we’re studying insects, my students watch for bugs and then write down what kind of bug it is.
Every student is encouraged to participate in observations and record keeping. Students who are struggling with writing may find that recording their observations helps them keep track of what they’ve learned.
Be happy now!
People who are happy don’t have to have a reason to be happy; they just are happy. Happy people smile, laugh, enjoy life, and love what they do. Happiness spreads because happy people make others feel good too.
The same is true for kids. If you want your child to be happy, then you need to be happy yourself. When you’re happy, it shows in the way that you treat other people. It also shows in how you interact with your children.
You can teach your kids about happiness by being an example of it!