Helping Children Feel Valued in the Classroom Environment
We’ve all been there at one point or another--wishing we could be just a little more like someone else. Between television and social media, we’re constantly bombarded with images of people’s seemingly perfect lives. If we aren’t careful, it can really start to affect us.
Sadly, children can be affected by the whole “shiny object syndrome” as well. The little girl who wishes she had that huge pink bow just like her friend. The little boy who knows he could run faster if he only had the latest pair of cool shoes like his neighbor.
It’s more important than ever for children to understand the value of being themselves and being happy with who they are. Teachers have an amazing opportunity to foster a strong sense of self-worth among the children in their classrooms. I’ve included a few simple ways that you can use to plant the seeds of the value of self-worth in your own classroom!
Create an Environment Where Children Feel Safe
It’s so important for children to feel a sense of security in their environment. They learn better that way! One thing I’ve found that works beautifully is letting children know exactly what is expected of them in any given situation. Even if they don’t realize it, children crave limits and boundaries. This can be accomplished through a solid set of procedures and routines.
Take some time to really communicate to the children how they should handle situations that come up daily and even throughout the year. What should they do if they need the bathroom? How should they get your attention? What if they need to sharpen their pencils? Then practice, practice, practice! If it takes weeks of practicing it’ll be time well spent. If they need reminding at any point in the year, practice again. They’ll feel the security of a setting with an established routine and with a teacher who cares enough to provide it for them.
Let Students Know It’s Their Classroom, Too
We tend to value things more when they’re ours. We take better care of them. It’s no different for children. Let them know that the classroom they’re in is theirs.
When introducing students to a new set of manipulatives or to a new piece of science equipment, ask them who they think it’s for. Likely, they’ll tell you it’s yours or that it belongs to the school. Explain to them that everything in the room is theirs as much as it is yours and that you’ll need their help to care for these things throughout the year. The goal is to help children feel a sense of ownership and pride in playing such an important role as a member of the classroom unit.
Help Students Understand the Value of Self-Worth
Children need to realize that they are uniquely special and valued just the way they are. Our differences are what make us so special. One way to help children understand their own self-worth is through the stories you read to them. The book “Sylvie” by Jennifer Sattler is a great choice for this. Sylvie is a pink flamingo who wonders what it would be like if she would be a different color. After exploring different options, Sylvie eventually realizes that she doesn’t really feel well when she isn’t herself. She comes to realize that she is happiest when she embraces who she is. This story leads to wonderful discussions about accepting others for who they are and also about the power of just being the person they were meant to be.
Creating a classroom environment in which children feel valued is so important. Maya Angelou said it best when she said, “At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” Take the time to make each child in your class feel special for being the person that they are.
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