I had two students come to me during work time and ask me if I was okay. They told me that they weren't sure what it was, but I was off some how. They sat and talked to me for about 5-minutes. They care. (yes, they were done with their work and not trying to get out of it.)
It has always amazed me how students can read us, their teachers. They can tell is we are down, happy, afraid, proud, angry, and...lying. They can read us...always.
Once we make special connections with students, they become so in-tuned to the smallest of actions or variations in the way that we are that...they notice. Not only do they notice, but they respond. Most of the time, they are reflective and can articulate that they are noticing the subtle changes in us, thus they are acting differently. But, there are times that we do not know that we are showing our stress or other emotions and our students are responding without knowing it.
We need to be mindfully aware of why our students are acting strangely...
It could be simply because we, ourselves are acting strangely.
I have found that if my students are having an off-day, I need to take a step back and assess the way that I am feeling as well as what I am projecting to my students. Very often, I find after reflecting, that offering an honest assessment of what is happening as a dynamic between us, my students seem to feel relieved that all is okay with the world, and start to normalize for me.
We need to look in the mirror before reacting to student/class behaviors. It may just be us...
Be Mindful.
Peace.
Mark Levine
#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites
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