Believing in possibility

In my 20+ years of experience as an educator at various levels, I've had students who detested me, adored me, were indifferent to me, and everything in between.

However, 100% of my students knew I believed in them.

This was the most common sentiment in all of my evaluations throughout my career.

I was always baffled by that comment. How do you simultaneously teach and also think, “These folks are never gonna get this”?

If you don't believe in your students, what are you even doing there?

It is A Core Value. It is the seed of all possibility in the classroom or music studio, believing in them.

Now, in many cases, they could not give two sh*ts about your stupid belief.

At first.

At first.

This is where everyone wins, always. I will believe in you, 100%, and I will not tolerate garbage behavior.

Those two combined is a Level Up in teamwork between learners and educators.

It's the consistent part that matters.

During bad days, good days, days when everything clicks and especially on days when you hear A River Runs Through It a bazillion times—I'm still, “Yup, I believe in you”.

That changes a person. And it changes you.

All actions and thoughts are directed to the outcome, in the most joysous way possible, and the outcome is for them to succeed, to win, to pass, to learn, to expand in their endeavors, however that may look for each one.

With consistent action and aligned communication on my part, the students get one type of model for healthy support, in real life. There are many; mine happens to be based in educational pedagogy, neuroscience, and Love.

This is the first thing we talk about when I design seminars and workshops for new teachers—why are you here?

Do you believe?