Many students in China understand the value
of American education. Thousands of Chinese students apply every year to
top American schools. The majority of these students also have great
respect for their teachers. Because of that reason, I enjoy being in
their company.
If we are honest with ourselves, we all want and need to feel
valued for who we are and recognized for our contributions and
accomplishments, which is especially true for teachers. It’s important
for us to know that we have made a difference in someone’s life. If a
person takes the time to express his heartfelt appreciation for
something we have done, it boosts our spirit, passion and purpose. It
builds our self-confidence, self-esteem and self-image. It gives us
energy and motivation to work harder and do more.
When you give people a sincere compliment, you are making
their world a better place. You are making them feel appreciated and
valued. In China, that recognition and feeling of accomplishment is
greater than monetary rewards.
I have found that when teachers express approval or gratitude
for something students have done, they not only enhance students’
lives, they enrich their own lives. Teachers feel more fulfilled when
they have done something to make someone else’s life better.
One of the laws of the universe states that what you give, you get in return.
My students all have dreams to make great monetary gains in
life, but I like to remind them that the most precious things cannot be
built by hand, bought or sold by man. They can only be experienced
through a wondrous soul and shared from one heart to the other.
When you show interest in others by noticing the good things
they’ve done, they will be drawn to you like a magnet. It will
accelerate the relationship-building process and enhance their overall
impression of you. When a teacher accentuates all that is positive
within his student, he in turn, accentuate all that is positive within
himself.
When you show your appreciation to others, their respect for
you will grow and so will your influence as a teacher. Students will
absolutely prefer to work harder for the teacher they like and trust and
who show an interest in them.
In China, it’s a free form of currency, teachers will do more
for recognition than they will for money. If you are in a teaching
position, remember that students will work harder and do more if they
know they will be recognized for their accomplishments. Show them you
care, and they will be loyal to you, and you will see a huge improvement
in their academic performance.
It has also been proven that if parents show an interest in
their child’s education, their child will also take a greater interest
in their schoolwork. If parents lack interest in how their children are
performing in school their children will not recognize the value of
getting a decent education.
I have found that respect is vital for a student’s overall
education. When you truly care and respect others, you will find that
others will truly care and respect you. When a teacher takes the extra
time to reach a struggling student, it is perceived as an act of
kindness.
I once told my students, long after your lesson plans are
forgotten, it will be the simple, kind acts of your teachers that you
will remember well into your old age and that is perhaps your teacher’s
greatest legacy.
Always with love from Suzhou, China
Thomas F O’Neill
U.S. Voice mail: (410) 925-9334
China Mobile: 011 (86) 13405757231
WeChat: Thomas_F_ONeill
Skype: Thomas_F_ONeill
Email: introspective7@hotmail.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/thomasf.oneill.3/
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