I am an avid reader/listener of both fiction and non-fiction literature and am currently reading “dare to lead” by Brené Brown. I found the following excerpt to be a potent reminder of the power our educators have to influence the lives of our children.
“In our original research on shame, 85% of the people we interviewed could recall a school incident from their childhood that was so shaming, it changed how they thought of themselves as learners. What makes this worse is that approximately half of those recollections were what I refer to as creativity scars. The research participants could point to a specific incident in which they were told or shown that they weren’t good writers, artists, musicians, dancers, or something else creative. The shame tool used in these situations was almost always comparison. This helps explain why the gremlins are so powerful when it comes to creativity and innovation, and why using comparison as a management tool stifles both.
On the flip side of that finding, the same data showed that more than 90 percent of the people we interviewed could name a teacher, coach, school administrator, or faculty member who reinforced their self-worth and helped them believe in themselves and their ability. What do these seemingly competing findings tell us? School leaders have enormous power and influence, and how they use that power and influence changes people. For better or worse.”
Can you think of an educator whose support or lack thereof had either a positive or negative impact on your life?