What’s your impact?

Today was a great day!  An impact is having a strong effect on someone or something.  I’m a teacher, which, just the thought is an impact in itself.  Take a listen………

 

I teach first grade!  My littles struggle with all of life’s issues, if their parents suffer it, they do too.  During a math lesson, after working out a problem in their math book, I asked for volunteers to come to the board and show their strategies.  Hands went up everywhere in the classroom including one little boy who is very, very shy and soft spoken.  I saw his hand and trying not to attract attention to him, I whispered to my teacher assistant to look.  After the student before him sat down, I told him to go show us his strategy.

 

The class went silent!  He worked his strategy on the board and wrote the correct answer.  We took pictures and a video to send to his parents.  What a proud moment!  

 

When he turned around, the class erupted in celebration.  He went back to his seat with the biggest smile on his face.  It took all I had to hold back tears of joy! While other students presented their strategies, the celebration continued for him.  Students said, “Good job!  I’m proud of you!  You did good!” to him and he just smiled.

 

I knew what “impact” was in that moment and saw first hand what it can accomplish when you take the time to expect great things to happen.  We have very high expectations in our class.  We are 21st century citizens!  We take our studies seriously!   And it shows!   

 

What’s Your Impact?