Anyone who has worked with children can attest to the fact that when you love the work you do and come from a place of respect and appreciation for the kids you work with – kids feel it. They feel connected to you and have greater trust and receptivity to what is being being taught.

The other important element here is the joy a child holds for what they are doing. If you can truly engage a child in a lesson or goal that includes elements they care about and perhaps help design, you will see them learn more quickly, have better retention, and be less distracted.  Simply put, they are having more fun!

For our little ones, this can mean embedding lessons in games and activities they enjoy, with toys they are naturally attracted to. For our older kids, we have an even greater ability to enlist them in the design of their goals and objectives. What interests them? What do they hope to achieve and when? Allowing them to participate in keeping track of their learning process and progress is an additional way to build confidence, pride and impact personal fulfillment.

Wether or not you define it as love, this is what inspires and motivates so many of the dedicated individuals who work with our our extraordinary kids.

On this Valentine’s Day, let’s look for where we can acknowledge and emphasize LOVE in the work we do, in our families and in our kids’ experiences, so we can all be more loving teachers… and students.

Happy Valentine’s Day!