Prepare to be uplifted and encouraged for I am about to reveal the three emotions every student is feeling at any given moment! Just think how this information will allow you to support and connect with your kids!
And the three emotions every child feels every day are: (drumroll…)
fear, grief, and yearning.
What? Not what you were hoping for? I know, it’s a real knee to the nuts! How encouraged are we feeling now?
On the surface these three appear to be paralyzing, debilitating. When actually fear, grief, and yearning are our formula for moving forward and growing. Let’s take a moment to recognize the truth in this.
I’m no psychologist, so I’ll first allow you to validate the three emotions in yourselves.
Find These Three In You
Fear: Simply think of your goals. Now reflect on the reasons they haven’t been met. You’ll probably find fear being a major culprit. Fear’s job is to protect us from any suffering, pain, or distress. Too often Fear works overtime and pummels us into a submission of worry.
Grief: Reflect on your personal well of loss. You can dig up the heavy sludge of deep sorrow related to family brokenness or death. Yet still, you can find grief in the day-to-day annoyances or troubles where a personal privilege or joy has been taken away.
Yearning: I hope you can find a longing for something inside you because this is the only emotion of the three with a touch of positive connotation. How is your yearnings connected to the grief and fear you’ve experienced? Closely, I’d guess.
We first must recognize fear, grief, and yearning in ourselves and others before we suddenly have a moment like this:
-Is this similar to exchanges you’ve had with students?
What’s a Teacher to Do?
- Recognize the emotion and develop an awareness of the overwhelming sources for their emotions. Compassion will ensue. You will like your students so much more when you identify the three roots of their behaviors.
- Offer mercy and grace because the child is experiencing fear, grief, and yearning.
Teaching’s a daunting task, breathing intimidation in every moment. But when we recognize the fears, griefs, and yearnings in every child the intimidation is suffocated. You have great reason to be compassionate, merciful, and a giver of grace. It’s not easy, but it is worth it!
Stay tuned or subscribe because there’ll be posts to come focused on each of these three emotions!