1. Imagination is one of the greatest things in life. Keep it alive.
2. You have to enter the kid’s world. They tend to be way more receptive if you see the imaginary shark with a tutu, too.
3. Patience. Patience. Paaaaatttiiieeeeennnnnccceeee.
4. Do not take learning for granted. Kids don’t know everything you do; take the time to teach them.
5. Jokes are way more funny if they don’t make sense.
6. Appreciate questions. Don’t squash them.
7. Enjoy the little moments and smile when they come up.
8. DISTRACT AND DEPLOY IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
9. A college degree can only teach you so much. You learn more from kids outside the classroom.
10. Building their trust is your lifeline, and theirs. Kids are sadly skeptical sometimes of other adults, even if that adult is teaching them or helping them.
11. If you suddenly burst into song, 95% of the time they will stop crying.
12. ASK how their day is/was. Take interest. They can sense when interest is genuine.
13. Don’t underestimate the power of specific positive feedback. Even if everything else is wrong, find the one thing they did right.
14. Stories about your naughty dog at home work every time for a distraction.
I’m learning every day still. Even after 9+ years of working with kids, so I will be updating this list. More to come.
–Miss Lauren
