Wonderful moments happen when you give people room to be free

Today is our 8th graders trip to 6 flags. Phones are out, they get the freedom to roam the park with friends, even get to choose their seats on the bus.

This is the most freedom they’ll have all year on a school event. And they are stoked

Multiple students have asked to go on a ride with me and other teachers.

the joy and laughter on the bus alone makes this trip worth while

You tend to see behavior to be better than other field trips.

Why?

Maybe it’s because they know they aren’t being diligently watched and so the drive to rebel against rules is finished.

My bus rules are don’t blare your music and keep the noise levels reasonable. Other than that, and respectful behavior, we are golden.

They‘re happy.

They are behaving reasonably

They are free to be kids.

While we as teachers are still in charge and enforce rules, when we set a standard of basic behavuor, but don’t scrutinize and knit pick all the little things, they tend to act well, naturally.

teachers can be like law enforcement. We tend to assume kids are up to no good or are going to behave poorly.

But.

It’s human nature to be kind, to act reasonably and to have fun.

stydents are apart of human nature. When we step back and stop assuming that they will do something wrong, then actually do the right thing most of the time. And that’s what I’m seeing so far.

now of course there might be issues that arise. Conflicts occur, because, that’s human nature too.

To give them space to be themselves and loosen the rules, pretty wonderful memories get to be made for both students and teachers together.

we tend to forget this throughout the year. I hope to be able to remember this and carry it onto the following school year, and life in general.