Putting Positivity in Its Place

Does positivity always belong in the schoolhouse?

This question was asked in a group of educators recently, and it really made me reflect and think about the place of positivity.

Let’s explore.

Are there times where I feel a student, parent, colleague, stranger even have (for lack of a better term) “earned” an interaction that is less than positive? That I would be “justified” in letting them know how displeased I am?

You betcha.  I have even taken it a step further and given into the heat of the moment, thereby allowing frustration and negativity to triumph over positivity and patience. I have been rude, thoughtless, and hurtful. I have allowed my personal issues to affect how I behaved towards another human being because I am human. I make mistakes, and that is just what those less than positive interaction are: mistakes.

They are mistakes because they never make anything better. They just isolate individuals, instigate more negative behavior, and instill a mindset that cannot move forward or effectively create change.

Positivity isn’t a magic bullet; it IS a powerful and contagious force. Positivity cannot fix everything, but it CAN inspire change and heal emotional scars. Positivity won’t fill the stomachs of our hungry students and it won’t guarantee success; however, it will fill our students with hope and encourage them to make tomorrow better than today.   

Does positivity always belong in the schoolhouse? Indeed it does. It is essential to the foundation of any community.