11/09/2024
Having worked in education for almost 14 years, I've noticed the accumulative effect of tiny, everyday interactions and the difference they can make in the lives of children, young people, staff, and parents. Over the years, I’ve seen that traditional school systems often focus on what's not working—what isn't being done that should be. This can manifest in small, repetitive corrections: "Where’s your tie?" "Why is your homework late?" "Why are you late to class?"
In striving for high academic outcomes, the emphasis is frequently placed on being at your best, achieving the highest possible grades, and ticking every box. When young people enter secondary school, many are instantly worried about getting into trouble—fearing they won’t be able to complete homework, hand it in on time, or make it to class without being late. From the very start, many 11-year-olds are in a state of fear, operating in a fight-or-flight mode.
While these boundaries and expectations exist to help students succeed in the world after school, the focus on what they aren’t doing well can be tough. How are they supposed to believe in themselves when there is a focus on what is not working. Of course, I understand this isn't the intended message. Yet, instinctively, we tend to focus on what's not working, projecting the potential negative outcomes this could lead to in the future.
Those small, everyday interactions accumulate, adding to a student’s sense of fear and diminishing their sense of self-efficacy.
For many years, I’ve been inviting schools to adopt a more compassionate, solution-focused approach.
And I know lots of schools and school staff that are doing this already!
What if there was even more of it? What if each and everyone of us, instead of focusing on mistakes, shifted our attention to these tiny, daily interactions in a more supportive, compassionate way? We only need to ask ourselves how we would want to be treated. Imagine the difference it makes when someone makes eye contact, takes a moment to say good morning, notices something small about us, or thanks us. These gestures, which are often taken for granted, can have a profound impact.
Now, imagine that across an entire school, whole communities —where the emphasis of those tiny interactions is on meaningful connection, on genuinely caring for each other. This shift in approach could be transformative.
I believe in the power of small acts of kindness—tiny gestures that gently touch the lives of the people around us.
These interactions can make a significant difference in how someone feels about themselves, how they cope with everyday pressures, and how they view their future.
So, I invite you to consider, when life feels big and difficult, the profound impact of those tiny interactions—and the difference they might make to someone who needs it.
