Love and high expectations
Now that children are back in school, I hope they will find educational experiences full of love and high expectations.Since learning is as much "caught" as "taught,' I think that seemingly intangible factors such as loving children as God's creation can instill a sense a self-esteem and confidence in them. If educators are disengaged from, or fearful of, students, this can create affective and cognitive barriers in children, who may be unsure if their teachers truly care about them.
One benefit of showing genuine care and concern, or love, is the formation of a bond of trust that enables the educator to expect more from the student. This bond also affords a better opportunity for intervention when problems arise. High expectations and love work together. The old saying is still true, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much
you care."
