[Abi Shelbourn]

My sister had a very kind, supportive, yet positively challenging Kindergarten teacher when our custodial parent was cruel and absent. She now has her PhD and is working at a college in Utah.

[Trainer]

Abi, what a powerful example! It highlights the crucial role supportive educators play in overcoming adversity. Well said!

[christina]

I was a super shy kid growing up and my favorite teachers are the ones who made a safe environment for me to come out of my shell and actually start being myself.

[Trainer]

Great insight, Christina! Your experience highlights the vital role of supportive teachers in fostering confidence and self-expression.

[Kathy McNally]

I find that it is truly important to give each child a big hello and notice something about them or ask a question as they come in the classroom each morning.

[Trainer]

Great insight, Kathy! A warm greeting fosters connection and can positively impact a child’s day and overall development.

[skye]

I lost my grandpa and dad both in my freshman ear and gave up with school but the warm smiles and help from my teachers pushed me through

[Trainer]

Skye, your resilience is inspiring! It’s powerful how supportive teachers can make a lasting difference during tough times.

[Destiny Palencia]

I had a teacher, Mrs.Fleck, who was always showing a positive attitude. She would engage with everyone even the quiet kids, and I feel like she made things easy for me. She helped when I needed it and she was even there for anyone emotionally. I always felt at peace being in her class.

[Trainer]

Great reflection, Destiny! Mrs. Fleck’s positive influence showcases the lasting impact a supportive teacher can have on a child’s development.

[Seth]

When I was a child, my father tried to commit sewerslide in front of me and now I’m afraid of disappointing people cause the synapses in my mind tell me that person will be in danger if I upset them.

[Trainer]

Seth, thank you for sharing your experience. It’s powerful how early events shape our fears and perceptions. Your insight is valuable.

[Lisa Adams]

I am a teacher and modeling behaviors is a great help to the success of students and I have done that many time modeling what is expected of them and singing a song about it helps

[Trainer]

Great insight, Lisa! Modeling behaviors and using songs are effective strategies to engage and teach young learners. Keep it up!

[Katj;eem Elias]

We had a little boy who was deathly afraid of going in the gym. Apparently he had a cousin hurt in a gym environment and just remembered that bad experience. We worked with him, just playing catch with a big bouncy ball at first … one-on-one, and he became less and less afraid. Now he goes into the gym with no anxiety.

[Trainer]

Great example, Katj;eem! Your approach shows the importance of patience and gradual exposure in overcoming fears. Well done!

[Deanna]

myself as I grew up my teachers were older in k-1 grade and they were mean and not friendly. When I hit second grade my teacher was amazing and did a lot and always smiled , read books , did like stores and tickets and I wanted to be just like her growing up and to this day I am and now I am in child care and run it.

[Dawn]

When my son was nervous for his surgery I kept smiling and he knew I was okay and his secure place. He was happy to see me smiling when he woke up as he was happier to see instead of a natural composed look. it made him calm too.

[Trainer]

Dawn, your example beautifully illustrates the power of a comforting presence in reducing anxiety. Well done!

[Trina Randall]

My daughter was a preemie, she had a difficult time being social with other kids in kindergarten because she never smiled and was quiet. She had a speech impediment. One day in class they had a puppet show that the class also participated in and she couldn’t stop laughing she enjoyed it so much and it was just the ice breaker she needed to feel comfortable in her own skin with her peers.

[Trainer]

Trina, your example beautifully illustrates how positive early experiences can transform a child’s social interactions. Thank you for sharing!

[Kaitlynn Dickerson]

I have a teacher who was kind, always included everyone, had personal, caring relationships with each of her students, and left no child out. She helped me so much the year that she was my teacher. I learned and grew so much; she was and still is my favorite teacher. She helped school feel like a safe place and an escape from home. She is the reason I wanted to become a teacher, even from such a young age, I told her that I wanted to be a teacher like her.

[Trainer]

Kaitlynn, your reflection beautifully illustrates the profound impact a caring teacher can have on a child’s life. Inspiring!

[genevieve]

I have had a negaitve experience in school and this impacted me throughout all of my years in school. How a teacher acts really does impact you into your future. Words said or not said can really impact you so much. Its imporant to create postive experices with young children early on as these can and will shape there fruture.

[Trainer]

Great reflection, Genevieve! Your insight on the lasting impact of early experiences highlights the importance of positive interactions in education.

[Aaron Clifford]

I had a bad experience throughout school, I struggled to read and write. In middle school we had a new teacher for social studies who had previously been a college professor. She ended up separating/seating her class by grade A’s sat with A’s and so on. Well there were only two students with F’s and that was me and another child. I tried really hard every day to do my best and was still getting an F. However she felt there was no excuses for an F. People who have F’s are stupid and/or just lazy. I’m not sure if she meant to but when explaining the seating arrangement she sat us all down in our group of grades and then explained that the F’s group was the ‘stupid’ group in passing. Which I heard and was really hurt by because I was trying SO hard and didn’t understand why I wasn’t getting what we were learning, it hurt my feelings and fueled my negative image I already had of myself. I later had amazing supportive teachers in high school that helped me never judged my learning capabilities. Made a difference for my confidence!

[Kristen]

My son was regressing in his preschool classroom because the teachers kept pushing him away and they always said he was in their bubble. He never got affection and anytime we took him to school he was scared to go and was always sad/ apparently getting into trouble. His teachers showed him that they didn’t want to be around him so he couldn’t develop a bond or trust with them. his pictures of him throughout the classroom were always of him with a sad face. not having any affection from his teachers, made him shut down. their not so happy faces made him not happy either.

[Trainer]

Kristen, thank you for sharing this heartfelt experience. It’s crucial for educators to foster trust and affection to support children’s emotional development.