One of my favorite books is The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath. Although this book is not centered around education, the Heath brothers mix in many examples of how moments matter in schools.
At our Back-To-School Celebration to kick off the new school year, we discussed the power of moments in education. To drive this idea home, we asked our staff to discuss their most vivid memories - both good and bad - of their educational career. A common theme heard among our staff was that sometimes it was the simplest comments from staff members that could make the biggest difference.
Near the end of the presentation I presented this "Power of Moments" quote to our staff: “Whatever you do, do not hurt a student’s pride - this can last with them for an eternity. However, when a teacher offers praise and support, this can lead to transformation. Or when a teacher points out the strengths of the student. A few minutes can change a life. These moments just don’t happen... thoughtful teachers made them happen.”
To end on a high note, we gave each staff member a special district postcard and asked them to write a hand-written note to one student offering praise and support to that child. The thought was that we could create a powerful positive moment for each child who received a postcard. Overall, we sent over 200 personalized postcards to our students! What a great way to pump our students up before the school year began :)
