13. What can you do as a teacher to empower
your students and encourage their
dreams?
What opportunities can you create for
them?
Editor's Notes
Adora Svitak: 12 years old at the time. She is a blogger and an author and basically an advocate for children's rights.
Calling someone childish implies irrational demands and irresponsible behavior.
Irrational thinking may actually be what the world needs.
Kids are full of inspiring aspirations and hopeful thinking.
For adults knowledge of history and past failures can be a burden.
Kids still dream of perfection. In order to make anything a reality you must dream about it first. The audacity to imagine helps push the boundaries of possibility.
The teacher should not be at the front of the classroom telling students what to do and what to think.
Students should teach their teachers. Learning between adults and children should be reciprocal.
Adults have a restrictive attitude towards kid. Kids have no little to no say in the rules. Adult should learn and take in account the wishes of the younger population.
Adults often underestimate kids abilities. Kids love challenges but when expectations are low they will sink the that level.
Progress happens when new generations and new eras grow and develop and become better than the previous ones.
It's imperative that we create opportunities for children to grow. We must listen and learn from them. We should trust them and expect more from them.
The goal is not to turn kids into your kind of adult, but rather better adults than you have been. Listen and lend an ear today, because they are the leaders of tomorrow.
What can you do as a teacher to empower your students and encourage their dreams? What opportunities can you create for them?