Teacher Tip Tuesday: Four Walls.

You can't change everyone's opinions at your school.  

You won't be able to get everyone to see eye-to-eye with you on all things.  

You will run the gamut of emotions throughout the year. 

You can't fix what's broken in the school nor in your students' homes.  That's not your job.  

You honestly have to learn to accept that you cannot control what happens outside your classroom door. 

But you can control what happens once you step over the threshold.  

Because that is your space.  

And you have the power in that space to make it the dream environment you've always wanted. 

You can work and create and see life occurring in your students and in your own life. 

You set the pace.  You set the tone.  

You decide how you're going to act today.  Don't blame it on the people or the circumstances or the drama or the issues you deal with--only you are in control of your reactions.

And, believe it or not, you also determine the attitude and the personality of your class--not the little people on your roster.  I don't care if you've got the worst class in the history of the world (and I've lived through some doozies)--if you tell them you love them, if you tell them they are important, and you show them that they matter to you every day, they will eventually come around.  It might take all year and it might be an epic battle of the wills every single hour and you may find yourself wanting to beat your head on the wall at times--but it can be done.  

The only person who is going to let the negativity into your classroom (and in your attitude) today is you.