Teaching With Patience: Six Small Habits for When Frustration Rises
When I was a girl, I was often last in my class. I couldn't see the blackboard, and nobody knew. All I knew was that I felt slow, and that the adults around me sounded frustrated. Years later I'm a mom who homeschools four children, and I have caught myself doing what I grew up around: sighing, repeating myself louder, and losing patience when my child doesn't understand. I'm praying to teach with understanding instead, and I'm learning as I go. If you've felt that frustration too, you're not a bad mom. You're tired, and you may be repeating what you learned. Here are six small habits that help me, and I hope they help you. 1. Pause before you respond. Take one slow breath and say a short silent prayer before you correct or explain again. Those few seconds change the tone of the whole lesson. 2. Teach in shorter blocks. Try 20 to 25 minutes, then a break. Frustration builds when a lesson runs too long, for you and for your child. 3. Explain it a differe...