How Affirmations for Kids double confidence

Affirmations for kids is a positive and refreshing way to reverse negative internal messages. I’ve taught in the classroom for 20+ years, and it’s always amazed me how mean kids can be to each other. As Teachers, we need to step in and help kids change the classroom culture.

Student to student affirmation notes is one way to do this. It’s guaranteed to strengthen confidence and help students gain improvement in learning. I also try to have as many positive interactions as I can each day in the classroom and encourage students to treat each other with respect.

Why are affirmations for kids beneficial?

In today’s world, where screen time, social media, smartphones, and entertainment devices affect children, encouraging them to spend a few minutes and writing positive affirmations for kids they know or don’t know can change your classroom culture.

Tensions and stresses in everyday life – school, homework, extracurricular activities, jobs – are exacerbated by social problems, peer pressure, and in some cases, bullying and other issues.

Positive affirmations empower

Affirmations for kids and all human beings positively empower and are proven methods for improvement because of our ability to regenerate our brains. Affirmations stimulate our brain to produce new groups of ‘positive thinking’ neurons. But there are negative affirmations we should let go of.

Here is an excerpt from “The Law of the Garbage Truck” by David J. Pollay. That pictures this for us.

“How often do you let other people’s nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you’re the Terminator, you’re probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of your success is how quickly you can refocus on what’s important in your life. Sixteen years ago, I learned this lesson. And I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here’s what happened.

“I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane. All of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, the car skidded, the tyres squealed, and at the very last moment, our car stopped just one inch from the other car’s back-end.

“I couldn’t believe it! But then I couldn’t believe what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and started yelling bad words at us. How do I know? Ask any New Yorker, some words in New York come with a special face. And he even threw in a one-finger salute. But then here’s what really blew me away. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly.

“So, I said, ‘Why did you just do that? This guy could have killed us!” And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, The Law of the Garbage Truck™. He said:

Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they look for a place to dump it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you. So when someone wants to dump on you, don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Believe me. You’ll be happier.

“So I started thinking, how often do I let garbage trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the street? It was then that I said, ‘I don’t want their garbage, and I’m not going to spread it anymore.’

Affirmations of gratitude or better

Gratitude helps you stay positive. It stops you from becoming preoccupied with yourself. The problem is that appreciation for certain things can change over time. For example, after applying for a teaching position, getting interviewed and buying a new wardrobe that fits, you get the job.

At first, you’re excited, jump up and down, and call everyone you know—fast forward two years. Hours are long, support is minimal, if any at all, and your principal blames you for things that are not related to you. Now your gratitude for this job is different.

However, I still believe that affirmations for kids should be centred around showing gratitude to others and not about building up ‘self’. Students ‘self’ will develop in a beautiful unconscious way while centred on others needs and not their own.

Making affirmations for kids happen

Doing It

Affirmation for kids can be just a simple sentence said to themselves, but I prefer students not to think about themselves all the time. I believe it is more healthy for students to think about others.

Writing student to student affirmation notes holds much more meaning.

For example: ‘Hi …., You were very helpful in our group Science project. You made sure we all kept working when Tom tried to distract us. Thanks, . . . ‘.

However, it can be easier to start with students writing themselves a few sentences of positive affirmation.

For example: ‘Hi Myself, you’re doing ok. Even if you don’t get everything in class, at least you’re trying’.

Student to student affirmation notes makes for enjoyable reading. It also makes you aware of your student’s language skills, but I never mark them.

If there are issues, It’s best to re-teach appropriate affirmations for kids, whole class or one-on-one. Any spelling and grammar inabilities can be re-taught during English lessons.

The goal is to get students to show gratitude to others. The writing is a by-product but a great one for real contextual learning.

Managing It

It only takes a few minutes for students to write an affirmation before the end of a lesson, number it with the student’s number they’re sending it to and drop it in your post box.

I always have my students number their materials and books, with a student number I give them at the start of the year. So, I can quickly mark and return work.

Using student numbers is a great way to up your teacher productivity. So, I read posted affirmations, stamped them with my teacher stamp, and posted them to the addressed student number.

Make sure to check for hate notes. If I find any, I trash them and have a one-and-one with that student, but students tend to show kindness. Maybe it’s because they know I’ll be checking. Or better still, there is a growing classroom culture of relationships and kindness.

Benefits of Positive Affirmations for Kids

Build confidence

Appreciating your students and accepting their efforts will build high confidence. Regardless of how trivial, congratulations and acknowledgments make a difference to everyone. Even if you feel that your students are not paying attention, find something specific that is good to say to them every day. Tell them that you are proud to be in school all day. Appreciate their Minecraft creations if you have kids who are crazy about Minecraft.

Marvel at their abilities in an online game. However small, positively affirming their achievements each day makes a difference. Think when your principal remembers to find time to praise you for something you did once in a while. How did that feel? Now do it for your students but make sure to be specific – students can spot when you’re not authentic. Same as when a principal takes a general pat on the back approach to everyone; it doesn’t quite hit the mark.

Counter negativity

Giving your students a positive affirmation every day will go a long way toward addressing the negatives they may face elsewhere. Enabling students to make statements of gratitude increases this. Affirmations for kids can help our students develop a healthy attitude toward others and themselves.

Students with special needs are more likely to be bullied, mistreated, teased, or negative. Providing positive reinforcement from you and your students’ peers can help you deal with these challenges and balance the ledger.

Affirmations of gratitude or better

To find something positive to comment on and celebrate every day is the easiest way to achieve positive outcomes. It is an exercise in being grateful. Positively validating your student’s efforts, achievements, and behaviours every day can help you start recognising the positives. You will find that students focus on what they can do rather than what they cannot do.

Focusing on gratitude and encouragement helps your students to find the positives in life. When students learn to do this, their confidence strengthens and your classroom culture changes.