Sometimes doing the right thing means that you will face scorn and ridicule from other people. Often this opposition takes the form of angry words thrown against us. As much as these words hurt us, there is a different kind of pain we feel when those in whom we place our trust end up letting us down. Friends and enemies have the power to injure us and so we must find strategies for coping with both situations.
Being a good person is hard enough. It’s even harder when we occupy positions of authority. That’s because authority gives us leeway to deal with others in whatever way we want, and carry through with punishments of our design. How we execute our power reveals our true values because we had the power to choose otherwise. Yet, adversity and hardship test our values too, and sometimes uncover more of who we really are.
We constantly compare ourselves to others, often concluding that they have it much better than we do. We spend much of life idolizing people and, in the process, give them power over us. Yet, what’s lost here is the stark truth that other people have just as many insecurities and problems as we do and that, because of this, we could focus on the power we have to be the best versions of ourselves.
Students confront problems everyday. Some are small like how to study for an exam or get a ride to school, and some large like how to support their friends who are in unhealthy relationships. All of these problems involve the choice of whether to intervene or do nothing and let the situation play itself out. Each choice is hard and leads to consequences.
The feeling of being afraid is something with which all students can identify. Fear paralyzes and diminishes one’s ability to think, learn and form positive human relationships. Fear is something to be avoided at all costs, and that the proper attitude is to be open and be willing to take risks without fear of failure. Yet, sometimes fear can lead people to make smart, safe decisions and provide security in the midst of an unstable situation.
Fear is a force that is so debilitating for kids and adults alike. Fear obstructs clear thinking and fuels anxiety in a way that makes it hard to work and be successful on anything. Often, uncertainty is behind our fears. When we don’t know what to do, we become afraid of what the future has in store for us. Yet sometimes knowing what to do actually inspires our fear. Successful management of our fears is a life-long challenge.
While it is true that education is valuable to all of us at any age, it is also true that our energies and resources are limited and must be used wisely if we want to change the world into something better. Some say that children should be the focus because their minds are more easily shaped and influenced; others suggest that adults– who are actually in positions of power and influence– should take a front-and-center importance to our efforts to change minds and improve the world.
So many of our students feel pressure to be the perfect athlete, student or friend. This feeling is accompanied by a pervasive fear of failure and the possibility that they might let others down. When they fall short of perfection, students have important decisions to make about whether to keep pursuing it or be okay with something less. The decisions they make shape their sense of self-worth and draw the contours of their future relationships.
Trust requires that you must set aside your feelings of suspicion and agree to work with people in good faith. Sometimes, trust is so hard to attain, whether it be on the playground, in the classroom or with your friends. Yet, to live and solve problems with other people, we need to trust them. Trusting others will sometimes lead us into grim disappointment but it can also restore our faith in humanity. Building trust is a skill and must be practiced over time to see and reap its benefits.
Students are no strangers to power. They have parents, coaches and teachers exerting power over them and telling them what to do. Students slowly develop a moral sensibility towards authority figures and are quick to point out when they feel power is being used in negative and positive ways.
While it is true that education is valuable to all of us at any age, it is also true that our energies and resources are limited and must be used wisely if we want to change the world into something better. Some say that children should be the focus because their minds are more easily shaped and influenced; others suggest that adults– who are actually in positions of power and influence– should take a front-and-center importance to our efforts to change minds and improve the world.
Critical thinking is hard work and students know it. To be a good critical thinker a student must examine life closely, ask lots of questions and be tolerant of uncertainty. Often, critical thinking leads to unpleasant truths about people and the world. For many, it’s so much easier to just accept the way the world is and not question it. Students must decide for themselves whether living an examined life is the right path towards fulfillment and happiness.
Copyright © 2025 Teach Different. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2023 Teach Different. All rights reserved.
