Maintaining a Positive Attitude Within the Classroom

Teaching is a very demanding, frequently challenging and often thankless job. It is easy to get “burned out” from teaching
when facing the same issues and problems year after year, day after day. Many teachers have been in the same job for
many years, and still seem to enjoy teaching as much as they did when they first started. What is the secret to their
resilience, longevity and satisfaction? Are they unbelievably lucky and have never encountered a difficult student or
frustrating parent? Do they always get what they want and never have conflicts with the administration? Of course not,
every single teacher faces challenges in their classroom, whether with students, parents, other teachers or school
administration. It is not the specific challenges that teachers face that define them; it is the way in which the teacher
responds to each challenge.

William James, a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher expressed, “It is our attitude at the beginning of a
difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.” The importance of attitude in teaching is
one of the most influential factors in creating a positive and successful experience for the students, as well as the parents.
Possessing a positive attitude will create an environment of cooperation and tranquility, even when things seem chaotic or
volatile. It has been proven that a positive attitude and outlook is contagious, and that when individuals are surrounded by
a positive influence, they are more apt to have a positive attitude themselves.

Take the example of a teacher who is interacting with an especially difficult child. This particular child comes from a very
abusive home, and is acting out accordingly within the classroom. Of course the child’s inappropriate behavior is
aggravating and a nuisance to the teacher. It is only natural to want to blame this child for his or her behavior and begin to
form a hostile demeanor when engaging with this child. This sort of reaction is very common among adults towards
children who behave in inappropriate ways.

As a teacher, it is especially challenging because so much time is spent with children and it is easy to begin to create a
negative attitude towards misbehaving children. Blaming this child and his or her parents for the undesirable behavior is
easy; finding a solution to change the undesirable behavior is the hard part.

It is understandable to place blame on others for difficulties and disruptions within the classroom. It is frustrating to teach
children who come from a multitude of backgrounds and experiences, which are not always raised in a socially desirable
manner. It is easy to criticize and place blame on others when things are out of our control. Focusing on the negative
aspects of a situation only creates more negativity, resulting in hostility and frustration on various levels. If a teacher began
to place blame on the student for his or her behavior and calls the parents and to place blame for their child rearing
deficiencies, the outcome would be a hurt and defeated child and angry, defensive parents. The child’s behavior would
most likely not change, and often will get worse as a reaction to the negativity he or she has experienced.

Looking for an alternate way to interact with difficulties within the classroom will always result in a more desirable outcome
if a positive attitude is maintained through out the entire process, regardless of what sort of attitudes others around you
are presenting with. This is much easier said than done, it is not effortless to maintain a positive demeanor when a child is
acting out, parents are yelling at you and administrators are placing the blame on you for the child’s misbehavior. Coming
up with a solution to effectively solve difficulties is often overlooked among the chaos of blame and resentment.

Maintaining a positive attitude helps to focus on the positive, rather than the negative. It opens up doors to find solutions
for problems, rather than grovel in the details of difficulties. It is a more constructive way to deal with issues at hand, and
attempt to find appropriate solutions to those issues. By maintaining a positive attitude within the classroom, problems do
not seem as large, tasks not as daunting, parents not as demanding. It does not matter if you have the most difficult child
ever in the history of teaching sitting in your classroom, what matters is how you will respond and interact with that child.

Behaviour Needs ● 43 Towers Lane, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 9EE ● TEL: 0191 240 1609
EMAIL: admin@behaviourneeds.com
It is easy to see children as capable, intelligent human beings, because they are. But they are also children and are still
unsure of themselves, developing their personalities and are very easily influenced. Treating a child in your classroom with
a positive demeanor will help that child to reflect positive energy right back to you. Having a negative attitude in the
classroom will also cause negativity to come back to you. Think of your students as a mirror. When you smile, they are more
apt to smile back, when you compliment them, they will feel better about themselves, and in turn behave in a more
desirable manner.

Increasing self -esteem is not just important for students, it is important for teachers as well. Maintaining a positive attitude
towards students, parents and administrators will help to make appropriate choices and act in a way that is admirable. Even
when others surrounding you are acting in a negative way, staying positive will create an increase in feelings of self worth
and an increase in self-esteem by staying positive and acting in a mature, commendable way.

The creation of a positive atmosphere within the classroom will not just create more positive attitudes within the students.
The more a child feels connected to his or her teacher, the more likely they are to find the material relevant and significant,
and will correspondingly be more inclined to learn and understand the material.

When children are busily engaged in activities they find meaningful, they work harder and produce work of higher quality.
When teachers involve students in assignments and activities that the students find personally meaningful, students
respond by trying harder to learn and understand the material. A positive classroom environment starts with a positive
teacher. Within a positive teaching environment, a child is more likely to find assigned activities enjoyable and meaningful,
and will therefore increase the overall understanding of the material.

The attitude of one person can make a large impact upon the attitude of others. The power that a single person has in
shaping others attitudes should not be underestimated, especially when that person is of significance and influence, as all
teachers are. Maintaining a positive attitude and outlook within the classroom can create an environment of cooperation,
and motivation for students. Having a positive attitude and outlook is contagious, and can help to create a more desirable
classroom environment for students as well as for teachers.

Behaviour Needs ● 43 Towers Lane, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 9EE ● TEL: 0191 240 1609
EMAIL: admin@behaviourneeds.com