After the long Christmas holidays spent with our respective families, some of us attempted to initiate certain changes in our lives to start the year off right. How about our SSJBC kids, did you share with your teacher what was your Christmas vacation like? Did you have a New Year’s Resolution?
Just like the first day of the school year, the first day of school after the Christmas break would be a great time for a fresh start and a new attitude not only for the students but for teachers as well. Teachers should ask their students to list down their New Year’s Resolution, i.e., what change would they like to do for them to become better students and in the end better individuals.
Undertaking New Year’s resolutions by the students with the guidance of their teachers is one way to make them focused and diligent in their studies and make them realize more what life is all about. As much as possible kids resolutions should be uncomplicated, doable , achievable and should be foreseen as a positive realization at the end of the day. Some of these could involve household chores, study habits, play time and their relationship with family and friends. We often hear kids tell their teachers specific things to undertake such as: a) I will do my homework and sleep in time, b) I’ll be a good friend, stop bullying my classmates, c) I’ll limit my use of computer and get away from video games and spend more time in studies, and so on and so forth.
I remember one of my former students in class, a young girl, wrote on a piece of paper her New Year’s Resolution, stating that: “I just wanted to thank God for giving me life, food and shelter. My New Year’s resolution is to know more about God, do my chores and respect my parents”. Then she thanked God for protecting her family, giving her parents money to buy food and providing her giving me an education.”
You see, the first day of school in the New Year could be stressful. Students are still in festive mood but the formulation of New Year’s Resolution could serve as icebreakers! There is nothing wrong in setting goals for ourselves, for our studies and even in our relationship with God, even if all these would seem like a dream!
But for young students to exert some effort to do positive changes in their lives, this could be the first step to achieve their goals, and the teachers play a very important role on this.
A Happy and Joyful New Year to everyone!