Every Opportunity

Want to learn how to make your school or classroom one that gives every child the opportunity to find their voice? We believe language is the key to unlocking every child’s potential. The Rollins Center for Language & Literacy at the Atlanta Speech School offers free online language and literacy training for all teachers of children from Birth to 3rd grade on its Cox Campus.

[MrWoodMan]

A smile with a 5 second compliment can change someone's entire day. BE KIND.

[stevenewton]

I agree wholeheartedly with the message being presented in this video. I'm a yellow bus driver, and I've implemented the fist bumps, high fives, and hug and the smaller children have responded very positively. Some of my worst behavioral issues were resolved by simply hugging the child acting out, and whispering softly in their ear. They now come on the bus looking for their hug, and many times exit the bus also expecting that hug. We can do a lot of harm or a lot of good. I choose to do a lot of good.

[JamieGraceProductions]

This just got all of my feelings!! I was homeschooled and only had a similar experience to this a few of the times I attempted to go to private/public school. I was overwhelmed by being told to "sit" "hush" multiple times a day. So glad my mom was able to provide a great education for me and that schools like this one provide amazing experiences for students!! Great video!

[TeensafeMonitoring]

Great video and conversation starter. Parents need to think as well about how they communicate with children; the responsibility is shared. It takes a village to raise a child.

[ritamulholland]

All children need to be loved and respected

[rhondasullivan]

LOVE this!! Always make children feel loved, valued and heard! Such an awful thing to smother their creativity and individual personalities.

[lindacarnes]

I am proud of this video and applaud the Atlanta Speech School for sharing it with the world. I am a mother, advocate for excellence in education, and a former Board member of the Atlanta Speech School. Despite my community advocacy, my own daughter suffered academic neglect and personal rejections by several teachers in her private middle school in Atlanta. My daughter was damaged from this abuse that was simply rooted in racism and she suffered. She grew in strength though, and is now thriving as a lovely, focused, ambitious and intelligent young woman. She knew she was loved. Still as her mother, I cannot forget the cruelty she suffered and love the models of care and kindness shown in this video that all children deserve. Children are our innocence and our hope, all children, each one.

[hopefaithandpositivity]

Powerful! How adults treat children matters. Every human being should be treated with dignity and respect regardless of a persons age, race, or gender. Love and kindness makes a difference.

[lorigarner]

This is so powerful! We must help our children by making a difference every day!

[cellini]

I love this video. I've always remembered the teachers, bus drivers, and lunch ladies who were nice to me at school. It would always make my day. I work with elementary school kids and I always ask them how their day went and have actual conversations with them. Instead of yelling at them for every little thing they do I try see things from their perspective. You can't tell kids to be nice and respectful to other kids if all you do is yell at them and are always in a bad mood. You have to set an example for them. When you treat kids with kindness and respect, they'll do the same for you!

[NoviceoftheBayne]

The video makes a valid point very smoothly, although any qualified teacher worth their salt already does this. Anyone needing a film like this to tell them not to be obnoxious to kids shouldn't be in a classroom to begin with.

[attonpearson]

Came for the “did you see that” meme, stayed for the message. so important.

[christinedarrisaw]

We want all children to feel comfortable and welcome when they enter the center and their classroom. I’m the opening person in the morning and I speak to the parents and the kids when they come to the center. I want to have a great day at work and that starts with the children being in a safe environment with teachers who want to be with them.

[jenniferlevy-peck]

This is my new favorite video. It eloquently shows us how our attitudes affect those we serve, whether in a school setting or anywhere where people rely on us. Please share widely.

[JM-rpfn]

I love this video so much!!! Yes!! Yes!! Yes!! How you treat people absolutely matters!! YOU can change someone's whole trajectory just by showing that you genuinely care about them. Be the difference!!

[hhsrick]

I am going to show this as a part of my monthly new classified orientation. What a great opportunity to show classified staff they will have an impact on students one way or the other. This will help them understand the value of choosing the positive path!

[EllaDeJong]

Wonderful Atlanta Speech School!!
Thank you all the way from The Netherlands!
Smile for all of you from a Dutch teacher (30 years!) and counsellor and " Create Energizing Communication with Troubled Youth " trainer !

A clear message! (and everyone knows that the hugs are not always possible, but a genuine smile and really looking in the children's eyes have almost the same effect!!)

[Ocker]

We don't need different teachers, we need More teachers so they're not trying to handle such huge numbers of students, and we need parents who don't insist that schools be run perfectly while not doing anywhere near enough of the work of raising their kids. And we need politicians who'll properly fund education, not endlessly demand that educators do more with less. Corporate tax cuts won't help long term economic prosperity if tomorrow's workers didn't get an education.

[kylesandlin]

Great reminder that the little things go a long way (good or bad).

[pamleland]

Waldorf Education GETS THIS. It takes practice and intention, but developing respectful relationships with our students is Priority One, from Day One: for example, children are greeted at the classroom door Every Day by their teachers, who shake their hands and look them in the eye - Every Day. Waldorf students are Seen, and Acknowledged, and Encouraged - this is not the exception, it's the community culture that we intentionally strive to create. This video brought tears to my eyes - both remembering my time teaching (and being taught) in public schools, and then knowing how transformative the Waldorf school experience was for my own kids. THIS MATTERS. WaldorfEducation.org