Last Week I Learnt That…#13
- Confidence can be shot away with just a few words. I found this out personally this week. I’m chair of governors at a school which is going through a very tough time. I’ve only recently been made chair but feel that the governing body is beginning to make a difference. We had a meeting last week though with a new officer from the Authority who does not know us or where we’ve been and the journey we’ve taken already. In just a few words, she shattered my confidence. I went from knowing what we should be doing to not having a clue. When I reflected on it, I realised that I may well have caused the same reaction in children over the years. I know confidence can be chipped away but had not considered it being smashed in such a short time. Feel quite sad about that.
- Even a small square of chocolate can cheer you up!
- Gloves make me feel very comfortable. I’ve mentioned before about me being a winter baby so I suppose it is only natural like would like gloves. Actually, I LOVE wearing gloves and have a pair for every coat and jacket I own. Somehow they make me feel safe. Weird eh!
- A meeting when no-one turns up is a good thing! The school mentioned above is federating with another school and we are in the middle of a 6 week consultation period. We had an open meeting for anyone to attend. No-one came so we are marking that down as ‘all in favour’!
- Mother Nature MAY be a bit confused. The good weather has made it feel almost spring like. *whispers* – Do you think she has forgotten winter?
- Insurance companies never give up. We have recently changed our insurer for both house and car insurance. We painstakingly went through the list ticking what we did and did not want. We got a call last week from them asking if we would like all the services we had said no to. Got to give them marks for persistence I suppose!
- Hubby is taking fashion really seriously. You’ll remember this about his explanation of needing a new shirt? Well he want s football socks for Christmas and they have to be royal blue to go with the royal blue shorts. By the time he had explained the different sets of gear he has, I almost lost the will to live!
So, how was your week? Was the weather good and have you been to any non meetings? Do share!
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I’m in no way a person who has a lot of confidence, so that wall is already paper thin and with one puff–whoosh–gone!
The Mother Nature metaphor–love it! she has forgotten about winter in NJ too, guess she’s being kind after all this weird weather worldwide.
However, you already know the solution to these downdrawing problems:
a small square of chocolate.
Or two.
Or possibly even three!!!! (triggered by football socks)!
Don’t get discouraged. You are the best, Julia!
#1, the bit about confidence, really hit home for me. Mine has been battered often during my life and I’m still dealing with the wreckage. A lot of people say one’s reaction is one’s own, but I think those who do, fail to realize forget how very powerful words can be. I’m sorry your condifence took a blow, but I think it’s good for each of us to understand how that feels.
It sounds like this experience has enriched your thoughts on communication with others, especially tender young minds. Something positive from something awful. I appreciate you writing about that.
The confidence thing – i think only people with paper-thin confidence get knocked down so easily. Like me and you, and it can be sooo infuriating. usually it’s our own reading of a situation or a word, which is actually a misreading.
M2M
Love the ‘all in favour’ approach – totally agree. And I also get sad sometimes when I think about the children who were exposed to me as a novice teacher as opposed to the middle-aged teacher with more understanding that I”ve become after 25 years. I think the biggest switch was when I let go of having to tick all the boxes of ‘work done’ by every child.