Sobremesa Stories

Letting stories unfold around the table

How I Use A $20 Bill To Teach Students They Have Value

By

Way back when I was just a wee college student trying to decide what I was going to do with my life (aka five whole years ago), I was in the heart of four years of intense Young Life ministry.  Seeing how much I loved working with high school students, I felt like being a teacher was the perfect way to combine my love of languages with my desire to impact high schoolers.  I knew I would walk into a high school and immediately have meaningful, deep relationships and conversations with every student I met each and every day (this is the part where all the veteran teachers laugh).

But as I started teaching, I started to realize that teaching is quite a bit different than leading student ministry.  For starters, I saw 160 students every day, with as many as 30 students in my room at one time.  I traveled between two schools every day, so I often wasn’t there for those before, after, and in between moments that help build relationships.  I had a handful of good conversations and got to see students’ hearts in tiny glimpses, but for the most part, my days were consumed with the daily realities of lesson planning, classroom management, and keeping rowdy 8th graders from driving me and each other crazy while still teaching them a thing or two about Spanish.

Teach Students They Have Value Converse Fields

Finding Meaning In the School Days

I teach middle school, which is a season in life where most kids feel painfully confused about whether they matter, about whether they have something in them worth noticing and seeing and celebrating.  So even if I can’t have deep, meaningful relationships with every kid in my classroom, I can take steps to teach them things that extend beyond verb conjugation and new vocabulary.  And if I could instill one thing in those students who spend nine months in my classroom, it would be the resounding message that they MATTER, that they have value and they always will have value, no matter what anyone says to them or about them.

One of my favorite ways to teach this is to do is an illustration I remember seeing at a youth group event  in high school.  When I saw this illustration done, I had just come out of a relationship where I made decisions that compromised my values, a relationship that made me confused about who I am and where my worth comes from.  I remember tears falling down my cheeks as the truth sank in that no matter what I’ve done, no matter what was said about me or done to me I still have VALUE, and that is something no one can take away. And now, I do this illustration on the first day of every school year.

Teach Students They Have Value Student at Window

How I Use A $20 Bill To Teach Students They Have Value

I pull out a $20 bill from my desk, wave it in the air, and ask if anyone wants twenty bucks.  Pretty much everyone raises their hand, and a few brave ones start shouting or waving their hands in the air to get it (some kids’ personalities take about three minutes to show themselves on that first day).

I take the $20, crumple it into a ball, throw it on the ground, stomp on it a few times, and say something silly along the lines of “This is a dumb, good for nothing, worthless $20 bill!”  I uncrumple it,  hold it up again, and ask the same question.  “Does anyone still want this $20 bill?”  And every kid raises their hand.

I ask them why they still want this $20 bill when so much has been done to it, when it’s dirty and torn and I’ve said so many mean things about it.  A few quick ones will raise their hand and say something about how a $20 bill is a $20 bill, and no matter how dirty it is or what you say about it, it’s still worth $20.  And this is where the kids start to get quiet.  I say something along these lines (imagine me in a stylish yet professional teacher’s outfit using my teacher voice here, not wearing my yoga pants and sitting on my couch like I’m currently doing):

“You are so right.  A $20 bill is made with a certain value.  It is always worth $20, no matter how many times it is stepped on, crumpled up, or thrown on the floor.  No matter what anyone says about it or does to it, it is always worth $20 because it was MADE with that value.  And the same thing is true about you.”

Teach Students They Have Value Hallway

“This is your third year in middle school, so you already know that when you walk through these hallways people are going to do and say things that make you feel like you don’t matter, like you aren’t worth anything.  Maybe you’ve heard those things at home, heard a parent or someone you love say or do something that makes you feel like you don’t have value, that who you are doesn’t matter.  There’s a whole world out there that will do and say everything it can to make you feel like you don’t measure up, like something is wrong with you and you’ll never be good enough.

But when you walk into this classroom every day, I want you to know something.  You.  Have.  Value.  You are brave and kind and you have something to offer this class, this school, and our world that is incredibly important and desperately needed.  No matter what a friend, a parent, a teacher, or anyone else has said or done to make you feel like you don’t matter, I want you to know that you do.  Just like this $20 that still has value after everything done to it, you are incredibly valuable.  Your heart matters, your thoughts matter, your story matters, and YOU matter, and everything we do in this class will be with that in mind.”

HOW THIS IMPACTS THE CLASSROOM

At this point the kids are quiet, and usually looking at me with a curious and surprised look since they didn’t expect the crazy lady who started out speaking Spanish to say anything like this.  I have them turn to a neighbor and brainstorm how our class would look different if they truly believed they matter and their peers matter.

Together,we talk about how if we believe that we matter, we will be brave enough to share our ideas and answers, because we know that getting a wrong answer doesn’t make us any less of a person. If we believe that we matter, then we have to believe that our learning matters, and  we will take the time to ask questions when we don’t understand something.  We talk about how if we believe our classmates matter, we will listen when they share without interrupting or making sarcastic comments that make them feel unimportant.  If we believe that kid sitting alone in the cafeteria matters, we will take the time to say hi and introduce ourselves.

And lastly, we talk about how if we believe that people in the world matter, we will believe that cultural differences are good and different, rather than just wrong (don’t get me started on how much I hear about this one in a language classroom).  We will look at people from other languages and cultures as interesting and unique, because if they have value, then the things that are important to them should be important to us too.

The Real Life Impact Of These Conversations

These conversations don’t always go perfectly and seriously, and we laugh and mess up and work through these things together.  I know that in reality, many of my students walk out of my room and forget about what we talked about, and that two weeks in the year when someone makes a sarcastic, hurtful comment, we will have to revisit the whole idea again.

Even so,  I think having these conversations is so important.  I’ll be honest with you: I don’t care all that much if my students learn Spanish.  No matter how hard I try, the reality is they will probably turn out like 90% of the U.S.  adult population who laugh and say they took Spanish in high school but don’t remember a single thing (language teachers love hearing this, by the way).

But if my students walk into my classroom and feel safe to be who they are, to take risks to love themselves well, love other people well, and learn something new, then I believe I’ve done my job.  If I can teach them that that they are brave and kind and they have value, not because of what they do or achieve but because like a $20 bill, they were MADE with value, then I have done my job well.

And for now, folks, that will have to do.

If you are a teacher or a parent, what do you do to instill a sense of value in your children and students? I’m always looking for new ideas!

How To Use 20 Dollars To Teach Students They Have Value Sobremesa Stories Blog

SIGN UP TO GET OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER WITH POSTS AND OTHER FUN UPDATES!



I’m linking back to this post at Imparting Grace, Embracing His Will, A Life In Balance, Purposeful Faith, A Fresh Start On A Budget, What Joy Is Mine, The Beauty In His Grip, Strangers And Pilgrims On Earth, Soul Survival, Me Coffee and Jesus, Women With Intention, A Little R & R, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Coffee For Your Heart,Serving Joyfully, 3D Lessons 4 Life, The Deliberate Mom, Dance With Jesus,Missional Women, Busy Being Blessed, Live Free Thursdays, Whole Hearted Wednesdays, Thriving Thursdays, Christian Mommy Bloggers, Still Saturdays, Tuesday Talk, This Is How We Do It, and Modest Mondays.

                   Faith and Fellowship Blog Hop                        Photobucket

Sign up to get our weekly newsletter with post updates and other goodies.

No spam guarantee.


Comments

  2. I love that lesson! As the mother to two middle schoolers, I know how badly they need the reminder that they are of worth. I wish all their teachers would take the time to do this. I don’t have any new ideas for you except to spend as much one-on-one time getting to know your students as possible which, as the wife of a former high school teacher, I know is pretty difficult. My husband once spent hours one Christmas making cards for each of his students. He was dismayed to find some on the floor, in the hall, in the trash, etc. But there were a few students that were truly grateful for the extra encouragement. Keep up the good work!
    Heaven recently posted…Sacred Sabbath: Moments That Matter MostMy Profile

    • Yes yes yes, middle school is SO hard! It breaks my heart to see kids hurting and questioning so much. I have done similar things to what your husband did, and it is so hard to see that some kids don’t appreciate it. Thanks for the encouragement that it’s worth it to keep running after kids’ hearts!

  11. Oh Lauren! I love this so very much…and wish that you were my children’s teacher! Thank you for speaking truth to your students year after year, class after class. I am so thankful for teachers like you. <3
    Ashley recently posted…New Theme: BlaskMy Profile

  12. LOOOOOOOVE this. Absolutely love it. I want to do this.

    Do you get enough crisp $20 bills to do this fresh with each class? Because I’m thinking about how if I withdraw $100 in 20’s from the ATM, I’ll probably spend it on something I should. Probably something at Target…

    • Haha thanks, Kayla! This is SO true…I never carry cash! Ha I usually just get 2-3 for the whole day and try to flatten them out between classes. The kids’ eyes light up when they see money regardless of how dirty it is, so I’m sure you’d be fine as long as you can keep that money in your wallet (and not a Target cash register) in time for the first day! 😉
      Lauren recently posted…Six Reasons I Struggled To Find Friends After CollegeMy Profile

  14. You are a very special person to teach Middle Schoolers. I did a few of my practicums in the 6th grade and it was very hard for me. High Schoolers are my jam, haha. But I love this idea of teaching students that they are valuable in the classroom and even outside of it and may have to take this idea and try it with some of my sophomores who are very much in the same type of boat as middle schoolers are at times!
    Chelsie recently posted…Don’t Let your Blog Reader Survey Get you DownMy Profile

  15. I. LOVE. this. I just found your blog tonight via the link party at Live Randomly Simple. I also teach in a middle school (Science for me) and a lot of things you wrote resonate with me. Thanks so much for sharing this idea. I started following you, and I’m excited to hear more. 🙂
    Laura recently posted…Mix it up with printable kitchen wall artMy Profile

  18. I absolutely love this! I have worked at a residential treatment center for years with teenage girls who suffer with depression, anxiety, etc. and this is such a simple but powerful way to show them that they matter and that their opinion matters on how they view themselves. If they see themselves as a dirty $20 bill they will most likely become just that. Thank you for sharing!

  19. Greetings from a fellow educator! I’ve taught 7th and 8th grade English for 15 years, and it is so awesome to hear your thoughts on motivating students. The more you teach them about who they are, the more motivated they are to learn. I love teaching junior high. We are a unique breed, for sure! My students think I’m a Narnia fanatic:) My room is covered in Narnia posters, and I have a stuffed ‘Aslan’ who watches over the class. When he sees someone who is brave and has a pure heart, he sits with that student at his (or her) desk. It’s unbelievable how excited 13 year olds get about having a lion on their desk! (Of course, I make sure he chooses everyone by the end of the year.) Blessings for you and your students:) Hope you have a wonderful year!
    Kristine recently posted…5 Life-Lessons to Teach Your Kids Before High SchoolMy Profile

  23. I love this idea! As a previous middle school teacher, I know for a fact that this activity will not only be lovely to do at the beginning of the school year, but something that will stick with your kids throughout beyond the four walls of your classroom. One of the first things I was taught as a teacher was to establish a strong foundation in the classroom from the start, and this activity is certainly a way to do that. It sends a great message to teens, especially at this point in their life. I hope you continue to do this with all your kids for many years to come! Thank you for sharing, Lauren!
    Maria recently posted…Remembering How to be Husband and WifeMy Profile

  24. Wow, I love this so much! I’d read something about this before, where a new, shiny penny and an old, dirty penny were used, but I think $20 is more impactful (because no one needs a shiny new penny, anyway ;)). Thanks for sharing, this is GREAT!

    xotawni

  26. I love that you start the year out right with the students God has given to you for the year! What a memorable first day of class and such a powerful picture of their value as well. Thank you for being a teacher who cares not just about their education, but about them as individuals. Many Blessings to you as you prepare to step back in the classroom again this year. Your Neighbor at the UNITE Link-up
    Debbie Kitterman recently posted…The Journey Through ChangeMy Profile

  27. I teach middle school students too. I use these types of lessons especially during 2-3 quarters when things get hard for both student and teacher. I teach in a tough school. When teacher/student relationships get strained I like to show the YouTube video called what students really need to hear. It is great and helps me remember why I do what I do and gives the students a different picture of the person behind the teacher. Blessings to you as you begin your new year!

  31. As a future educator, I see potential in this activity. If every teacher did this in middle school, we may have a different experience in middle school. I like the conversation you would have around this topic and what it brings out in the open. Diversity is important and you touched that has well by doing this activity.
    AShley recently posted…21st Birthday WantsMy Profile

  32. Well this is just the best thing I’ve heard in awhile! I LOVE that you do this with your students. You sound like a wonderful teacher, partially because you don’t care if they learn Spanish 😀 but rather you want them to learn something much more useful, to value themselves in spite of what they’re told or how they’re made to feel. And in middle school, what a powerful time to instill that important message.
    I used to be involved in YL as an adult leader, back when I was a teacher, actually. My husband grew up in YL because his dad is VP of training! And my sister-in-law has her degree in Spanish education. So many things in common! 🙂 Thanks for the great inspiration today!
    Brooke recently posted…Smoked Salmon & Date SaladMy Profile

    • Aww Brooke you are so sweet! Ha I agree, I think not seeing my subject as the most important thing I could teach kids is a pretty important thing!

      That’s so fun about the YL connection! I’ll have to head over and check out your blog to do a little more “stalking” and figure out what more we have in common. 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
      Lauren recently posted…Six Reasons I Struggled To Find Friends After CollegeMy Profile

  38. I remember something every single year when I begin planning for my class…”a child doesn’t remember what you teach so much as how you made them feel.” This is exactly what this sentence means. What a great lesson and a great teacher you are for instilling this in your students. Especially the middle school years. Pinning this to our Tuesday Talk board and featuring this in my blog on next week’s Tuesday Talk for my Teachers Edition. Thanks for sharing your wisdom here. As a fellow teacher, my hat goes off to you.