I am not good at golf. I don’t have a handicap, I regularly take two tee shots, and I abuse the club length rule quite often. However, three or four times during every round I hit a shot that keeps me coming back. Sometimes it’s a monster drive, other times it’s a 15-foot put, or once it was an eagle two from 145 yards out. The point is most of the time I am not playing well; it’s the positive moments scattered throughout the round that keeps me playing golf.
I don’t think students need to be in a state of bliss every time they walk in our classrooms; it’s difficult to be at 100%, 100% of the time. However, if we can give kids positive learning experiences each week, it will keep them coming back for more. Imagine if a middle/high school student had three or four positive experiences with each teacher every week. They might enjoy school or even thrive in that type of environment. And obviously, if you turn those interactions into negative experiences they will most likely despise school. You probably have these students in your class.
Metaphorically speaking, How often do you go to the classroom driving range or putting green?