We love the quote, "If you must raise your voice, do it to cheer children on." All children become convinced of their GREATness, through the adults in their lives who nurture it.
By Linda Aber & Sheila Ostroff M.A. Pyschotherapist
The Wizard of Oz is a powerful story that can be used as an inspirational Nurtured Heart model for the parent or teacher. It features four beloved characters, a scarecrow, a tin woods man, a lion and a young girl, Dorothy. They become trusted friends as they each venture into their growth of GREATness. Their goal is to reach the Wizard and ask him to provide them with qualities they believe they are lacking and want to possess. The scarecrow asks for “a brain”, the tin woodman, “a heart”, the lion, “courage” and Dorothy asks “to go home”.
With wisdom, The Great Wizard announces that he will reward them their hearts desire, but only after they vanquish the wicked witch and return with her broomstick. They accept the challenge and throughout their journey of overcoming numerous obstacles, we witness how friendships and personal capabilities transform.
Scarecrow uses common sense and intellect to strategize their plans and the tin woodsman experiences tender emotions. The Cowardly lion displays unwavering bravery and Dorothy matures on her own because of her many adventures and challenges, recognizing she carries her learning’s of home with her but also that family and friends are important.
Upon returning to Oz to receive their promised qualities, the wizard reminds them, that in fact they have always possessed these strengths. His recognitions and appreciation of their values ignites their self-confidence and self-reliance, and he counsels them to always believe in themselves.
The Nurtured Heart lesson we can learn from this relevant story is that adults have the capability to influence and transform youth by recognizing all their innate abilities, the Greatness, they display at any present moment. Parents and teachers can become “great wizards” creating through intent, a template of successes for every youth. Children possess wonderful qualities and they need to be made aware of them by the significant adults in their life.
All children, especially those with special needs, experience cloudy days, whether from low self esteem, academic, social or emotional difficulties. Adult connection, relationship and validation are essential now more than ever and teaching The Nurtured Heart Approach to parents and teachers has become our passionate intent.
We introduced Nurtured Heart for School Professionals at the 2011 Quebec Provincial Teacher Convention. This inspirational, positive, social curriculum utilizes “energy and relationship language” that validates and supports successes and positive choices. It was developed by psychologist Howard Glasser specifically for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and other challenging behaviours. It transforms all youth as they become aware of their GREATness, their strengths and innate abilities. Just like the inner growth of those enchanting characters from Oz, this approach develops resiliency and character values by recognizing and appreciating the unique qualities that children possess and holding up a mirror clearly reflecting back their successes.
The positive reactions from convention teacher participants have led to our facilitating workshops at many of their schools. Nurtured Heart is a welcomed approach for it promotes the concept that “you are a successful person who can learn and behave” vs. “behave and learn so you can be a successful person”.
LDAQ Montreal Chapter 1 has incorporated Nurtured Heart into Parenting Workshops and Family Social & Thinking Skills Groups. Parents learn to effectively reinforce their child’s experiences of success while being conscious to not accidentally energize their experiences of failure. Children benefit from irrefutable, evidence, in the here and now, that they are being successful, exemplifying their great values. Short, specific, positive messages delivered from the heart of the parent, into the heart of the child, teaches values experientially, framing a lesson of qualities in the context of the child’s experience. Transformation of their negative portfolio (filled with disappointment, inability and anger) into a successful one (filled with self-control, integrity, taking responsibility and making good choices) is the end result. Children become convinced of their GREATness through the wizard-like adults in their lives who see them, believe in them and cleverly ignite them to do great things.
For Teacher or Parent Workshops contact Certified Nurtured Heart Advanced Trainers: Linda Aber (514) 487-3533, Sheila Ostroff (514) 485-6556 who were professionally trained by Howard Glasser
