“He has the power to render us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil.  Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ’em up:  what then?  The happiness he gives is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.”

A Christmas Carol  by Charles Dickens (1812-1870),   Ebenezer Scrooge to the Spirit of Christmas Past, talking about the virtues of his former employer, Fezziwig.

 Is being in my class a pleasure or a toil for my students?  Is their time with me light or burdensome? Am I making them happy or unhappy? I need to remind myself, especially at the end of the semester, to give those seemingly slight and insignificant words and looks that impart happiness to my students. 

I am more and more convinced that you catch more flies with honey. that empathy and positive relationships is the way manage one’s classroom and life. I want more of Fezziwig in me.