TEACHERS
WE LOVE
Encourage Success,
Overcome Struggles
Donna Bednarczyk gives her kids confidence and resilience
that will last a lifetime. BY SUSAN KRUGER, M.ED.
ALL WE WANT IS FOR our children to be happy!” This is the
mantra of Donna Bednarczyk, a 25-year veteran
teacher in Grosse Pointe,
Michigan. Whether she’s
talking about her own two
children or her fifth-grade
students at Maire Elementary school, her drive to help
all of her kids do well academically and be emotionally resilient is the key to her
success as a teacher.
Donna is a strong
advocate for students with
ADHD. Her oldest son,
Luke, has been diagnosed
with the condition. She
raised him to be a confident
and successful young man.
He is now an Eagle Scout
and an honor student at
Western Michigan University. How did she do it?
Donna encouraged his
strengths while support-
ing him in his struggles.
She does the same for her
students. She focuses on
their positive attributes.
“My ADHD students have
the energy and enthusiasm
to ‘think outside of the box.’
Their ideas will help make
our world a better place.
I want them to see them-
selves as capable learners.”
“Donna is one of the
most child-centered teach-
ers I have ever worked
with,” says her teaching
partner, Barb Davis. “She
DONNA’S TEACHING TIPS
E MAKE EYE CONTACT. I greet each child at the door
every day. I make eye contact with them as I wish them a
“good morning.” They must feel welcome.
R ALWAYS BE POSI TIVE. I balance guiding students
in class with positive comments about their strengths.
By day’s end, if I have not given a positive comment to a
child, I give her one as she walks out the door.
T CHECK PLANNERS DAILY. I make sure they have
all of their supplies packed for homework and that they
don’t have too much homework to do.
U USE THERAPY BANDS AND STRESS BALLS.
When kids have to stay in their chairs, I let them use
therapy bands. They use small “stress balls,” which they
keep in their pockets, when they feel stressed.
inspires her students to
have confidence, which is a
gift they keep for the rest of
their lives!”
Kristin Baer, mother to
one of Donna’s students
with ADHD, adds her own
praise. “Donna strikes the
perfect balance between
maintaining high expecta-
tions, while providing the
structure and engaging
techniques a student with
ADHD requires.”
“Donna holds her stu-
dents to high standards, but
does so with lots of TLC,”
says her principal Sonja
Francett. “She is a master
teacher.” A
SUSAN KRUGER, M.ED., is the
author of Soar Study Skills and
founder of
studyskills.com.
