 Now, should a teacher smile before Christmas? Now, is this a wise piece of advice for behavior management or is it an outdated myth? Now, there are some teachers in our profession, I hate to say it, who don't smile. And I wonder if the impact on not smiling or perhaps smiling from September might make a big difference to our young people. So is it fair to tell new teachers to hide their smiles? So this kind of sage advice we give new teachers, is it right to equate being stern with effective classroom management? We know behavior management is important. We need classrooms of warmth, not of cold detachment. We should also embrace empathy, not suppress it. And an unsmiling classroom in some respects for want of an analogy is a bit like a garden with no sunshine, all that potential remains unfulfilled. So a link in this video, you'll see some research, well-established research. There's nothing more stifling to the profession than a classroom devoid of smiles. It's astonishing how this myth still exists today. I wonder if you're a new teacher watching this, have you been told this outdated myth? So in the link in the video, and a piece of research in casting doubt on the old myth, research suggests that students respond positively to teachers who are warm, friendly, and approachable. And these qualities, now listen to this, these qualities lead to better teacher-student relationships and higher student satisfaction. More importantly, teachers who express positivity and care through verbal and non-verbal cues are perceived as more effective. Now, this might not be new for many experienced teachers, but it also challenges the traditional view that not smiling until Christmas is a load of baloney. And for experienced teachers, it advocates to keep smiling and for new teachers to smile from the start. It also highlights the importance of positive emotional communication in teaching, which we know is essential to nurture students' mental health and well-being. So smile is not just for Christmas, but every day to create a classroom that's more than just a learning space, but a place of warmth, connection, and mutual respect. So take a look in the video, look at the link in this video, and tell me what you think. Keep smiling and have a happy Christmas.