The Power of Mattering: Part 3 of the “Mattering in Early Childhood Education” Series
"When people feel invisible, they disengage. When they feel like they matter, they come alive."
— Zach Mercurio, 2025
Why Mattering Is More Than Motivation
In early childhood education, we talk a lot about motivation, burnout, and self-care — but what if the issue isn’t simply that educators are tired, but that too many feel unseen?
What if our deepest need isn’t more to-do lists about wellbeing, but a culture that helps people feel that who they are and what they do truly matters?
That’s where the Noticed–Affirmed–Needed model comes in.
It gives us language and structure to talk about something profoundly human — the need to know that we make a difference.
The Noticed–Affirmed–Needed Framework (Zach Mercurio, 2025)
Noticed: People feel genuinely seen for who they are and the effort they give.
Example: A teacher is greeted by name and acknowledged for handling a tough moment with calmness and care.
Affirmed: People’s strengths and character are recognized and valued — not just their results.
Example: A coach says, “Your patience during circle time helped every child feel included.”
Needed: People know their presence and perspective make a difference.
Example: A teaching assistant is invited to share input on classroom setup because her ideas improve how the day flows.
Together, these experiences form the foundation of mattering — not through grand gestures, but through consistent, intentional human acknowledgment.
What Happens When We Feel Noticed, Affirmed, and Needed?
Energy returns. When people feel seen, they show up with renewed purpose.
Engagement deepens. Teams communicate more openly and take more initiative.
Resilience grows. When the work feels heavy, purpose sustains effort.
Relationships strengthen. Staff give the same empathy and connection to one another that they give to children.
And this matters — because in early childhood education, relationships are the work.
When We Don’t Feel That We Matter
When educators aren’t noticed, affirmation fades into evaluation, and “being needed” starts to feel like being used.
The greeting that once said “I see you” becomes a checklist.
Appreciation feels generic or performative.
Requests for help begin to feel one-sided.
That’s when burnout becomes more than fatigue — it becomes disconnection.
And disconnection spreads quickly.
Practical Ways to Build Mattering
1️⃣ Start with noticing.
Slow down enough to really see people. Look up. Make eye contact. Use names.
Say: “I saw how you helped that child calm down. That moment mattered.”
2️⃣ Affirm strengths, not just outcomes.
Instead of “Good job,” say:
“You modeled patience when that activity didn’t go as planned. That helped the children trust you.”
3️⃣ Remind people they are needed.
Invite input and show that it influences decisions.
Say: “Your insight helped us improve our transition plan — thank you for sharing your perspective.”
4️⃣ Build mattering into routines.
Start team meetings with appreciation rounds.
Include “bright spot” reflections in supervision.
Post visual reminders of team strengths and values.
Interested in bringing “Mattering” to your organization? For coaching or leadership training inquiries, contact Deidre Harris at deidre.harris@teamagreements.com