Words of Encouragement for Struggling Students

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Sometimes when we try to speak words of encouragement for struggling students it can backfire. When a teen is hurting but they won't talk, what do you say? Lawrence C. Harris, a 20-year-old youth speaker and teen author, sat in our classrooms not long ago. He tells us what helped him and what made him pull away.

Lawrence shares the well-meaning phrases that shut struggling students down, the words that keep the door open, and one small thing you can do at the start of class this week.

What you'll learn:

  • The two phrases teachers mean kindly that make a struggling teen retreat
  • What to say when a student is clearly struggling but won't open up
  • Why the student who seems happiest in class might be hiding the most
  • The "one pebble a day" idea for a student who feels overwhelmed
  • The decision that turned Lawrence's life around
  • A start-of-class routine that gives students something to look forward to

Full show notes, transcript, and resources: https://www.coolcatteacher.com/e1016

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