Some days I hear words that just plain make me wince and hurt my ears. And I make my living in a school. This makes me sad.
So, I am compelled to offer this to the blogosphere.
The next time you find yourself on the verge of scolding a student, bite your tongue. Filter yourself for just a second or two. Three would be even better.
Before ordering a student what not to do, take a deep cleansing breath. In fact, take two. Three would be perfect. Then, let the student politely know what she/he can do.
Prior to punishing students for not following a rule which they should most likely already know, press the pause button. Instead, try looking them in the eyes with compassion, and smile. One or two pats on the back might be just the thing. Three would do the trick, for sure. Then give them a do-over and brainstorm a better, more appropriate choice together.
Do you ever hear words that make your ears hurt? What do you do when that happens?
Words really do make a difference. The right word at the right moment has the potential to make all the difference in the world. Tread lightly with your words. It will be sweet music to everyone's ears.
This is great advice for everyone -- not just counselors and teachers. And thanks so much for commenting on my blog post about Quacky Baseball!
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