I wanted to focus on the words we choose throughout the day as educators in the school system. Words are used all the time. We cannot welcome a student, handle a classroom conflict or teach a lesson without words. The words we decide on have power, it can lift students up to their highest potential, or have lasting negative repercussions.
Our words are the foundation of our relationships and eventually student knowledge. Our language shapes learners by:
Affecting a student's sense of identity
Influences the strength of our relationship with students
Helping students understand how they work and how to improve
Some things that we can consider when being mindful about choosing our words are:
Being direct: avoid sarcasm and comparative language
*Believing in the student. In a research paper done by Jo Boaler, it was shown that students who were told, "I believe in you." had increased math literacy.
Focus on actions not abstractions
Keep it brief
Know when to be silent
Approaching students in unique and different ways is one of our most powerful teaching tools (ASCD, 2008). It shapes how students act and think and, ultimately, how they learn and feel.
"The difference between those who succeed and those who don't is the brains they were born with, but their approach to life, the messages they receive about their potential, and the opportunities they have to learn." (Boaler, 2019)
Lastly, I've shared this video that explains the significance that one spoken word can have, and its real impacts.
https://www.ted.com/talks/the_power_of_words
(The power of words, 2022)
References
ASCD. (2008). The power of our words. ASCD. Retrieved November 9, 2022, from https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/the-power-of-our-words
Boaler , J. (2019, May 24). Unlocking children's math potential. YouCubed. https://www.youcubed.org/downloadable/unlocking-childrens-math-potential/
The power of words. TED Talk. (2022). Retrieved November 9, 2022, from https://www.ted.com/talks/the_power_of_words
Brought to you by Emy@NU
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