JACKIE: As educators, we play an essential role in creating safe and inclusive school environments, but our schools can sometimes be affected by issues we don’t directly see.
Students may have problems at home or conflicts with other students that make school stressful and disrupt effective learning.
You might notice drastic shifts in a student’s academic growth or performance, their physical appearance - like severe weight change - or their behavior, such as emotional outbursts or constant worrying. But when you sense that something is wrong, how do you approach that student and provide support?
In the next scenario, you will play Mr. Campbell, a 6th grade language arts teacher. Your student Stephanie did well in the first half of the year. She’s not the most talkative girl, but she made insightful comments, participated in class, submitted her assignments on time, and generally got along well with other students.
Yet, during the first six weeks of the spring semester, Stephanie has already missed five days of class. When she was present, she barely participated.
And some days she excuses herself to the nurse’s office right before the end of class, saying she isn't feeling well.
Today, you’ve asked Stephanie to stay for a few minutes after class. Your goals are to help her feel comfortable enough to talk about what might be bothering her and then connect her to any support she may need.
Your Goals:
Help Stephanie Open Up
Connect to support
There are tactics that can help you achieve these goals. First, make neutral observations about specific things you’ve noticed, and ask open-ended questions to encourage her to share. Then show empathy for what she’s going through, and summarize what she’s saying to show that you're listening and you understand. Let's take a moment to read examples of these tactics.
Neutral Observations - “I see that your reading log wasn’t updated on Monday.”
Open-Ended Questions - “What has your experience in my class been like so far?”
Empathy - “It’s really hard when there aren’t many people to speak to.”
Summaries - “Here’s what I’m hearing…”
As Stephanie’s teacher, you can help create a safe learning environment for her. This conversation could be the first step in getting her any help she needs and building her support network to be prepared for future challenges.