Teacher’s Corner

When Students Say “No”:

1. Remember that they are practicing persistence. Unfortunately it is persistence at having their own way.

2. Don’t forbid them to say “no.” Just calmly insist that they do what they are told.

3. Don’t punish them or criticize them for saying “no.”

4. Hold the line on rules and find other ways for them to think for themselves and be persistent.

5. Tell them you know they don’t want to do what they are told, but they must do it anyway. Tell them why.

6. Don’t jump in and “help” them when they are frustrated trying to solve a problem or find an answer. Ask probing questions or suggest a resource, instead. Let them struggle so they can practice persistence.

7. Let them struggle until they are successful and see that determination pays off.

8. Encourage persistence by letting them learn to do things for themselves (for example, tracking their grades, managing their assignments, etc.).

(See Teaching Kids to Wait – Part 2 for more about children saying “no.”)

Writing Prompts and Discussion Topics 

The following are based on the blog, “Teaching Kids to Wait – Part 2. “

1. What is one of the most rewarding courses you have ever taken? What made it rewarding. Do not mention any teachers’ names in your answer.

2. If you are told “no” about something, do you think it is helpful to be told why? Why or why not?

3. How good are you at keeping track of your assignments and getting things done on time? What would help you do better at this? What would be the advantage to you to be able to do this well?

Teachers, you can use this blog in classrooms. Here are two ideas about how.

1. For middle or high school parenting or child development courses:

• Use the blog for discussion topics

• Require students to research the topics and agree or disagree with what the blog is suggesting.

2.  For all courses, especially English Language Arts:

• Use the blog for writing prompts for paragraphs, theme papers, journal entries, class starters, etc. Have students read the blog and respond to:

  • Do you agree with what is being said about kids? Do kids really act, think or feel that way?

  • Do you agree with what is being said about parents, grandparents, teachers and child caregivers? Do or should they act, think or feel that way?

  • What would be your advice on this topic?

  • What was left out of this article?

  • If you were a parent, would you use any of this information? How?

Why can this blog be a useful teaching tool?

• Students that see connections between their coursework and their lives do better in school.

• Most students will either be parents one day or have children in their lives that they care about, so the topical information can help them build their knowledge about children and parenting and develop a positive image of the type of parenting they want to do.

• The new core literacy standards adopted by most states call for frequent writing in all courses.

• Newly developed end-of-course assessments to be used by many states will require that students demonstrate that they can think critically. These prompts help students practice critical thinking.

• Newly developed end-of-course assessments to be used by many states will require that students demonstrate that they can analyze what they read. These prompts help students practice analysis.