Teachers: Never Say This in Front of Students

by Guy E. White on 21 October, 2014

What should you never say in front of your students?My first year teaching, I put my foot in my mouth. I said some accurate but unkind words to a student. They walked out of my classroom and never returned. How do you avoid unconstructive talk that destroys students’ lives?

My most shameful moment as a teacher was my first year teaching. A student had the lowest grade in the class, would show up late almost every day, and was a constant distraction in the room. However, I had this crazy desire for him to learn and thrive – that was only possible though if he was in the room.

I called him out in an accurate but much less than gentle way, and he walked out of my classroom for good. That got me thinking about how I should approach my most difficult students.

Here’s what I have resolved to never say in front of students:

1. “You’re going to fail.”

Failure in life and failure in your class are two different things. However, for a teenager, it’s hard to distinguish which you’re talking about. When you’re sixteen years old, everything can feel like it’s on the line. Instead, say privately, “You are missing X assignments and have a Y percent in my course.”

2. “What does mom/dad/grandma think about this?”

Unkind indeed! Truly, if you want to know what the people at home think about the academic situation of a student, it’s on you to call them and ask. Don’t put it on students to hypothesize what the people at home are thinking. The real question you should ask is, “What do you think about your performance?”

3. Ambiguous Threats

There is a massive power differential between you and your students. Some teachers use ambiguous threats as a way of motivating action. Consequences should be clear for many reasons. You don’t want a student thinking you are threatening them with something! Consequences and threats are two different things. Threats have no place in the classroom.

4. Labeling

Students already carry numerous self-imposed and peer-imposed labels; the last thing they need is you labeling them a “troublemaker” or anything else. Instead, focus on the individual behaviors of the student. Call out negative behaviors instead of naming character traits.

What are your thoughts? What else should not ever be said in front of a student? Do you disagree with any of the above?

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