…for the love of your students, remind them of this, repeat this, tell them this: “You can succeed.”
Any way we look at the calendar, we must inevitably reach one conclusion: the calendar is winding down on the school year.
It is a time of anticipation. A break is coming. We can almost taste it.
Thank. God.
But while we experience the joy of these last days, we ought to remember they can be a time of intense stress for our students. Yes, we have much to do, but so do they. Though their perceptions may not always be accurate, our students can feel that the whole year comes down to the next few days, that all they have done all year will not amount to anything if they do not nail it now. They may feel that the next few days are the most critical ones.
While I would be very skeptical of a system or a teacher or a class that backloads everything for students who are not in college to the last few minutes of the year, I know it happens. I know students feel this way.
I know it. You do, too.
Heck, you may agree they should feel this way, that they should be pounding right until the end and that these days should be circled in red.
Fine. Any and all of the above is fine.
But, please, for the love of your students, remind them of this, repeat this, tell them this: “You can succeed.”
It is my hope they have heard this from you in overt and covert ways all year.
They should have.
But now, more than ever, remind them: “You can succeed.”
Your words have power. Your words have meaning.