​Use positive language - embrace what's actually there

​I used to teach at a school.

I'm smart, I learn fast. By the third week of the first term, I knew which classes were going to be easiest to teach, and which ones were going to be the hardest. I knew for each class which students were funny, which students were easy to reach, and which were going to give me a hard time. I was especially clear about which students were going to give me a hard time.
Read more

Asking questions, Socratively

Whilst giving a lecture about "Making Good Choices in Life" I noticed that some of the students were beginning to show signs of resistance. They were turning away from me, talking to each other...

Perhaps I had failed to fully engage them in why they should listen to me...
Read more