d. m. arney, m.a.

I have a student that hates to say ‘no’ or ‘I didn’t do it’ in regard to his assignments. Instead the student will get very, very quiet and try to engage in something else. We have to let it be okay to be truthful. Let the circumstance become a teaching opportunity. But reacting strongly, even yelling will only make it less and less likely for them to be honest. Also, when the say yes or some variation, they are probably trying to get you to shut up. Query, ask open ended questions, require a dialog; they can’t nod there way through that.