In last week’s post I shared with you a bit about the concept that language matters.  The words we use in our classroom have such a way of showing our students what we value.  But words can matter in so many more ways.  Who knows what words you might say in your classroom, in the hallway, in the lunchroom, or at recess that might resonate with a student for the rest of their life.

I’ve shared with you before that I love the NPR Show titled TED Radio Hour.  It’s great as a podcast because I can download it to my phone and listen whenever I have a chance.  If you have never heard of the TED Radio Hour, each episode has a common theme, and portions of various talks are shared that fit into that theme.  The host, Guy Raz, also inserts portions of interviews with the speaker.  I was listening to the most recent episode, titled “A Hero’s Journey,” while I was on a run.  One of the Talks resonated with me as an educator and a mentor, so I wanted to share the story with you here.

This portion of the show is from a TED Talk by Jarrett Krosoczka, a children’s author.  He went through a difficult childhood, being adopted by his grandparents when he was 3, having a mother who would come in and out of his life, and a father that he did not meet until he was 17.  He had a couple of mentors who made major impacts in his life, and some were through such simple acts.  When you have a chance, listen to this section of the episode.

Follow the first link below to listen to the story.  I have also included a link to the full episode (the second link), if you’d like to hear more about the topic of “A Hero’s Journey.”  On the TED Radio Hour page, you can also find links to the full TED Talk of each person featured on the show.  Enjoy!

How Can Mentors Turn An Uncertain Journey Into A Heroic One?

Here’s the full episode:

http://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/458496650/the-heros-journey?showDate=2017-01-06

How do you use words to be a mentor to your students?  Are there kids that you’ve seen make a major change just by the words that we use to help motivate them?  Share your experiences in the comments below!