Bringing Prevention To The Classroom: Listening and Talking
Drug education is most effective when students feel comfortable
sharing their ideas and asking a lot of questions.
- Create an environment that helps your students feel
comfortable approaching you, expressing their feelings and asking you
questions.
- Make sure all of your students have an opportunity
to talk to you, pay special attention to the quiet ones who may have
questions but often do not get a chance to ask them.
- Demonstrate your interest in your students and their
concerns by asking them questions.
- Be sure you listen to everything that your student
has to say before formulating a response.
- Always leave your students with the feeling that your
door is always open for future conversations and communication.
Although it is essential that you provide your students
with accurate facts about drug abuse and its side effects, prevention
education also centers on listening. Listening carefully and really hearing
involve the following:
- Listen to the words being communicated by your students,
but also be aware of the body language that accompanies their words.
Non-verbal cues indicating feelings of fear, anger, or guilt are important
for you to understand if you are to be truly helpful to your students.
- Listen by paying attention. Looking directly at the
student who is speaking is very confirming. It allows the student to
believe what he or she is saying is being listened to, is important,
and is being understood. You need to be aware of your own non-verbal
behaviors when you listen, such as frowning when you disapprove of something
and smiling when you approve.
- Listen without interrupting. Interrupting a student
who is trying to understand, to be understood or who is trying to express
their feelings about something very important, frightening or guilt-laden
may result in a shut-down at the very moment when a previously unclear
thought is about to be clarified.
- Listen without judging. For your students to learn
through open communication, you must allow them to talk openly and listen
when they are talking.
- Listen without giving advice. Your students who are
attempting to cope with the many issues associated with drug use must
examine each issue and may not respond to your quick and seemingly easy
solutions. Communication takes time; giving advice often short-circuits
the process.
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