“Parent teacher conferences are coming up. I really need to beef up my supply of adjectives. Since you will be the people I will talking about I’m enlisting your help.”

“On a half sheet of paper I would like you to create two lists. One list will be of adjectives that you would like me to use when describing you and/or your work to your parents. The other list will be of adjectives you are desperately hoping I will not use when I talk with your parents. For example, if my teacher were talking to my dad I would want them to say I am a respectful student. I would not want my teacher to tell my dad that I am a rude student.”

When everyone has a list of 5-10 words in each column we came together as a class and combined our favorites from each list.

Then I discussed with the students how it really takes more effort to get on the good list than on the bad list. After all, the people on the good list are the ones who get and keep the good jobs. I challenged the students to find some area of their life that needed improvement and to work toward getting on the good list in that area.

My students seemed to have a good time with this activity. I think it showed them how language can make a difference in a real life situation.

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Traci Blaize

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