The Power of YET (Found on Facebook)

[Scott Habeeb]

In the last week I have now found two awesome Facebook posts worth sharing from FTN member, Kaitlin Nelson.  I'm going to have to follow Kaitlin's Facebook more closely from now on!

 

Read Kaitlin's experience with the power of the word YET.  This comes from an interaction she had recently with a student in her Math class in Portland, Oregon:

 

Student: "I can't do #3. I'm not good with fractions."

Me: (silently) make eye contact and raise my eyebrow

Student: "YET. I mean YET, Miss Nelson. I'm not good with fractions YET."

And that, my friends, is how it's done. One month into the year, I raise my eyebrow and she knows exactly what I've trained her to say.

You see, in my classroom, phrases like "I can't" & "I don't get it" and "I don't understand" are forbidden ... unless that phrase ends with the word "YET."

Such a powerful little word. YET.

 

Isn't this great!  My friend, Ray Moore, likes to remind his students that the legendary John Wooden (see the FTN John Wooden page) said, "Don't let what you CAN'T do get in the way of what you CAN do."  It's all about being intentional.  We must intentionally change our students' perspectives by teaching them quotes like John Wooden's and by teaching them the power of little words like YET.

 

Thanks, Kaitlin, for this easy to emulate example.  I hope tons of teachers out there start using the word YET.

 

What about you - do you have examples like this to share with others?

[Scott Habeeb]

Pretty powerful little word!  Glad you liked the post, Vicki.  

[Vicki Dye]

I love this idea! So simple-- but has to really plant that idea firmly in their heads to not give up on getting it just because you don't get it YET.

[Kat Parker]

Love it!!  I feel like making some signs with "I can't" and "I don't understand" and putting a big RED X through them lol great story.  Happy Friday!!

[Scott Habeeb]

Thank you, Kaitlin!  Hope all is well in Portland.  I keep hoping I'll have a good excuse to visit again!

[Kaitlin Nelson]

Thanks, Scott. :)