We’ve been building our Positive Teacher Language toolkit together, and now it’s time to share the magic phrases that have worked in your own classrooms! ✨

What to do:
Post a Positive Teacher Language sentence that you’ve used and found effective. It could be from:

• Reinforcing (“I noticed you…”)

• Reminding (“Remember to…”)

• Redirecting (“Show me how we…”)

• Envisioning (“Imagine if…”)

• Calm & Connect (“I hear you saying…”)

• Questioning (“What strategy helped you most?”)

Example:
“I noticed how you helped your friend without being asked. That showed real kindness.”

Every contribution helps build a stronger, shared bank of language we can all draw from.

Let’s inspire one another with words that lift, guide, and connect! 💜

Have a tricky situation? Post your question and we’ll suggest Positive Teacher Language you could try.

⭐ Sample Q&A to start off:

Q: My P2 class keeps shouting answers without raising their hands. What’s a positive way to handle this?

A: Let’s give everyone a chance by raising hands. That shows fairness and respect.

It can be as simple as:

• A phrase you used that worked

• A positive student reaction

• A class moment that made you smile

No photos needed, no long stories — just quick celebrations that show the power of Positive Teacher Language. 🧡

Examples:

1. “My P3s lined up calmly today after I said, ‘Show me safe walking.’

   
   

2. “I noticed one student helping a friend with spelling without being asked — and the whole class started clapping. ”

   
   

3. “Tried ‘Voices off so everyone can hear’ — and wow, instant silence. ”

   
   

4. “During Big Book Reading, I said, ‘Let’s all face the story so we can enjoy it together,’ and everyone turned straight away.”

   
   

5. “A student who usually gives up smiled when I told him, ‘This is hard, but I know you can try again.’ ”

Words shape how children see themselves and others. These stories show the power of noticing, encouraging, and speaking with kindness.

🎯 Purpose

This booklist helps teachers:

• Model Positive Teacher Language through story characters.

• Spark class discussions on how words can build up or tear down.

• Give students concrete examples of encouragement, respect, and care.

• Strengthen the link between language, values, and behaviour in everyday classroom life.

🌟 Stories About Kind Words & Encouragement

• Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud
  (Classic about how kind words fill invisible buckets of happiness.)

  
  

• Words and Your Heart by Kate Jane Neal
  (Gentle, powerful reminder that words can shape feelings.)

  
  

• Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson
  (Shows the lasting impact of kindness—or its absence.)

  
  

• The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
  (Encouraging words help children find courage to share their stories.)

  
  

🌈 Stories About Noticing & Naming Effort

• The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
  (A teacher’s simple encouragement sparks creativity and confidence.)

  
  

• Ish by Peter H. Reynolds
  (Celebrates effort and expression over perfection.)

  
  

• Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae
  (Encouraging words help Gerald find his own way to dance.)

  
  

• Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
  (A father’s calm and positive language helps Jabari overcome fear.)

  
  

💜 Stories About Calming & Connecting

• A Little Spot of Anger / A Little Spot of Anxiety by Diane Alber
  (Validating feelings, offering calm strategies in kid-friendly ways.)

• When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry… by Molly Bang
  (Shows how calm words and actions can help with big feelings.)

  
  

• Listening with My Heart by Gabi Garcia
  (About self-compassion and the power of gentle, affirming words.)

  
  

🌟 Stories About Envisioning & Growth

• What Do You Do With a Problem? by Kobi Yamada
  (Transforms challenges into opportunities, filled with growth language.)

  
  

• What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada
  (Affirms imagination and nurtures confidence.)

  
  

• The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do by Ashley Spires
  (Models perseverance and reframing setbacks positively.)

  
  

• The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
  (Celebrates trying, failing, and encouragement to keep going.)