Podcasts · The Literacy Keys - Dyslexia resources and structured literacy tips by an Orton Gillingham tutor
How to Build Confidence in Your Kid? Slow Down (+ Let Them Be Bored)
· 25 min · S2 E43
Episode How to Build Confidence in Your Kid? Slow Down (+ Let Them Be Bored)
When was the last time your child was allowed to be bored? Not scrolling, not rushing off to practice, just bored. Veteran teacher Bridget Gengler thinks that empty space has a lot to do with how to build confidence in your kid, and her reasons may surprise you.
Bridget once taught a quiet boy who dreaded being in the class wax museum. That’s the day every student dresses up as a famous figure and gives a speech to a room packed with parents. For him, it might as well have been a stadium. Bridget didn’t hand him the assignment and hope for the best. What she did in the months before that morning is something any parent can borrow. When the day came, he walked in dressed for the part, and his mom could hardly believe what happened next.
Bridget grew up as the shy kid in the back row, so she has spent more than 30 years making sure no child in her classroom feels invisible. She’s also the author of two children’s books, Hold Your Head Up and Walk with Grace and You Have a Story to Tell. I asked her the question I always ask: why? Why do so many kids today need to feel seen, and what can we do about it at home?
In this conversation, we chat about:
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Why rushing a nervous child usually backfires
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The one thing Bridget does before a new student ever walks through her door
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Why your third grader, or even your middle schooler, still needs to hear you read aloud
Reading struggles have a way of chipping at a child’s confidence. If that sounds familiar, let’s talk. Book a free 15-minute consultation at https://theliteracykeys.com/contact/ and we’ll find your child’s first step together.
Do you know a parent with a quiet kid who’s been hiding in the back row? Send this episode their way. And follow The Literacy Keys so you never miss a key episode.
Find Bridget’s books at www.bridgetgengler.com as well as traditonal venues.
Find Us on Instagram | Facebook | YouTube @theliteracykeys
Listen on:
Apple: http://bit.ly/4fFa92F
Spotify: https://bit.ly/4ascryE
Cheers,
Tracy Young, Orton Gillingham Tutor
The Literacy Keys
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