Using Language to Learn New Lessons About School and the Self

Words are powerful—it’s a cliche, but it’s also an understatement. Usually when we say words are powerful, we are thinking about how what others say to us can have a big impact, whether it be positive or negative. This is true, of course, but they have an even larger scope than that. It is the words we tell ourselves, the ones we internalize, that really have the biggest impact. The words we use in our self narratives help us shape our identity and wellbeing, and they can help us understand our experiences. The words that really count, then, are the ones that we incorporate and accept into our self narratives. The workbook which accompanies this ebook aims to help students shift their self narrative to a positive one, primarily through the adjustment of language.