Some children might feel shy or uncomfortable sharing personal stories, especially if they’re not used to talking about emotions. To encourage participation, the teacher should model the process first by telling a simple, honest story of their own — showing vulnerability, using clear language to describe feelings, and even admitting uncertainty or fear. This sets the tone and shows that it’s safe to open up.
Other children might react impulsively or dismissively, especially if they don’t yet have strong listening skills. That’s why it’s important to establish clear group norms at the start: all stories are valid, there are no right or wrong emotions, and everyone deserves to be listened to with attention and care. The teacher can remind children what active listening looks like (facing the speaker, not interrupting, reacting kindly) and gently intervene when necessary to redirect unhelpful behavior.
In some cases, children might not know how to respond empathetically. The teacher can offer sentence starters such as:
- “That sounds really…”
- “I can imagine feeling…”
- “Thanks for sharing that…”
This scaffolding helps children develop emotional vocabulary and respectful ways of connecting with others.
Finally, allowing opt-out options (like “you can just listen today”) ensures that children feel in control of how much they share, while still benefiting from hearing others.