As he was playing in the creek, a young boy found a turtle,
and his parents agreed to let him keep it as a pet. The boy was thrilled and he
named his new friend “Slowpoke.” Although the boy was eager to play with
Slowpoke, the turtle retreated into his shell and refused to come out. The boy
then reached his hand into Slowpoke’s shell and tried to force his head out so
he could play. His dad responded, “You don’t know why he’s shy. Maybe kids have
been mean to him or mistreated him. You can’t force him to come out of his
shell. You have to make him feel comfortable. Let’s put him down on the carpet where
he can relax, and when he’s ready he’ll come out of his shell to play.”
In our interactions here at NSCC, we may encounter students
who are shy and timid. How should we respond? It would be counterproductive to
force a student to be more expressive and engaged. Students may be hesitant
because of their previous life experiences. Just as the boy was able to help
the turtle relax and come out of his shell, we can have a nurturing, welcoming
approach that allows students the opportunity to feel safe. Confidence in higher education can be a
catalyst for a finding the unique contributions that a student can make to the
world.
