Pacing With Our Students: What They Need to Hear

“Every kid is one caring adult away from being a success story” Josh Shipp

A favorite author of my mine described purposefully guiding and leading adolescents with a beautiful image of pacing alongside a child at a pace set by the child, not the adult, on a spring walk. “Pacing
requires me to listen to the heart of an adolescent, seeing beyond words and behaviors. Pacing takes
time. Pacing is not the easy road. Pacing builds trust.” Adults can often struggle to understand the reality of their children, perhaps because of time, or because of the very different adolescent experiences of today don’t overlap well with their own.

A culture of care at LCES is something I’m grateful for. I watch with great appreciation as all our LCES staff - office admin, teachers, bus drivers, EA and more - work together to create a fabric of support and love for our students. We know God made them, God loves them, and has a specific purpose for them. We have the privilege of being alongside them as we watch God at work in them.

I saw the following list recently of things that every child needs to hear often. I like the challenge in
them to be so deliberate in how we support our future leaders.

I’m sorry

I forgive you. 

I’m listening

This is your responsibility.

You‘ve got what it takes. 

I’m proud of you. 

I love you. 


It also sounds like a list of things that God also tells us to live by through His word. SJ