Fandom High School

Fjord was... quiet today, standing a little off to the side of the front of the room, arms crossed over his chest, frowning. A little.

"Sometimes," he said, at length, "things happen that'll leave the people around you a little bit out of sorts." Not that he was listing examples or anything, but he figured people could use their imaginations. "Today, we're going to talk about giving people what they need in order to recover from whatever those things might be."

Carter was also frowning, but it was very much because he was restraining himself from fussing over Fjord.

"It's important to consider what they need, rather than what you want to do," Carter said, smiling at the class, since he didn't want them to think both their teachers were unsettled today. "Your inclination might be to rush in with hugs and offers to talk, while what they might need is quiet and space to think. And vice versa, leaving someone alone when they want to talk could just make things worse. It's about tailoring your reaction to their needs—though, of course, they are also responsible for communicating their needs to you in the first place."

"Not that they'll always necessarily be able to," Fjord noted. "Sometimes, when a person isn't doing well, reaching out to other people seems like the most difficult thing in the world. Like they're an inconvenience, or they'll only be throwing themselves out there just to get hurt even more. It can be a complicated thing, trying to figure out what the best way to approach a hurting friend might be." He paused a moment. "I suppose the same thing applies here as it does anywhere else. If you aren't certain what a person needs... ask. If they say they need space, give it to them. At the very least, they'll know you care."

"And that's really the important thing," Carter added. "Letting them know that you care and that you're there if they need you. Now, we'd like you all to take a few minutes to write down the things you like people to do when you're feeling down, or hurting, or scared. If you'd like to discuss them with your classmates after, or with either of us, please feel free but this is not a necessity."

Fjord lifted a shoulder.

"Don't even need to write 'em down if you're not feeling secure about the possibility of sharing," he replied. "Just think it over, at least." A pause. "And help yourself to the cookies and fish, of course."

It was pretty much the expectation, now, wasn't it?

They had promised cookies in their class description—the fish was merely them adapting to their students' needs!

"Maple bars today," Carter said cheerfully. "Help yourselves!"

Today's cookie offering was apple strudel cookies since, when he'd gone to consider his options, those had seemed like the most seasonal and also the most delicious. Carter smiled at the class.

"I must admit," he said, "that today's topic is one that I am not used to having to take quite as... ah, literally, as I believe Fjord would."

Fjord, meanwhile, had picked up a selection of sashimi that included a pretty sizable amount of salmon. It just seemed like a good day for salmon.

( He cleared his throat... )

Once again, there was only one teacher at the front of the room. This time, it was the 'Influence People' half of the class, however. So there weren't cookies.

Fjord had made a few pit-stops on the way in, though. There was a platter of sashimi - he'd made an educated guess based on Sidon's fishing, yes - and there were donuts for everyone else.

"Looks like it's just me this week," he drawled, shrugging as he spoke. "Pastor Carter's under the weather or something, I imagine, so it's going to be just us, talking about techniques in handling people."

Because he had to take advantage of a week where he wouldn't be getting disapproving looks in order to jump right into the meaty stuff, here.

"There are three things to keep in mind when you want to turn another person around to your way of thinking. First, don't criticise them, don't condemn them, don't complain about what they're doing. People in general are inherently more emotional creatures than logical ones, though, granted, there are a few exceptions. Nothing turns a person against suggestion faster than feeling as though those suggestions are a personal attack. There are gentler ways to break it to a person that they need to change. They'll come after the second point, the part where you take a moment to appreciate, first. Instead of going, 'make that better,' you might try going, 'I see you put a lot of work into that,' or even just 'thank you for doing this.' And then you can try to turn them around to wanting to change things to suit your wants and needs a little better."

He grinned faintly.

"This part is my favorite," he admitted. "The third part is to give the other person something to want. Make what you want appealing to them. Ideally they're already inclined to like you - you aren't being an ass, you're listening to what they have to say, you're even saying supportive things in kind - now you take that and use it to your advantage. Find a reason for them to want to do things your way. Figure out what they'll get out of it too. If there isn't some obvious benefit to it, you might even be able to win them over enough for them to simply want to do it to make you happy, but don't bank on that one until you've gotten a little more experience with this one."

He crossed his arms - he'd really missed having arms - over his chest and grinned.

"It's going to be another pair off and talk week," he said. "Team up. One of you, think of something you'd like for the other person to do. Then, using what I just told you, talk them into it. You'll have your work a little more cut out for you than you might in the wild, of course, since your classmates know that's exactly what you're doing. Hopefully what you're trying to talk them into is something you'll both get something out of, in the end."

Fjord, there were so many ways that sentence could be taken, you most certainly weren't taking them all into consideration right now, were you?

When the class assembled once again in what was one of a multitude of classrooms full of comfortable cushions this semester, they would... probably not be terribly surprised to find their teachers there. Since that was their job, and all.

Fjord, for his part, was looking to be in decent spirits, standing a little off to the side with his arms over his chest and a wry smile on his face.

( Disagreeing! )