The Art of Active Listening
Active listening is a skill that you and your student will find quite handy as you navigate the next steps of your relationship. According to the Conflict Research Consortium at the University of Colorado, active listening is "a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding."

Some key elements include:

• Give Your Full Attention. Keep your eyes and focus on the person speaking to you.
  
• Be in the Moment. Don't start developing your response while the speaker is still finishing her thoughts.
  
• Limit Advice. Sometimes people just need to process through things to figure it out on their own, while you listen affirmingly.
  
• Don't Interrupt. Interruptions make it about you rather than the person you're supposed to be listening to!

Here's to a year of good listening and communication!