I realised again that one of the most powerful phrases a teacher especially a home room teacher can utter is: "I know." A lot of trepidation of students comes from following rules, and the accompanying dangers for the school career. (Germany can be very German in that) And so you as a home room teacher have to deal with many problems from sicknesses to sudden dates for application with their future employers or delayed handing-ins of papers. Many of these things have rules, many of these things make people nervous that they have negative consequences, so one of the most important things you can say as a teacher is: "I know." Mostly in the air of "it's okay". Sometimes you need to give the consequences, but also: they are now fixed and you tell them, that they are fixed now.
One of the cruelest things teachers can and regularly will do is not being clear about where the students stand with them, with the rules and so on. And one of the most powerful phrases is: "I know." Reliability and clear communication win the day every day...
