How should a bus driver respond to a sullen and unfriendly student?

When dealing with a sullen and unfriendly student, showing kindness and engaging with them is essential for several reasons. First, positive interactions can significantly impact a student's emotional state, helping to alleviate their negativity and potentially improving their behavior. By extending kindness, the bus driver fosters a supportive environment, which can encourage the student to open up and communicate more positively.

Engagement also demonstrates to the student that they are valued and that their feelings are acknowledged, creating an atmosphere of trust. This approach can lead to establishing rapport, which may help in addressing any underlying issues the student might be experiencing. Furthermore, as a role model, the bus driver sets an example of how to deal with difficult emotions constructively, imparting an important lesson about empathy and social conduct.

In contrast, ignoring the student may lead to feelings of isolation or exacerbate the negative behavior, while sending the student to the back of the bus could further alienate them and disrupt the overall classroom-like environment. Reporting their behavior to the school might be necessary in some cases, but it is usually more effective to try and engage with the student first to resolve issues directly.