More and more often, I find my news feed populated with stories about climate change. It’s increasing forest fires. It’s promoting extreme weather. And scientists are warning that we are reaching or will soon reach a point of no return where things will be unsalvageable. As a person trained in the sciences, I appreciate the desire to promote the truth…no matter how inconvenient. And yet, I’m fully aware that science encompasses not only truths about the physical world but also about the psychological makeup of our species.

As a tutor, I’m well aware of many inconvenient truths. Within minutes of meeting with students and their parents, it is often obvious to me what needs to change. I can see that the parents are either absent or overly involved. I can see that the student is crippled with anxiety that causes their memories to fail them on tests. Or, I can see that they simply aren’t doing nearly enough practice to realistically expect to do well. And yet, most of these time these inconvenient truths should not be mentioned. For some people, being told what is wrong with their parenting or studying is something they thrive on. However, for many, sharing inconvenient truths about parenting or studying is the fastest way for a tutor to get fired. If you want to help the kid, then you have to learn what to share and when to generate the right sort of behavior change. …