Encouraging Students
Posted by PLB Blogger · 1 Comment
I’ve been thinking recently about the value of time. There are events where people spend millions to just host one evening of entertainment. The idea is to make it unforgettable and memorable.
Finally, when we look back, we don’t always remember good food, or entertainment. What we most often recall are the people, and things they did, and how they made us feel. Sometimes as a teacher too, we may spend a lot of time doing things that we need to do as a teacher- assessments, planning, and creating learning materials- and yes, these are essential. But we must remember that what our students need most is the feeling that we believe in them and that they can accomplish so much. They need us to encourage them. And we need to make sure that we set apart time to do that too. As their confidence and trust grows, we are better able to guide them to greater heights in learning.
In my personal life too, I need to think about this, and make sure that I give my family and friends the time and attention that they truly deserve.
How do you make sure that you spend time sharing your confidence in your students abilities and believe that they can achieve?
I was a facilitator for new teachers across the district I taught in. Together, we read Carol Dweck’s Mindset, an incredible book showing evidence that hard work is what helps students achieve. Working your hardest at all times is the only way to be a good student for life, for “smart” no longer applies when a challenge comes along and a “smart” child gives up because every task before that was “easy.”
Reading this book helped the teachers create language for their students to move them forward with a great work ethic. It also helps teachers know they have to work hard as well, tweaking lessons and synthesize new knowledge to move their practice forward. Working hard should be the language of parents as well. I encouraged many of my parents to read this book to take on new language with their children. Telling children that they are “smart” does not give them the push to work through the newer challenges that life has to offer.
Children have to know that learning takes place by making mistakes and moving forward with a positive self-esteem. “O.K., I didn’t get this right, but I will use a different strategy and work hard to achieve success.” The students with a positive work ethic are the future achievers of this world!