Encourage them to succeed even if they don't think they can. Let student know they can do it.
Steve,
You are correct. We are the only encouragement in some students' lives.
If we don't encourage them, in many cases, who will? I've seen the power of encouragement in a student and it sometimes lasts for quite some time. I have had students come back and say nice things years after they graduated.
keep projecting a positive attitude. Students will pick up on it.
James,
You hit the nail on the head with this statement, we are sometimes the only positive support a student may have outside their normal environment. I sometimes ask my classes if they have a positive support system at home. You can easily see the ones who do not simply by the look on their faces.
I think your comment focuses on an important area and that is helping students to believe in themselves. Sometimes, it takes baby steps to help students move from where they are to where they want to be. It takes patience and time spent helping these students. Often, we are short of time and it is so easy to not give the most needy students just those few more minutes.
i was thinking the same thing great job
We may be the only people that believe in some of these students; I know many of them don't get positive support from home.
If you communicate with your students and ask how they are doing, makes them feel like you care. They feel like you are really there to help them learn and not just collecting a pay check.
Encouraging students does go a long way, letting them know you beleive in them often helps them to do better by living up to that expectation.
Peter,
That is very true. Something that we think is very simple and normal, such as saying "Good Morning", can make a impact.
Just saying Hi and showing interest can go a long way.
We must constantly encourage and give them confidence.
