Thanks, Maureen. What are some specific things you do to ensure encouragement is a regular practice in your school?
Students need constant encouragement from staff and faculty. Many of the students are first generation to attend higher education, and therefore not receiving all the positive feedback from home needed for self-efficacy.
Thanks, Troy.
Bringing in "similar others" is a great way to illustrate what can be done if students really work hard. Schools that do not have graduates on staff usually bring in good students or graduates who have overcome a lot and made it to where they want to be.
At our campus we are fortunate enough to have several Managers and a couple of Directors who are graduates of the school. This gives us the opportunity to speak with our students and let them know we understand how they feel and what it is like to be a student at the campus.
We are living proof that with a little hard work and dedication anything is possible.
Thanks, Todd. Teaching critical thinking skills and giving students a chance to practice them is a great idea. Too often, teachers just expect students to have this skill and do nothing to cultivate it.
Sometimes while working on diagnostic procedures I find myself walking a student one step at a time through a diagnostic procedure that is based on understanding the systema nd utilizing critical thinking skills.
After walking a small group through the diagnostic I leave the last step to them and they will alway come to the right conclusion. this seems to build enough confidence in their own ailities to allow them to continue as a group and work it out together without my assistance the next time. Maybe they will need a little shove in one direction or another, but they are usually more able to complete the diagnosis without my assistance. The confidence level increases with each success and eventually most of them will achive the desired results, believing they each acomplished it on their own, even if I did have to help a little.
I always relate to my students. I let them know that our situations are the same and they are capable of doing anything they set their minds to do. I have many single mothers in my classes. I let them know I am a single mother, I work full-time, and I attend school full-time; so I understand their frustrations. I let them know this so they do not think that I am just telling them I understand, but I do understand.
Accountability for one's own actions is by far the greatest testament to making things happen one can impart upon another. This can be within any relationship; when parenting, marriage, employee/employer, any relationship. We are all accountable for our own actions and must take all of our actions seriously. Once we are self-actualized in this way we can then go out into the world with a sense of purpose and intent to make something happen; to set a goal and strive for it. There are only two days in a person's life that are important; 1) the day you are born and 2)the day you understand why.
Being the school's counselor among other roles, I often make it my habit to know something personal about students and staff. I challenge them to look within themselves to find true meaning in their daily lives and use that inner awareness to do better things. We all can use some encouragement at times and I make this my mission both personally and professionally.
Thanks, Lori. The Pygmalion effect is a true concept. If we believe students will be successful and treat them that way, they will internalize our befief in them and believe in themselves.
This is critical to the success of the student and the school. Often times the students need someone to believe in them.
Focusing on their strengths, balancing feedback with praise and constructive criticism, always answer questions in an encouraging manner, taking an interest in the students, and engaging the students in the material are all successful practices that I use in this area.
Lori
I constantly tell my students that they create their own destiny and that they can achieve much more than they think they can. I encourage them constantly with positive feedback and tell them that they can do it.
Self-efficacy is a person's belief in their ability to cause, to bring about, or make something happen. What do you do to inspire your students or your co-workers to greater self-efficacy?
I try to always remain positive and I champion those instructors who continuously develop their class. I tell them that their work is going to improve students' learning outcomes and that we're lucky to have such dedicated faculty.
On the student side, I always ask them about their classes, and if they're not doing well, I try to remind them that it's a learning process, and they control the outcome! I also offer help/tutoring.
We also talk about the concept of self- efficacy in our Psychology course.
Hello Deborah,
Positive reinforcement goes a long way to success as well. Students may have the ability to complete an assignment but lack the motivation and leadership.
On-line students tend to lack the belief in self. They need more motivation than non-traditional students.
I inspire my students to greater self-efficacy by pointing out the good part of there assignment and the detail it shows.
Good post, Patrick. Establishing oneself as a "similar other" is a great way to build rapport with your students. They can understand that you know where they are and how to get to where they want to be.
I explain to my students that most academic limitations are perceived rather than real limitations. I use myself as an example when I speak at the new student orientations. I am a non-traditional learner who was the first in my family to graduate from college and I am now currently working on my PHD. I also explain to students that I was not a stellar student in High School and I struggled with certain subjects in my undergraduate studies. Rather than keeping the focus on me, I point out others who have had similar struggles in school, figures such as Collin Powell and George Patton. Powell was a “C†student in college and Patton suffered from dyslexia.
Both of these figures were not identified in history by their academic struggles. They were recognized as great leaders. What few people don’t understand about them was that overcoming and working through their academic challenges is what gave them the tools to be great. I suggest that student try to find someone they can identify with and use as a model of their own.
My students begin their last term in an externship. I say to each of them " ok now go out there and let your little light shine." If you encounter a procedure that you have not learned here don't be afraid to ask and have it shown to you before you do it this is a part of your experential learning.
I also encourage them to remember you have once been a patient in the examining room. Think back how you felt and what would make you feel at ease when the doctor came in. Try to get your patient to that point by empathizing with the patient.
Thank you, William. Keeping Admissions involved is a key to a successful school.
Thank you, Carol. A long time ago I was taught that it was important to "catch your students doing something right."
We do need to correct goal-defeating behaviors, but the best way to get students where they need to be is by rewarding the behaviors we want. A kind, positive word is a pretty good reward to most folks.
