Helping students recongnize details in technique, differences and similarities with what they have already learned combined with small success builds confidence to accomplish bigger or more complex tasks.
Just recently I hired a former student. During her training she was one of the few who had no experience in the field and always felt a little behind the others who did. When I called her up to offer her a job she was in complete shock.
I had a pastry and baking student who was so self-critical that he sabotaged his work and really sometimes believed he couldn't succeed at the required work. When he made cheesecake in class, he was dissatisfied with his work to the degree that he made it over and over, each time with similar outcomes. After he graduated, he came back to school with pictures of the perfectly beautiful cheesecakes he was making for the restaurant where he was working, proudly and gleefully thanking me for believing in him and encouraging him every step of the way. His boss and collegues were letting him know that he was making some of the best desserts they had ever had.
Zack, I agree 100% and love the TPI message. Self talk and affirmations are proven tools to overall student success.
James Jackson
Seeing a students eyes light up after he or she seem to get it is relief all dought you may of have
I teach massage therapy and most of my students starting out have a lot of self-doubt. Being such a hands on program, at first they are very unsure about their quality of touch. I feel the best way to get around that is to have them work on me. Being a professional and in the field for six years, I can give them constructive feed back and let them know "hey, you're doing a great job!" I feel and see that when they hear it from me, it really gives them a confidence boost, both mentally and physically!
This course was very interesting for me. I am a success coach for a nursing school as well as a student development professor. I find issues of security and autonomy constantly coming up in both rolls, but more specifically with some of my ESL students.
Many of my students are from India or Pakistan and I find that culturally, they are less likely to bring issues up to the Professor, but more likely to confide with their success coach. This is interesting to me because it applies directly to this idea of Security.
I find that these students often feel insecure because their grades are “out of their controlâ€. By discussing these issues with their success coach, their autonomy is only enhanced in the eyes of their professor. This is important to this culture.
I found this training useful in an advising role as well as an academic role. Thank you!
I agree. I have seen numerous times when fellow students offer the needed encouragement to another who doubts his/her abilities. Sometimes it just takes someone else showing that they believe in us to make us do something.
I try to make the connect between the subject matter and their field of study. On the first day I try to calm all fears about the difficulty of the information that will be presented. At that point I ask about any fears or insecurities that they may have and speak on some of my own. Opening up about those things I find it cuts the tension and allows for open communication between instructor and student.
I had a student who was very apprehensive about a test due to missing the lecture and with some careful wording I was able to get him to successfully pass the test with only a couple of wrrong answers. Self doubt is a huge problem and with the right guidance, students can be encouraged to perform at a higher level than they expected.
Mr. Jackson,
One of the most rewarding experiences is when you see the students walk across the stage at the graduation ceremonies. I teach a Career Development class. In the course, we use The Pacific Institute curriculum. One of the biggest themes in the material is, "Potential lies asleep inside of each and every one of you". I have taught students from all backgrounds and I usually notice their elevated levels of self-esteem during the first day of class when I mention that they all have a 100% and, it's their job to maintain that grade during the course.
As an auto instructor I can build confidence by sharing real life senarios I have seen in the field. I agree with Ward when he says that he lets his students make mistakes. By NEVER humiliating a student and when they do make mistakes saying "I have seen much worse" or "when that happened to me" they can realize making mistakes is part of the learning process. Ward's comment "I love what I do, I pick them up" should be engraved in every instructors brain. An impatient instructor, or instructor that isn't passionate about what they are doing should find another career. In a split second the wrong comment or action can destroy a student.
I like this subject very much since this is the single, most frequent characteristics that follow any classroom environment.
I teach different subjects – technical, very specific ones and I teach math.
But no matter is it one or the other, I’ve always have a situation of at least 2-3 students that doubt themselves, not just for task in hand, but for accomplishing education goal in general.
How I help them overcome it? I start with the path on the back first and then I give them an example of a real life situation of self-doubt in my own education and career; I break the task down to the smallest parts possible and then ask do I have to do it a few more times just to make sure I’ve got it broken down to the very bottom.
I’ve found that this works every time and I’m happy to say that I’ve got a few emails praising my ability to do just that: increase self-confidence in student. And I’m also happy to say that I love those emails.
Sue, helping students understand the relevance between experience, competence and ultimately confidence is a critical path towards self awareness and students taking ownership of their own learning process. Being self critical is a great trait but one that requires coaching and proper mentoring.
Regards,
James Jackson
I teach dental hygiene courses and within those courses a clinical portion is utilized. During these clinical portions is where a lot of the self doubt occurs. Students become very critical of themselves despite just learing a new task. It is very difficult sometimes to convince a student that they are not "stupid" or "slow." Once they realise that they are not rather learning something new, a light seems to turn on. It's a rewarding job.
Just recently I was working with a student who was dealing with a patient that was very intimidating. I talked to her about how important it is to try to be self confident in front of patients. To speak her finding and answers, not in the form of a question, but a statement. I encouragede her trust herself to know the answer.
Alissa, positive self-talk can be a very powerful tool to combat low self-esteem issues. What specific techniques can you share that helps you move your students into positive self-talk?
Regards,
James Jackson
I encourage my students to use positive self talk also. It works wonders with students who have a tendency toward negativity. In clinical situation, I also encourage them to state their findings with confidence, not in the form of a question. Most of the time they know the information, but are scared to be wrong.
Krishna, I really like your statement about sharing with your adult learners their feelings are shared by others and normal. Have you ever conducted a classroom discussion where students shared their concerns and past experiences? Online is a great medium for sharing such information.
Regards,
James Jackson
Teaching online I have encountered many older adult learners who are not confident in their academic skills. After a long absence from any kind of school, this is common and very normal. I try to reassure students in all of my interactions that what they are experiencing is normal and that their classmates share the same worries. During the first assignment I always provide the student with some positive feedback on his/her work to help boost their confidence. I find some strength of the student to point out how it will help them not only in this course but in future courses. I have received a lot of feedback over the years that the first feedback reflecting their strengths helps them overcome the self doubt they started with.
