Desyree, I am interested in your comments based on the original posting for the topic of Self-Doubt:
One of the greatest rewards in teaching is helping students discover their potential in spite of their self-doubt. Discuss some particular examples of cases, past or present, where this perception was clearly evident.
Regards,
James Jackson
I TRULY AGREE. IT'S VERY REWARDING TO SEE RESULTS.
Billy, can you share a time when you used the techniques you mentioned to assist a student that was exhibiting traits of self-doubt? I am very interested in the background information, your methodology and any results you can share.
Thanks for any information you can provide.
Regards,
James Jackson
Thanks for your post Michael. Can you share a time when you directly worked with a student that had self-doubt and what role you played to bring the student forward and believing in them-self?
Thanks for any information you can share.
Regards,
James Jackson
I have had a few students who have started modules and not think that they are smart enough to finish, but now that they are about to graduate they are more in control of their lives and are more stable in their belief factors.
Yes, success is a totally relevant term,and it must be defined individually.
I teach general education courses in a "trades" school. Somehow, during the student's previous years of education, they developed the idea that they could not write. Often, I work with that mis-understanding and encourage them to put words on paper and share their thinking.
Alot of adult learners that I have encountered always think that they cant do it i always hear that first and they havent even tried the task yet so I always tell them when assigning a task or project that i dont want them to start by saying that but rather them say why cant I do this. I think it makes them think about what is holding them back from starting a paper or getting up in front of class to speak.
I have a student who tentatively mentioned that she was thinking about attending law school. She is a very smart woman who is very capable of successfully completing law school and I explained that to her. She was so surprised that I thought she could do it & it hit home how important my feedback is to students. During "mock interviews" today, I had a student who dreads public speaking and she actually did a great job. I spent time pointing out thing she could improve but I really spent time pointing out the great parts of the interview, including her demeanor. She had been tired and kind of grumpy at the beginning of class but that afternoon changed a lot.
I think that most of the time students doubt themselves. In one of the classes that I teach we actually talk about this a lot. I think that it helps for students to know that we ALL have self-doubt. We use the TPI videos in the classroom as well to talk about positive affirmations.
Thanks for your comments Emilee. Experience an becoming familiar with something can be great ways to reduce the level of self-doubt. By offering up well thought out questions and strategically designed quizzes, you have been able to move your students beyond the fear factor level of test taking and have provided them a better understanding that testing is key to their learning and higher level understanding of the course material.
Regards,
James Jackson
My course is structured for the students to obtain an national certification. The test are written for me by the national organization. The students before reaching my class have already taken test written by the organization and know they are challenging and can be confusing. They tend to be fearful of taking them and failing. I began writing quizzes for them to take the week before based on the book and what the test indicated was important. I structure the questions so that if the students understand the material enough to answer mine the test questions will be simple. They take it the class period before and we go over the answers after. They have been doing well on the quizzes and on the test because they now feel more comfortable with what to expect on the test and have more chances for grades and evaluations.
Andre, can you share some of your techniques with respect to how you help students overcome their self-doubt?
Thanks for anything you are willing to share.
Regards,
James Jackson
I see many students start a new class or area of study with a great deal of anxiety and self-doubt. I agree that one of the greatest rewards for me as an instructor is to support and witness how these individuals overcome their fear and prosper beyond their own expectations.
In one recent case, I was working with a student (let's call him John) who was working in the kitchen of a company cafeteria. John decided to give the IT field a try and signed up for the introductory course. I worked with him closely during the class and outside of the classroom to make sure he stayed on track. Initially it was really challenging for him but with his will and my support and motivation, he really started to enjoy the subject. John is now working in the IT field as a System Administrator. He stays in touch and shares his accomplishments with me. It is was a fun experience and rewarding to see how far he has grown professionally.
Great point Ward. I doubt that any instructor can make the claim they never made a mistake so why punish a student for something we have all done? There are any number of books on various professions that will talk about the importance of not being afraid to make a mistake and then learn from that mistake to get better. There is a difference between taking a risk which resulted in a mistake from which learning can take place and just being incompetent. A quality instructor will help their students understand the difference. Of course there are situations where mistakes can have catastrophic results. There is a difference between a doctor making a mistake during a brain surgery procedure and someone making their first omelet. This is the role of an effective instructor and how we ensure students know the difference between a mistake that can result in a better understanding of the materials and a mistake that can cause someone their life. Learning through mistakes can also be a great tool to reduce self-doubt and move on to a higher level of self awareness and confidence.
Regards,
James Jackson
I get students all the time are just plain afraid. I don't want to blame some of my peers that teach them before me but in the Culinary arts most of my peeres were raised and taught in the old fashioned way. If you did something wrong " duck quickly" because there would be a pan or a plate flying in your direction. I don't like to teach or preach to my students I like to be a part of the class and act as a facilitator then I can help to guide them with no fear. remember they are paying us to learn and we need to give them the tools to do the job. I love what I do I pick them up , I never put them down. Even if they make a mistake( which sometimes I let it happen , we can learn more in the review than if they made it right the first time.
Misty, thanks for sharing this story. Thinking outside the box and outside the curriculum is such an important topic and a skill that needs more focus. Ensuring the intended learning outcomes are accomplished is critical but the methods my which true educators accomplish this goal vary and are not always a standard issue within all institutions. The role of an effective and efficient instructor is to focus on the needs of the student, know the resources that are available and make use of the best tools to move the student forward in their learning and understanding of the course objectives.
Regards,
James Jackson
As an accounting instructor, I find that just the basics of accounting can be extremely difficult for some to comprehend. Diana was a more mature adult that chose to further her education with our instiution. I inherited her in Business Math and watched her struggle with not understanding. I found that by using tools outside my ciriculum that she would identify with inspired her and eventually she graduated with honors!
Thanks for sharing Cynthia. Students that carry some excess issues with them into the classroom can take additional time from the instructor but the time spent is worth the effort. It is also true that at times it is 20% of our students that occupy 80% of our time but by working towards breaking down the self-doubt and focusing on positive self-talk, we as instructors with the intelligent hearts (Lou Tice, The Pacific Institute), can contribute more and more students to the other side of that equation and inspire students to become more self-directed and self-aware of their true potential. Everyone can be successful in education if they have a mentor and coach to show them the way.
Thanks again and kind regards,
James Jackson
Thanks for your comments Elizabeth and I love the self talk example. Self talk is a key tool that can be used by instructors to get students to focus on the positive and accomplish their goals. Cognitive psychologists can reproduce experiments that show we become that which we think about the most so if our thoughts are on the negative and the impossible then our accomplishments will be few to none. Those that tend to focus on the positive and see opportunity tend to be much more successful.
Kindest regards,
James Jackson
