Making Something Happen
Self-efficacy is a person's belief in their ability to cause, to bring about, or to make something happen. What do you do to to inspire your students or your co-workers to greater self-efficacy?
Every one is good a anything, you may not be good at this, but excellent at that, just try to achieve all your goals as good as you can, and try try even if you know you are not very skilled at it. Make it happen and maintaine a great and positive attitude.
I often point offer differing ways of looking at a situation. I believe this will help them feel empowered and be able to make something happen.
I like to do and say little things to encourage and let my co-workers know every thing we do here matters. Like leave them encouraging notes taped to their door or a positive quote in an email.
Gina,
You are right on target here. Enthusiasm for the students and the subject can make a big difference in the classroom.
Jeffrey Schillinger
A positive attitude is infectious. Encouraging students, staff, and faculty to act as if they have arrived at their goals creates a positive culture and eventually becomes a self fulfilling prophesy. The old adage, fake it till you make it can go a long way toward ensuring student's self image and impact positive outcomes.
Fatina,
Thanks for sharing. I supervise the registration team at our college system. I will share this concept with them.
Jeffrey Schillinger
What I have done as a new Registrar for the past 6 months is first creating a better community environment here n campus. Creating the campus as a place student want to be at and apart of. This will create positive energy amongst the campus from staff/faculty to students. Each month I host with my Academic Advisors different fun activities for the students on campus. Things that help release stress to things that shows we care.
When students come to me upset about failing a final or course and wanting to give up, I try to help them belive in themselves. A lot of times it is simple things as study habits, or they are just not good test takers. I talk to them about how I am also not a good test taker and how I get distracted easy and usually have to sit by myself in a quiet room. I ask them if that is something that may help them. You have to find out what it is that can truly help them and make them understand that there is ways to help them.
We do some role play examples to see how a student might react in a mock lesson. Also, we have games and videos to help see where our weaknesses lie. I love jeopardy especially as a wrap up for a unit.
Megan,
What are some of the specific things covered in these sessions that impact the learning environment in a positive way?
Jeffrey Schillinger
We have many training sessions, observations, and online learning opportunities.
Megan,
What are some things your institution does to help faculty members develop mastery of new teaching methods?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Some instructors find a one-way approach that is effective at first, but over time with the changing standards and how students learn, becomes outdated as well. That is when you have to take a course or observe other teachers to see what is working in their classrooms.
I like to have my students complete foundational tasks before I give them more advanced ones. When a students sees that they can be successful at the little things I encourage them to take on bigger and more complex tasks. This usually results in the student being more successful in the subject matter than they originally thought they could be.
I lead by example. I try to think extremely positive, have a friendly and positive attitide, and constantly give encouraging words. I feel like if I were to act positive, then I will rub off on and uplift the people around me. Same thing goes with a person being negative. If I were to act negative, then I will bring the people around me down. So I stay clear of a negative mindset and attitude.
I have learned how to push and hold back with different students. At times I will sit and explain why my actions are what they are, how we can have a better outcome. I like to instill or watch students find their GRIT, in class
Often times I give students a description of my past and tell them a little story about myself, how I cam to be where I am, and how much effort it took. This seems to change the attitude some students have towards school in general as they want to learn and change their lives the way other have.
Scot,
Thanks for sharing your perspective. The "simple" things are usually the most impactful.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I always start my class off on the first day with some activity to help me get to know my students a little bit. I am always looking of bits of information about my students while we are doing the activities. Very often I will have them write some goals for themselves for the term and turn them into me as well as what they are expecting to get out of this class. I really look here to see how strong their self-efficacy and identify students who have a week self-efficacy and start looking at ways to help them change the way they see themselves. And it can be as simple as praising them for a good job in front of their peers or using something they created as an example to show the class.
