As educators, we know that one of the best traits that can help you succeed is confidence. Doubt can kill dreams, and lack of self-belief can deter anyone from achieving a goal and succeeding. However, trust is often something that we have or need at any given time. We need confidence, even for the smallest things in the daily routine that we do. On the other hand, sometimes, we need courage to overcome a situation. Courage is boosted when the going gets tough or creates fear. For example, it may take confidence to pass the final exam, but it takes courage to excel in a degree program when you jeopardize finances, reduce your work-life balance, and all your support systems are in place. against your pursuing this goal.
As educators, we will see many students each year who need to increase their value. They need our help and guidance on how to be courageous in a time of fear or anxiety. Students face many life events throughout their more than four years with us, and to help them achieve their goal of obtaining a degree, we must also provide guidance on how to be courageous.
Here are 3 ways you can guide students to be more courageous:
- Reduce fears and anxieties
If you want your students to be more courageous, remember that as a teacher, your role is to teach, guide, model and inspire, not to show students how difficult “the real world” is. Learning new content and balancing education with life is hard enough, there is no need to instill fear in addition to that. As a bonus, as fears and anxieties are minimized, and students advance, they develop confidence.
To minimize fears and anxieties in your students, there are several things you can do, here are some tips:
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Set course expectations from the beginning.
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Link students to helpful resources.
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Give them advice on what to do if they run into technology problems.
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Provide your contact information and respond to emails / calls in less than 24 hours.
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Allow some leeway in case a student has an important life event during a specific week.
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Humanize yourself. You can do this by sharing a bit about who you are personally, making classroom videos, using humor, building rapport.
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Do not give negative comments in the open forum. Use personal email or gradebook comments.
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Give your opinion on the assignments and discussion questions. This helps the student to know what they have done well and where they can improve. No comment leaves students in the dark as to what they can improve and how.
- Encourage students to focus on what they can control
In a classroom, you are the authority. Students may feel intimidated at times or feel they have limited power. Maybe they don’t like the content, don’t understand it, or are having personal problems while trying to manage their education. As a teacher, if you want to increase your student’s courage, help him focus on what is under his control. This will help students to persevere in the face of adversity or trials because they will realize that they are not completely powerless.
Here are some tips you can share with students to help them take control of their education:
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Give students tips to avoid procrastination
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Share resources on balancing work and life
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Provide students with tools on how to achieve better time management.
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Help students become intentional about their lean. You can provide them with assessments that help them better understand how they learn. (See the Learning Connections Inventory (LCI) via Let Me Learn.)
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Share school / college resources.
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Educate students on the importance and how to build strong networks and support systems.
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Teach students how to create SMART goals.
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Encourage students to take an honest look at the people and activities in their lives. Then ask them to personally assess what / who might be better to cut or keep to achieve those SMART goals.
- Teach communication skills
It takes courage to do something when you are scared or to move on in pain and sadness. It is important for students to know that they are valuable and that they can use their voice to make a difference. By teaching students how to speak, you empower them to make a difference in their lives and in the lives of others, and that often takes a lot of courage. In today’s society, the next generation in line must be heard. They face extreme levels of violence and anger, but the power of speech can change that and create a positive movement. As a teacher, you can also educate your students on how to talk about less socially involved, but still critical aspects of a student’s life; for example, how to speak for advancement or say no to outside tasks that don’t fit your goals.
Here are some ways you can help students improve their communication:
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Educate students on the importance of various communication styles (formal, informal, verbal, non-verbal).
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Provide tips on how to use social media, along with the pros and cons.
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Provide guidance on listening and the value of patience.
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Educate students on how certain words can be perceived to have self-doubt. (For example, observing how often a student leads with “I think” or “I feel” in negotiations or business).
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Be respectful and discuss the importance of having an open mind.
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Provide feedback on how to be clear and concise, but respond substantially to a question.
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Share resources such as books, articles, and videos on how to communicate with confidence.
By increasing students’ levels of courage, we are helping them persevere through the trials and tribulations that life throws at them as they take a leap of faith to improve their lives. As we increase value, we also instill confidence. Courage and confidence are two key ingredients in helping our students achieve their goals, achieve their dreams, and earn their degree. It is in these incredible students and their accomplishments that we are fortunate to leave behind a bit of our legacy as teachers.