What is the best way to build confidence in students? Thinking back to a time in the past, at some point, most of us will have had a pang of self doubt in a classroom environment, or been in a situation where all confidence left the room never to return just when it was needed the most. At some point, each and every one of us has suffered lack of confidence on some level. Thinking back to those times, was there anything that anyone could’ve done to help you?

Some people say that confidence needs to be found from within. In the case of building confidence in students, they need to be able to learn in a comfortable environment, where they are free to express themselves. Restrictions and outside influences need to be kept to a minimum and it’s fair to say, that all the factors associated with building confidence in students, are the responsibility of the teacher.

The teacher needs to create an environment which benefits both the student and the teacher. Whether it’s on a one-to-one basis or in a group, the students need the confidence to start to learn and continue learning. One of the most important things that the teacher can do is create this environment from the very first lesson. The following factors must be considered and put into action by teachers to help students build their confidence: to be gentle, caring, encouraging, sensitive, enthusiastic and motivated. If all of these above are brought to the classroom, you are well on your way to creating the right environment. Is there more to it than that though?

It may be easier said than done to do all of the above and still get results. As we know, Rome wasn’t built in a day, therefore patience and time need to be added to the list.

If the teacher can create confidence from within and then project it to the students, they can make progress in leaps and bounds.

Another vital factor in building confidence in students is trust. By gaining trust from the student, it allows freedom of speech. By offering the students a classroom environment which encourages them to trust their own ideas and their own experiences, this in turn will allow them to think for themselves and not just try to read the teacher’s mind. The teacher and student can then begin dialogue with each other and by playing with ideas this forms a bond and brings the group together. The above should then help the students gain confidence in the teacher, which then forms a base with which to work from.

One way of building confidence in students from the very beginning is to make the student successful immediately. This can be done by giving the students tasks which can be accomplished easily. It is not a long term solution, but initially the student will be successful and by them being successful, this in turn gives the student more confidence to continue learning.

Giving encouraging feedback and praise to the students is also a must. This gives them a sense that not all hope is lost and gives them the will to carry on learning. One should not assume that because a student appears confident in other areas of their life, that they will be confident in their ability with a specific skill, or in a learning environment.

Anne Lister