Building confidence in our students is fundamental to successful learning. The two go hand in hand; therefore it is paramount as a teacher that we install confidence in our students at every level of the learning process. The question is how? The following article will focus on a few key areas I believe are paramount to this.

Reliability

When asked Mathew Kearney of Mercersburg College wrote: “One of the most crucial aspects of building a student's confidence in him or her self begins with confidence in the teacher”.

A student has to believe that what you are teaching them is accurate and correct, therefore it is vital that you are thoroughly prepared when entering a lesson, and have a good understanding of the material you will be teaching. If for whatever reason you are unable to answer a question in class, tell the student you will find out and come back to them by a certain time, do not make it up. As Sue Mackateer noted, children are experts at detecting phonies. Make sure you carry out any promises you make. If you are viewed as unreliable student are likely loose faith in you.

Manner

Equally important in teaching, is your approachability. An affable and friendly manner is probably the most effective way of achieving this. However busy you are, ensure students feel able to come to you with questions/problems, and that these are not seen as hindrances but valued. Such on hand assistance allows students to overcome obstacles and consequently learn at a much faster rate than they other wise might. It also works to reduce the frustration a student will encounter if they are struggling on a topic, and feel they have no help. Anything that can increase a student’s success will increase their confidence in their learning ability.

Student confidence in the classroom

Michael Thomas, Head of the counseling department at Florida university observed that a lot of his students would rather “remain confused in class than admit that confusion in front of their classmates.” When questioned, it became apparent that they feared “looking stupid” and that they didn’t want to “risk making a mistake” in public.

This comes as no huge surprise in a society which values flawless performance and places great emphasis on winning and perfection. In truth nobody likes to be wrong, especially in front of their peers; alas a problem arises because in reality learning is often about making mistakes. As a teacher we play a pinnacle role in reducing the negative impact of “making mistakes” .

Thinking back to my school days, the memory of being laughed at and called stupid by a teacher still haunts me. Such remarks however innocent their intentions will only have a negative impact on a student’s confidence. As a teacher it is imperative to remain positive and avoid criticizing a student, especially in front of their peers. Instead positive re-enforcement such as praise and encouragement are invaluable tools in a classroom. They should be employed wherever possible when eliciting answers form a student. Whether the answers are right or wrong, a student’s effort should be recognized and rewarded accordingly. Such positive re-enforcement acts to increase class participation and build student confidence in the classroom.

Emma Healey