Thursday, June 20, 2019

How to build resilience in students!



How to build resilience in students!
The student community comprises a very important section of the society. Students are the hope of the future ;they will be the ones shouldering responsibilities tomorrow. However,the image of the average student makes one think whether he has gone too big for his boots.
There is an old saying "Spare the rod and spoil the child. "But today the rod is spared and youngster is spoilt. There is no adequate machinery to deal with the students properly.
The cinemas allures the students; they are influenced by it more than anything else. Nothing has been done to restrain students from being swept off their feet by far too many distractions.
We have all had that student who gave up at the first sign of difficulty, complained to their parents that we are making the work too difficult for them to understand. Perhaps you have had the student who seemed to be extremely devastated after failing an exam, that it seemed like the world was coming to an end?.
How do we help these students to pick themselves up and start again?
Let me suggest before we proceed, that involving another adult especially a parent in the first instance is not the way to go.
Below are some ways that, educators can consider when trying to build resilience in students.
1. Help students to build strong self belief and confidence.
The more success we gain, the more confident we feel. Break classroom and even homework activities down into manageable steps. Reward students for success at every step. The more success they experience, the more willing they will become to try harder. If you want them to build a rocket, start with awarding them points from the brainstorming stage all the way to completion and launch
2. Clearly explain ‘next steps’ in case of failure.
We often fear the unknown as adults and so do our students. Give your students as much information as possible about what to do next. Let them know the possible things that can happen in case they fail. They are more likely to mope less and try one of the options given or even use the options as springboards to find their own solutions to the problems.
3. Empower students to help each other.
Students often feel much better confiding in their peers when they are having difficulties. Develop systems in your classes that allow students to talk to each other before the matter is raised to the teacher.
4. Ensure that students know the goals and purpose of all classroom tasks and activities.
When students know why they are doing something, they will be better able to react appropriately in the face of hardship or even failure. In explaining the objectives to the students, also let them know when and where they might meet this topic again.
Have some great classroom experiences!

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