Teaching What Matters Self Confidence

Nothing will build their confidence like looking your students in the eyes and telling them “Great Job”!

In my previous post called A New Normal, we discussed how we could be on the brink of change for the better in terms of the priorities in the world of education. We may find out that our focus on test scores has shifted to a focus on what really matters…THE KIDS! There are so many things that have been put aside because of the pressure to perform academically and building them up is at the top of the list. Taking the time to build their confidence in themself is vital in the early elementary years and I believe it’s vital in achieving the academic success we all long for.

Our students need to see our faces and feel that we mean it! There are tons of ways that we can do this in our classrooms as well as during this “NEW NORMAL” time of learning from home!

Have you met with your students yet since the “New Normal” has set in? Have you figured out a way to go digital? There are so many tools and ways to work digitally with your students! We are so lucky to be in a day and age where digital tools are right at our fingertips. My own kids have been using Google Classroom, Google Docs, and Zoom to be in contact with their classmates and teachers! I know firsthand that kids want and need to see their teachers and classmates. If you haven’t met with your class yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

There are so many ways to make this happen! I found a great list of ways to go remote on the website called Lucky Little Learners just click here to view. Also, you can read my post about the SeeSaw Ap, an amazing online journal that allows teachers and parents to view concrete work that a student has done. Click here to see my post about SeeSaw.

Bottom line: there are so many ways to get face to face with your students! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Take advantage of this time and use it to build them up!

Activities that help build confidence:

All of the following ideas can be used remotely as well as in your regular class…time to get creative!

• Showcase Work– Students love to see their work showcased for others to see. Why not feature work that they’ve done at home on your Google Classroom!!!
• Show and Tell-provide a time when students can share something that is meaningful to them. Using Zoom is a great way to do this! My sons class has been Zooming each day to share something: a book, a game, a conversation, etc. This could be about a specific topic you are learning about or any random item that the students love and care about.
• Student as Teachers– Let the students teach the class! This could be on a simple math strategy or and iea or unit that is larger. Or anything they’ve learned on their own while home. The students love to model how something is done. Simply assign them a task (the task could be as simple as “teach us something you’ve learned at home”) and tell them to video themself explaining it! You can post this video in your google classroom or any tool you are using to connect with your class.
• Student Read Alouds– Many teachers have posted themselves reading aloud or doing a Morning Meeting…but how about letting the students take turns posting a read aloud that they love!
• Growth Mindset– Take time to teach Growth Mindset!!! The philosophy of Growth Mindset is one that is empowering, motivating, and necessary in teaching a child to learn about themselves and love who they are!
• Student of the Week– Most teachers already do a Student of the Week. You can still do this remotely. You can still feature their work and provide an opportunity for students to feel proud and confident of who they are using your preferred digital tools. Check out my Student of the Week Packet attached to this post or here on my freebies page.

Please share this post and comment below if you loved it!!! Let’s Make this New Normal a Positive One!!!