Self-esteem is a critical component of human psychology. It can be defined as “the level to which an individual’s character and qualities in his own perception of self, are considered to be positive by him.” We all have come across statements like, ‘You must love yourself before you can love anyone else’ which encourage us to practice self-love. After all, self-esteem builds upon one’s perception of themselves, so it is only logical to assume that any meaningful change must occur from inside, and of one’s own volition. However, we must acknowledge that an individual’s self-esteem can be affected as much, if not more by external factors than their inner self. External actors can and do play a part in building one’s self-esteem.
Another important aspect of self-esteem is that it can be molded when the individual is still young. After a certain age, we all are more or less get set in our ways. So, it affects not only our present but the distant future as well. It is a well-known fact that when a child feels confident in their abilities, he performs better in every sphere, be it studies or extra-curricular activities. Many factors might affect the self-esteem of students. It can be due to poor class performance, bullying, peer pressure, feeling overburdened, and likewise. At a young age, students often look up to their teachers as role models and pay close attention to their words and actions. Therefore, it is the duty of a teacher to set the right example and pay attention to boosting students’ morale and self-esteem. In this article, we present to you the steps you can take as an educator, to boost your students’ self-esteem. So, without further ado, let us take a look at how teachers can help students boost their self esteem.
1. Inculcate a Growth Mindset in Students
The importance of a growth mindset in learning and improvement is well acknowledged. When giving student feedback, you should always teach your students that they can and will improve rather than just pointing out their mistakes. Students should learn that failures are an inseparable part of one’s life and one must be ready to take them in stride and improve upon them rather than getting dejected. An educator must be balanced in their feedback, and not be overly critical of their students. Moreover, the feedback should be based on an objective and not student-oriented.
2.Instill Optimism in Students and Yourself-
Negative thinking always leads an individual towards low self-esteem. The more you focus and reflect on negative thoughts, the more it is bound to take a toll on your mental health and self-esteem. As an educator, you must always try to stay focused on the positive and give your best towards inculcating this habit in your students as well. We all make mistakes in life, that’s what makes us human. Teach your students to not be so hard on themselves and learn to forgive themselves for their mistakes. Teach them how to avoid negative people as such people are like anchors who will only slow down your progress if you let them inside your head.
3.Encourage Active Learning-
An active learning environment provides students the freedom to be participants in their own teaching process. In traditional education, students are expected to listen and follow the instructions of their teachers. An active learning environment, however, provides them the freedom of choice and expression which is beneficial to their self-esteem and confidence. Making use of education technology and Online teaching are great ways of introducing active learning in the classroom as they make learning multi-dimensional. Moreover, the Online classes app provides enhanced features for both teachers and students, such as the facility of swift and timely feedback, student study groups, and chatrooms and likewise which make them a preferred medium of teaching.
4.Set Realistic Targets-
Having realistic expectations is integral for boosting your students’ self-esteem and enhancing student learning outcomes. At the same time, you want your students to be going full throttle towards achieving their potential. As with any classroom, you will have students of varying abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Therefore, you must provide personalized attention and support to every student and try to achieve the intricate balance between setting realistic learning targets for them, and ensuring that they are giving their best at learning and achieving the objectives. This is the formula for the development of healthy self-esteem among students.
Therefore, it is evident that self-esteem is a vital component of a student’s life which governs not only their academic performance at school but will continue to dictate their life in intricate ways long after they would have completed their education. The steps mentioned in this article shall certainly help you to boost your students’ self-esteem and in setting up their lives for future success.
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